Search found 112 matches

by vagreys
Mon Apr 09, 2012 09:11
Forum: Technology basis
Topic: When is the atmosphere inside the smoker anerobic?
Replies: 4
Views: 4106

Your definition is correct, and in reference to anaerobic bacteria, like C. botulinum , that's what it means - no oxygen. Your smoker is never truly anaerobic, but heated, it does become a low-oxygen environment above the heat source. It isn't the smoker that has to be anaerobic for botulism to spre...
by vagreys
Sat Apr 07, 2012 21:50
Forum: Fishes
Topic: Smoking Catfish
Replies: 23
Views: 22138

I've never smoked catfish, but I grew up eating them. It seems to me that whether you leave the skin on would depend on where your friends are fishing - pond/lake or river. Mud cats from ponds can have really muddy-tasting fat, and you might want to skin those and remove the silver/gray fat. In my e...
by vagreys
Sat Mar 31, 2012 19:33
Forum: Hyde Park
Topic: Kakabeka Falls spring of 2012
Replies: 3
Views: 2309

It is quite a view - the falls in the snow. I have to admit, though, that I had to read the title a couple off times before it stopped appearing as Kielbasa Falls...
by vagreys
Sat Mar 31, 2012 07:40
Forum: Hyde Park
Topic: percentages
Replies: 14
Views: 8812

Pearson's Square is an easy way to calculate ratios. Farmers use it to blend grains of different protein content to achieve a certain protein content in feed. I use it to achieve a certain fat content blend of two meats, or a target alcohol content by volume of different alcohols and/or water when I...
by vagreys
Sat Mar 31, 2012 05:07
Forum: Smokehouses. Construction and Maintenance.
Topic: Cold Smoker
Replies: 6
Views: 17552

This has definitely given me something to think about - especially after the warmest March on record.
by vagreys
Sat Mar 31, 2012 04:07
Forum: Hyde Park
Topic: percentages
Replies: 14
Views: 8812

Have to show 'em Pearson's Square, next.
by vagreys
Thu Mar 29, 2012 19:43
Forum: Hyde Park
Topic: I am lost
Replies: 18
Views: 9255

Sodium nitrite reacts spontaneously with water in the meat to produce sodium oxide, nitric oxide, a little dinitrogen monoxide (laughing gas), and a little free nitrogen and oxygen.
by vagreys
Thu Mar 29, 2012 19:02
Forum: Hyde Park
Topic: percentages
Replies: 14
Views: 8812

So you can do it for yourself, in the future - You have 10 lbs of moose and want to know how much pork to add to reach a 70/30 blend. 10 lbs of moose equals 70% (.7) of the unknown total. If you divide the amount of moose by its percentage of the total, you get the total. 10 lbs divided by .7 = 14.2...
by vagreys
Wed Mar 28, 2012 19:08
Forum: Hyde Park
Topic: I am lost
Replies: 18
Views: 9255

OK. Follow-up to my last question. On page 476, the calculation examples present the amount of Cure #1 for dry-cured bacon based on the weight of the entire piece, without taking the fat content out of consideration. Given that the nitrite is not taken up by the fat layers, does it matter if we calc...
by vagreys
Wed Mar 28, 2012 04:13
Forum: Hyde Park
Topic: I am lost
Replies: 18
Views: 9255

Re: DLFL

In this case you can increase the amount of cure#1 and still be OK. The reason so little cure #1 was recommended is that about 50% of bacon is fat, and sodium nitrite will not react with fat as the latter does not contain myoglobin. As you know the combination of myoglobin and sodium nitrite gives ...
by vagreys
Tue Mar 27, 2012 19:16
Forum: Offal products
Topic: [USA] Braunschweiger - Liver Sausage
Replies: 39
Views: 48731

BB, You listed hearts, kidneys, "lights", meat, and liver. What are lights? lungs? Thanks. Yep. Comes from Middle English lihtes or lightes , referring to the lungs as the light organs. The word lung comes from the Old German lunge or lungen , literally meaning "the light organs". More than you eve...
by vagreys
Tue Mar 27, 2012 05:51
Forum: Hyde Park
Topic: I am lost
Replies: 18
Views: 9255

Cw, this must be a mistake, as on page 36 it is written that the max in going rate of nitrite for dry cure is 625 ppm. (you told me to study 36-40) I have been advised to use the max amounts when ever the amounts I used were in question as to being safe. (IE: My cured ribs thread) Then 11 lbs meat ...
by vagreys
Mon Mar 26, 2012 23:19
Forum: Technology basis
Topic: errors of ommission
Replies: 4
Views: 3554

Ross, since I consider the safety of the sausage I make to be my responsibility, I don't ever take a recipe at face value regarding the amount of cure, nor do I make any inference, positive or negative, about the author. I just think it is my responsibility to calculate the correct amount of cure to...
by vagreys
Mon Mar 26, 2012 23:07
Forum: Hyde Park
Topic: I am lost
Replies: 18
Views: 9255

How is 7.8g of Cure #1 (98 ppm nitrite) the correct dry-cure amount for 5kg (11 lbs) skin-on bacon? On page 476, they explain that for dry-cure rind-on bacon, using USDA guidelines, the limit is 180 ppm, which would be 14.4g of US Cure #1, so I understand why DLFL would be confused by a recipe that ...
by vagreys
Sun Mar 25, 2012 22:50
Forum: Sausages
Topic: Sausage "Chatter"
Replies: 328
Views: 192348

Re: USA source for beef or pork blood?

...So my question is, where are the commercial sausage factories in this country getting their blood from, in case anyone knows, and would a home sausage maker be able to obtain some? They get it either from their own slaughter operations, from their butchers, or from another slaughterhouse and mea...