German style cured loin

[zwiller]

Injected and cured 10 days. 10% water, 2% salt, .5% STPP, .25% sugar, .25% cure #1. Changed up my formula a bit. Bumped up salt, less sugar, and no msg this time for giggles. Planned to smoke last weekend but didn't happen. Happy the 2 liter soda bottle worked well for applying the netting. I think a 3 liter might be perfect and will try to find one. Drying @130F now...

Once dry, smoke will be 50/50 oak/pine (yep, I know) dust I made from pellets. I do have some beech but find oak extremely similar and I have 20+ pounds from Todd so... https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/tractor-supply-pine-pellet-stall-bedding-40-lb This could be a fail but I love a good challenge. I already did a test run sans meat and felt the smell was good. Different for sure though. Wish me luck!

 

[Steve H]

Looks good. I did some German cured pork awhile back, Kassler. And it came out great. I used a brine with Juniper berries. And smoked with Alder wood.

 

[chopsaw]

Be watching . What was the source of the pine ?

 

[sawhorseray]

Whoa, I never heard of someone smoking with fir wood before. Good luck, I'll be watching. RAY

 

[Steve H]

Whoa, I never heard of someone smoking with fir wood before. Good luck, I'll be watching. RAY

Now that you brought it up. Nor have I.

 

[zwiller]

Looks good. I did some German cured pork awhile back, Kassler. And it came out great. I used a brine with Juniper berries. And smoked with Alder wood.

Yeps, this is basically Kassler. Interestingly, the pine smoke very much smells of juniper, as it should.

Be watching . What was the source of the pine ?

I am using pellets from TSC. Link and other info in between pics. I need to try and remember to post like Bear with all the info first and pics after...
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/tractor-supply-pine-pellet-stall-bedding-40-lb

Whoa, I never heard of someone smoking with fir wood before. Good luck, I'll be watching. RAY

If you dig, there are a few guys here that did. Probably the most prolific was "brican" who sadly is not hanging here anymore. Some good info here. https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/using-pine-spruce-or-fir.119142/#post-787187

 

[pushok2018]

Your netted loin looks nice! I used to smoked and dry cured pork loin (kind of lonzino) and it was very good.

 

[zwiller]

Long night... I slept lightly thinking the alarm would go off but never did. Was 122F at bedtime which was midnight or 1AM depending on your point of view. Woke up and checked it and was 130F. Temp was set 150F. I refilled the tray halfway before crashing. I confirmed my temps and consulted a few charts and called it. Just a little lower than I wanted. Inkbird chart was cool but lost it a few times and no history. I need to take a pic to save it. Guess I expected it to be saved somewhere... Anyway, this was a 24hr+ smoke. A few things about the pine. Harder to light and stay lit for some reason. Also the tray went faster. I didn't keep notes but will try next run. I am guestimating 8hrs for tray and that would mean 3 trays for this smoke. Probably will bump temp to 160F to hit 135F IT within 24hrs next time.

It smells good and much like the smoke did (well duh). Of course I needed to taste it (purely for scientific reasons). Definitely not a fail but is unique for sure as you can taste the softwood influence. Interesting the smoke is much milder than all hardwood. Did not expect that, actually the opposite. To me, almost tastes like something added to brine/injection but not sure what. I reserve final judgement until it ages a bit but pretty sure my best to date and better than store bought. Don't necessarily think the pine was the key. I actually think it was the salt bump and using far less sugar. Wish the color was little more darker like bricans but still happy with it.

..

 

[Steve H]

Looks really good. The color is pretty close to the Kassler I made using the Alderwood.

 

[chopsaw]

Sam , that looks fantastic . I like the section of the loin that has the light and dark meat .
You mentioned Beech , I think that would be a great choice for this .
Nice work .

 

[indaswamp]

Beautiful color! I can see now how black forest ham get so dark...and they cold smoke for 2 weeks!

 

[zwiller]

Steve H I can now see alder being a great choice. Had no idea the pine would be milder. Thought the opposite.

chopsaw Have used beech before on a loin and it was great. Really really really close to oak. Kinda funny, oak sounds blah boring but beech OH so exotic. LOL

indaswamp Totally plan to go heavy some day but wanted to test the waters first. From my research it is 8hrs per day so 112 hrs smoke. Brican does 4 days 8 per for a total of 32hrs and his bacon/schinken is pretty dark but could also be the drying process. https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/schinkenspec-w-qview.112459/

 

[chopsaw]

oak sounds blah boring but beech OH so exotic.

Yeah , Oak don't get the credit it deserves . I had beech in a sample pack . Used it just to use it up . It's now in the top 3 woods I like the best .
Sam , I've been further drying SS wrapped in pink butcher paper and in a 36 degree fridge for how ever long . Be curious to see how a small test section of that loin would be .

 

[pushok2018]

Wow! This is one awesome looking loin!

 

[zwiller]

Sam , I've been further drying SS wrapped in pink butcher paper and in a 36 degree fridge for how ever long . Be curious to see how a small test section of that loin would be .

Rich, don't know how or why but you are reading my mind! The german hams are not cooked... Never heard of the butcher paper method and was actually looking at Umai. Got any more info??? Makes a ton of sense. Was actually thinking of getting some kind of container and drilling some holes in it.

Wow! This is one awesome looking loin!

Thank you sir!

 

[pops6927]

This may be easier for you, this is what I use - a ham netting bag -

Cotton Ham Bag 36 (Qty. 100) [DF36STOCK100] - $18.70 : Butcher & Packer, Sausage Making and Meat Processing Supplies

Butcher & Packer Cotton Ham Bag 36 (Qty. 100) [DF36STOCK100] - These 36 cotton bags are used for smoking hams and picnics. Also great for cooking product that you boil and want to remove from water easily.

www.butcher-packer.com

no need to use anything to put it on, just slide in the meat, tye and hang! Provides a nice pattern on the meat also!

Canadian and Buckboard Bacons

Made up some Canadian and Buckboard bacon, with breakfast sausage patties from the trim. Two half loins and two pork shoulder blade roasts, boned out, the top of the blades put into sausage and the underblades put into buckboard. Cured it (did an Article on the curing process, called "The Art...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[zwiller]

Yes, thanks Pops, good idea! I'll pick up some of those to try on next order.

Let the loin rest a while... My final thoughts are pretty much the same: best loin yet and the smoke is more mild than I expected. I think the smoke is so mild I can taste more of the cured pork. Either that or I am tasting the pine. Not entirely sure. Whatever it is, it has a somewhat of a dark chocolately flavor. Very different compared to store bought hickory smoked stuff for sure. No idea if this legit german tasting but I can say I am not scared of using softwood and I will continue my experiments with it. Giving my parents a hunk to see what they think, they eat anything.

 

[pushok2018]

Fantastic looking loin! Nice color. Great job.