Preserving meat....

bonkey

À year or so ago (!), I posted a recipe up here for spiced beef....which I also use on game and other red meats. Have a chunk of boar preparing at the mo, and hope to do some reindeer for Christmas (heheheheh).

Its predominantly salt and saltpetre based (which does the preserving), with allspice, nutmeg, cinammon and the like used for flavour.

Takes about two weeks all told.

So I was wondering....does anyone else do stuff like this, and if so...what?

BTW, if anyone is interested in the recipe I use, I can post it up here seeing as Search isn't working no more.

rubadub

I would like to see it. Where do you get saltpeter? have you ever made jerky?

Mark

2 weeks? I am intrigued, tell me moer.

CJhaughey

Yes I have often made jerky,usually with strips of beef marinated in soy.brown sugar and dried.
I make all my own sausages too, very easy once you gets a bit of practice.
I intend to make some salami next year when i have time, it is probably something similar to the spiced boar recipe, salt, preservatives, nitrate spices etc.
Saltpetre used to be difficult to get here because of *certain groups* as it is a constituent of black powder.

bonkey

rubadub wrote:

I would like to see it.

K. I'll post the recipe when I get home.

Where do you get saltpeter?

Therein lies the problem.

Over here, I can get it in my local (village) chemist.

In Ireland, though, my mum has faced increasing difficulties in trying to source the stuff. In good, sensible Irish fashion, its been removed from most/all places like chemists in case people were buying it to make their own gunpowder.
So I honestly don't know....but asking at a chemist might be a good start.

have you ever made jerky?

No. Good idea.

CJHaughey wrote:

I make all my own sausages too, very easy once you gets a bit of practice.

Now this I am interested in. Myself and herself have been talking about doing this. Can you point me at a recipe / offer any pointers?

I can source "irish-style" rashers, cause my sister's hubby's dad brought some back here to a farmer who lives near him (in Emmental) and said "figure out how to make this", and thats exactly what he did.

So what I need is to source decent sausages....and if it doesn't require tons of specialised equipment, I'll make 'em myself.

Saltpetre used to be difficult to get here because of *certain groups* as it is a constituent of black powder.

Have things changed again? My experience in Ireland was that it only became difficult in about the last 10 years. Before that, it was one of those things that was virtually impossible to get in cities, and literally no problem to get in smaller towns (as the chemists still supplied the local farmers who did their own preserving).

Blub2k4

[QUOTE=bonkeyHave things changed again? My experience in Ireland was that it only became difficult in about the last 10 years. Before that, it was one of those things that was virtually impossible to get in cities, and literally no problem to get in smaller towns (as the chemists still supplied the local farmers who did their own preserving).[/QUOTE]


Yeah I know a Leitrim farmer who used do a lot of "preserving" *wink**wink* with saltpetre, it wasn't sides of ham they were looking for when they raided his house a few years back.

I must have a look in the local chemists and see if they have it or can help with where to get it.

CJhaughey

Hot-Sweet Italian
This favorite pizza topping is a coarse pork sausage, generally sold in plump links. Italian sausage is usually flavored with garlic and fennel seed or anise seed. It comes in two styles: hot (flavored with hot, red peppers) and sweet (without the added heat). It must be well cooked before serving, and is suitable for frying, grilling or braising. The recipe below is a hybrid of hot and sweet.
· 15 pounds Fat pork
· 2 ¾ cups very cold red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon works nicely)
· 7 tablespoons rock salt
· 7 tablespoons fennel
· 6 tablespoons ground black pepper
· 1 tablespoon ground coriander seed
· 3 teaspoons red pepper flakes
· 2 teaspoons oregano
· 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
· 1½ teaspoons sugar
· 1½ teaspoons caraway seed
· 1 teaspoon MSG
Mince the pork through a 6mm plate Refrigerate the mince pork until well chilled - ideally 0-1ºC
When the meat is chilled, thoroughly mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl. In a large bowl , thoroughly mix the wine and spice mixture with the minced pork. Immediately stuff into 32mm to 35mm hog casings. Hang the stuffed sausage in a cool place until the casings are dry to the touch. Refrigerate or freeze immediately after drying.
If you do not have a sausage stuffer, you can store the sausage in patties or in bulk. Refrigerate or freeze as desired.

CJhaughey

Boerewors South african spicy sausage

1.5 kg beef
· 1.5 kg pork
· 500 g bacon, diced
· 25 ml salt
· 5 ml ground pepper
· 50 ml ground coriander seed
· 2 ml freshly grated nutmeg
· 1ml ground cloves
· 2 ml ground dried thyme
· 2 ml ground allspice
· 125 ml red wine vinegar
· 1 clove garlic, crushed
· 50 ml Worcestershire sauce
· 85 g sausage casings
Cut the beef and pork meat into 1.5 " cubes and mix it with all the other ingredients except the sausage casings. Grind the meat using a medium-coarse grinding plate. Fill the sausage casings firmly but not too tightly with the meat mixture.
Can be fried, grilled or barbecued over coals.

bonkey

bonkey wrote:

K. I'll post the recipe when I get home.

Obviously, I didn't. I forgot. Hopefully will remember tonight.

The boar, which was cooked on Friday, is outstanding.

jc

Mark Hulsman

Here in the U.S., Morton's Salt Company has a product called Tenderquick. It is a salt/sugar/nitrite mixture. I have made hams and bacon with great results. We usually smoke our meats in barrel cookers. Don't know if you can get it where you are, but you can get recipes for the mixture off the net and your local pharmacist should have the nitrates.

noby

There was an earlier thread on sausage making, with a lot of good info from CJ again.
Only two nights ago I put 4Kg of sausages into the freezer. I cheated and bought a seasoning pack when I was buying the casings (from a UK company). Other than that all I have is a basic manual mincer/stuffer. It's a little slow going, but you get through it in the end.
The same company (http://www.weschenfelder.co.uk/) do curing and salami kits.

watna

CJhaughey wrote: »

Boerewors South african spicy sausage

1.5 kg beef
· 1.5 kg pork
· 500 g bacon, diced
· 25 ml salt
· 5 ml ground pepper
· 50 ml ground coriander seed
· 2 ml freshly grated nutmeg
· 1ml ground cloves
· 2 ml ground dried thyme
· 2 ml ground allspice
· 125 ml red wine vinegar
· 1 clove garlic, crushed
· 50 ml Worcestershire sauce
· 85 g sausage casings
Cut the beef and pork meat into 1.5 " cubes and mix it with all the other ingredients except the sausage casings. Grind the meat using a medium-coarse grinding plate. Fill the sausage casings firmly but not too tightly with the meat mixture.
Can be fried, grilled or barbecued over coals.

My bf is originally from SA and is obsessed with this stuff. Where do you get sausage casings from?

noby

watna wrote: »

My bf is originally from SA and is obsessed with this stuff. Where do you get sausage casings from?

Check my link above. I also have used another UK company, but they have a flat £20 postage charge, which is no use when buying small items like casings.

watna

noby wrote: »

Check my link above. I also have used another UK company, but they have a flat £20 postage charge, which is no use when buying small items like casings.

Thanks I actually saw it after I'd posted that. It may be worth checking out!