1.) DParker - 07/29/2017

2 x 5 lb+ slabs of pork belly in training to become maple-bourbon bacon. It's a 7-day course of instruction. Next Saturday morning they'll be smokin'!

2.) bluecat - 07/30/2017

Tell me about your marinade, sir.

3.) DParker - 07/30/2017

It's mostly the same cure mixture I listed here...

[URL="http://forums.huntingcountry.com/forums/showthread.php?2463-Welcome-to-Costco-I-love-you&p=49150&viewfull=1#post49150"]http://forums.huntingcountry.com/forums/showthread.php?2463-Welcome-to-Costco-I-love-you&p=49150&viewfull=1#post49150[/URL]

...but with a couple tweaks and doubled because I ended up doing the whole slab instead of just half:

½ cup kosher salt
2 tsp curing salt (aka Prague Powder #1, aka sodium nitrite)
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons bourbon
6 tablespoon black peppercorns, crushed
4 teaspoon fennel seed, toasted
4 teaspoon coriander seed, toasted

I found enough recipes that combined these ingredients that I decided to go with it. I do have some concerns about how overpowering the fennel seed ended up smelling, but I'm hoping that it will end up being a lot more subtle in the meat because everything gets rinsed off before the smoke. Hopefully I haven't ruined 10 lbs of pork.

4.) bluecat - 07/31/2017

Sounds delicious.

5.) Swamp Fox - 07/31/2017

At least you had the right idea on the ratio of bourbon to fennel.

I imagine you won't regret the fennel seed. That seems like a small amount for 10 # of meat. How powerful can it be? LOL

What did you wind up paying per pound? Special order?

6.) DParker - 07/31/2017

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;50526]At least you had the right idea on the ratio of bourbon to fennel.

I imagine you won't regret the fennel seed. That seems like a small amount for 10 # of meat. How powerful can it be? LOL

What did you wind up paying per pound? Special order?[/QUOTE]

Just a hair over $3/lb. It's the same slab I bought back in May (see the link in my response to bluecat) and has been sitting in the freezer since then.

7.) bluecat - 07/31/2017

I think you did the right thing by vaccu-sealing the marinade in.

8.) Wild Bob - 08/01/2017

Sounds good!

9.) DParker - 08/05/2017

The bacon (it's been curing for a week so I can call it that now) has been in the smoker for the past hour. Fingers are crossed...

ETA: When I took it out of the fridge and rinsed it off all I could smell on the meat was the fennel seed, so I'm still concerned. Oh well....we'll see.

10.) Swamp Fox - 08/05/2017

Subscribed!

(as they say on the websites with too much traffic to keep up with manually...LOL)

11.) DParker - 08/05/2017

Houston, we have bacon!



I feel a little better now. While you can definitely taste the fennel seed it's not nearly as strong as I feared. In fact the applewood smoke seems to be the dominant flavor, with the bourbon and maple being very, very subtle. The overall impression is reminiscent of smoked ham, but with more saltiness...and of course the fennel. But then I took one slice off and put it in a skillet over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes I got some great carmelization from the sugars, which completely altered the flavor...and it's delicious. I'm also pleased that it isn't excessively salty.

For some odd reason this slab hit 150°F while the other one, sitting right next to it on the same shelf, is still at 142°F.

12.) DParker - 08/05/2017

A couple more views.

13.) Swamp Fox - 08/05/2017

Excellent! Glad it turned out well. Interesting that frying changed the flavor so much, but I can see it...

I also see a commercial slicer in your future.

Then a new welcome mat for your front (or back) door: "We Have The Meats!"

:grin:


Big sale on this slicer:

[url]http://www.meatprocessingproducts.com/west-83-0850-w.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhIqM-NHA1QIVTCOBCh0PZA9EEAQYBSABEgIEvfD_BwE[/url]

Or you could go whole-hog:

[url]https://www.etundra.com/restaurant-equipment/food-prep-equipment/slicers/turbo-air-gs-12m-german-knife-12-inch-manual-slicer/?scid=scplpTURGS12M&sc_intid=TURGS12M&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhIqM-NHA1QIVTCOBCh0PZA9EEAQYAiABEgLPuPD_BwE[/url]



:p

14.) DParker - 08/05/2017

Don't tempt me. I already have a slicer, but it's a cheap one from Cabela's. It does the job, but with more effort on my part than ought to be required. The one in that first link looks like it might be a good upgrade.

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;50647]Excellent! Glad it turned out well. Interesting that frying changed the flavor so much, but I can see it...[/QUOTE]

I'm also wondering if there won't be some differences introduced to the flavor of the bacon after it's been chilled for a while too.

15.) Swamp Fox - 08/05/2017

16.) DParker - 08/06/2017

After giving ~1 lb away to my son when he came by the house yesterday and slicing the rest today this is what I ended up with:



Here's a close up edge-wise view of one piece so you can see how thick I sliced it:



I decided to vacuum pack it 6 slices per freezer bag, which averaged somewhere between 9-10 oz each.



Since they're so thick I'll likely only have 2 slices per plate of breakfast, which I only make once per weekend at most, and my wife almost never has any...so the 13 bags I put in the freezer, minus the 4 I'll give to my daughter and my sister-in-law ought to last me about 6 months or so.

Here are the leftovers that I fried up to take to the office tomorrow. I have 1 vegetarian and 2 religious abstainers I'm going to try to convert.

17.) DParker - 08/06/2017

Oh, and I won't get to start on any of this for another week or so because I still have part of a package of Wright's in the fridge I need to finish first.

18.) Swamp Fox - 08/07/2017

That looks great. Let us know how fast the vegetarian caves. :-)

19.) bluecat - 08/07/2017

Those pictures gave me hunger pains big time. Good job DP.

20.) DParker - 08/07/2017

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;50655]That looks great. Let us know how fast the vegetarian caves. :-)[/QUOTE]

She's still holding out...but I did catch one of the religious abstainers hanging out in the break room enjoying the smell. I think I might be able to flip him with a little more work.

[QUOTE=bluecat;50658]Those pictures gave me hunger pains big time. Good job DP.[/QUOTE]

Thanks. I'm just thrilled that a) it wasn't too salty due to my not soaking it in water prior to smoking, and b) the flavor of the fennel seed didn't end up being obnoxious and overpowering like I feared it would.

Now that I've got my feet wet with the whole curing thing I'm eyeballing the flat portion of the 10 lb prime brisket I have in the freezer for pastrami.

21.) bluecat - 08/07/2017

Damn! We are definitely going to need a complete pictorial of the pastrami chronicles, complete with centerfold.

22.) bluecat - 08/07/2017

Nice visual of pork meat cuts and location.

[url]http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/ap_pigc.html[/url]

23.) DParker - 08/07/2017

[QUOTE=bluecat;50666]Nice visual of pork meat cuts and location.

[url]http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/ap_pigc.html[/url][/QUOTE]

Wow. That is a well-presented bunch of pig butchery info. Thanks.

24.) Wild Bob - 08/07/2017

Nice work Parker!! :hb:

You have made me hungry. Looks perfect...That bacon looks like slap your uncle Ted good!

Don't ya love it when your efforts pay off?

25.) DParker - 08/07/2017

[QUOTE=Wild Bob;50672]Nice work Parker!! :hb:

You have made me hungry. Looks perfect...That bacon looks like slap your uncle Ted good!

Don't ya love it when your efforts pay off?[/QUOTE]

Hell, I'm just thrilled that I ended up with something edible and didn't have to throw 10 lbs of pork belly in the trash. The "better than what's at the grocery store/corner butcher" part of the result was a bonus...even though that was what I was aiming for to begin with. And it turned out to be a lot easier than I anticipated. It's a fair amount of work, but none of it is complicated. You just need to be very careful to buy the right type of curing salt (it goes by several different names, so it can be confusing at first) and make damned sure you're using the right amount for the weight and type of meat you're curing (and also follow directions WRT curing time) so you don't make someone sick. But, pay attention and double-check yourself on that part and it's perfectly safe. I highly recommend it even if just for the "I made this!" fun factor.

26.) Swamp Fox - 08/07/2017

Do you know what your final internal temperature was during the smoke, or did you not pay any attention to that? If not, I assume it was a timed smoke based on weight?

27.) Swamp Fox - 08/07/2017

I realize you mentioned 150 and 142...Were you shooting for 145?

28.) DParker - 08/07/2017

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;50681]Do you know what your final internal temperature was during the smoke, or did you not pay any attention to that? If not, I assume it was a timed smoke based on weight?[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;50682]I realize you mentioned 150 and 142...Were you shooting for 145?[/QUOTE]

When hot smoking (as opposed to cold smoking), actual time spent in the smoker is almost always based on a target internal meat temperature (assuming you have a way of measuring that...which you always should). Time estimates based on weight/size are just that...estimates, useful only for attempting (often in vain) to plan your day an/or anticipated dinner time. This was no exception. 150°F was the target, and it was when they hit that temp that both slabs were pulled. But one hit that temp and was pulled (insert joke here about me pulling my pork) about 10-12 minutes before the other one was, which is what I meant by, "the other one, sitting right next to it on the same shelf, is still at 142°F". At the time I posted that I had pulled the first slab because it had already hit 150°F, but the 2nd one had not, so it got left in a little longer.

29.) Swamp Fox - 08/07/2017

The reason I ask is that, technically, a properly cured meat could be eaten without cooking. That's always been my understanding, anyway. I have the further impression that even the traditional second step--smoking--is not absolutely necessary for safety. I think its main purpose back in the olden days was to remove moisture so meat would keep longer. But I think it was the cure that made the meat safe to eat up front (beyond those meats which are "safe" to eat raw when fresh).

I'm probably not being ultra-precise with my words and phrasing here, but I always wonder whenever I come across a recipe that calls for curing, and then proceeds to indicate that the next step is to cook the item to the same internal temperature that would make the meat safe to eat in the first place, without the curing. Pork at 145, for instance.

30.) DParker - 08/08/2017

Yes, the nitrate and salt likelt makes the "raw" pork safe enough for consumption in the short term. But the hot smoking is still needed to make it taste good, as well as make it a lot less chewey. And my layman's understanding when it comes to safety is thst the two steps complement one another. The salt and nitrate inhibit the growth of things like botulinum spores that aren't killed until temps well beyond 150°F are reached, and the heat denatures any toxin that might have already been produced.

But mostly it makes the bacon taste a LOT better.

31.) DParker - 08/08/2017

That said, the heat isn't necessary for everything...as anyone who's ever eaten ham, salami and other cold-cured (and even smoked) goodies knows.

But I'll comment again later when I know more. I just started reading this, which is widely regarded (fairly or not, I don't know) as the Bible on the subject:

32.) Swamp Fox - 08/08/2017

Great. I'd like to know what you find out. I realize that curing or smoking might each do something to the meat to make it more desirable taste- or texture-wise, but my initial curiosity was piqued over the issue of food safety. I just thought it odd that you so often see instructions to smoke to a safe temperature (and in the case of bacon, cook it again once sliced) when I thought the cure did most of the work (if not all) in a lot of cases.

But then, as you say, there are things (bacteria, parasites) that might survive the cure but aren't supposed to survive the smoke---or heat. (BTW, I saw something the other day that said the trichinosis threat in commercially-produced pork has been virtually eliminated before it gets to your stove, which I thought was interesting.) And there are different meats and "meat products" which seem to all have their own cautions and rules.

It's a good thing this has all been worked out for me in prior centuries, or I'd be in trouble feasting through it by myself...LOL...But I'd still like to know the reasoning behind the various steps for different kinds of meat.

33.) bluecat - 08/08/2017

It's a pretty fascinating subject. There was a show on the Food Network. Title escapes me but it was something to the effect of "How stuff is made." There was an episode about how they cure ham in Italy using the old fashion techniques. It might have even been an Alton Brown thing. It's all running together.

You really wonder how many people died before they got it all worked out. Lol!

34.) Wild Bob - 08/08/2017

I'm going to add that book to my list of cooking books that I want to get. It looks good.

I have an old version of a book about smoking and curing meats that was written by Rytek Kutas (the Sausage Maker Co. out of Buffalo NY) but it is vague and not very detailed so I've always been leery about using it as a good solid source of information. As Blue pointed out...depending on what you're trying to do - this is nothing to mess around with.

35.) DParker - 08/08/2017

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;50688]But then, as you say, there are things (bacteria, parasites) that might survive the cure but aren't supposed to survive the smoke---or heat. (BTW, I saw something the other day that said the trichinosis threat in commercially-produced pork has been virtually eliminated before it gets to your stove, which I thought was interesting.) And there are different meats and "meat products" which seem to all have their own cautions and rules.[/quote]

In fact the most common sources of food-born pathogens in our modern-day food supply are raw fruits and veggies.

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;50688]It's a good thing this has all been worked out for me in prior centuries, or I'd be in trouble feasting through it by myself...LOL[/quote]

Yeah, no kidding. Having had different forms of "food poisoning" on 3 different occasions, even with all of the food safety controls we enjoy today, I can only imagine how pleasant things were when you were pretty much rolling the dice every time you ate something.

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;50688]...But I'd still like to know the reasoning behind the various steps for different kinds of meat.[/QUOTE]

I'm still struggling to understand all of that myself. It seems to be inherently complicated to begin with, and the fact that most of the people writing about this stuff aren't rocket surgeons themselves and just seem to be passing along lore they picked up from others along the way doesn't really help either.

36.) DParker - 08/08/2017

[QUOTE=bluecat;50690]It's a pretty fascinating subject.[/QUOTE]

It really is. And the more I read about it the more interesting it becomes.

[QUOTE=bluecat;50690]There was an episode about how they cure ham in Italy using the old fashion techniques.[/quote]

That's the sort of charcuterie I'd really love to try. Not just because it's cool, but because my whole family loves old world crafted hams like Prosciutto, Serrano, etc...and the good ones are obscenely expensive. But unfortunately they require months of aging/drying in a temperature and humidity controlled environment that I'm currently unable to provide. But the gears are turning and I'm trying to come up with a relatively simple, cost-and-space-effective solution.

[QUOTE=bluecat;50690]It might have even been an Alton Brown thing. It's all running together.[/quote]

Are you sure you aren't having a flashback from the late '70s? That happens to me a lot.

[QUOTE=bluecat;50690]You really wonder how many people died before they got it all worked out. Lol![/QUOTE]

I consulted my Magic 8 Ball and it said, "A bunch."

37.) Swamp Fox - 08/08/2017

[B]Internet conversations have been going on longer than we realize:[/B]



Peasant Number One: Here, try some of this. It's plague rat BBQ tartar in a soy sauce marinade.

Peasant Number Two: Pshaw! Everyone knows BBQ is pork.

PN1: Oh, don't be so close-minded. Next you'll tell me chili has no beans.

PN2: Well, *some* chili has no beans...

PN1: I don't believe you. How'd it get to be chili, then?

PN2: Something about a lady in a lake...But I thought we were talking about BBQ.

PN1: We were, but then you hijacked the conversation.

PN2: *I* hijacked it?! I was just standing here minding my own business.

PN1: No, you came here for an argument.

PN2: Did not.

PN1: Did too.

PN2: Look, let's not bicker and argue about who killed who...

Peasant Number 3 [to bystander]: Who killed who? I thought they were talking about BBQ?

Bystander: It's complicated....

PN1 [to PN2]: So do you want some of this plague rat with soy sauce or not?

PN2: Is it safe to eat?

PN1: Of course. The soy sauce has magical powers.

PN2: How do you know that?

PN1: A wizard came through here last week and told me.

PN2: A wizard? A European wizard or an Oriental wizard?

PN1: You can't say "Oriental"! They'll think you're a looney!

PN2: Can too!

PN1: Oh, very nice!

PN2: So how did he get here?

PN1: Who?

PN2: The wizard. And where did the soy sauce come from?

PN1: Well, I suppose he walked.

PN2: Are you saying soy sauce migrates?

PN1: Oh, shut up!

PN2: Oh, there it is! [To the bystanders]: Do you see that?!

PN1: Look, do you want some plague rat or not?

PN2: Do you have anything that doesn’t have plague rat in it?

PN1: Oh, bloody hell!

PN2: You can say that again…Wink wink, nudge nudge…Well maybe just a little piece…

38.) DParker - 08/08/2017

"[I]No one[/I] expects plague rat BBQ tartar in a soy sauce marinade!"

39.) Swamp Fox - 08/08/2017

LMA0!

:laugh:

+5!

:grin:

40.) DParker - 08/08/2017

[QUOTE=Wild Bob;50698]As Blue pointed out...depending on what you're trying to do - this is nothing to mess around with.[/QUOTE]

True 'dat. In fact the thing I spent the most amount of time researching with the bacon was making damned sure I used the correct amount of curing salt (in this case, Prague Powder #1...aka, Instacure #1, etc.) Like Swampy said, it's a good thing others have spent decades...centuries even...figuring all this stuff out for us.

41.) DParker - 08/08/2017

[QUOTE=Wild Bob;50698]I'm going to add that book to my list of cooking books that I want to get. It looks good.[/QUOTE]

It's not what I'd call an entertaining read, but it's been pretty informative so far. And you've got to like any cooking tome that starts off describing itself as being a work in praise of salt and fat.

[QUOTE=Wild Bob;50698]As Blue pointed out...depending on what you're trying to do - this is nothing to mess around with.[/QUOTE]

True 'dat. In fact the thing I spent the most amount of time researching with the bacon was making damned sure I used the correct amount of curing salt (in this case, Prague Powder #1...aka, Instacure #1, etc.) Like Swampy said, it's a good thing others have spent decades...centuries even...figuring all this stuff out for us.

42.) Swamp Fox - 08/08/2017

"How'd you know he's a wizard?"

43.) bluecat - 08/08/2017

"Build a stairway to heaven out of him?"

44.) Swamp Fox - 08/08/2017

"He turned me into sashimi!"

45.) bluecat - 08/08/2017

"Well I got better."

46.) Swamp Fox - 08/08/2017

"You're foolin' yourself."

47.) Swamp Fox - 08/08/2017

I kinda remembered something from way back, and went looking. Sure enough, those crazy Krauts do some stuff with raw pork. I remember the term [I]Mett[/I], but don’t remember ever having it. That doesn't mean I didn't. I do remember eating a lot of cured meats and cheeses, for breakfasts, lunches and before going out in the evenings (sticks to your ribs, absorbs the alcohol, LOL).



[QUOTE]Even in cosmopolitan urban life, it’s difficult to get through a day in Germany without hearing minced meat mentioned, either as Hack – short for Hackfleisch, (hacked meat) – or Mett, which is from the same root as the modern English "meat". Hack is generally defined as containing at least 50 per cent beef mince, with the remainder usually pork (although recent scandals may cast doubt on its exact composition…), and is intended for cooking. Mett, on the other hand, is 100 per cent pork mince and is meant for raw consumption.
Eating raw pork is something Brits might be wary about - and not without good cause - but Germans seem neither concerned, nor particularly prone to dropping dead at the dinner table, despite the fact that much Mett isn't even smoked, let alone cooked.

That's right: Germans love minced pork so much, they actually eat it raw – especially here in the North, where it’s spread on a bread roll, sprinkled with chopped onions, and eaten for breakfast…

Not that many Germans would mind: the cultural importance of raw pork should not be underestimated. Several people I know work in companies which either allow, or positively encourage, Mettwoch, the custom of eating Mettbrötchen on Mittwoch (Wednesday); while French departmental esprit de corps is developed over steak tartare in the local bistrot and British office life often revolves around the snack machine, the hallmark of German workplace team-building would seem to be a tray of open-faced raw pork sandwiches.

Beyond the day-to-day carnivore-bonding aspect, the cultural caché of Mett reaches even further into the modern German psyche: the abiding image of the much-vaunted German post-war economic miracle is a sepia-toned photo of portly parvenus tucking into a Mettigel - a party-dish popular in the 1950s in which a domed lump of raw pork mince is spiked with slivers of onion and/or pretzel sticks to form a faux hedgehog. In recent years, this porcupine harbinger of plenty has even unexpectedly joined other 1950s items such as drainpipe trousers and horn-rimmed glasses in an ironic comeback among Berlin and Hamburg hipsters.

[url]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatlife/10718888/The-Germans-love-minced-meat-just-a-little-too-much.html[/url]
[/QUOTE]

Mettigel:

Party Hedgehog made out of raw pork






More on [I]mett[/I], and a recipe

[url]https://www.thespruce.com/german-mett-spiced-raw-ground-pork-1446918[/url]

How to make mettigel—Party Hedgehog of raw minced pork

[url]https://www.thespruce.com/party-hedgehog-mettigel-raw-pork-hedgehog-1446753[/url]


German Nirvana: I translate it as "Everything Will Be Made Out Of Mince Meat"

48.) Swamp Fox - 08/08/2017

I kinda remembered something from way back, and went looking. Sure enough, those crazy Krauts do some stuff with raw pork. I remember the term [I]Mett[/I], but don’t remember ever having it. That doesn't mean I didn't. I do remember eating a lot of cured meats and cheeses, for breakfasts, lunches and before going out in the evenings (sticks to your ribs, absorbs the alcohol, LOL).



[QUOTE]Even in cosmopolitan urban life, it’s difficult to get through a day in Germany without hearing minced meat mentioned, either as Hack – short for Hackfleisch, (hacked meat) – or Mett, which is from the same root as the modern English "meat". Hack is generally defined as containing at least 50 per cent beef mince, with the remainder usually pork (although recent scandals may cast doubt on its exact composition…), and is intended for cooking. Mett, on the other hand, is 100 per cent pork mince and is meant for raw consumption.
Eating raw pork is something Brits might be wary about - and not without good cause - but Germans seem neither concerned, nor particularly prone to dropping dead at the dinner table, despite the fact that much Mett isn't even smoked, let alone cooked.

That's right: Germans love minced pork so much, they actually eat it raw – especially here in the North, where it’s spread on a bread roll, sprinkled with chopped onions, and eaten for breakfast…

... the cultural importance of raw pork should not be underestimated. Several people I know work in companies which either allow, or positively encourage, Mettwoch, the custom of eating Mettbrötchen on Mittwoch (Wednesday); while French departmental esprit de corps is developed over steak tartare in the local bistrot and British office life often revolves around the snack machine, the hallmark of German workplace team-building would seem to be a tray of open-faced raw pork sandwiches.

Beyond the day-to-day carnivore-bonding aspect, the cultural caché of Mett reaches even further into the modern German psyche: the abiding image of the much-vaunted German post-war economic miracle is a sepia-toned photo of portly parvenus tucking into a Mettigel - a party-dish popular in the 1950s in which a domed lump of raw pork mince is spiked with slivers of onion and/or pretzel sticks to form a faux hedgehog. In recent years, this porcupine harbinger of plenty has even unexpectedly joined other 1950s items such as drainpipe trousers and horn-rimmed glasses in an ironic comeback among Berlin and Hamburg hipsters.

[url]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatlife/10718888/The-Germans-love-minced-meat-just-a-little-too-much.html[/url]
[/QUOTE]

Mettigel:

Party Hedgehog made out of raw pork






More on [I]mett[/I], and a recipe

[url]https://www.thespruce.com/german-mett-spiced-raw-ground-pork-1446918[/url]

How to make mettigel—Party Hedgehog of raw minced pork

[url]https://www.thespruce.com/party-hedgehog-mettigel-raw-pork-hedgehog-1446753[/url]


German Nirvana: I translate it as "Everything Will Be Made Out Of Mince Meat"

49.) DParker - 08/09/2017

That sounds like a good way to get a wicked case of the Messerschmitts.

50.) Swamp Fox - 08/09/2017

LOL...At the end of the video, the radio says something about somebody's [I]Arsch[/I], but I can't catch the exact phrase...

Could have something to do with your comment, since the Germans are known for being very self-aware...LOL

51.) bluecat - 08/09/2017

[QUOTE=DParker;50715]That sounds like a good way to get a wicked case of the Messerschmitts.[/QUOTE]

+ 4 and the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

52.) Swamp Fox - 08/09/2017

Should I post my translation of the Minced Meat song tonight, or should I wait until tomorrrow?


I'm not sure if we can handle any more excitement today.


BTW, DParker is probably onto something, if my German skills are not [I]ganz kaputt[/I]. :wink

53.) Swamp Fox - 08/10/2017

Okay, this is my best effort.

Could be the new theme song for this sub-forum...LOL


[QUOTE][B][SIZE=2]Everything Will Be [or "Is"] Made Out of Minced Meat[/SIZE][/B]


Excuse me, do you have Cevapcici [a type of Balkan sausage]?
I’m sorry if I gawk. [Those are] beautiful Konigsberg meatballs.
What’s up? Do you have cutlet?
Make me chili con carne. I want to fly the meat flag!

In Blankensese, they eat Bolognese [an Italian meat sauce].
Listen, you folding shovels! I want meatloaf now!
Or Frickadelle [a type of flat fried meat patty made with beef, pork, bread, eggs and milk] or you’ll get a clamp!
I’m going to be like the assassin, and will shit out minced meat later.

Refrain:
Everything will be [or “is”] made out of minced meat!
Minced meat says “Good Day!” to me!
I have a minced meal, because I like to eat minced meat!
Don’t just come with tofu. I find that stupid, you!
One thing he noticed quickly: He’s minced-meat-sexual!
And without his minced meat he quickly becomes criminal!

I'm not like everyone, I stand on minced meat and leather,
Eat chopped boars and look at Claus Kleber
And Gundula Gause [German journalists/TV hosts].
I always have minced meat at home,
Go to the zoo, have a look at raw pork hedgehogs, and so on;
My watch is always half and half,
Frickadellen also taste cold,
Come, hack the calf! It's already six weeks old!
[/QUOTE]


And then, depending on the spelling of the word I can't quite make out (because of the German accent, LOL) the last thing that is said on the video is:


[I]Mein Arsch ist noch ganz locker[/I]----"My ass is still quite loose"

or

[I]Mein Arsch ist noch ganz locken[/I]---"My ass is still totally punching holes"

or

[I]Mein Arsch ist noch ganz lachen[/I]---"My ass is still totally laughing."




Who said the Germans aren't funny? ---Not me!....LOL

54.) Swamp Fox - 08/10/2017

So, I think it's safe to say that some things DO sound better in German...

Weird. Another myth busted...LOL

55.) DParker - 08/10/2017

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;50764]Okay, this is my best effort.

Could be the new theme song for this sub-forum...LOL





And then, depending on the spelling of the word I can't quite make out (because of the German accent, LOL) the last thing that is said on the video is:


[I]Mein Arsch ist noch ganz locker[/I]----"My ass is still quite loose"

or

[I]Mein Arsch ist noch ganz locken[/I]---"My ass is still totally punching holes"

or

[I]Mein Arsch ist noch ganz lachen[/I]---"My ass is still totally laughing."




Who said the Germans weren't funny? ---Not me!....LOL[/QUOTE]

I'm [I]WAY[/I] too sober for this right now. I'll read it again later tonight.

56.) Swamp Fox - 08/10/2017

I think you have the right idea.

57.) bluecat - 08/11/2017

That's it? That's all ya got?

58.) Swamp Fox - 08/11/2017

Sometimes it's hard to know what to say about the Germans...:-)

59.) DParker - 01/21/2018

Well, the venison pâté and heart thread didn't generate much interest, so...

It's been a good 5½ months since I made my first batch of bacon, and now I'm down to my last few slices. So I pulled my 12 lb slab of Costco pork belly out of the freezer yesterday morning and let it thaw.



Feeling experimental, I decided to subdivide it into three 4 lb slabs and try a different recipe on each one.



After much searching for inspiration I settled on the following flavorings:

1) "Chili", using smoked paprika, cumin and chili powder (no beans!).
2) Cracked black pepper, garlic, espresso and goji berries...because someone gave me some spices for Christmas, and it included goji berries, so...why the hell not?
3) A combination of "Backdraft Fire Sauce" and "Louisiana Habanero Hot Sauce".



Each starts out with a basic cure (kosher salt, brown sugar and curing salt #1...aka sodium nitrite). First, we need to precisely measure the 4.53 grams of nitrite that each batch needs...which of course is a job for a gunpowder scale.



This is some laboratory level stuff, so it's a good thing my quality assurance supervisor was keeping an eye on the operation, making sure I didn't screw anything up.



The Cheapo Depot kitchen scale will do for measuring the kosher salt and brown sugar.



{continued in next post}

60.) DParker - 01/21/2018

{continued from previous post}

Now that we have 3 doses of basic cure, it's time to start assembling some of our additives.



The dry ingredients are all assembled, with two of them awaiting their wet components.



One slab covered in chili cure and in the bag.



All three slabs covered in savory cure goodness and ready for the fridge. From left to right, hot sauce, coffee and chili.



We'll find out in a week (or two, if something comes up and I don't have time to do the smoking next Sunday) whether or not any of this was a good idea.

61.) Swamp Fox - 01/22/2018

I'm still following along on the other thread. I'm headed over there right now.

What's with the .03 on the curing salt? I know you have to be careful with it, but .03? Maybe I have to consult Google for some education.

Espresso bacon, huh? Not sure how I feel about that ... LOL

62.) DParker - 01/22/2018

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;54329]What's with the .03 on the curing salt? I know you have to be careful with it, but .03? Maybe I have to consult Google for some education.[/QUOTE]

I use a calculator that computes cure ingredients by weight in grams to 2 decimal places. And although 0.1 gram precision is plenty of accuracy for nitrite dosing, the scale measures to 0.01 gram, so I went with the exact amount the calculator specified...because I could.

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;54329]Espresso bacon, huh? Not sure how I feel about that ... LOL[/QUOTE]

Strike "espresso" and replace it with "strong coffee" if that'll help. :wink

63.) Swamp Fox - 01/22/2018

On the one hand, it's espresso ... On the other hand, it's bacon, so ...

64.) DParker - 01/22/2018

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;54333]On the other hand, it's bacon, so ...[/QUOTE]

Bacon made using a gunpowder scale.

65.) Swamp Fox - 01/22/2018

"Just when you thought bacon couldn't get any better ..."

66.) DParker - 02/03/2018

It's gonna' be a good day, 'Tater.

67.) bluecat - 02/03/2018

Nice, save some for pooper bowl.

68.) DParker - 02/04/2018

[QUOTE=bluecat;54454]Nice, save some for pooper bowl.[/QUOTE]

It's 12 lbs that won't even be done smoking until about midnight tonight, and won't be sliced until tomorrow afternoon...so I'm pretty sure that there will be plenty left for the game...that we won't even be watching.

69.) bluecat - 02/04/2018

C'mon, not even the puppy bowl?

They've got a chicken that will be playing national anthem. What more can you ask for?

70.) DParker - 02/04/2018

[QUOTE=bluecat;54456]They've got a chicken that will be playing national anthem. What more can you ask for?[/QUOTE]

Blue cheese dressing, carrots, celery amd extra napkins?

71.) bluecat - 02/04/2018

I boycotted the season but want to watch Brady.

72.) DParker - 02/04/2018

Well, that turned out to be a complete and unmitigated disaster. After 12 hours of cold-smoking and a night in the fridge...all 3 slabs ended up with such sour aromas and tastes that they were utterly inedible, even if they were safe to eat (which I doubt). So I just tossed 12 lbs of bacon into the trash.

They seemed fine just before they went into the smoker, so I don't think I had any problem with the curing process. I'm currently awaiting feedback from some people who do this stuff a lot to see if any of them can tell me where I screwed up. I'm also hoping that immediately spitting out the one piece I tried to taste will prevent me from becoming deathly ill over the course of the next few days.

73.) bluecat - 02/04/2018

Sorry to hear that. Please let the two of us know what happened.

74.) Swamp Fox - 02/05/2018

This is not what I wanted to hear today.

The fact that I haven't noticed a good Super Bowl commercial yet is just adding salt to the wound.

75.) bluecat - 02/05/2018

Swampy, where ya been?

76.) DParker - 02/05/2018

Well, the general consensus so far is that I made two critical mistakes:

1) I over-smoked the slabs. Although 12 hours is a common length of time for cold-smoking, it's generally done with a setup that pipes controlled, small amounts of smoke from an external smoke generator into the smoker. Instead, I used a pellet smoking tube inside the smoker, which produced too much smoke too fast.

2) I got in a rush and forgot an important step. Namely, putting the slabs back in the fridge overnight after washing the cure off so their surfaces could dry and form a pellicle. The moisture on the surface of the meat combines with the smoke to form creosote.

Personally, I would think that something like creosote would produce a bitter taste rather than sour odors and flavors (almost like spoiled milk), but I'm still new at this, so...who knows.

77.) bluecat - 02/05/2018

That is very interesting.

78.) Swamp Fox - 02/05/2018

[QUOTE=bluecat;54462]Swampy, where ya been?[/QUOTE]


.....

79.) bluecat - 02/05/2018

So you've been to spin class?

80.) Swamp Fox - 02/05/2018

DP--

This is your second attempt at bacon, right? Did you not use the same smoking technique this time?

I reported on here one of my projects where the meat tasted sour. I think it might have been a smoked pork loin. Not sure I've reported on anything else here, lately. It had turned, probably similar to what you are describing. I think I put it down to bad meat from the get-go. I'll have to pay closer attention to my post brine ritual now, though. Usually I just pat dry and into the cooker it goes.

You didn't happen to leave the bacon/brine in metal bowls at any stage, did you? I did that once or twice before I learned my lesson that they really, really mean it when they tell you not to do that, LOL. It didn't turn anything sour, as I recall, but something was definitely off.

81.) Swamp Fox - 02/05/2018

[QUOTE=bluecat;54467]So you've been to spin class?[/QUOTE]


Just winging it on my own. I could probably use professional help, though.

82.) bluecat - 02/05/2018

[QUOTE=DParker;54463]Well, the general consensus so far is that I made two critical mistakes:

1) I over-smoked the slabs. Although 12 hours is a common length of time for cold-smoking, it's generally done with a setup that pipes controlled, small amounts of smoke from an external smoke generator into the smoker. Instead, I used a pellet smoking tube inside the smoker, which produced too much smoke too fast.

2) I got in a rush and forgot an important step. Namely, putting the slabs back in the fridge overnight after washing the cure off so their surfaces could dry and form a pellicle. The moisture on the surface of the meat combines with the smoke to form creosote.

Personally, I would think that something like creosote would produce a bitter taste rather than sour odors and flavors (almost like spoiled milk), but I'm still new at this, so...who knows.[/QUOTE]

So it there a take home message for us non-bacon smokers? Always smoke meats that are not wet? Is it that or the fact that the cure wasn't washed off or both?

83.) bluecat - 02/05/2018

The skin of the turkey that I smoke is always really black and really bitter but that gets tossed and used just as a protective coating for the meat.

84.) bluecat - 02/05/2018

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;54469]Just winging it on my own. I could probably use professional help, though.[/QUOTE]

Just remember, you are not capable of being a success on your own.

85.) DParker - 02/05/2018

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;54468]DP--

This is your second attempt at bacon, right? Did you not use the same smoking technique this time?[/QUOTE]

Correct, this was my 2nd foray into homemade bacon. The first (which was successful) finished with a hot smoke (225ºF smoker temp) until the meat hit 150ºF internally. This was an attempt at cold smoking, with the goal being a more normal texture for the bacon, as opposed to the ham-like texture you get from the hot smoke due to the meat being cooked. Interestingly, I did not even achieve that result, so I've determined that the cold smoke is not worth a 2nd attempt, and will return to a hot smoke for subsequent batches.

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;54468]I reported on here one of my projects where the meat tasted sour. I think it might have been a smoked pork loin. Not sure I've reported on anything else here, lately. It had turned, probably similar to what you are describing. I think I put it down to bad meat from the get-go. I'll have to pay closer attention to my post brine ritual now, though. Usually I just pat dry and into the cooker it goes.[/quote]

In my case the pork belly was in good condition...no signs of spoilage at all...all the way up until I put it in the smoker. I'm fairly certain the culprits here were all post-cure.

[QUOTE=bluecat;54470]So it there a take home message for us non-bacon smokers? Always smoke meats that are not wet? Is it that or the fact that the cure wasn't washed off or both?[/QUOTE]

It was not drying the bellies in the fridge overnight and allowing formation of a pellicle, combined with an excessive volume of smoke. The former fostered some sort of lactic acid-producing spoilage organism, and the latter created creosote on the surface of the meat. Nasty combination.

86.) Swamp Fox - 02/07/2018

87.) DParker - 01/02/2022

The thermometer outside says 28°F and it's dropping like Brandon's approval rating. It's the perfect time to cold smoke some bacon.

([URL="https://i.imgur.com/OQD5T9o.jpg"]Full-sized original[/URL])

88.) bluecat - 01/02/2022

Yes sir!

89.) DParker - 01/03/2022

OK, so I now have 10 lbs of freshly smoked bacon, all of these chopped aromatics and a bag of dried split peas. Oh, and it's a cold Winter day. What to do, what to do...

([URL="https://i.imgur.com/WuTXMWH.jpg"]Full-sized original[/URL])

90.) bluecat - 01/03/2022

Watch Packers and eat!

91.) DParker - 01/03/2022

[QUOTE=bluecat;65417]Watch Packers and eat![/QUOTE]