Dry Curing Through The Eyes Of A Newbie (Updated 2/20/12)

[bratrules]

Wow this is a great post!!!

 

[jak757]

Bravo Joel!  Please keep posting your efforts with this.  One of my new years goals is to do build a curing chamber, and get started.

This should be s sticky or a wiki, or something!

Thanks Joel.

 

[bluebombersfan]

Looks awesome!!!!  I would love to try a piece of that!!

 

[boykjo]

Quit opening the frickin door!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.................

Joe

 

[big casino]

Dry curing interests me but also kinda of intimidates me...

I looked again and I couldn't find  what type of meats your were using, care to tell?

 

[solaryellow]

Dry curing interests me but also kinda of intimidates me...

I looked again and I couldn't find  what type of meats your were using, care to tell?

It is just a couple steps more than what you are used to otherwise it really isn't that big of a deal. Equipment (dry curing/fermentation chamber) and starter cultures are the biggest difference.

Sure. It was beef and pork. The beef was all chuck and the pork is all boston butt. The lebanon bologna is all beef, the pepperoni and two of the salamis are pork and beef, and one salami is all pork.

 

[big casino]

Thanks, now everything I have read about dry curing pork products talk about  freezing the pork at different temps, at different time periods to kill live trichina, that may be present, are these temps possible in your standard freezer, how did you do that step?

 

[solaryellow]

Thanks, now everything I have read about dry curing pork products talk about  freezing the pork at different temps, at different time periods to kill live trichina, that may be present, are these temps possible in your standard freezer, how did you do that step?

My chest freezer has no problem hitting -10F. I would not try it in a freezer that is part of a refrigerator unless you have tested the temp.

 

[big casino]

hmmm I am going to have to get a thermo  for mine, I never realized a standard freezer could get that cold, I figured they got it a bit below freezing and that would be it.

maybe a dry cure project IS in my future

Thanks

 

[solaryellow]

It has been just a few short hours shy of a week so it was time for a weigh in.

After getting 16 hours of smoke over two days the mold is staying off the lebanon bologna.

The lebanon bologna originally weighed 8.58 lbs and has lost 1.32 lbs or 15.38% of its weight. When it gets down to 6 lbs it will be done having lost 30%.

The little one we are calling the Mystery Sausage because we lumped all of our leftover meat together so we have no idea what it will taste like. It started out at 1.31lbs and is down to 1.04. It is down 20.6% and I will wait until it hits .85 lbs before calling it done.

The hot salami was 8.46lbs orginally and is down to 7.54 having lost .92 lbs or 10.87%. When it hits 5 1/2 lbs it will be ready.

The milano salami had been 8.44lbs and is now 7.46 having lost .98 lbs or 11.61%. It also needs to get down to 5 1/2 lbs before it is done.

The Len Poli salami was originally 8.48 and has shed .96 lbs or 11.32%. I am shooting for 5 1/2 lbs on this one too.

And the pepperoni started out life at a robust 8.64 lbs and has lost .88 lbs or 10.18%. 5.6 lbs is the goal for the pepperoni.

 

[big casino]

this is really interesting to see thanks for sharing

 

[solaryellow]

A quick update.

The lebanon bologna originally weighed 8.58 lbs and has lost 2.48 lbs or 28.9% of its weight. Almost done.

The little one we are calling the Mystery Sausage is down to .94. It is down 28.2% and I will wait until it hits .85 lbs before calling it done.

The hot salami was 8.46lbs originally and has lost 1.74 lbs or 20.33%. Still got a ways to go.

The milano salami had been 8.44lbs and has lost .1.9 lbs or 22.51%. It also has a bit more to go.

The Len Poli salami was originally 8.48 and has shed 1.8 lbs or 21.23%. Not quite there yet.

And the pepperoni started out life at a robust 8.64 lbs and has lost 1.8 lbs or 20.83%. This one also has a ways to go.

 

[big casino]

awesome can you feel them starting to firm up already?

 

[solaryellow]

Sure can. I can't wait to get into them.

 

[gersus]

I can't imagine how that's gonna taste! Looks great!

 

[solaryellow]

Another quick update.

The lebanon bologna is done. I am hoping to get it sliced up today. Final weight loss was 31%.

The little one we are calling the Mystery Sausage is also done.

The hot salami was 8.46lbs originally and has lost 1.96 lbs or 23.17%. Still got a ways to go.

The milano salami had been 8.44lbs and has lost 2.06 lbs or 24.4%. It also has a bit more to go.

The Len Poli salami was originally 8.48 and has shed 2.2 lbs or 25.94%. Not quite there yet.

And the pepperoni started out life at a robust 8.64 lbs and has lost 2.04 lbs or 23.61%. This one also has a ways to go.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Very Cool...Joel. I'm looking forward to the reviews...JJ

 

[big casino]

can't wait to see the slices

 

[DanMcG]

Sounds good Joel,  The ones that are still not dried, are they a larger casing or did the recipe have that much more liquid  in them?

 

[solaryellow]

Sounds good Joel,  The ones that are still not dried, are they a larger casing or did the recipe have that much more liquid  in them?

I am glad you asked that Dan. The Lebanon bologna was the same size. The major difference between it and the others is that it was cold smoked for two days and had no mold on it. I am not sure if it was the smoke or the lack of mold.