Fatback Joe
Babbling Farker
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2008
- Location
- Memphis, TN
I know this isn't Q, heck, it isn't even cooked, but there seems to be a fair amount of interest on the site for charcuterie related topics so I thought I would share. Plus, I feel like I am having one of those proud parent moments. LOL
Unfortunately I lost/deleted/can't find many of the pics from early on in the process, but have a few to share.
Last year I got a whole pig from my friend Bruce with Lazy Dog Farms here in TN. It was just a 150 pounder so the hams aren't huge, but right from the get go I planned on proscuitto for both, one stayed here with me and the other is up in Michigan at my father in laws place. Broke down the pig and this was the ham I was keeping.
I can't find the pics of of the trimming and removing the aitch bone, so you will have to trust me........I guess the pics will the ball joint exposed are proof. :mrgreen: When it was prepped and I worked at much blood as I could out of the artery, it went into the fridge packed in sea salt for a week. After the week was up, I removed it, rinsed, and reapplied salt at 4% of the ham weight and back in the fridge for another month, touching up and overhauling when it seemed warranted. Rinse again then into the curing chamber at 55-58 degrees and 75-80% humidity.
After a couple of months, I took it out for an inspection.
Gave it a wipe down with red wine to get some of the mold off it.
Applied a mixture of lard and rice flour to slow down the moisture loss.
Back in the chamber to finish up. Over the next several months there was battles with chamber control as other items would go in and out and an equipment malfunction or two. All things to cause me stress and worry about my baby. :tsk:
I have another leg in the salt that will be ready to hang soon, so I thought I would free up some space and see how this turned out.
I can't say that it was the prettiest looking thing, but if I have learned nothing else on this charcuterie journey, I know you can't judge a cured meat book by its cover.
I didn't have anyone over or big plans for a fancy presentation, so I just cut a chunk off with the intentions of breaking it down into large sections to vac pack and slice as needed. It looked quite nice and the smell was fantastic.
Had to shave off a slice or two for quality control.
I just loved the color of the meat.
Ate more than I should of as I went along. Happy to have that old Hobart slicer at the house to get those see through slices.
It was great. Wound up with just over 5 pounds of meat packed away. Glad I have another in the works.
Sorry for the missing pics, trying to do better for the next post a year from now. :biggrin1:
Unfortunately I lost/deleted/can't find many of the pics from early on in the process, but have a few to share.
Last year I got a whole pig from my friend Bruce with Lazy Dog Farms here in TN. It was just a 150 pounder so the hams aren't huge, but right from the get go I planned on proscuitto for both, one stayed here with me and the other is up in Michigan at my father in laws place. Broke down the pig and this was the ham I was keeping.
I can't find the pics of of the trimming and removing the aitch bone, so you will have to trust me........I guess the pics will the ball joint exposed are proof. :mrgreen: When it was prepped and I worked at much blood as I could out of the artery, it went into the fridge packed in sea salt for a week. After the week was up, I removed it, rinsed, and reapplied salt at 4% of the ham weight and back in the fridge for another month, touching up and overhauling when it seemed warranted. Rinse again then into the curing chamber at 55-58 degrees and 75-80% humidity.
After a couple of months, I took it out for an inspection.
Gave it a wipe down with red wine to get some of the mold off it.
Applied a mixture of lard and rice flour to slow down the moisture loss.
Back in the chamber to finish up. Over the next several months there was battles with chamber control as other items would go in and out and an equipment malfunction or two. All things to cause me stress and worry about my baby. :tsk:
I have another leg in the salt that will be ready to hang soon, so I thought I would free up some space and see how this turned out.
I can't say that it was the prettiest looking thing, but if I have learned nothing else on this charcuterie journey, I know you can't judge a cured meat book by its cover.
I didn't have anyone over or big plans for a fancy presentation, so I just cut a chunk off with the intentions of breaking it down into large sections to vac pack and slice as needed. It looked quite nice and the smell was fantastic.
Had to shave off a slice or two for quality control.
I just loved the color of the meat.
Ate more than I should of as I went along. Happy to have that old Hobart slicer at the house to get those see through slices.
It was great. Wound up with just over 5 pounds of meat packed away. Glad I have another in the works.
Sorry for the missing pics, trying to do better for the next post a year from now. :biggrin1:
