Cure for the "recovery blues"- Ventreche

[GusRobin]

As I am recovering from cervical disk surgery, I am limited on movement so I was looking for something "small" to smoke. I saw a thread from "sjmcdowall" talking about ventreche. It sound interesting so I googled it and found a recipe. It is a French version of pancetta or a French bacon depending upon which web site you look at. I did learn that it is pronounced "vahn tresh".  See this is an educational forum!

It said to start with a 3-4 lb pork belly. So I had a 9 lb 'er in the freezer. I cut off a piece that weighed about 3.5 lbs. Salted it with 1/3 cup of kosher salt.


The next step was to bag it and put in the fridge for a couple of days. I didn't have any that fit so I vacuum sealed it.


After 2 days I took it out, rinsed it off, patted it dry and let it air dry for a few hours.


Next was to rub it with some fresh ground pepper and some roasted garlic.




Next was to roll it and tie it. I rolled it and needed to have something to hold it while I tied it. So I used a large meat thermometer.

Finished tying it up


Added more pepper. Since i was out of netting, I kind of rigged a home made version


Here it is hanging in the bradley getting ready for 4 hours of apple at 250*


After about 2 hours


After 4 hours, reached 150*


Sliced a piece


Now, what do you do with ventreche? Couldn't think of anything, so took the slice and fried it along with an egg for lunch.


It was pretty tasty. Now I just need to look up other uses for it. ;D ;D. But it took care of the "recovery blues" for a while.

[mikecorn.1]

That looks great. Nice smoke. ;)


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[muebe]

OMG! That looks great Gus!

[NePaSmoKer]

Datl cure ya


Looks great

[squirtthecat]

I like it!

[OldHickory]

Looks good, and I was educated,------again.

[ghost9mm]

Well that sure will help in the healing...get well soon Gus...

[slowpoke]

Lookin good,Hope your feeling better.

[Keymaster]

Looks Awesome Gus!!

[SouthernSmoked]

Looks awesome Gus!

[viper125]

Now that looks good! Love my bacon. Bet that would make fantastic BLT's!

[SiFumar]

That looks sooo good!

[Kahunas]

Looks great, how much garlic and pepper did you use?

[Smoker John]

I like that, it looks so good

[GusRobin]

Looks great, how much garlic and pepper did you use?

A little under 1/3 cup of ground pepper and sprinkled some of the smoked garlic.