First Coppa

TSMODIE · Post by **TSMODIE** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 16:37

That's what I had heard too Chuck, but the ones I got from Butcher and PAckers did not stink at all, Nor do the Hog casings, but the Sheep casings are another story, they are pretty potent, I have 6 or 7 Bungs and did not have a problem witht hem,TIm

Cabonaia · Post by **Cabonaia** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 20:11

Great advice story - thanks! I buy beef bungs from Butcher Packer and haven't had a stink problem. BP has great prices on bungs compared to Sausage Maker. I only use natural ones now, because the synthetic ones have never shrunk with the meat as I had hoped.

Jeff

atcNick · Post by **atcNick** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 03:31

Chuckwagon wrote:Jason wrote:
The next day, fill the casing like a water balloon, and watch it swell. The casing is pretty strong, but exercise a bit of caution. Cup the bottom of the casing and feel for tension as you force the casing to expand and bend to your will.
That is top-notch information dude! Thanks for sharing. The only thing I could possibly add is when you first open the package and go to soak the bung, put Mentholatum up your nose, clip a clothes pin over your proboscis, then wear a gas mask! I used bungs during my younger years - never could get used to them. I was never so glad in all my life, to see the wonderful invention called reinforced, synthetic, fibrous casing!

Really?? Man I must have got a good batch cause these barely stunk at all.

atcNick · Post by **atcNick** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 03:34

Rinsed

Going in the beef bung

Into the curing chamber

I need to learn some fancy tying to make them look prettier! Lol

TSMODIE · Post by **TSMODIE** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 03:40

THEY look pretty darn good to me Nick,Tim

Post by **redzed** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 09:15

26 days curing?

atcNick · Post by **atcNick** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 16:22

redzed wrote:26 days curing?

Ya I was planning on letting it cure for about three weeks but went out of town and didnt have time when I got back so it ended up staying in the cure for 25 days. Jason Molinari calls it equilibrium curing. He explains it here: http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2013/02/ ... e.html?m=1

TSMODIE · Post by **TSMODIE** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 18:33

Great link Nick, i think I will try this next on my coppa, mine was a little too salty last time,Tim

tobertuzzi · Post by **tobertuzzi** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 02:05

Here is a good tying video, from Jasons site also
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCwCkAhy ... r_embedded

Great looking coppa tho, I will be trying my first next week. Cant wait

Post by **redzed** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 18:42

atcNick wrote:
redzed wrote:26 days curing?
Ya I was planning on letting it cure for about three weeks but went out of town and didnt have time when I got back so it ended up staying in the cure for 25 days. Jason Molinari calls it equilibrium curing. He explains it here: http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2013/02/ ... e.html?m=1

Thanks for that link Nick. Molinari explains that quite well. But at the same time, I don't know how many people use the salt box method when dry curing anyway. Marianski's recipes all specify the amount of salt and cure per weight. Molinari is learning a lot and his blog posts are getting better. At the beginning his lack of knowledge was quite evident. Although I have made one or two products where I incorporated some parts of his recipes, I would be hesitant in relying entirely on information from his blog.

TSMODIE · Post by **TSMODIE** » Sun Apr 07, 2013 22:36

How ae the Coppa's coming along Nick?

Cabonaia · Post by **Cabonaia** » Mon Apr 08, 2013 04:25

redzed wrote: I don't know how many people use the salt box method when dry curing

Hi Redzed - I use the salt box method for bacon and coppa, which I make quite a lot. Not saying it is better than wet curing, because I haven't compared. But in my experience at least it works well. One nice thing about it is that you can mix up a big batch of salt/cure/sugar and it's ready for you whenever you have some meat around.

I wet cured a couple hams recently and they came out too salty. My fault somehow (can't blame a time tested method). Soaking fixed it, but I would like to get better at wet curing.

Cheers,
Jeff

atcNick · Post by **atcNick** » Sun Apr 28, 2013 17:22

It's coming along nicely. I weighed them the other day and they're around 28-30% down. Loosing weight faster than I expected.

Here's a shot:

TSMODIE · Post by **TSMODIE** » Sun Apr 28, 2013 17:30

those look great nick, cant wait to see how they look when sliced,Tim

atcNick · Post by **atcNick** » Sat May 18, 2013 05:10

2 months of drying. The smallest coppa was at 41% loss. I think it needs a little more time. The center seems too soft still. Here's some pics...