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Curing meat

Started by highpockets, February 11, 2007, 09:02:27 AM

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deutz4

Our basic recipe for pork sausage is as follows:
     
    25 lbs. pork (Boston Butt works well)
    7 oz. uniodized salt
    2 oz. pepper
    1/3 cup marjoram

When making venison sausage we usually use a ratio of 20 lb. venison to 5 lbs. pork. This can vary according to the fat content of the pork. For instance boston butt is fairly lean so we will go 18/7 lbs. Side pork is fatty so don't go more than 20/5 otherwise you will have to fry it to be good. Each of us has our own preferences so we also add things such as minced onion, garlic powder,crushed red pepper,etc. We season it just before grinding. This mixes it well without warming the meat. We then stuff it into natural pork casings. The rings are about 11/2 to 2 inches thick and weigh about two pounds. The rings are hung on poles from the ceiling of an 8x8 smokehouse. The fire pot is 1/2 a 55 gallon drum sunk about 6 inches into the dirt floor. A small fire has been started ahead of time. Remember, the object is to smoke the meat NOT cook it. After the meat is in place, we place a large piece of green hardwood (Beech,Maple,Apple) and some green sawdust on the coals. Also partially cover the barrel with the lid. The trick is to create smoke while not smothering the coals. My dad has been doing this for years and very seldom has to rebuild the fire. As long as the temp. is kept above freezing and the smoke is rolling, the meat is being cured. We keep this up 24 hours a day for a week. I like to leave it age in the frig for a week or more before packaging it and freezing it. The pork makes a nice breakfast sausage when slowly fried while the venison is better "raw". Right after the sausage is removed from the smokehouse we go to the local butchershop and buy as many sides of bacon as we need. They inject them with curing solution, we smoke them for a week, then run them thru our meat slicer. The bacon is very aromatic and goes great in baked beans, soups,etc.
A few people in our area still do it this way but it is a dying art. A friend of mine set up his smokehouse with a small 2 burner kitchen woodstove setting outside the building with the stovepipe running thru the wall. This keeps most of the heat well away from the meat. He says it works well.

Mooseherder

We have been testing an Aging Case for Beef the last 6 months using the Middle Meats (Short Loins, Strips, Ribs).
Putting a piece of one of the three mentioned into the case on an alternating basis everyday. (Every 3rd day a Strip would go in.) Date the piece going in to be cut whether we need it or not 21 days later. This is turning into somewhat of a novelty with executives who think customers want this and will pay. For some that may be true but for the most part customers cannot afford it.  It should be associated with the Restaurant trade.
There is alot of shrink associated with the process. Plan on losing 45% of the weight with loss of moisture and having to trim into the lean. I wasn't impressed with the difference although tender it was almost biting into something hollow.

Most Beef is Wet Aged 4 weeks before it is cut by the Butcher. (Should be)
Some companies store their Beef at a Whse. for three weeks. Add the time it takes for shipping and warehousing, then sent and stored at the store. It could be 4-5 weeks Wet aging in the cry-o-vac.  If it isn't that old, it ain't ready yet.
If your getting tough  Rib Eyes, Porterhouse, T-Bones or Strips from your local Butcher that could be their problem.

ely

to those interested, there are a few small mom and pop stores in east texas that sell craklins , not only sell them but they make them on site.
i remember the first time i found them. we walked in thye store and my buddy who is alot younger than me says "what smells"? i say that is craklins. i bought some and ate all i could hold, he threw the rest out the window while i slept. i coould have beat him.

limbrat

highpockets
I dont remember his name and i am sure you know him. He and his family have that little store on the west side of Pleasant Hill i think he said it use to be a school. I have not seen him in a couple of years but back then he was playing with making and smoking sausage. I dont know who his grocery supplier is but he can probably get small amounts of cureing salts and seasonings to Pleasant Hill for you. And i think he has a free standing smoke house you could nose around in if you can get away from him once he starts talking.
ben

highpockets

Limbrat,

The store is Gregory's.  As a matter of fact the sausage receipt is my father in laws who gave it to Jerry Gregory thirty years ago.   The problem is he did not leave us a copy. Kenneth Barnes now owns the store. Kenneth was out here last week for me to machine a bronze bushing to his old grinder.  I did ask him if he would season some sausage meat for me.  I am waiting for the hogs to get into our trap and I'll be ready.   
Louisiana Country boy
homemade mill, 20 h.p. Honda & 4 h.p. for hydraulics.  8 hydraulic circuits, loads, clamps, rotates, etc.

Polly

 8) about hogs being smart my grandaughter has one about six months old that runs loose in their yard his name is wilbur you get in their yard he will come up to you and grunt and smell your leg he plays with family dog he has got his own little woodmixer house and an old quilt he wraps himself up in  :D i have got no idea the end of this story :D :D

tonich


Weekend_Sawyer

I had some of my corned venisin in the freezer. Last night The Lovely Miss Celest and I had it with potatoes and cabage with a couple of carrots thrown in for color :)
That was a good meal.
Imagine, Me a Tree Farmer.
Jon, Appalachian American Wannabe.

highpockets

Well the hog trapping project ain't going well so no meat to cure yet.  We do have another area that is promised to us after deer season.  Yall hang on, this story will continue
Louisiana Country boy
homemade mill, 20 h.p. Honda & 4 h.p. for hydraulics.  8 hydraulic circuits, loads, clamps, rotates, etc.

Qweaver

We have our first deer of the season hanging and we'll be cutting meat to corn today.  We'll be eating corned deer and cabbage in 2 weeks.
BTW, if you like liver and you haven't tried deer liver...try it.  It's so much better than beef that you can't even compare it.
Quinton
So Many Toys...So Little Time  WM LT28 , 15 trailers, Case 450 Dozer, John Deere 110 TLB, Peterson WPF 10",  AIM Grapple, Kubota 2501 :D

Weekend_Sawyer


And heart. The heart is, in my opinion, the best part. sliced and fried like medalion steaks.
Mmmm good!
Imagine, Me a Tree Farmer.
Jon, Appalachian American Wannabe.

Ron Scott

Also try pickled heart. Great on crackers.
~Ron

olyman

heart,tongue,liver--youse guys and gals feel ok????--me think not-----------

beenthere

Quote from: olyman on December 05, 2007, 03:55:38 PM
heart,tongue,liver--youse guys and gals feel ok????--me think not-----------

Meaning what?  ???
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

isawlogs


Aint much I wont eat when it comes to meat . Brains are good too . They have a slite fishy taste .
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

LeeB

Just put a brisket in to soak. I love a good ruben and wanted to try my hand at corned beef.
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

WDH

So, how was the rueben?
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

LeeB

Still pickling. I figure it will be ready in about 2-3 more days. I been busy eating smoked brisket, pork tenderloin, chicken breast and venison sausage the last 2 days any way. Probably need to vegetarian a few days before I tackle that.  ;D
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

WDH

Too much of a good thing is a good thing in my opinion :D.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

LeeB

The corned beef was fantastic. the brisket was a little tough so the sandwiches didn't turn out too good, tasty as heck but a little hard to eat.
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

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