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GENERAL BOARDS => Other Artisan Crafts => Topic started by: shotski on February 16, 2015, 07:52:18 PM
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Well her are some pictures of the meat curing \ cheese cave that my son and I put together. On the left is a capriole X3, 1 Prosciutto, 6 Summer sausage and a start weight of 20lbs of cacciatore that seems to be getting lower by the day as they are were the first to be consumable. the tupper ware container on the top shelf is a Christmas cake that has been wallowing in sailor jerry's spiced rum since last October. I just finished smoking the summer sausage today.
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Looks fantastic!! I would love to have the room to build a cave just for meats but I'm afraid I'm restricted to wet curing a few hams and doing some dry cure bacon from time to time. I also do sausages but recently bought everything to do salami. Just need the time to get it done. That's the problem with too many interests. How do you press your prosciutto?
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WOW!
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How do you press your prosciutto?
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I just use a large plastic tote and elevate one end with a piece of 2x4 so the liquid runs off. With a cutting board on top of the salt laden ham and a couple of landscaping blocks on top of the cutting board that weigh about 50lbs. Pretty rudimentary but has worked in the past.
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Cool!
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Absolutely wonderful-----I'd give you a cheese for that, but don't know if thumbs up is allowed. Meat and cheese ----the perfect food group---in my humble opinion.
Qdog
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I sent a cheese to go with the meat (you did say it was a meat / cheese cave didn't you?). Curious what type of insulation you used on the walls?
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Thanks for the cheese. The 2 outside walls are foam insulated and the inside walls are fiberglass. I do plan on it being a cheese \ meat cave. I have a humidifier that keeps it around 80% humidity. This time of year temperature is not an issue but need to figure something out before summer.
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Small window air conditioner?
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That is one option, another one I have been considering a portable.
http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/danby-danby-10000-btu-portable-air-conditioner-dpa100b2wdb-dpa100b2wdb/10282269.aspx?path=10d9cd44a32dbdf98419d3f8c19c7b18en02 (http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/danby-danby-10000-btu-portable-air-conditioner-dpa100b2wdb-dpa100b2wdb/10282269.aspx?path=10d9cd44a32dbdf98419d3f8c19c7b18en02)
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I was thinking v along these lines. http://www.homedepot.com/p/LG-Electronics-6-000-BTU-115-Volt-Window-Air-Conditioner-with-Remote-LW6014ER/204683971?MERCH=REC-_-PIPHorizontal1_rr-_-205139201-_-204683971-_-N (http://www.homedepot.com/p/LG-Electronics-6-000-BTU-115-Volt-Window-Air-Conditioner-with-Remote-LW6014ER/204683971?MERCH=REC-_-PIPHorizontal1_rr-_-205139201-_-204683971-_-N)
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That is a compact unit and would leave some floor space.
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Yep, and the price makes it very attractive. ^-^
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I have a humidifier that keeps it around 80% humidity. This time of year temperature is not an issue but need to figure something out before summer.
I have a portable AC like this one (http://www.amazon.com/Appliance-WPAC10R-Commercial-Cool-10000/dp/B00GSQX8S6/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1425128470&sr=1-2&keywords=commercial+cool) (I think Haier makes it) in my shop because I didn't have a good place for a window unit (we have casements). The portables are easier to duct but are rather large and take a fair amount of space. Either way you go you will effectively be putting a 10,000 or so BTU "dehumidifier" in your cave so you may need more humidity pumping to compensate.
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I would really like to try curing meet. A there any books / meat bibles that I should look at? I'm thinking having just a single fridge for meat curing.
Is there a risk of unwanted things in the meat that makes it hard to do on your own?
:-) Danbo
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Danbo----In my humble opinion----this book is the starting bible on curing meats and sausage----you may not need any other source----though there are others. http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,13946.msg106481.html#msg106481 (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,13946.msg106481.html#msg106481) ----and I don't believe there is anything more complicated in meat then there is in making cheese---just pay attention to the rules and recopies, and follow the learning curve.
Qdog
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I have \ use Rytek Kutas's book as well.
Danbo----In my humble opinion----this book is the starting bible on curing meats and sausage----you may not need any other source----though there are others. [url]http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,13946.msg106481.html#msg106481[/url] ([url]http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,13946.msg106481.html#msg106481[/url]) ----and I don't believe there is anything more complicated in meat then there is in making cheese---just pay attention to the rules and recopies, and follow the learning curve.
Qdog
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Hi John, that is one of the models I have been looking at. At this point I am more inclined to do the window option as the room is only 4' X 8'. I have been wondering about the humidity factor as all units will extract the humidity.
I have a humidifier that keeps it around 80% humidity. This time of year temperature is not an issue but need to figure something out before summer.
I have a portable AC like this one ([url]http://www.amazon.com/Appliance-WPAC10R-Commercial-Cool-10000/dp/B00GSQX8S6/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1425128470&sr=1-2&keywords=commercial+cool[/url]) (I think Haier makes it) in my shop because I didn't have a good place for a window unit (we have casements). The portables are easier to duct but are rather large and take a fair amount of space. Either way you go you will effectively be putting a 10,000 or so BTU "dehumidifier" in your cave so you may need more humidity pumping to compensate.
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I would really like to try curing meet. A there any books / meat bibles that I should look at? I'm thinking having just a single fridge for meat curing.
Is there a risk of unwanted things in the meat that makes it hard to do on your own?
:-) Danbo
Danbo, there are really only 2 items to deal with.
1) botulism, A small amount of sodium nitrite very effectively inhibits microbes, including botulism bacteria. That is Saltpeter or Instacure #1, or pink salt.
2)Microbes, Salt kills microbes (such as bacteria). When a high concentration of salt is introduced to the outside of the cell membrane, water molecules leave the cell by osmosis. When enough water leaves a bacterial cell, it dies, or at least becomes inactive, and can’t spoil the meat.
http://www.culinate.com/columns/ask_hank/curing_meat (http://www.culinate.com/columns/ask_hank/curing_meat)
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Thank you so much for your advices guys!
I will definately try curing meat - it looks fantastic. Hey, and the you can make a proper homemade tapas with meat, cheese and sour dough bread. Fantastic!
:-) Danbo
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Have a look at my blog Danbo. I put recipes on there for wet curing hams and dry curing bacon. There's also one for gravlax and pastrami.
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You have done a great job on building your blog Al.
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Thanks shotski! You can thank H-K-J for that. I didn't even know about them until he showed me the one he did and explained how I could build one. His is much better than mine as he has gone to great lengths to put step by step cheese makes on his. I just wanted to share some recipes with friends. Here's (http://cocker-spanial-hair-in-my-food.blogspot.com/) H-K-Js.
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I have (with great interest) already been on your blog numerous times. What a palette of deliciousness... :-)
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The recipes that say Lou's in front of them are mine. Lou is my wife's nickname for me. The others are just things I enjoy making and eating. Be happy to look up any recipes for you until you can get Kutas' book. I also have a couple of others I use by Michael Ruhlman and one by Jerry Predika.
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Hi Al,
Thanks a lot. :-)
:-) Danbo
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Hi John, that is one of the models I have been looking at. At this point I am more inclined to do the window option as the room is only 4' X 8'. I have been wondering about the humidity factor as all units will extract the humidity.
. For that size cave you shouldn't have any problem humidifying with whatever A/C you choose. There's a lot of good options out there now.