My Journey with UMAi Bags

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Shuswap
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Post by Shuswap » Thu Sep 11, 2014 00:06

cogboy wrote:Shuswap, I'm happy to see you had better results with the Umai process than I did , looks delicious !
Dave, I really think leaving it alone for the 60+ days made a difference even though Umai says 14 - 42 days. I kind of forgot about it because I was focused on the capicola.
Phil
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redzed
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Post by redzed » Thu Sep 11, 2014 00:13

Shuswap, your soppressata looks fantastic! (even though you forgot to press it). Nice colour, dried evenly and that grind and fat distribution is perfect! Don't change a thing!
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Post by Shuswap » Thu Sep 11, 2014 03:40

redzed wrote:Shuswap, your soppressata looks fantastic! (even though you forgot to press it). Nice colour, dried evenly and that grind and fat distribution is perfect! Don't change a thing!
Red, what do you mean by "press it" :?:
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Post by lrdeer » Thu Sep 11, 2014 09:47

Finally got to slice up my Speck today after 71 days drying. The cured weight was 1.590kgs, it was cured for 8 days then washed, tied, dried, packaged and sealed in the UMAI bag. It was a perfect seal and sat in my fridge without disturbing until today. The finished weight was 1.061 kgs. I sliced the Speck very thin, the taste is quite amazing, in fact delicious indeed, not strong with a fine vein of allspice through a very soft delicate centre. I would recommend this 5lb recipe to everyone.
Salt 8.5% weight of meat
1tsp dry mustard
2TBSP allspice
1 tsp cure #2
1TBSP fine ground black pepper
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
5 crushed bay leaves
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cogboy
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Post by cogboy » Thu Sep 11, 2014 10:38

Irdeer, Please bring some over to my house ,I'll supply the beverages. :grin: Looks great !
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Post by crustyo44 » Thu Sep 11, 2014 11:39

Hi,
Is that cut of meat you cured, part of a shoulder. Whatever it is, it certainly looks good.
Definitely on my to do list as Pork shoulder is on sale this week at $ 4.99 kilo.
Thanks for posting the recipe and photo's.
Cheers,
Jan.
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Post by Shuswap » Thu Sep 11, 2014 13:54

Irdeer was there any odor to the Speck when you opened up the bag? You really got a better vacuum than I did with my capicola.
Phil
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redzed
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Post by redzed » Thu Sep 11, 2014 16:39

Shuswap wrote:Red, what do you mean by "press it" :?:
Just being a little persnickety Phil! :wink: Original soppressata was pressed or flattened after it was stuffed into the casing.

Irdeer that speck looks outstanding! Did you remove the ham bone from the pork leg yourself?
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Post by Shuswap » Thu Sep 11, 2014 16:46

redzed wrote:Just being a little persnickety Phil!
Whew - I thought you might suggest if I reduce the size of the fat particles it would no longer be sopressata :wink:
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Post by lrdeer » Fri Sep 12, 2014 12:30

cogboy, thanks for the offer, problem is I am 15,000 klms away Downunder!!!!!!, but if I am ever over your way I am sure a smallgoods tasting is on the agenda.
crusty, pork shoulder was on special at IGA supermarkets in Melbourne a few weeks ago for $3.99kg, I bought 8 shoulders, last week they had pork legs for $4.99kg, I managed to get 5 this time, some will end up as my own smoked ham.
shuswap, no odour at all and their shouldn't be any if it is cured and sealed properly, only smell was a gentle hint of allspice.
Redzed, it was made from pork shoulder, I removed the small amount of bone.
Thanks to everyone for their comments.
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Post by crustyo44 » Fri Sep 12, 2014 21:41

Lindsay,
I am still amazed at the price of Pork in some outlets.
We had pork shoulder here on special once for $ 2.99, back legs for $ 3.99.
One of the butchers told me that the buying price for shoulder was $ 3.20.
The $ 2.99 was to get people in the door.
Nevertheless, I just can't see how these poor cockies make a living at those prices.
I am like you probably, my deepfreezer is chockablock, a stick icecream won't even fit in.
Lots of hardwork coming up shortly to make room for more specials.
Cheers mate,
Jan.
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Post by Divey » Fri Sep 12, 2014 23:10

Can some please explain to me why these UMAi bags are so different to any other home vacuuming bags like the Sunbeam Foodsaver.
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Post by Shuswap » Fri Sep 12, 2014 23:23

Divey wrote:Can some please explain to me why these UMAi bags are so different to any other home vacuuming bags like the Sunbeam Foodsaver.
AS Misty Gully in Australia says: "The bags are a result of European intelligence that developed the technology that is built into the bag that allows oxygen in and moisture out, all without spoiling." Such is not the case with vacuum sealing bags. UMAi is the trade name for the North & South America distributor.
Phil
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Post by Shuswap » Sat Sep 13, 2014 00:28

Divey, Misty Gully is the Australia/New Zealang distributor of these bags that they call "banquet bags".
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Post by Divey » Sat Sep 13, 2014 02:00

Okay, another question now that you have cleared that matter up.

Can these bags be used with a Sunbeam Foodsaver :?:
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