scotty2

The first time I cured guanciale, I thought that layer of small, studded fat was glands, so I cut them off. When I started playing with bigger jowls, like those from a Mangalitsa, I continued removing that layer. What I've found more often than not is that there are actually glands within that layer of spongy fat.

Dougal, I can't seem to find the link to the Meat Processor's handbook. Could you point me in the right direction?

I agree with vice. I typically use .09% starter(based on total meat + fat raw weight) and has worked every time.

If nothing else, they sure look great, Chris. Good luck.

Electric will cost you an arm and a leg. I have a Grizzly 5lb, pretty affordable. I've used it quite a bit and it's been very reliable.

Made one last week, wrecked it during fermentation. All jowl meat. Fermented at 90 degrees. Apparently, jowl doesn't do well at that temperature. Woke up and found a sack of red liquid. Conferred with Larbo, he told me it was pretty much toast. I'm still going to go forward with curing it. Anyway, made a new one today. Same exact way. 3.5 lbs jowl, 1lb. hot pepper puree and .5lb. hot pepper powder, 3.5% salt(meat weight), .25% #2(total weight). This is roughly 30% total weight from hot pepper. I use 2:1 ratio puree:powder.

I came across a recipe at Len Poli's site yesterday (pdf). Did you try this yet, vice?

I'm sure the starter is fine. This is just part of the game. I had to dump 5lbs. of N'duja this afternoon, after I melted the jowl meat during fermantation, so, it happens.

Chris, you may not have killed your starter. It was probably just "underachieving." I used a starter my last 2 salami I thought was a little old. The first never really hardened. So, I tried it again and the same thing happened. Both of them took forever to dry out as well. However, they tasted just fine. So, I think you may have abandoned ship too early. But, better to be safe anyway. How old is your starter?