I used to out fit and I had a special trip with a Ranch, Spring Round UP. I would bring 10 customers, than the ranch folks and their friends. We would round up over a period of 2 weeks 1000 pairs. Always the last week end, Fridays, I would crank up my warm smoker. I made that one out of a 500 gallon propane tank, gas fired and with a rack for smoking wood. A whole pig would go in there, around 125 pounds. I had that pig hang marinated in the butchers fridge room. Get up at 4am and light the torches and simmer and smoke it for 12 hours. Stuffed with onions, garlic and all kinde vegies. 140 to 180 F. After 6 hours open the barrel, take the wheat burned and flame it to crisp the outside. Throw some smoking wood in it and close the lid for 6 more hours. 40 very hungry people would clean than one up and than get quiet drunk.
You never mentioned you were a vegetarian. I remember you asking for interesting things to do with soya but I thought that was from a business interest rather than a personal one. Ha ha, a veggie farmer is as absurd as a vegetarian chef.
Yeh, it’s absurd. I could eat steak every day for almost no out of pocket cost! I guess I never used the term “vegetarian” in our conversations but dropped a pretty good hint when we were discussing the environment once. I don’t always use the term “vegetarian” because I will partake occasionally to be polite, etc. I’m not opposed to eating meat in any way. I think one can be healthy on either diet, I’m just in such a habit of not eating meat it really doesn’t appeal to me.
I don't really call myself a vegetarian either. I generally just say I don't eat meat. When asked supplementary questions like ''do you eat fish'' I reply that I don't eat anything with a face. I do taste the dishes I cook for other people though. That's why I don't say vegetarian. Very occasionally I will try something I haven't had before out of professional curiosity. A recent example was trying a bit of venison heart. It was an invasive species of deer so I had no moral objection to them being humanely culled and to not eat them afterwards would be a waste. Another example was Haggis. I served it as part of a Burns night celebration and was curious enough to have a mouthful. It was surprisingly nice. Well worth trying if you've not had it before.
Yes, concur on the “face” thing. I’ve never understood the fish not being meat thing. I think it goes back to the Catholic Church having people abstain from “meat” on Friday and Lent and people eating fish as a way around the religious tradition. So is your diet choice mainly an animal welfare, environmental, or health concern? Or a combination? For me it’s mostly habit. I was raised mostly vegetarian and it just stuck. I’m healthier than the average bear, so figure it must be OK. Hmmm. Had to google that. I’d pass. I’ve never had offal of any kind and it doesn’t sound appealing. Although it sounds like it’s spiced up and cut with other ingredients so that would help.
Originally I gave up meat for animal welfare reasons but the environmental issues are becoming more and more pressing. As for the Haggis, I agree it does sound unappetising but I can assure you it tastes a lot better than it sounds.
So, this is the end product. After 2 weeks of hanging on the porch, from 45 to -12 F. Very tender, a nice smoky taste, not salty, but with that crisp edge the pepper of the mix do. A nice cheese, French of course and a nice red, Argentine of course and you have a nice Christmas snack. Tomorrow its the Turkey breast.
I miss calculated the weather in Feb. Planed to smoke, but than it snowed and snowed and I plowed and plowed and did not want to dig out the smoker. But I had that meat since 4 weeks curing. What to do with it. I air dried it. Took 4 weeks. Just hung in the veranda. The temps were at 0F to 50F, day night. When it was brick hard I sliced it paper thin, nearly killed my slicer. Its just outstanding, very mild in the taste. @557 I did a mistake on my herbs last year. My favored is Savory, summer and winter. It is fantastic with any vegetarian food. Winter is rather strong, but dried and than broken up, fantastic. Goes with meat of all kinds, too. I did not grow enough plants and used up my harvest, before winter. So right now I have already pots going.
I’ve been looking at varieties of savory in the garden/nursery magazines. It looks interesting. That’s amazing your meat cured like that. I’ll have to file that away in the “good to know if the power goes out” file. How thin were the cuts of meat when you started the process? I assume that matters?
Yes it matters. The meat was about 8 inches thick, ended about 5 inches.. Air drying has been a long tradition in Hesse, its best Wurst ( sausage) is done that way. For me it only works in the winter, for a couple of month. Airdrying needs huminity at around 50 to 80%. The temp is not that big a deal, if the meat is treated right. You can air dry meat, which has been cured right at for weeks at 70 and at 80%. What is killing my slicer, we have on a no moisture day 20%. Today would be a perfect day, blizzard, 82%. If you cure meat the moisture is the most important part, smoking, air drying, besides the getting ready for it, treat it for it.
Savory Its a German Kraut which came from the Meds, long time ago. Originally it gained popularity in Germany with beans diches and its name became Bohnenkraut, Beansherb, it smoothest the taste of beans and give them a twist. It ain't peppermint at all, I have no idea were that comes from. Try it, its fantastic.
