Asiatic Water Buffalo. Anybody out there who wants to come along for the ride?

[moikel]

 Camel, why not?Australia ships camel back to the rich Arab states for racing. Some bred, already broken in others caught in the wild then broken in,a job requiring special talents & optimism .Alice Springs the trade hub.  They are in almost plague proportions in deserts of central Aust. They were brought here with Afghan handlers a 100 & something years ago when they were putting the Telegraph line across the country,then (this is a recurring theme) let go when roads  etc meant they werent needed. They just adapt & run wild breed up & the bulls get particularly ornery. I figure they are just a cow that was designed by a committee ,they eat desert bushs etc. Ive never eaten it but Im not going to die wondering what it tastes like

 there will be a way.Back to buffalo. I figure Im going to brine it. I hope to have a version of Prague powder from misty gully who supply Masterbuilts,wood pellets cures you name it. It will get here this week I  hope with amazing easy smoker

I think brine gives me best chance at getting ultimate colour right. Cowgirl got back to me so Ive got expert help. Any suggestions you have are most welcome. I went on the hunt for basturma locally but struck out. Did find pasterma Cypriot sausage,lounganaki greek sausage ,Tolouse sausage &.Portugese chorizo only 10 mins away. I live in a very ethnically diverse part of town.

Buffalo guy will deliver 2 full topsides,so I  will freeze 1, then split the other into 2x 6lb or maybe 4x 3lb. Havent figured that out.What do you think

.You have done way more of this than me

 I am quick learner. I might see if I  can get a few bones to make some stock or use veal stock do the steam part at end. As soon as meat arrives I will post photos.

 

[meateater]

Looks like Cowgirl has you lined up!  I didn't know she smoked Buff before? It's all good my friend. 

 

[moikel]

She did venison pastrami, not buffalo which I  found on searching. Im trying to work out what will best crossover to buffalo. Once I  eyeball it I  will have a better idea. I  could just go with a beef pastrami recipe .It will depend on how it looks.What do you think of the brine idea?

 

[johnyd]

Have you ever done kangaroo jerky?

 

[moikel]

No but its a promising idea! Normally I panfry it after a red wine marinade,pepper,garlic rosemary, serve it rare with a roasted beetroot,shallot,walnuts goats cheese side dish & biggest glass of shiraz I can find. Jerky I  do like the sound of it. Its so lean you dont get a 2nd chance if you take it past rare.

 

[meateater]

She did venison pastrami, not buffalo which I  found on searching. Im trying to work out what will best crossover to buffalo. Once I  eyeball it I  will have a better idea. I  could just go with a beef pastrami recipe .It will depend on how it looks.What do you think of the brine idea?

The only pastrami I have done is with the cryovac corned beef, just soak them and smoke, very good. My only other wet brine has been with turkeys although I did recently wet/cure brine a couple of beef rounds and they were tasty. Are you going to brine it with cure? 

 

[moikel]

I figure that I will put the nitrates/curing salts into a brine. Brine mix other than salt &water,Im thinking dark beer,brown sugar,pepper,coriander seed juniper berries,bay leaf,dried orange peel. Leave it in for 7 days,wash it then smoke it.I thought that I  might to 1 traditional rub  as per cowgirls recipe for venison then do one using the bastourma mix. Pastourma in greek awfully close to pastrami in english might do a bit more research. Bastourma mix goes on as rub on air dried beef.There will be a way to adjust it,I think the way cowgirl steams it in al foil at the end with a bit of stock is really clever. Theres a cross over here between greek ,turkish & egyptian cooking. Lots of cinnamon ,fenugreek,cumin,fennel seed,nutmeg,carraway,paprika etc. I figure forum members would like to see something different from time to time.

 

[meateater]

I figure that I will put the nitrates/curing salts into a brine. Brine mix other than salt &water,Im thinking dark beer,brown sugar,pepper,coriander seed juniper berries,bay leaf,dried orange peel. Leave it in for 7 days,wash it then smoke it.I thought that I  might to 1 traditional rub  as per cowgirls recipe for venison then do one using the bastourma mix. Pastourma in greek awfully close to pastrami in english might do a bit more research. Bastourma mix goes on as rub on air dried beef.There will be a way to adjust it,I think the way cowgirl steams it in al foil at the end with a bit of stock is really clever. Theres a cross over here between greek ,turkish & egyptian cooking. Lots of cinnamon ,fenugreek,cumin,fennel seed,nutmeg,carraway,paprika etc. I figure forum members would like to see something different from time to time.

What brand are you using ? Do you mean Nitrites? 

 

[moikel]

 I ordered it from same people who sold me my masterbuilt. They have 1 salami,prosciuto  & another for hams,pastrami,bacon etc. Not sure of brand. Theres a butcher supply store a couple of suburbs away I  can get the one they sell for bacon,corned beef. Just a matter of getting proportions/ratio right. in brine. 

 

[johnyd]

Any lean meat will make a good jerky i reckon, but roo would be primo, not that I get a lot of it here at $40 to 60 a Kg!

 

[moikel]

Mate I  only buy it now & again,I think its a bit over rated.I was in Queenstown at Easter,with venison like you guys have why would you eat roo. Now if we could only find a recipe for possum

Must say you have some lovely produce,that hapuka is absolutely primo

 

[Bearcarver]

Mate I  only buy it now & again,I think its a bit over rated.I was in Queenstown at Easter,with venison like you guys have why would you eat roo. Now if we could only find a recipe for possum

Must say you have some lovely produce,that hapuka is absolutely primo

Ask, and you shall receive------

Possum:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/101420/possum/20

Bear

 

[moikel]

Possums a bit of an issue between New Zealanders & Australians

They are Australian introduced to NZ but some idiot thinking they could become a fur industry. Big mistake,really big.Kiwis doing their best to use them up. They have done a huge amount of forestry damage in NZ. Plenty here as well city & country,great food resource for our Powerful Owl my favourite bird.

 A breeding pair can eat 250 a year. Always had them in the roof of my mountain cabin,bloody nuisance .Big dog hates them,they mark their territory.He killed 3 unfortunately 2 of them were in front of city girl wife 2. He climbed up the wall like a big goanna & knocked them off rafter at 9pm. Wine glasses went everywhere,table knocked over,then it got really ugly Pretty short fight,not fit for eating after I  got them off him. Cabin was originally put together by American vietnam vet who was teaching school in Cooma. I owned it for 20 years miss it still

2 miles of trout stream,& wildlife like you wouldnt believe. Platypus,echidnas ,wombats,kangaroos ,wallabies & birds all sorts. Sam the possum slayer,best dog I  ever owned,still got him,he was a rescue but only 14mths when I  got him.110 pounds of possum hating mastiff x

 

[Bearcarver]

LOL---Great story!!!

Thanks,

Bear

 

[moikel]

City girl said please make sure that possum is dead. I hit it on head with bit of 2x4 when I  finally got it of the big guy.City girl said are you sure its dead.I said "Honey if hit you that hard with a 4x2 youd be dead" Dug a hole sang "Bury me not on the lone prairie " & buried him x2 Got back to stargazing & listening to night sounds of the bush,no phone reception no power nearest neighbour 20 mins by 4x4. Fuel stove circa 1950 to cook on,potbelly(s) for heat solar shower the odd razorback pig ,rabbit or hare to shoot then put the rifle away & watch the wildlife.

 

[moikel]

Having a trial run with store bought corned beef.Gave it a trim,soaked it for a couple of hours then rubbed it with my version of bastorma mix. Fenugreek,cumin,fennel seed,salt ,black pepper crushed garlic , smoked paprika,cayenne pepper olive oil.

Then let it sit to absorb flavours. Then into masterbuilt for 4hrs at 100c with a pan of water,hickory pellets. I will then have a look & temp check the middle.

 

[moikel]

5 hours all up its only 5lb s. Rub is dynamite but dont want to leave it any further & burn spices. So foiled it +chicken stock wrapped it then put it back in masterbuilt on the run down for next hour. I know apple juice is popular at this stage but its not a fit too confusing chicken stock neutral. Learnt a few lessons, never done anything this  long this slow .Ive done 60pound pigs ,20 pound baby goats/lambs in woodfired oven & been to Polynesian hangis /umu's  but this is a little different,

 

[Bearcarver]

Looks Great so far from here!!!!

Bear

 

[roller]

That part looks good !!!!!  

 

[moikel]

Its just sitting wrapped for an hour while the games on. The slow & low part of this a bit foreign ,I  get it but its just a bit different from my other cookery.I thought if I  did a piece of store bought I  could get a handle on what I  have to do to get water buffalo to sing from scratch. Bastorma mix works,no issue. Flavours are right its got that exotic Turkish /Armenian feel but its an adaption not a replication.It will need some tweaking but I  got the components right,proportions maybe a remix after tomorrow.