Curing and Cooking with Ruhlman & Polcyn's "Charcuterie" (Part 3)

[Rubashov]

Chris, they look good.

Also, you are VERY lucky. It looks like you have an older model KA grinder, which has a coarser coarse plate. Wish i had that too, my coarse plate is 3/8"..looks like yuors is about 1/2". They no longer make that size for the KA.

jason

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Not having one in front of me to compare, I gather the KA grinder is smaller than a traditional #8 grinder?

[ronnie_suburban]

Great job, Chris! That finished product looks fantastic. Great definition!

=R=

[Michael Ruhlman]

One thing I did notice using these Butcher & Packer casings is that they appear to be a lower quality casing than the ones I've been getting at Whole Foods. If you look carefully, you can see these little white lines.

Based on what I read above (thanks to whomever wrote it!), I'm convinced that those lines are indeed blood vessels to the intestinal lining. There aren't too many of them, and I could care less, but it was a difference that I noticed.

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casings are entirely connective tissue and fat. i've actually harvested these things while they were still warm. they're scrapped clean. they don't have blood vessels. nor, as ron might confirm, do butchers consider the webbing to be a sign of inferior quality. i actually prefer it. more texture to one of the best parts of a sausage.

[mdbasile]

I'm with Chris. Trying to stuff  with the KA is a waste of time. It smears the meat and is SUPER tough to do.

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Agreed - I made some Venison Salami (will post photos) Sunday and was using myn KA stuffer - I was getting all kind smearing - I was swearing a blue streak -- in serious frustration. Next thing I know my wife is staning next to be with a box... saying Happy Fathers' day a little early!!!

Man was I thrilled with my new 5lb Grissly stuffer !!!! How the hell I have been able to use the KA is now beyond me -- The stuffer is sooo much easier - a fraction of the time and mostly NO SMEAR !!!!

Thanks Honey!!!

[mdbasile]

Nice Work Chris!!

[mdbasile]

Bactoferm question:

There are 3 different product on the Butcher Packer website.

LHP

Bactoferm™ F-RM-52

M-EK-4 Bactoferm

What is the difference? I read the info, but really could figure it out. FWIW - I have used both of the last two, and obviously using the M-EK-4 has given me some nice mold, but can I use any of these?

[jmolinari]

Rubashov, the KA and #8 are ALMOST the same. The diameter of the plates is very very close. What sucks is the retention method is different. In regular plates they have notches, the KA has tabs.

It is very very annoying that KA didn't just use standard plates. I have some #8 plates i'm going to modify to work.

[jmolinari]

mark, i have used LHP and F-RM. I prefer the F-RM. The LHP seems to have a distinct sharp tang, and to my tastes an "off " flavor i couldn't quite place.

I'll stick to the F-RM.

The M-EK isn't for internal use, i think it is just for getting mold on the casing. Did you have nice heavy mold development when you used it?

[FoodMan]

I hate to belabor the point, but the instructions that came with my (non-ice-packed) Bactoferm claim that an ideal temp for the hanging of sausages is something around 78 or so! The book and almost everyone here says that is too high. So, now I am thoroughly confused!

Chris this is awsome looking sausage man.

BTW, how much is this stuffer? My wife keeps asking what I want for Father's day and that might be an option.

[Bombdog]

I hate to belabor the point, but the instructions that came with my (non-ice-packed) Bactoferm claim that an ideal temp for the hanging of sausages is something around 78 or so! The book and almost everyone here says that is too high. So, now I am thoroughly confused!

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Are you sure they are not referring to the inoculation temperature?

[FoodMan]

I hate to belabor the point, but the instructions that came with my (non-ice-packed) Bactoferm claim that an ideal temp for the hanging of sausages is something around 78 or so! The book and almost everyone here says that is too high. So, now I am thoroughly confused!

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Are you sure they are not referring to the inoculation temperature?

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I do not have the instructions on me right now, but yes pretty sure. I can verify when I get back home I guess.

[melicob]

I weighed my Spanish chorizo this weekend and it was 50% less than the initial weight! It wasn't even supposed to be ready yet. (It's target date is this Thursday.) Is that bad? My closet has maintained a consistent 65 degrees and 70% humidity. The flavor is fantastic and the texture is great, but now I'm a little worried something has gone wrong. I took it down and put it in the fridge because I didn't want it to shrink too much. Is time (18-20 days) more important than the target 30% weight loss? Thoughts?

And lovely, lovely photo essay, Chris! I also adore my grizzly. I think it was around $60 + shipping?

Thanks!

-Melissa

[Bombdog]

Elie

I can't find 78 degrees referred to. I know the instruction sheet you are talking about and I have not saved it from previous shipments. I looked at the package and there are no instructions.

However, I did find this reference on the BP website that says 55 degrees is the ideal temp for drying. I think they are using drying and curing as interchangable terms.

[FoodMan]

This one, right? An email just went out to the wife as a suggestion.

[FoodMan]

Elie

I can't find 78 degrees referred to.  I know the instruction sheet you are talking about and I have not saved it from previous shipments.  I looked at the package and there are no instructions.

However, I did find this reference on the BP website that says 55 degrees is the ideal temp for drying.  I think they are using drying and curing as interchangable terms.

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Thanks for checking Bomdog. I'll check when I get home.

[jmolinari]

Optimal grown for the F-RM-52 is 85 deg. For the LHP it was higher, 95 deg.

I see what Elie is talking about...in the LHP paperwork, http://butcher-packer.com/newsarticle.asp?id=36 , it says the optimal drying conditions are 79deg.

I don't know why it says taht. That is very very high. The F-RM instructions say optimal conditions are 55deg.

jason

[davecap]

Optimal grown for the F-RM-52 is 85 deg. For the LHP it was higher, 95 deg.

I see what Elie is talking about...in the LHP paperwork, http://butcher-packer.com/newsarticle.asp?id=36 , it says the optimal drying conditions are 79deg.

I don't know why it says taht. That is very very high. The F-RM instructions say optimal conditions are 55deg.

jason

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I have a question regarding sausage making- I saw a story on a commercial sausage maker, who in order to keep the ground meat and ingredients cold, actually added pieces of dry ice to the mix.

Has anyone tried this? And if so, what was the result? Worth the expense?

[Chris Amirault]

Seems wicked cool, in more ways than one -- but given the fact that a little bit of care and room in your freezer can get you well within the proper range, I don't really see the need for the expense.

[ronnie_suburban]

re: dry ice, since it doesn't really store well in a consumer freezer, it'd be an extra stop before every sausage run and that could become inconvenient. It would be interesting to try, though. That said, I know that at certain places, the final ingredient isn't (1 C of) ice water, it's actually nothing more than the same amount of crushed ice. A few commercial places I've spoken with do it this way.

=R=

[Eastgate]

I made the salmon, shrimp, and spinach terrine yesterday. After-action report en route, with luck. (Oddly, I haven't found any discussion of this recipe here.)

Any suggestions on saucing or garnishing it?

[mdbasile]

mark, i have used LHP and F-RM. I prefer the F-RM. The LHP seems to have a distinct sharp tang, and to my tastes an "off " flavor i couldn't quite place.

I'll stick to the F-RM.

The M-EK isn't for internal use, i think it is just for getting mold on the casing. Did you have nice heavy mold development when you used it?

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Hmm - well I put it in last Salami and got great mold.... but do I need another bactoferm product too - to keep bacteria from forming?

Edited June 12, 2006 by mdbasile (log)

[mdbasile]

Here is my lamb procuitto and venison salami hanging..

Pancetta, Guiancale, bacon curing and a pork shoulder in waiting...

Edited June 12, 2006 by mdbasile (log)

[mdbasile]

Here is the difference between the KA - bottom and the Grizzly- Top. The one KA - was at the very beginning - started ok, as you can see on the left and then went straight to..SMEAR....

As you can see the others are good...

Edited June 12, 2006 by mdbasile (log)

[ronnie_suburban]

Mark, that's a nice inventory you put up. And like a true charcutier, I see that you've got that raw butt ready to go, alongside the curing items. Very nice.

=R=

[mdbasile]

Thanks Ron.... also 5 lbs of backfat, 2lbs veal chunks and one 7 lb pork belly not pictured...

So much pork... so little time....

BTW - the Vension Salami is with toasted crushed juniper berries and black, green and pink crushed peppercorns and some garlic... along with the kosher, dextrose and curing salt...

Edited June 13, 2006 by mdbasile (log)