I would like to make capicola

[gerardj]

i like sweet capicola but not the price, tried 2 recipes from youtube but threw them out.
surely it can't be that difficult.

 

[dragnlaw]

What was wrong with the ones you tried?
Was it the recipe (ergo flavour)?
or the process?

 

[gerardj]

one attempt grew green mold, the second came out dry and tough.
At that time I gave up. this was 3 yrs ago. the one in the video grew green mold and i tossed it.

 

[Silversage]

If you use the search bar, you will find this https://www.discusscooking.com/threads/capicola-fully-cooked.117036/ from Wittdog, a long-time former member.

For something more recent, you might want to go back to NCT, and ask Johnny (whose madelines you insulted). He is the most likely on the food forums to have made his own. I know he's done soprasettta.

 

[gerardj]

If you use the search bar, you will find this https://www.discusscooking.com/threads/capicola-fully-cooked.117036/ from Wittdog, a long-time former member.

For something more recent, you might want to go back to NCT, and ask Johnny (whose madelines you insulted). He is the most likely on the food forums to have made his own. I know he's done soprasettta.

thats not what I'd call copicola, its pumped, then smoked, probably to cut the cure time.

 

[Kathleen]

Curing meats is something I would love to try. My hesitation is where to place it while it could cure. The house is small and I don't have much space to create/build anything!

 

[dragnlaw]

Kathleen, my sentiments exactly. We've had several members who showed us their creations and I've always been a bit envious of their created and creative facilities!

 

[Badjak]

For those wanting to get into curing meat, make sure you read up properly. It is not without danger, esp sausages.
Relatively easy ones to start with are bacon and Canadian bacon (no extra equipment needed).

I want to get back into curing and currently reading up on umai bags. They should make it possible to cure smaller pieces of meat without full temperature and humidity control

 

[taxlady]

I want to get back into curing and currently reading up on umai bags. They should make it possible to cure smaller pieces of meat without full temperature and humidity control

Please tell us more about these umai bags.

 

[dragnlaw]

Very interesting Badjak, thank you.
Browsed thru the site but I still have questions about "where" to cure the various meats. Doesn't quite show that and now need to look for more info. As I've mentioned before I don't think I have a stable enough environment for it. - other than a fridge or freezer. Even the fridge is sort of iffy as depending on the shopping day - I'm pretty sure the humidity and temeprature flux alot.

 

[Albert2]

Making sweet capicola at home can be more budget-friendly and rewarding.

 

[Badjak]

Please tell us more about these umai bags.

I'm still researching
I haven't used them (yet)

Lot of info here https://en.wedlinydomowe.pl/viewforum.php?f=26
(Hopefully it is okay to link to another forum)

And this is the umai site https://umaidry.com/collections/charcuterie-curing-bags-spices

 

[GotGarlic]

Michael Ruhlman's book Charcuterie would be a good place to start. You can read a preview here: https://books.google.com/books/abou...1&newbks_redir=0&gboemv=1#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

[Badjak]

Michael Ruhlman's book Charcuterie would be a good place to start. You can read a preview here: https://books.google.com/books/abou...1&newbks_redir=0&gboemv=1#v=onepage&q&f=false

I got the book, but found it got some issues with amounts. 1st print. Hopefully it got corrected in the later versions
(Salt and cure amount are way out in some of the recipes)

Marianski's book " home production of meats and sausages" is a good one to start of with

 

[medtran49]

I agree with getting Ruhlman's book. I have issues with how he spices some of the recipes, but never had a problem with salt/cure with the ones I made. We also have one of Marianski's, don't remember name, but cover has a lot of solid green.

Lots of research using REPUTABLE sources should be undertaken before trying to cure meats. You could make someone extremely sick, possibly kill them if you don't follow proper procedures.

I used 1 of those wine refrigerators. It was divided into 2 temperature zones. It ran a little cold for drying even at warm end of thermostat, but that was easily remedied by leaving the door slightly propped open. We invested in a decent thermometer, scale and hygrometer, plus pH testing equipment, some mini fans to control air flow and humidity, as well as the cures.

Honestly, I fiddled with it for a while, but eventually tired of it, and decided to buy what we could get commercially. A caveat though is that we live in a large metropolitan area and there are speciality markets of all kinds within decent driving range. We still make andouille and tasso on occasion because we'd rather have homemade because of the taste and there aren't any local Cajun markets.

 

[Kathleen]

Thanks, @Badjak! I think the Umai bags may be a good option! Reading more on it now!

 

[dragnlaw]

I used 1 of those wine refrigerators. It was divided into 2 temperature zones. It ran a little cold for drying even at warm end of thermostat, but that was easily remedied by leaving the door slightly propped open. We invested in a decent thermometer, scale and hygrometer, plus pH testing equipment, some mini fans to control air flow and humidity, as well as the cures.

Honestly, I fiddled with it for a while, but eventually tired of it, and decided to buy what we could get commercially.

When I had the space, money was occupied elsewhere. Now I have no space, and also thinking I often jump into things whole heartedly only to quickly get tired of it.
As much as I would love to at least once, I'll just buy it. I'll live vicariously thru you guys. If only you could send me a little slice now and then.

 

[gerardj]

When I had the space, money was occupied elsewhere. Now I have no space, and also thinking I often jump into things whole heartedly only to quickly get tired of it.
As much as I would love to at least once, I'll just buy it. I'll live vicariously thru you guys. If only you could send me a little slice now and then.

theres plenty of space in ontario.

 

[dragnlaw]

I once met a group of radicals who thought we should straighten out the border in Canada. Starting with the top of Maine, annexing it to New Brunswick.

 

[gerardj]

then we'd have to talk funny hey ?