Hi New Guys - Introduce Yourself

Talk about anything here as long as it is not against the rules.
unclebuck
Frequent User
Frequent User
Posts: 135
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2011 14:49
Location: Lac La Biche, Alberta

Post by unclebuck » Mon Feb 28, 2011 22:00

The frustration with using an "armstrong" stuffer got the best of me several years ago. I am the proud owner of a water powered stuffer, made by a Hutterite colony in Saskatchewan, that holds 15 lbs of meat, to be stuffed into whatever size casing that I require. Not being particularly computer literate when it come to posting pictures - if I could figure out how to post them, I would put them up. It works like the "cock(rooster) for Dolly." If anyone can assist me in posting these pictures, I would more than appreciative.
"What can't be smoked can't be eaten."
steelchef
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 282
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 02:06
Location: Fort St John, British Columbia

Post by steelchef » Mon Feb 28, 2011 22:16

Hey Uncle,

The frustration with posting pictures is widespread. My personal experience has been with the 'Captcha' requirement. The old eyes work pretty well, (with some optical assistance) most of the time but not when it comes to these Captcha things. I've even tried the audio version but have given up.

I looked at a water/hydraulic stuffer offered at:

http://www.wildwestseasonings.com/produ ... ge-Stuffer

It is very interesting that you have introduced this idea just as I am about to purchase a Grizzly. Would you mind sharing more details about your stuffer? Particularly the price.
Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks.
User avatar
Troski
User
User
Posts: 60
Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2010 23:21
Location: Ohio

Post by Troski » Tue Mar 01, 2011 00:05

Unclebuck; Saira helped me with the same problem. Go here this is how I learned and yes Photobucket works fine on this site.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvvxraciwvI
Trosky
Marz o tym, jakbys` mial wiecznie zyl, zyj jakbys` mial umrzec dzis
steelchef
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 282
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 02:06
Location: Fort St John, British Columbia

Post by steelchef » Tue Mar 01, 2011 00:30

Testing - Testing!

Eureka! I think I've got it!

Image

These are a few smoker ready trays (from last summer.) The bottom right hand one is paprika and salt. The fish is the "Golden Lake Trout" I've been braggin' about.

Thanks to Siara, my Dad and Unclebuck for convincing me to give this another try.
Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks.
SikaStag
Beginner
Beginner
Posts: 42
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 14:16
Location: Scottish Borders

Post by SikaStag » Tue Mar 01, 2011 00:40

Hi Guys
Thanks for the offer of assisting me with a sausage stuffer steelchef, I appreciate that.

My friend is a short arse he is probably twice the height of the stuffer. He is not going on business himself, he is going on holiday with his wife. I think he will struggle just with the wife's baggage. When he goes on business he will bring back whatever he can carry.

I would be interested to see the pics of the water stuffer, I am unsure how the pressure is attained to work the stuffer, or even how it can be controlled. Any stuffer that lets you use two hands to work the casings and sausages would be a big bonus, unfortunately they carry a big price tag.

I am looking forward to seeing the guys build of the smoker and curing room.
I am learning gun engraving at the moment. A friend passed away last year, I purchased his whole studio from his wife. I have been putting a lot of time into this engraving, it is hard being stuck up the end of a valley with no one near you to sit with you and show you where you are going wrong. All my learning curve has been from a couple of Forums on the net. I am slowly getting there. I am enjoying this site , it is a break from the engraving.
I am full of enthusiasm and excitement for what I am going to learn here.
I am fed up with the chit that super markets are selling, that looks like 70% emulsified fat with 10 % gristle and 15% meat with the remaining 5% water and more E additives.

I want to know what I am putting into my food, or should I rephrase that and say I want to know what is not going into my sausages & food.

11.39 pm here in the Scottish Borders, time this budding sausage maker was in his bed.

Ian
steelchef
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 282
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 02:06
Location: Fort St John, British Columbia

Post by steelchef » Tue Mar 01, 2011 02:17

Hey SleepyScot,

Here is link to one example. If you need help finding more, holler!
Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks.
User avatar
Chuckwagon
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4494
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 04:51
Location: Rocky Mountains

Post by Chuckwagon » Tue Mar 01, 2011 03:02

Steelchef wrote:
Testing - Testing!
Eureka! I think I've got it!
Uh, don't depend on it Chef-o !
Look at the picture again. Photobucket has cut all your tomatoes and eggs in half! :shock:


Best wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
SikaStag
Beginner
Beginner
Posts: 42
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 14:16
Location: Scottish Borders

Post by SikaStag » Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:27

Looks a mighty perty picture. I would have loved to have seen the picture after they had exited the smoker.
I have never tried smoked salt, I have heard it is delicious. Is there any particular type of salt that is preferred to use for smoking, like sea salt, chunky or fine. I stopped using table salt, when you read what they put into to stop it clogging and such, it kinda puts you off.
I know use sea salt for everything.
Last year, I decided it was time to make my own streaky bacon, I got 2 good bellies to start my curing experiment with. I went through the process and when they were ready to stop the curing process they were taken out and had all the cure cleaned from them. Now at this stage I missed a part in my recipe I was following, I missed the part about letting them hang for a week or two. I had no smoker so I was missing out in that department. I only buy smoked bacon. I had the frying pan fired up next day and was frying my Bacon, it tasted delicious but looked grey rather than a bacon red. I later found out I had been eating salted pork.

I have to do it all over again. It is hard to get good bellies to cure, they are bred genetically to produce more meat than fat, so the bellies have minimal fat on them.
I have to find me a local organic free range producer, then speak to the bank manager to see if I can get a mortgage to buy some.

Your eggs on the tray look all sizes what breed of chickens are they from.

Ian
SikaStag
Beginner
Beginner
Posts: 42
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 14:16
Location: Scottish Borders

Post by SikaStag » Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:35

Here is a try at uploading a picture from photobucket, hope it works.


Image

This where the wife and I live. We do not own the farm we have rented the farm house for the last 5 years. Only sign of life we see is the post man when he delivers our mail.
I just did a preview, it worked. Thanks to the member that posted the youtube link, appreciate the help.

Ian
SikaStag
Beginner
Beginner
Posts: 42
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 14:16
Location: Scottish Borders

Post by SikaStag » Tue Mar 01, 2011 13:35

This is the view in summer.
Image
steelchef
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 282
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 02:06
Location: Fort St John, British Columbia

Post by steelchef » Tue Mar 01, 2011 19:13

Looks a mighty perty picture. I would have loved to have seen the picture after they had exited the smoker. [b wrote:Sorry, didn`t think to take an after shot.[/b]I have never tried smoked salt, I have heard it is delicious. It is! Is there any particular type of salt that is preferred to use for smoking, like sea salt, chunky or fine. I just use regular, iodized salt. My conclusion about the differences all point back to marketing and a desire to get an extra buck (or pound) out of the mineral. All salt is `sea salt` in the end. Even our inland salt mines are deposits left by evaporation of ancient oceans. I stopped using table salt, when you read what they put into to stop it clogging and such, it kinda puts you off. Over here there are no additives. We have to put rice or orzo in the cellar to prevent clumping.I know use sea salt for everything.
Last year, I decided it was time to make my own streaky bacon, I got 2 good bellies to start my curing experiment with. I went through the process and when they were ready to stop the curing process they were taken out and had all the cure cleaned from them. Now at this stage I missed a part in my recipe I was following, I missed the part about letting them hang for a week or two. I had no smoker so I was missing out in that department. I only buy smoked bacon. I had the frying pan fired up next day and was frying my Bacon, it tasted delicious but looked grey rather than a bacon red. I later found out I had been eating salted pork. I`m sure that we have all had a similar experience.
I have to do it all over again. It is hard to get good bellies to cure, they are bred genetically to produce more meat than fat, so the bellies have minimal fat on them.
I have to find me a local organic free range producer, then speak to the bank manager to see if I can get a mortgage to buy some. I hear you man. When I look at the prices you folks pay for meat it makes me religious; I thank God for putting me in this (freezing cold) location.
(It is currently -31C)
Ask your butcher if he can get you some whole jowl. This is a wonderful substitute for `bellies.` Seriously, a large hog jowl, once processed cannot be distinguished from a small belly and is laced with fat and lean more uniformly.

Your eggs on the tray look all sizes what breed of chickens are they from. We get our eggs from my son`s in-laws. They are free range from a variety of hens.Ian
Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks.
ssorllih
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4331
Joined: Sun Feb 27, 2011 19:32
Location: maryland

Post by ssorllih » Wed Mar 02, 2011 04:58

The welcome I have received is promicing of good things to come.
My food preparation involves all of the cooking for my wife and me and sometimes a few friends. I buy most of my meats minimally processed. Poultry is either whole or just legs and always on sale. We eat almost anything and I am always in search of new ways to put some variety in my cooking. The other day I wrapped a boneless turkey breast around a pound of good spicy sausage and roasted that. It was good but I need to improve my sausage skills.
Ross- tightwad home cook
steelchef
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 282
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 02:06
Location: Fort St John, British Columbia

Post by steelchef » Wed Mar 02, 2011 05:48

ssorllih,

I had to cut and paste you handle buddy. When I tried to do it by memory I devoloped a 'lithp.'
As a junior/senior, a person of Scottish heritage, generally health concious and completely concerned with pushing the envelope when it comes to taste, your sausage wrapped turkey breast sounds phenominal.
I don't know if you are at all like me but my instincts are to 'go for the goods' in a new website. This one is a huge exception. You really have to read the front page. It is the key to any future success. Recipes and formulations are really secondary to the preparation process.

Please visit our "Care To Share How You Got Your Handle?" forum and share how you came up with your username.

I'm nearly always available so if you have questions, need advice or just want to chat, let me know. Chat is not a function of this forum but we can figure out a way.

Cheers

Colin
Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks.
User avatar
Chuckwagon
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4494
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 04:51
Location: Rocky Mountains

Welcome aboard!

Post by Chuckwagon » Wed Mar 02, 2011 23:12

Another member! Welcome aboard Trapper! Hey folks, she is from the "Land Of Lincoln" - Illinois. Did you know that four US presidents have come from that state? Yup. But only one of them is a native of Illinois - born and raised in the state. Welcome Trapper. Looking forward to sharing info with you.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
User avatar
Chuckwagon
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4494
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 04:51
Location: Rocky Mountains

Post by Chuckwagon » Fri Mar 04, 2011 08:28

Hi smoky people! We have two new good-lookin` members today! First is fred from Kwa Zulu Natal in southeast Africa. I`ll bet fred will post a great recipe for BoerWors sausage if we keep after him. Also, joining us from England is mytinner. Whereabouts in England tinner? :smile: We`re happy to have you folks join us and hope you write in often. Welcome aboard!

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
Post Reply