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Have one cured and hanging in the workshop at the moment. 2 months in. Any experiences/advice?
mikewsmith is your man I think.*
Ive not done air drying, although I did taste a mates cured lamb shoulder the other day. He used a simple salt and sugar cure, probably for too long he thought. Hung in the airy woodshed for a few months. Tasted good though.
* just checked, yep it is
http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/bacon-drying-hanging-storing-smoking
My auntie has done 2 legs of pig - both in the garage and hung in a net (I think specifically made for it.)
The first one was delicious. The second somehow a fly of some kind got in, laid eggs and the inevitable happened and the whole thing had to be chucked out.
I have no advice really other than make sure flies don't get in. Good luck!
Cool, great post, missed his work.
I've done quite a few rolled Pancetta and got a bresaola hung up at the mo too.
How can I get mikewsmith to notice this thread?
Thanks chambord, been hawking for flies what with the weather we have at the moment. Seems like a battle against the potential maggots.
If troubled with fly then rub the whole thing in pepper. Making hams in warm weather is not a good idea though and the UK climate in general (even in winter) does not lend itself particularly well to proper air-drying as done on the continent.
As an aside. Someone once tried to sell me 8 legs of smoked venison for £100. I thought that was too dear.
Hello from down under 🙂
Did a few things last year including bacon and a dried ham. I followed Hugh's method from River Cottage - The pig in a day video is up on the internet if you search and worth a watch
step 1
Pig
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8420/8747015776_5f5331c203_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8420/8747015776_5f5331c203_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/ejWK3Q ]2013-05-17 13.23.51[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/16949733@N00/ ]Mike Smith 79[/url], on Flickr
Pick your cut
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8123/8748552979_84652dcdcb_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8123/8748552979_84652dcdcb_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/ek5C1k ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/16949733@N00/ ]Mike Smith 79[/url], on Flickr
I couldn't find a decent wooden box so knocked this up to reduce the amount of salt wasted
[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5334/8757196274_d08db719c5_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5334/8757196274_d08db719c5_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/ekQVmE ]A contraption[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/16949733@N00/ ]Mike Smith 79[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8414/8756094731_7517c8a7a9_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8414/8756094731_7517c8a7a9_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/ekKgUx ]Whats in the box?[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/16949733@N00/ ]Mike Smith 79[/url], on Flickr
It needs a weight on top about 2x the weight of the ham
[url= https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2869/9055743998_834b20695d_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2869/9055743998_834b20695d_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/eNe4cd ]Procuttio step 2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/16949733@N00/ ]Mike Smith 79[/url], on Flickr
Once dried I washed it with a scrubbing brush and white wine vinegar to remove any surface mold, there was a bit internal so I cut it out. Then wrapped is muslin and hung in a dry and airy place
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3732/11526985973_1aba191331_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3732/11526985973_1aba191331_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/iyAPkt ]Procuttio[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/16949733@N00/ ]Mike Smith 79[/url], on Flickr This was 6 months later?
Great stuff Mike. Wow, would love to do the whole hog!!! Yes have Hugh's books on it all, just not got the space... or the freezer. Like the drying cage you made. You've given me the idea to build my own this weekend. Thanks heaps. 🙂
/jumps on plane to Oz.
No problem, the easiest thing by far though was the wet cure from the River Cottage Meat book, simply cidre, salt etc in a big bucket and keep the ham submerged take it out and it's all done.
I'm used to air drying Pheasants, not quite the same thing I know but success rate tends to be 2 per brace go bad.
Air drying pheasant? New on me. Plucked drawn and skinned?