Thread: Sausage and Smoke Cooking

Found a butcher a town over that will cut me a loin and belly together, which means next week I’ll be attempting the fancy bacon as seen in Duncan’s video.
I’ve also asked him to cut me a full beef loin, bones on still so I can attempt a 45 day dry age on it. By leaving the bones on, it’ll save a bunch of meat during the age.
Summers worth of striploins cut snd aged to my likening makes this an exciting experiment.
Using those umai vac bags for the aging as I hear they are dead simple, once you get them sealed.
Updates to follow next week, when my meat order comes in.
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Sounds good Mike! Any chance of sharing how much it cost for the bacon and loin combo?? Just wondering. I hate to even think about the beef cost

I will when I get them Roy.
One of those, I was afraid to ask up front and seem thrifty, kinda deals.
Seems like a very well reviewed butcher shop but I have yet to meet the man.
Did my deal over the phone and he’s going on trust that I’ll show up so hopin it all works out country honest and straight.
No matter the cost, I’ll work out the price per to look attractive at least. In case the missez comes with me and sees the bill.

Originally Posted by MikeB52

Did my deal over the phone and he’s going on trust that I’ll show up so hopin it all works out country honest and straight.

I bet he feels the same. Hard to make a handshake over the phone or internet...................

Well it's not "Turkey" but it's still poultry--

Today I cured and smoked a whole chicken using Duncan's recipe for smoked turkey for some supper tonight. I let it sit in the brine for 3 days then removed it, rinsed it and then patted it dry.

I put it in a stockinette and dried it in the smoker for about an hour and then applied the smoke and raised the temp to around 212 degs F. It smoked for around 2 hours and then I transferred it to the oven to finish/but it was still hanging. The reason that I use the oven or the Traeger is that the smoker only has a 110v heating element and the others are more suited for the job.

My youngest brother is living with me temporarily he said that that it was the best tasting chicken he'd ever had. I thought it was right up there.

In the smoker to begin:



Out of the oven :



And ready to eat:

That looks seriously tasty Roy. Nice work

Originally Posted by Tathra11

That looks seriously tasty Roy. Nice work

I second the above, and add how damn pretty it looks after coming out of that stocking as well.
Nice job 👍

I swear by using a stockinette, the birds always come out looking nice.

I dug a leftover smoked turkey thigh out of the freezer and cut the back from the chicken. I've got them simmering in some homemade smoked turkey broth and will make some chicken and dumplings for supper tonight.

Originally Posted by MikeB52

I second the above, and add how damn pretty it looks after coming out of that stocking as well.
Nice job 👍

A important point: Yes the stockinette produces a very nice looking product, but you need to make sure to soak it in either a vinegar or a liquid smoke solution so that it doesn't stick to the skin and then pull the meat/skin off. I used a combination of the two.

If you look at the first picture you'll see that's the stockinette slightly discolored by the liquid smoke.

I just thought that this info might be informative.

Met, and really dug my butcher in Caledon this aft. East Indian nationality, and has ran the shop 20 years and loves his job clearly. Great little meat shop filled with food items from all over the world. Almost a bazaar feel to it.

My bone in NY strip roast has already had a week wet age and is beautifully trimmed and marbled, grass fed, free stock beef. 12.5 lbs to start.

The belly/loin combo, from a local farm is skinned trimmed, with a nice lean fat ratio. And that yielded me 20 lbs of stock for my fancy bacon.

Pics to follow, of course.
$ was 9/lb on the pork, and 18 for the beef. Knock 30% off that for the American equivalent but like I said, my per pack math will show me as astute consumer if the wife notices the bill..

Should get 13-15 steaks as well as some beef bones out of the cow, and 20 lb’s of bacon goes for what these days? And is 15% water anyway.

Mmmm, time to practice my butcher knot skills again!”
Cheers.