Sausage and salami

[DonDuck]

I mentioned the pickles because I like stuff to be traditional. It seems to me, any real deli selling authentic products needs a few large jars of pickles on display to add to the ambience of the place and encourage impulse buying. The next time they come in for one of those delicious pickles, they will probably also leave with some cured meat, bread; and a bottle of wine. Make sure they also have European hard cheeses with character like Asiago available to pair with the meat, bread, and wine. American cheeses have only had a few hundred years to benefit from experience. European cheeses have been getting better for over a thousand years.

[pmcgrady]

Originally Posted by encore

veison makes pretty good pastrami!

Yes sir! Have to agree, darn good!

[pmcgrady]

Originally Posted by imp

Super cool story!! Is the tunnel still there?

No filled in long ago, the first 20 feet coming out of hotel is full of broken wine/whiskey/ beer bottles covered with fill and is a parking lot behind it.

[pmcgrady]

Originally Posted by DonDuck

I mentioned the pickles because I like stuff to be traditional. It seems to me, any real deli selling authentic products needs a few large jars of pickles on display to add to the ambience of the place and encourage impulse buying. The next time they come in for one of those delicious pickles, they will probably also leave with some cured meat, bread; and a bottle of wine. Make sure they also have European hard cheeses with character like Asiago available to pair with the meat, bread, and wine. American cheeses have only had a few hundred years to benefit from experience. European cheeses have been getting better for over a thousand years.

My sister lives in Wisconsin, I've experienced 10,20 and 30 year old Wisconsin Cheddar. Guess which I liked best! Lol!

[DonDuck]

Originally Posted by pmcgrady

My sister lives in Wisconsin, I've experienced 10,20 and 30 year old Wisconsin Cheddar. Guess which I liked best! Lol!

Most people would probably like the more recent Cheddar. I prefer really sharp cheddar, so I would probably like the older cheese. I even add sharp cheddar and Asiago cheese to my corn bread batter.


I know this isn't the cheap eating thread, but sliced summer sausage, Cheddar cheese and crackers was my dinner tonight along with some salty olives and pickled jalapenos.

[Worth1]

When it comes to cheese I tend toward the more haute cuisine like HEB easy melt and the powdered stuff that comes in tubes.

[DonDuck]

Originally Posted by Worth1

When it comes to cheese I tend toward the more haute cuisine like HEB easy melt and the powdered stuff that comes in tubes.

I also like the Kraft powdered Parmesan cheese over some pasta's. I prefer it when they use oak tree sawdust to keep it from clumping in the jar. When they use pine tree sawdust, it has a slight taste of turpentine.

[pmcgrady]

Coppa out of the cure, stuffed and netted... Then hang for 17 days


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[Worth1]

Awesome.

[pmcgrady]

I'm surprised by how much weight they lose, started at 4# each, 3# 2oz after cure, probably a little over 2# each when they are done.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by pmcgrady

I'm surprised by how much weight they lose, started at 4# each, 3# 2oz after cure, probably a little over 2# each when they are done.

As you well know losing weight means they aren't case hardened.
For others that may not know this means the outer layer is hardened and wont let the moisture out which in turn could lead to drying disaster.

I just took my bacon out of drying and put it in the freezer for long keeping.
The flavor improved dramatically and it has that (old time taste) on the nutty side you might say..
Nothing like the salty watery stuff from the store.
Cooking some as we speak.

[pmcgrady]

Only thing I have left curing is the beef brisket pastrami, got to pull it out of the brine Tuesday and smoke it... then I'm done with cured meats for awhile. Time to start tomatoes and peppers soon! The summer sausage, breakfast sausage/links, burger, brats and slim Jim's have been spoken for, and has been a total success. Jake and I are splitting all the cured meat when finished,can hardly wait!

[Worth1]

I'm burned out on cured meats too.
I need to make some fresh sweet Italian sausage with fennel seeds though.

[pmcgrady]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I'm burned out on cured meats too.
I need to make some fresh sweet Italian sausage with fennel seeds though.

That sounds good, Boston butts are $1.29/lb here at the only remaining grocery that remains open, less than a buck if you buy a case from the packers..WM has capitalized on this and pork butts are over $2/lb there and it's horrible.

[Rajun Gardener]

****PSA****

I want to warn everybody that makes sausage. DO NOT USE=>Mortons Salt Substitute. If you do only use 30% of what your recipe calls for salt. The potassium chloride will give it a chemical taste.

How do I know?
I made a 9lb batch. fried up a test patty and thought I ruined the meat.
I saved it by buying another 15lbs of butts and mixed it all together to even out the salt substitute then added kosher salt to taste.

So what was a small batch of sausage turned into a 3 day sausage making/smoking chore. I made 11lbs of smoked Andouille and 13lbs of fresh/raw. I just finished vacpacking all of it and should be set for a while.