Capocollo - smoked

[atomicsmoke]

I am posting this late in the game. I started curing it in december and drying it Jan 13. It's stuffed in a hog middle cap. You can tell from the colour i smoked it for a little bit.

 

[yortchko]

GOOD LORD, That looks fantastic!!!

 

[oddegan]

How are you aging it if you are not using Umai? Curious.

 

[daveomak]

In a hog casing.. The method used before the invention of UMAI bags... Some meats are dry aged without casings or UMAI...

 

[atomicsmoke]

Like Dave said...people were drying meat way before Umai was invented.

As convenient as Umai is for drying meats i will not use a product that costs more than the meat itself.

 

[oddegan]

I did kind of open the door for the Captain Obvious answers. What I should have asked was what set up were you using to control your aging? Do you have a curing chamber, are you hanging it in the fridge, or just going really old school and leaving it in a cave under your house? I'd like to make some capicola but don't have a chamber so I'd have to do it old school. I would like to know how yours turns out.
Atomic I agree with you on the price of Umai. I just can't justify it.

 

[atomicsmoke]

I am drying old school - no curing chamber. For smaller cuts the dry rim is of little concern - so they dry "naked".

For larger cuts i use some casing or if it's not too cold outside i run a humidifier. But that's mostly to help grow the good mold.

I am ok with the old school look but if you want perfect looking meats center to edge a curing chamber is a must.

 

[atomicsmoke]

Three months later...about 40% weight loss.

I pulled a vac bag over it and will leave it in the fridge for a few weeks.

 

[myownidaho]

That’s looking good. I’m looking forward to the final product.

 

[oddegan]

Looks great. next fall when it get consistently cold again I shall be trying this myself. I look forward to pics of the final product.

 

[atomicsmoke]

About 3 weeks in the fridge to equalize.

Casing peels off easily

 

[myownidaho]

Superb. That is some tasty looking porcine.

 

[oddegan]

What temp do you think you averaged during aging?

 

[atomicsmoke]

What temp do you think you averaged during aging?

I don't know. It varied between 3-10.

 

[oddegan]

Thanks. Gives me a baseline to work with.

 

[atomicsmoke]

I don't have a curing chamber or use umai, hence the less than perfect appearance. I am happy with it.

 

[oddegan]

That's how I'd like to do it. Old school.

 

[daveomak]

That meat looks soooooo good....

 

[zippy12]

You have a piece of art there. Well done

 

[atomicsmoke]

Sliced