Curing and Cooking with Ruhlman & Polcyn's "Charcuterie" (Part 2)

[Abra]

And here's another sign of being in it up to your ears. I have two hostess gifts and two birthday gifts to give in the next few days. I'm thinking of giving them bacon and pancetta. Will they love it, or will they think I'm nuts? Am I nuts?

[snowangel]

And here's another sign of being in it up to your ears.  I have two hostess gifts and two birthday gifts to give in the next few days.  I'm thinking of giving them bacon and pancetta.  Will they love it, or will they think I'm nuts?  Am I nuts?

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You can give me gifts anytime! I wouldn't think you were nuts, nor would my friends, but they are used to my oddities!

[jmolinari]

thanks for the info Dave. I'll have to try paddling the meat, ithought it would smear too much, so i havn't used that in making salame where the fat needs to stay distinct from the meat.

jason

[hwilson41]

And here's another sign of being in it up to your ears.  I have two hostess gifts and two birthday gifts to give in the next few days.  I'm thinking of giving them bacon and pancetta.  Will they love it, or will they think I'm nuts?  Am I nuts?

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I'm not a hostess (wrong sex), but feel free to put me on your gift list any time you'd like .

[hwilson41]

Per request, here's a quick version of the modified Folse/Ruhlman-Polcyn Andouille recipe I made.  I'll also enter it into Recipe Gullet later today.

5 1/2 pounds fatty pork shoulder or butt, diced into 1-2" chunks

1/2 cup minced garlic

1/4 cup freshly-cracked black pepper (I'd decrease this next time)

2 T cayenne pepper

1 T dry thyme (I'd increase this next time)

3 T kosher salt

1 t curing (pink) salt

1 C ice water

10' hog casings

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Ron, I'm still pondering this recipe while I search for some Pecan (with no success so far, but it'll come). Compared to the ingredients lists from Jacob's and Poche's , Folse's recipe has a lot more garlic than the others (assuming they list the ingredients in order of volume/weight). Could that have been the source of some of the bitterness also?

I'm dying to get going on this, and may bag the Pecan search temporarily and use a mixture of Hickory and Cherry if I don't score pretty soon. Your sausages are making me anxious to make a batch of jambalaya in the worst way .

[jmolinari]

Dave, how was the flavor of the tuscan salame? Also, how long did you incubate at 75 F?

j

[choux]

For anyone else in Canada wanting to get curing salt without having to order from the US, try here: www.stuffers.com

They are in Langley, BC. Apparently it's not called pink salt in Canada, Stuffer's has it as Prague Powder#1, and I couldn't find it in the listings, I had to use the search engine. It's $4.95/lb, and shipping was reasonable. Thanks to DerekW for sharing the source with me.

Edited April 14, 2006 by choux (log)

[ronnie_suburban]

Per request, here's a quick version of the modified Folse/Ruhlman-Polcyn Andouille recipe I made.  I'll also enter it into Recipe Gullet later today.

5 1/2 pounds fatty pork shoulder or butt, diced into 1-2" chunks

1/2 cup minced garlic

1/4 cup freshly-cracked black pepper (I'd decrease this next time)

2 T cayenne pepper

1 T dry thyme (I'd increase this next time)

3 T kosher salt

1 t curing (pink) salt

1 C ice water

10' hog casings

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Ron, I'm still pondering this recipe while I search for some Pecan (with no success so far, but it'll come). Compared to the ingredients lists from Jacob's and Poche's , Folse's recipe has a lot more garlic than the others (assuming they list the ingredients in order of volume/weight). Could that have been the source of some of the bitterness also?

I'm dying to get going on this, and may bag the Pecan search temporarily and use a mixture of Hickory and Cherry if I don't score pretty soon. Your sausages are making me anxious to make a batch of jambalaya in the worst way .

←

I'm honestly not sure about this. I thought the garlic level was ok but I won't know for sure until I make the next batch and see how it differs. It's possible that an excess of garlic contributed to the bitterness but most of the folks who tasted these liked them more than I did -- and didn't complain about any bitterness at all. I guess sometimes, we're our own worst critics.

It's also hard to know what I'm getting garlic-wise these days. It's grocery store standard issue stuff. Once the farmers markets in our area start to open for the season, garlic varietals will be available once again. At that point, I know there are some types which are so strong that 1/2 C would definitely be too much.

How was that for a non-answer?

=R=

[Bombdog]

Dave, how was the flavor of the tuscan salame? Also, how long did you incubate at 75 F?

j

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Jason

I love the flavor. There is the hint of sour from the fermentation, and the fat is just lovely, buttery and smooth.

I guess I left them in the oven for about 18-20 hours. I just hung the next batch yesterday.

Dave

[Michael Ruhlman]

question: has anyone besides melkor done an emulsified sausage, either with cuisinart or with the paddle. if so was there any problem with incorporating the fat?

[ronnie_suburban]

question: has anyone besides melkor done an emulsified sausage, either with cuisinart or with the paddle. if so was there any problem with incorporating the fat?

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I made the Cold-Smoked Andouille (this one is emulsified, yes?) using the paddle on my KA stand mixer and had no problem incorporating the fat. But, the recipe didn't specify exactly how much water to add. I eyeballed it, ended up adding about 12 fluid ounces and the sausages turned out very well.

=R=

[Abra]

Here's my pancetta, finally done. It looks, well, just like everyone else's pancetta, except it's mine, all mine.

As you can see, there's a lot of variation in the fat/meat ratio at different places in the belly. You know how store-bought pancetta doesn't taste much like pork? This really does.

It crisps up gorgeously, too.

Also today I hung my guanciale, and started brining Canadian bacon. My lamb prosciutto's got a long way to go in the fridge still. Ok, I think I have enough long-term projects going now!

[Bombdog]

Here's my pancetta, finally done.  It looks, well, just like everyone else's pancetta, except it's mine, all mine.

Also today I hung my guanciale, and started brining Canadian bacon.  My lamb prosciutto's got a long way to go in the fridge still.  Ok, I think I have enough long-term projects going now!

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Abra, that looks wonderful! Congrats! You got a nice tight roll on that puppy too!

My long term project box is getting pretty full too. There's Tuscan salame, peperone, proscuitto of lamb and pork and Hungarian paprika sausage in there.

My butcher says jowl is readily available, so I think I'll start some guanciale next week. There is another bresaola in curing in the refrigerator along with 3 slabs of bacon, all with another week to go.

I think I've got it bad. Help, I'm curing and I can't stop.

Dave

[hwilson41]

It's also hard to know what I'm getting garlic-wise these days.  It's grocery store standard issue stuff.  Once the farmers markets in our area start to open for the season, garlic varietals will be available once again.  At that point, I know there are some types which are so strong that 1/2 C would definitely be too much.

How was that for a non-answer?

=R=

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Non-answers are just fine. One of the marks of a true intellectual is that he is sufficiently secure that he has the nerve to say "I don't know." when he doesn't know . I'm using the storebought stuff also until our farmer's markets open, but I think I'll tone down the garlic a bit for a first run, maybe 1 Tbsp per pound of sausage...a decision I may live to regret .

[hwilson41]

I think I've got it bad.  Help, I'm curing and I can't stop.

Dave

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Bombdog, this is a disease shared by several of us. Not to worry, though, it's not fatal...unless your cholesterol level kills you. But be sure to keep up the heavy doses of red wine and you'll be fine .

[Bombdog]

But be sure to keep up the heavy doses of red wine and you'll be fine .

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Who told you I drink "heavy doses of red wine?" If that's all it takes I'm GOLDEN!

[jmolinari]

Michael, i've made mortadella, not using your recipe, using Paul Bertolli's. Following his procedure i had no problems. I used a food processor. It was actually quite easy.

It can be seen here:

[hwilson41]

Who told you I drink "heavy doses of red wine?"  If that's all it takes I'm GOLDEN!

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It was just a shot in the dark (maybe extrapolating my own fondness for red wine to others). I gather that it was spot on too .

[Abra]

Saying "red" wine implies there's any other color. Red wine and charcuterie do seem natural, and now I think I need to go stock up on wine to match my growing meat stash. Although it's nothing compared to Bombdog's ongoing projects. Makes me feel like a slug by comparison!

Jason, that mortadella is so pretty. When I get going on sausages I really want to play with internal garnish. It makes it so appetizing and eye-catching.

[jmolinari]

Thanks Abra..it was TASTY too!

[Bombdog]

I have 2 lbs of ground venison and I'd like to make some sort of dry cured salame. Any ideas?

[Abra]

This looks like the venison sausage I had in France. The ingredient list is maigre et gras de porc, sel, épices, sucre, salpêtre, 33% chevreuil. That's pork, pork fat, salt, spices, saltpeter, and 33% venison. So maybe 1/3 pork, 1/3 back fat, 1/3 venison?

Not sure how much help that'll be, but it might lead you to a good recipe.

[Bombdog]

This looks like the venison sausage I had in France.  The ingredient list is maigre et gras de porc, sel, épices, sucre, salpêtre, 33% chevreuil.  That's pork, pork fat, salt, spices, saltpeter, and 33% venison.  So maybe 1/3 pork, 1/3 back fat, 1/3 venison?

Not sure how much help that'll be, but it might lead you to a good recipe.

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Thanks Abra...any ideas from anyone on spicing?

Dave

[mkayahara]

The ingredient list is maigre et gras de porc, sel, épices, sucre, salpêtre, 33% chevreuil.  That's pork, pork fat, salt, spices, saltpeter, and 33% venison.

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And sugar.

[rooftop1000]

This looks like the venison sausage I had in France.  The ingredient list is maigre et gras de porc, sel, épices, sucre, salpêtre, 33% chevreuil.  That's pork, pork fat, salt, spices, saltpeter, and 33% venison.  So maybe 1/3 pork, 1/3 back fat, 1/3 venison?

Not sure how much help that'll be, but it might lead you to a good recipe.

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Thanks Abra...any ideas from anyone on spicing?

Dave

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Juniper

tracey