Recent content by MeatCharter

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
  1. M

    Freezing and Thawing Meat for Grinding

    Specialty, Duroc and Berkshire. I would settle for commodity, but none of the supermarkets locally sell it. I've called like 7-8 supermarkets. Exhausting. Only one that was reasonable was about an hour plus drive. So when I found a Berkshire back fat source in LA for $3, I purchased 10lbs...
  2. M

    Freezing and Thawing Meat for Grinding

    I bought 10lbs of Berkshire backfat specifically for salami. I've got multiple salamis using the fat in the chamber. Unfortunately, I'm pot committed at this point. I've gone down the path of calling butchers around here, but it's just not economically viable ranging from $13-$18 for backfat...
  3. M

    Freezing and Thawing Meat for Grinding

    This would just be for the lean in my recipes. I bought frozen backfat in slabs. You are saying that's no good in salami? I have to toss it all?
  4. M

    Freezing and Thawing Meat for Grinding

    Not following you. Just to be clear, I'm not trying to grind the meat prior to freezing. Workflow #1: Fresh Meat > Cubed Meat>Freeze Partially> Grind>Mix salt, cure, culture Workflow #2: Fresh Meat > Cubed Meat>Freeze Fully>Freeze Partially> Grind>Mix salt, cure, culture I'm trying to do...
  5. M

    Freezing and Thawing Meat for Grinding

    Yep, but you are doing the same when you are starting from fresh pork, freezing to partially frozen, and then grinding. The only difference is I'd be freezing fully, then going back to partially frozen (in the fridge) before grinding. So your only difference in terms of having bacterial...
  6. M

    Freezing and Thawing Meat for Grinding

    I agree with all of this, but this is the part I would contend, "AND because you thawed meat to cut, it also increases bacteria ability to grow." I agree it greatly increases the bacteria's ability to grow under normal conditions, but there's really not much an ability for it to grow when you...
  7. M

    Freezing and Thawing Meat for Grinding

    I'm reading Home Production of Quality Meats and Sausages and I'm not seeing how going from freezer to thawing in fridge to partially frozen (32F) would increase bacterial load in any meaningful way. From the book: "It can be seen that at 32° F (0° C) bacteria needs as much as 38 hours to...
  8. M

    Freezing and Thawing Meat for Grinding

    Sure. Just trying to understand the actual science behind that advice. The growth of bacteria of meat thawing from the freezer to the fridge wouldn't be much, especially if the meat temperatures are starting at frozen and ending at partially frozen.
  9. M

    Freezing and Thawing Meat for Grinding

    You are cutting to smaller pieces in both processes.
  10. M

    Freezing and Thawing Meat for Grinding

    What's the difference between starting with a whole muscle, cutting into cubes, freezing to temp and grinding vs whole muscle, cutting into cubes, freezing entirely, thawing safely in fridge, and then grinding? Why would there be a big difference in bacterial load?
  11. M

    Freezing and Thawing Meat for Grinding

    I wanted to make my life a little easier and vacuum seal and weigh out cubed meat for when I want to make a salami. I'm thinking of doing it in 1kg packages, 500g, 250g. I've read you shouldn't grind frozen meat. Now the question I have is how long do you thaw in the fridge from the freezer...
  12. M

    Question...

    I have a bamboo double steamer: https://a.co/d/fzM21H0 Fits on top of one of my stainless stockpots perfectly. It's versatile. Can do as single level or two levels. Works for dumplings. Vegetables. Anything. I feel like steaming things in general is underrated cooking method. They also make...
  13. M

    Question...

    Should maybe save a piece and steam next day and see how you like it. I find it offers a more traditional pastrami texture.
  14. M

    Salami Fat Smearing Prevention

    1. Protein-Lined Casings 61mm 2. Makes sense. 3. Possibly. I thought it was cold. I had it in the freezer, but that was definitely my concern with this one. I've been a lot colder on my 2 subsequent salamis. I didn't measure this one. 4. That makes sense. How do you keep the top tight? Like on...
  15. M

    Salami Fat Smearing Prevention

    Hummmm interesting. I had done the grab a hunk and see if it sticks to your hand upside down test. I guess what's tripping me up is how much it was leaking grease while it was aging. I would think that's why it lost weight so quickly.
See more
Top Bottom
Back
Clicky