Homemade Sausage Making

Our local Costco has started handling some nice looking belly at a reasonable price so I picked up a smaller slab(7.8 lbs) and it is not pre salted or brined. My wife has wanted me to try making some Pancetta or Rolled Bacon for some time and I plan on trying it with this cut utilizing the Umai method. I am not totally new to the Umai method, have made Lonzino and Bresaola successfully(although we weren't overly excited with the Umai spicing recipe.

So, my plan so far is cure with #2 cure and salt to equal 2.5% salt(OK or not OK?), I plan on coating with the salt and cure plus a spice mixture(need some help with this) and curing at about 37° F(2.8° C) for a couple of weeks and then into the Umai system until a proper moisture loss has occurred (30 to 35% drop?).

I am at a loss on the spicing, we would like to start out with a basic spice schedule-nothing overpowering. Any recipes out there? we can adjust to our own taste for different spices/herbs.

Is the curing level and time OK?

What about the weight loss- is that sufficient or over kill?

Any other suggestions or help will be greatly appreciated--

Thanks
Pat

I have been experimenting quite a bit with the Tublin bags, but all with sausages. Have not done any solid cuts. Because the pork belly has a high percentage of fat, which will also be on the outside, it is one of the easiest cuts to air dry. And when it's rolled case hardening will never be an issue. You can dry it in any cool place and you don't need the high humidity that you need for salami and other cuts. But there is absolutely no reason why you can't do one using the Danish bags. A 30-35% weight loss is probably not doable, because the fat has very very little water, so if you get a 20% loss, maybe 25% if the bacon is really lean, it will be ready. Probably one of the best and well written tutorials on making a Pancetta Arrotolata is here: https://ourdailybrine.com/how-to-make-r ... ta-recipe/

I've only made the flat (tesa) version, so it will be interesting to see how your rolled one will turn out.

All the very best,
Chris

Chris, it might be just me but the link is not working

Thanks Robert, should be good now. It's Kyle Hildebrant's blog.

I have to go into work tomorrow to try and catch up on the time I just had off.

I will be rolling four Pancetta's ranging from a spicy one to a more favourable (I wonder if this is the right word ?)

This is the one in question

Chris, thanks for the info and the link, it will help a lot. I hadn't thought about the lower water content in the fat, glad you set me straight on that. I'll see what develops--

BriCan, thanks for the recipe. Can you clarify the last item on the item on the list(? 40g), I can't quite make it out--

Thanks again
Pat

NorthFork wrote:BriCan, thanks for the recipe. Can you clarify the last item on the item on the list(? 40g), I can't quite make it out--

The last item on the list is Rum

I did a EQ cure

Belly weighed 3434g

86g Sea Salt
9g Cure #2
65g Black pepper (corse ground)
20g Fennel seed (lightly toasted and crushed)
5g Allspice seeds (lightly toasted and crushed)
40g Mustard seeds (lightly toasted and crushed)
Rum

Thanks BriCan---