Bustin' out salumi this morning

[Mmmm Meat]

The day had finally come. My first attempt at a Capicola finally reach 37% weight loss. This first attempt was a basic salt/pepper/garlic mix. Two weeks in an equilibrium cure. Washed and
redressed with spice mix then stuffed into 3.5 inch beef bung. Eight weeks in my curing chamber at 55 degrees F and 80% RH. Though whole muscle cures seem hard to mess up, I'm still patting myself on the back for getting it right. My wife was impressed as well - that is a very rare occurrence!

Stripping the Coppa out of the beef bung

The reveal:

Now that I've dirtied my meat slicer and I'm committed to breaking it apart and washing it, I figured I might as well crack open some other vac. packs of salami that have been equalizing for awhile.

Cacciatorini - second attempt. Tasty, but still not perfect:

.... and my new favorite - Pepperoni. This recipe was from Marianski using T-SPX starter. The spices are pepper, paprika, fennel seed, and cayenne pepper. The flavor is intense and it lingers on the tongue for an impressive period of time. I can't wait to fire up the pizza oven and see how this pep. stands up to 800 degrees. I've got high hopes - I'm thinking it's going to be killer! Some of this needs a bit more time equalizing under vacuum though.

Lastly - my Landjager that I finished up yesterday - I'm swamped in cured meats!

 

[dernektambura]

Now that's a way to do cappa... My hat off to ya...

 

[indaswamp]

Very Nice! I recommend starting another coppa.....you will run out before the next one is finished. LOL!

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Nice

And always make backups for the backups.

 

[Mmmm Meat]

Very Nice! I recommend starting another coppa.....you will run out before the next one is finished. LOL!

Thanks. I'm well on my way to number 2.. The next one is a paprika, pepper, salt, cayenne pepper spice mix, plus a 4 hour cold smoke. It is a little larger than the first and was started about a week later than the first. Sadly, I didn't record the weight in my notes and the tag attached to the Coppa disappeared. I have no idea when to pull it - it will just be a guess as to when it is done. I'm thinking I will add 10 -14 days for the larger size plus the week that it was started behind the one I cut up today. Lesson learned.

 

[indaswamp]

Not as big deal with whole cuts of meat as it is with salami.... squeeze the one you pulled from the chamber and when the new one gets about that firm then pull it....

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Squeez it. if its still mushy in the middle its not done yet.

 

[Brokenhandle]

These guys know what they're doing, I don't but guess it's ok to squeeze the coppa just not the charmin!

Ryan

 

[Mmmm Meat]

These guys know what they're doing, I don't but guess it's ok to squeeze the coppa just not the charmin!

Ryan

Hah! Great midnight laugh.. Thanks guys - I'll squeeze away.

 

[SmokinAl]

Nice, they all look fantastic to me!
Al

 

[SCBBQ]

Nice posts and great job ! What a great mother's day weekend !

 

[pumpkinseed]

Looks good. If you have too much I could help you out there.

Did you get the coppa from teh butcher as is or did you take it off a larger cut?

 

[Mmmm Meat]

Come on over to my house - we'll crack a beer and cut up some cured meats. I'm buying.

I dissected the coppa out of a pork butt. YouTube vids make it an easy task.

 

[Mmmm Meat]

Not as big deal with whole cuts of meat as it is with salami.... squeeze the one you pulled from the chamber and when the new one gets about that firm then pull it....

Eight more days and Coppa #2 was nicely firm when squeezed. This one was brined in paprika, pepper, salt, cayenne pepper spice mix and Calabrian Chili Powder. After a two week brine, I rinsed off the brine and redressed the Coppa with the paprika, Calabrian Chili Powder, and cayenne. I encased in a beef bung, did a 4 hour cold smoke with Trager Signature Blend pellets and put it to rest in 55 degrees/80% RH for two months. While I really like the taste of this one, I'm not sure that I prefer it to the previous SPG brine and cure. I'll have to try them side by side once they've equalized for a month or so.

 

[Mmmm Meat]

Oh, I forgot. I've got one more Coppa waiting patiently (in a freezer) for a chance to shine. Anybody have any other recommendations for a spice mix curing recipe ?

 

[indaswamp]

Fennel and garlic coppa....