![20 pounds going into the smoker shortly [3264x2448 - 919KB]](https://pic8.co/sh/Gkl2Hx.jpg){kind=link}
Bacon > coffee
Happy ODP!
Bacon > coffee
Happy ODP!
Haven't even made coffee yet. Priorities...
Happy Ocho de Poal!
Haven't even made coffee yet. Priorities...
Happy Ocho de Poal!
That looks amazing. Did you salt it and press it or you smoking it as is?
That looks amazing. Did you salt it and press it or you smoking it as is?
Been curing (salt, pepper and a touch of nitrite) for 2 weeks in the refrigerator - this is it prior to cold smoking. I hit it with a boatload more pepper then set it out on racks overnight on the back porch to air dry and form a pellicle. Will get 16 to 24 hours of thin wispy smoke over 2 or 3 smoking sessions with a couple days of refrigerated hang time in between.
Been curing (salt, pepper and a touch of nitrite) for 2 weeks in the refrigerator - this is it prior to cold smoking. I hit it with a boatload more pepper then set it out on racks overnight on the back porch to air dry and form a pellicle. Will get 16 to 24 hours of thin wispy smoke over 2 or 3 smoking sessions with a couple days of refrigerated hang time in between.
Question about pressing... I've used a big bag of coins to press skin-on jowl when making Guanciale a couple times, but have never pressed belly when making bacon/pancetta. I know it is done to more rapidly achieve water/salt equilibrium and increase the density of the meat, but haven't read up on it - none of my literature addresses it other than for making formed hams and head cheeses. Have any technique/pointers you could share?
Question about pressing... I've used a big bag of coins to press skin-on jowl when making Guanciale a couple times, but have never pressed belly when making bacon/pancetta. I know it is done to more rapidly achieve water/salt equilibrium and increase the density of the meat, but haven't read up on it - none of my literature addresses it other than for making formed hams and head cheeses. Have any technique/pointers you could share?
I'm not entirely sure why it's done, I've only seen people do it when makeing panceta in Dalmatia. I've seen people simply put two appropriately sized pieces of plank on top and below and tie it firmly with pieces of rope to make and improvised press, and then some people have custom made wooden frames where meat is placed and then covered with wooden lid and pressed down with clamps.
For how long or why exactly it's done, I don't know, but when we make panceta it is thoroughly dried to the point of being like jerky, so you can eat is just like that without cooking it, so my guess is it's to drain away as much fluids as possible.
I'm not entirely sure why it's done, I've only seen people do it when makeing panceta in Dalmatia. I've seen people simply put two appropriately sized pieces of plank on top and below and tie it firmly with pieces of rope to make and improvised press, and then some people have custom made wooden frames where meat is placed and then covered with wooden lid and pressed down with clamps.
For how long or why exactly it's done, I don't know, but when we make panceta it is thoroughly dried to the point of being like jerky, so you can eat is just like that without cooking it, so my guess is it's to drain away as much fluids as possible.
I've seen photos of wooden framed contraptions in use, but never had a detailed explanation as to how it works/procedure. Appreciate the input - thanks!
I've seen photos of wooden framed contraptions in use, but never had a detailed explanation as to how it works/procedure. Appreciate the input - thanks!
Looks delicious. The ability to do such delayed gratification projects is what whites excel at.
In my parental house, there used to be a walk-in rack built right into the chimney. During smokin' season, only the good wood was burned in the stove we used for cooking, hot water and baking.
Man, the shit I didn't appreciate as a kid because I did not understand the deeper purpose.
Looks delicious. The ability to do such delayed gratification projects is what whites excel at.
In my parental house, there used to be a walk-in rack built right into the chimney.
During smokin' season, only the good wood was burned in the stove we used for cooking, hot water and baking.
Man, the shit I didn't appreciate as a kid because I did not understand the deeper purpose.
Thanks! My grandparents on the Duck side farmed - raised 3 children during the depression. Gpa did it all - cured hams and bacon, pressed and fermented his own ciders, saved and shelled out black walnuts and made their own soap. He paid for a rick of split and seasoned hickory wood every year. He smoked meat with it in the Fall, then collected and saved the hickory ash to leach the caustic out of it to make the next year's batch of soap. In the Fall right after hog slaughter and rendering, soap was made. Cider was usually about ready then, so we got a first taste of that then also.
Man, the shit I didn't appreciate as a kid because I did not understand the deeper purpose.
Same. As a kid I kind of knew that the parts were interrelated, but didn't understand exactly how/why until much later. Now that info is two generations gone and all I can do is try to pick up and implement the parts I can.
My advice to ALL YOU FAGGOTS:
Talk to your parents and grandparents as much as you can now about their roots, memories and traditions, because while you may not have the time to do so now it will be impossible to do so when they're gone. I was a VERY inquisitive child and have an excellent memory for details, but even then you just can't be aware of everything a-priori. It takes prompting to ferret some of that shit out - hence the need for more conversation. And this is a time of increased electronic and decreased interpersonal communication - a double whammy...
Thanks! My grandparents on the Duck side farmed - raised 3 children during the depression. Gpa did it all - cured hams and bacon, pressed and fermented his own ciders, saved and shelled out black walnuts and made their own soap. He paid for a rick of split and seasoned hickory wood every year. He smoked meat with it in the Fall, then collected and saved the hickory ash to leach the caustic out of it to make the next year's batch of soap. In the Fall right after hog slaughter and rendering, soap was made. Cider was usually about ready then, so we got a first taste of that then also.
>Man, the shit I didn't appreciate as a kid because I did not understand the deeper purpose.
Same. As a kid I kind of knew that the parts were interrelated, but didn't understand exactly how/why until much later. Now that info is two generations gone and all I can do is try to pick up and implement the parts I can.
My advice to ALL YOU FAGGOTS:
Talk to your parents and grandparents as much as you can now about their roots, memories and traditions, because while you may not have the time to do so now it will be impossible to do so when they're gone. I was a VERY inquisitive child and have an excellent memory for details, but even then you just can't be aware of everything a-priori. It takes prompting to ferret some of that shit out - hence the need for more conversation. And this is a time of increased electronic and decreased interpersonal communication - a double whammy...
Spend time thinking of questions -all kinds of questions- to ask them now before all questions become unanswerable.
It is extremely horrible to have a question come to mind for them and realize they are no longer there to ask them.
Spend time thinking of questions -all kinds of questions- to ask them now before all questions become unanswerable.
It is extremely horrible to have a question come to mind for them and realize they are no longer there to ask them.
Damn, what time should I be there ? 😀
Happy ODP!
Damn, what time should I be there ? 😀
Happy ODP!
It will be done and packaged about this time next week.
It will be done and packaged about this time next week.