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Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 00:01
by Bumper
Hi everyone!

I have been guest lurking for a while. I have just built my charcuterie fridge, and purchased some decent sausage making equipment (just waiting for my mincer to be delivered!) so thought it a great time to sign up. I have learned loads reading through the threads, and have all the marianski books. I have a PBC, weber and a pro Q maze smoker for cold smoking.

I also make beer and cider, bake, garden, hike and cook as hobbies. I look forward to getting to know you all and making all the things I have been reading about. Plan is to start with a couple of fresh sausages to learn my new gear and then some cacciatore is first up for the fridge.

Cheers, B.

Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 00:08
by Butterbean
Welcome Bumper. Beer making and sausage making goes together well I think.

Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 00:27
by Bumper
Butterbean wrote:Welcome Bumper. Beer making and sausage making goes together well I think.
Thanks! Nothing better than pulling a pint off the tap at the end of the day and sitting down with a snack plate of pickles, cheese and salami. Although I have noticed the two hobbies result in a rapid growth in fridges. With the kitchen fridge, fermenting fridge, keg fridge, drinks/bar fridge and now a charcuterie fridge, there is a whole lot of cooling going on right now....

Just put on some plum wine yesterday now the kegs are full. I can't wait to see how that turns out. Will have to make some polish sausages for it methinks..

Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 03:40
by Butterbean
More coolers = less global warming. I just started a ferment on some mixed fruit wine with blueberry, raspberry, blackberry and strawberry. I hope this goes without a hitch. Its got a beautiful color and has an interesting taste at the moment. I also have some beer on and just freed up two tanks so I plan to start some more later this week.

Its amazing the free time you have when you decide not to grow a garden. :mrgreen:

Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 04:25
by Bumper
Berry wine sounds great! I find using a yeast like EC118 at 16c gives a nice clean ferment, adding some yeast nutrient each week for best results and to ensure no sulphur smells, particularly with cider.

No garden huh. There have been (many) times I have felt the same. But I have a pottage garden, so most of the quarter acre creates food of some sort. Hops, fruit trees, cider apples and pears, loads of veggies and seasonal berries. Just going into winter here, so more time for inside activities like sausage making and eating!

Once the plum wine is racked (about 4 weeks) I have a double batch of bourbon barrel aged oatmeal stout planned for winter...

Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 00:18
by Butterbean
I keep forgetting your winter is opposite ours. Yeah, its time for you to get busy making sausages. We are heading into summer here. I have plenty of vegetables put up and if I need fresh they won't be hard to find someone willing to let me pick from their garden but I really need to make room in the freezers.

I like berry wine. Blueberries, strawberries and blackberries are plentiful here so I make most wine from these. I've been experimenting with growing bunch grapes. Muscadine grapes are native and can tolerate the heat but after some trial and error I may have stumbled on a bunch grape which seems to thrive here. Its a cross and doesn't even have a name yet. I just call it my kudzu grape because that how it grows. First year I transplanted it I was able to make five gallons of wine from it. This year is its second year and judging from the flowers it should be loaded.

I am using the EC-1118 yeast on this batch. I sometimes use 71B for the blueberry and get good results. Its fun.

Posted: Mon May 29, 2017 08:49
by northener
hi people just got a ham press tried a pressed ham very nice can you do the same with chicken i used the ham butt recipe would i put cure in and cook at the same temp thks

Posted: Tue May 30, 2017 00:20
by Butterbean
northener wrote:hi people just got a ham press tried a pressed ham very nice can you do the same with chicken i used the ham butt recipe would i put cure in and cook at the same temp thks
If you are talking about making pressed ham like luncheon meat type stuff, yes, chicken works well.

New guy

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2017 15:07
by soccerguy83
Hey guys, I'm new to this site and wanted to introduce myself.

I have long enjoyed charcuterie from restaurants and I'm lucky enough that a local butchery makes all of there own charcuterie in house as well! I have long been into BBQ and am a member over at BBQ Brethren and compete in KCBS with my wife and another couple. I also brew beer and have a fair working knowledge of temp and humidity control and concerns. I have built both a brewing fermentation and a four tap keezer in my garage.

It seems like all these hobbies kind of go together and feed off one another haha. I have done three rounds of bacon so far. I have read Dry-Curing Pork by Hector Kent and am currently reading Charcuterie by Rhulman and Polcyn.

I'm currently building a drying chamber out of a 35 bottle wine fridge (I know not ideal, but it's what I got haha) as seen here.

One built the question then becomes what to do first! I know I will be doing whole muscles first then get into sausages/salumi's. My wife is currently expecting and due mid November, so I want something done by that time frame. I'm thinking about starting a Coppa first then add something smaller duck breast or something of the like.

Thanks for listening to me ramble.

-Brian

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2017 15:58
by soccerguy83
Also where are you guys getting your supplies like Bactoferm 600 and Beef Bungs in the US? I see them on Amazon, but not sure if there is a better source.

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2017 16:13
by Bob K
Lots more than Amazon :lol:

For Me:
#1. Butcher & Packer. Reasonably priced quality casings. Good selection and fresh cultures.
http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=index

You can also check The Sausage maker, Allied sausage supply, and the Craft Butchers Pantry

LOts more here: http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?t=5024

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2017 16:16
by redzed
Hello Brian and welcome the best sausage head club on the planet! You found the right place since many of us are into not only sausages but many other home made products.

Sausage supplies on Amazon are usually ridiculously expensive. Check out the inventories, prices and shipping from the following:
The Sausagemaker
Craft Butcher's Pantry
Allied Kenco
Butcher and Packer

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2017 16:20
by soccerguy83
Thanks guys, I actually was just getting ready to remove that post as I found Hyde Park down below and had the answers I was looking for :cool:. I found that Amazon was ridiculously expensive for what I was looking for!

Thanks for the welcome! Thanks for the move as well!

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 01:03
by Sleebus
Welcome aboard, Brian! You've found a very knowledgeable (and patient!) group here. I started out with some German sausage and now have Lonzino hanging in the chamber for ~55 days. It's an addictive hobby.

I'm very lucky to live about 30 mins from Allied Kenco, so I go there for my supplies. I've been really happy with their beef bungs. Nice folks there too.

I'd recommend a Lonzino for your first go; that's what I did. Pork loin is easy to lay hands on, and usually pretty cheap. I jumped in when they were $0.99/lb so I figured I couldn't go wrong at that price. I've got an ongoing thread in the dry cured meats and sausages section that takes you through my process.

Also, read, read, read. I've bought several of the Marianski books, all of which are very helpful. They give you the detail you need to understand the process rather than just tell it to you. Save the fermented sausages until later, get a few batches of fresh and cured under your belt to better understand the workflow...then you can play with the fermented. At least that's the way it worked the best for me.

Most of all...have fun!

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 01:24
by harleykids
You might as well do a bresoala at the same time, they are just as easy and are absolutely fantastic! Nice to have a beef whole muscle cut to go with the pork offering! My family is split between whats best...coppa, lonzino, or bresoala.

A good bresoala is very complex and probably my favorite whole muscle cut!