Curing and Cooking with Ruhlman & Polcyn's "Charcuterie" (Part 1)

[Anna N]

Oh, I'm in heaven.  I have Charcuterie (albeit from the library, but that will make me know that I have this book).  My local meat market normally carries pork bellies, but they are out until next week.  They also carry casings and a full line of salts and curing agents.  And, best of all, this place is but 4 miles from my house.

Happy dance!

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Susan - DON'T DO THIS TO ME!!!

[hwilson41]

Oh, I'm in heaven.  I have Charcuterie (albeit from the library, but that will make me know that I have this book).  My local meat market normally carries pork bellies, but they are out until next week.  They also carry casings and a full line of salts and curing agents.  And, best of all, this place is but 4 miles from my house.

Happy dance!

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Susan - DON'T DO THIS TO ME!!!

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Susan, I'll be very curious how long it takes you to read Charcuterie from cover to cover. It didn't take me very long, and I'm a somewhat slow reader .

Anna, not to worry. It's sort of like sex. The longer you go without, the better it is when you finally get there .

[Anna N]

Oh, I'm in heaven.  I have Charcuterie (albeit from the library, but that will make me know that I have this book).  My local meat market normally carries pork bellies, but they are out until next week.  They also carry casings and a full line of salts and curing agents.  And, best of all, this place is but 4 miles from my house.

Happy dance!

←

Susan - DON'T DO THIS TO ME!!!

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Susan, I'll be very curious how long it takes you to read Charcuterie from cover to cover. It didn't take me very long, and I'm a somewhat slow reader .

Anna, not to worry. It's sort of like sex. The longer you go without, the better it is when you finally get there .

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HRUMPH! We need a raspberry smilie.

[snowangel]

Susan, I'll be very curious how long it takes you to read Charcuterie from cover to cover.  It didn't take me very long, and I'm a somewhat slow reader .

As I spend about 7 hours tomorrow in a horrid gym (volleyball for Diana), I think I will get this book read pretty darned fast, and sit and dream of my belly and various curing agents.

[ronnie_suburban]

I'm just a few hours away from smoking my 2 bellies which have been curing since last Friday night. One is, again, exact to the recipe in the book. On the other one, I've cut the maple syrup to only 1 fluid ounce and added 2 T of Exquisite-Grade, sweet, Hungarian Paprika.

Naturally, it's supposed to snow tomorrow, so I'm going down to the basement now to haul up the large umbrella and stand.

Mother Nature is going to be my bacon's bitch.

=R=

[Chris Amirault]

Photos, s'il vous plait, Ron.

I wanted to say that a quick trip through some boiling water as per our authors' suggestion reduced the salt level significantly in my latest batch of bacon. It's damned tasty, in fact! I've got five half-pound bags in the freezer: two blanched lardons pre-cut, and three non-blanched thick cut strips.

[jackal10]

I'm confused.

In Chacuterie bacon is hot smoked or otherwise cooked.

Here in UK, and in many other sources bacon is either green (not smoked) or cold smoked.

Is this just this book or is what is called bacon in the US different?

[jmolinari]

In the US, bacon is normally cold smoked too. Cold smoking at home is very difficult, so the book falls back onto hot smoking, which is better than no smoking

[jmolinari]

Here is the sequence of my boneless leg of lamb prosciutto. I've made it before, bone-in, and it is fantastic. It is very similar in flavor to what they have in italy, made with a goat leg, called a "violino". Very gamey, and lamby. You have to really enjoy the flavor of lamb to enjoy it, as it is very intensified. If you're one of those people who doesn't like lamb, because it tastes like lamb...well...don't bother:)

Here is the boneless leg, rubbed with sugar, salt, black pepper, rosemary and i think thats it, i don't remember, i have it in my notes if anyone wants specifics.

This is the leg after 3 weeks in the cure. At 2 weeks, i rerubbed the leg with the 2nd half of the cure, and flipped it.

After that, the lamb was rinsed well, and left to soak for 40 minutes in cold water. Teh water was changed and the lamb left to soak for another 40 mins. Then it was dried very well, and i tried to find a way to make it a neat round bundle, but was unable to. So i cut one piece off, and made a little roll out of that, and a bigger roll out of the other.

The 2nd bigger piece was cased in 100mm collagen casings and tied as well.

These will be hung in my curing chamber until they've lost about 35% of their weight, my guess is the little one will take about 4 weeks and the larger one about 6-7.

I'll report results when i cut them.

jason

[ronnie_suburban]

Very cool, Jason. What's the idea behind the casing? That's not something I normally associate with prosciutto, but I'm such a neophyte. Does it provide some advantage during the drying process?

=R=

[jmolinari]

well, whenever i make coppa or bresaola i always put them in casings. It may slow down drying a little. I guess i'll see if it is worth the effort once i compare the cased vs. uncased. I'm pretty sure that the uncased one will have a dry outer shell.

jason

[snowangel]

Well, during the down times at Diana's volleyball games today, I plowed through most of this book. Wow. This book, BTW, is not a $35.00 book, but let's add on a meat grinder and a sausage stuffer.

I'm hot to do stuff, and I will have a pork belly and I'm so lucky that the meat market that will supply this can also supply all manners of casings as well as salts, etc.

So, just following bacon, I 'm going to experiment and try some sort of sausage with venision and cherries.

Wow. (additionally lucky because my back door neighbor has a Bradley that will cold smoke, and if I share some, he'll gladly lend).

[MarkinHouston]

Well, during the down times at Diana's volleyball games today, I plowed through most of this book.  Wow.  This book, BTW, is not a $35.00 book, but let's add on a meat grinder and a sausage stuffer.

I'm hot to do stuff, and I will have a pork belly and I'm so lucky that the meat market that will supply this can also supply all manners of casings as well as salts, etc.

So, just following bacon, I 'm going to experiment and try some sort of sausage with venision and cherries.

If you have some venison round steak in your freezer, the venison terrine with dried cherries is excellent; I added some peeled pistachios for the color but otherwise followed the directions.

Wow.  (additionally lucky because my back door neighbor has a Bradley that will cold smoke, and if I share some, he'll gladly lend).

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[James Satriano]

I have begun to dry my bresaola. It is hanging in my basement at 60 dregees and 60% humidity. I rubed it lightly with EVOO. I will keep you informed. In response to questions on previous posts, no this isn't my first attempt at charcuterie. I have been curing and smoking Canadian bacon for about a year now. This is my first attempt at air curing anything. I want to try soprasatta next but I fear I am spoiled. I frequently stop at the Italian section of the Bronx called Arthur Ave. and get some of the best soprasatta I have ever tried. Hard to compete. But I digress. For Christmes I made the scallop and crab terrine with very good results. Note to Michael R. The recipe states that you need 8 leeks and it should be 8 leek leaves. Thanks to all

Jim

[Adam Balic]

Here is the sequence of my boneless leg of lamb prosciutto. I've made it before, bone-in, and it is fantastic. It is very similar in flavor to what they have in italy, made with a goat leg, called a "violino". Very gamey, and lamby. You have to really enjoy the flavor of lamb to enjoy it, as it is very intensified. If you're one of those people who doesn't like lamb, because it tastes like lamb...well...don't bother:)

jason

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How interesting. Historically, Mutton hams where produced in the UK, it was quite a common trade item from Scotland to England. They were usually smoked. I have a few recipes for them, if you are interested I could post these.

[jmolinari]

Adam, the recipe would interest me, if it isn't too much trouble.

jason

[FoodMan]

ok, finally managed to download the picture of the pancetta I made:

I am very happy how this half batch turned out and I do not think it needs any alteration. Tasted great thinly sliced on top of pizza yesterday. I will certainly be making more of this pancetta and certainly some smoked (hopefully cold)American bacon pretty soon.

[SethG]

FWIW, my classic dill pickles came out great! Delicious, crunchy, a touch of spiciness from my fresh pickling spices. I can't wait to try it out with kirbys from the greenmarket in season. I'll also make 'em hotter.

[jackal10]

I'd appreciate the recipe (and original source) for the mutton hams, and the other delicious things mentioned: scarlet and hung beef, and powdered goose...

I've just made some fine bacon from Gloucester Old Spot belly and back; dry cured for a week (66g salt; 33g dark brown sugar; 1g saltpetre) then cold smoked over cherry for 36 hours.

Edited March 6, 2006 by jackal10 (log)

[Adam Balic]

1182. To cure Hams.-.....To each large ham allow half a pound of bay salt, two ounces of saltpetre, eight ounces of coarse sugar and half-pound of common salt, with four ounces of Jamaica and Black pepper, and one of coriander seed. pound all ingredients and heat and mix them well; but first rub in six ounces of the salt and the saltpetre, and after two days the rest of the salt and spices. Rub for half an hour. Lay the hams in a trough;-keep them carefully covered, and baste them with brine every day, or oftener;-turn them occasionally.

[Although. no mention is made in this recipe, from others in this section the ham lies in the brine for 3-4 weeks]

1186. Mutton-hams.-Proceed as at No.1182, using for one ham a fourth oth the salt, but half of the spices and sugar. Rub the ham well with the hot pounded salts.-[Obs.] Ram mutton, though disliked at the table, is when good, thought to make the best flavoured hams. In the Highlands, dried junipers are used in curing mutton hams. No sort of meat is more improved by smoking with aromatic woods then mutton. Mutton-hams, when dried, will keep long enough, but scarely improve after six months.

This is from "The Cook and Housewifes Manual" by Meg Dods (1829; Edinburgh).

[Abra]

Hurray, I finally have the book and have begun my dive toward the Divine Meat Pool. I'm trying to decide what to make first, what to order in the way of cures, and all thet. I'm wading through this thread at the same time I'm reading the book, but if anyone has a suggestion for the perfect first project, I'm all ears!

[Anna N]

Hurray, I finally have the book and have begun my dive toward the Divine Meat Pool.  I'm trying to decide what to make first, what to order in the way of cures, and all thet.  I'm wading through this thread at the same time I'm reading the book, but if anyone has a suggestion for the perfect first project, I'm all ears!

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Make bacon! It is so easy and so satisfying.

[jackal10]

Ahh..that inspires meto go and look in Farley (1790), eher there is a mutton ham, and also veal ham and beef hams...

[ronnie_suburban]

Hurray, I finally have the book and have begun my dive toward the Divine Meat Pool.  I'm trying to decide what to make first, what to order in the way of cures, and all thet.  I'm wading through this thread at the same time I'm reading the book, but if anyone has a suggestion for the perfect first project, I'm all ears!

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Make bacon! It is so easy and so satisfying.

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I agree and because it takes a week or so to cure, you can probably turn out a batch of basic sausage after you've started it on its way.

=R=

[Abra]

I've been thinking bacon, too. But last night I made a fabulous Carbonara with some Armandino Batali-cured guanciale, so that's on my mind too. And that lop yuk looks beyond delicious! Chris, did you ever re-do the recipe to include a brining step? I'm off to the market to talk with my butcher about pork bellies. I know to ask for skin on, and I thought I saw "ribs on" too in the book, but I don't see them in anyone's photos. Is that a problem?