First Attempt to cure whole muscle

Started by SamuelG, November 30, 2010, 05:35:16 PM

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SamuelG

classicrockgriller,

For me it has been great.  I had been wanting to do this since I moved back from Spain but did not know how to get started.  It all changed when I found this great forum filled with great people willing to help and share their experience / knowledge.  This led to the DBS, the books and the long nights having neighbors knock on my door to ask what the wonderful smell is! 


Last night I shared some of my tenderloin and boy did they enjoy it.. I gave the legal disclaimer first so they were well warned that was my first...


Thanks. 
SamuelG

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SamuelG

SamuelG

#1 21.6% loss with very little to no mold.

#2 21.2% with lots of white powder like mold.  The smell is amazing I imagine b/c of he mold.  Also, this mold seems to speed up the drying a lot.  Before the mold appeared, there was a big difference in % lost but not anymore.



They are both still not as hard as the Cecina that I use to eat so I will continue to monitor the % lost.

Tenderloins are doing great and I will try them again soon.

SamuelG
SamuelG

SamuelG

Cure#2



SamuelG

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SamuelG

SamuelG

Pork Tenderloin update:

With a loss of 35% they are just right.  It has taken about a month to get this end product and I am very impressed with the results.  Honestly  I did not think they would turn out so well.  Today I compared it to store bought ( Spanish Lomo Embuchado $29.99/lb ) and IMHO the home made was much much better.  Of course, I'm probably biased :P

The Beef is still drying at 23.7% loss.  Hope it is half as good.

Lessons Learned:

Should have been in a casing, helping the drying be more uniform. 
The loins should be more uniform in size to help with uniform drying.
They cured for 11 days, next time I'll leave 2 more days with the same recipe.

Most importantly,  I MADE WAY TO LITTLE!!!

A big thanks to everyone who has helped me through this process so far, it is really appreciated.  If anyone has any questions I'll try to help.

Thanks,

SamuelG
SamuelG

SamuelG






I hope I'm not overdoing it with the pics.  ;-)




SamuelG

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SamuelG

BuyLowSellHigh

My knees are trembling ... THAT  LOOKS  SO  GOOD!

I am jealous.  Must get a curing cabinet!
I like animals, they taste good!

Visit the Recipe site here

Tenpoint5

Sam don't worry about posting pictures especially when they look like that!! That looks AWESOME!!!
Bacon is the Crack Cocaine of the Food World.

Be careful about calling yourself and EXPERT! An ex is a has-been, and a spurt is a drip under pressure!

squirtthecat


Wow, that look fantastic!   Post away, buddy!

NePaSmoKer

That looks fantastic.

I have everything to get my dry cure/fermenting done, i just gotta get off my a$$ and put it all together  :o

jiggerjams


FLBentRider

If that tastes half as good as it looks - wow.
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SamuelG

Update:  Pork tenderloins are all gone. Delicious!

Dried beef is almost done.  Both are firm, but a little soft in the middle.  The smell is just amazing!

32% loss

34% loss


SamuelG

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SamuelG

Habanero Smoker

Looks great. Let us know how it taste, and about the texture.



     I
         don't
                   inhale.
  ::)

SamuelG

Just cut into one of the bresaola/cecina at 39% loss.  This one was not smoked. 

The texture silky smooth and moist.





For me, I like for it to have a dried out  more to almost a leather like texture.

Apart from that, it is delicious on it's own or on any type of bread or cracker with some manchego cheese.  Don't forget a good cab.

I will continue to dry the other two pieces.

SamuelG

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SamuelG

SamuelG

Just cut into the last bresaola/cecina which had been smoked at 41% loss.  It turned out very close to what I used to have in Spain.  The texture is much tougher then the first, but with richer taste.   It must be sliced paper thin.  I like it better like this, but the silky smooth texture of the first one might be the way to go.  I think it was Habs that suggested between  30-35%.  My next batch I'll do half at 35% and the other half at 40%.






Things I would change:
- more smoke, probably double
- more salt
- a casing of some sort to even out the drying process

If any one can help me out with casing suggestions for my next batch I would appreciate it.  I tried sone collagen ones on the pork butt that I'm drying, but they have separated completely.

What is the best way to store this cured and dried meat.  I use to buy it sliced and vacuum packed, but after all I have read here I'm not to sure.  Ideally, it would be nice to store it sliced.

Thanks. 
SamuelG

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SamuelG