The Seasonal Larder Project

 

      First weekend of the winter in Leakey and I'm already firing up the pit for some goodies.  I will be making not only smoked corned beef and pastrami, but some Maple Smoked Bacon.  This is all for our larder to be enjoyed over not only this winter, but hopefully a bit into next year.  Yeah, it's cruel.  

      First, each meat (4 packs) is thawed.  Then the pork belly is rubbed out with seasoning and wrapped in several zip loc bags for the fridge for 7 days for each inch thickness of meat, turning every day.  After curing for 2 weeks the belly is removed from the bag and thoroughly rinsed to rid it of the extra salt.  Lesson learned here unless you like REALLY SALTY BACON.  Return meat to fridge uncovered for 24 hours to form a 'pellicle'.  This protects the meat from bacteria.   When done, rub belly thoroughly on all sides with more maple sugar and lay to rest.  Smoke the belly over oak, pecan, or lump charcoal.  Keep the cooking temp as close to 200F or below.  Remove when internal belly temp is 155F.  

Rubbed out pork belly about to go in fridge to cure for 2 weeks

INSERT PELLICLE MEAT PIC HERE

       For the pastrami and corned beef, I have Cryovac'd brined briskets that I use to save an additional step.  After thawing each needs to be soaked for about 8 hours to remove as much salt as possible.  The cure is still intact, but excess salt will change the flavor.  Change the water in the soak several times.  Another lesson I learned the hard way.  

2 Cryovac'd briskets soaking to remove excess salt

      First to cook will be the corned beef and pastrami.  I will use the same fire, but the rubs and seasonings are different.  I use a mixture of oak and pecan.  It only takes about 3-5 hours smoking time depending; meat internal temp at 160F.  Remove from pit, wrap in foil and return to pit till internal temp is 200F.  Rest.  

Corned Beef and Pastrami meet the wood pit

Slice as thick as you like, or not

Sliced pastrami

Sliced corned beef

     Once the pork belly has cured it also goes into the wood pit, but with a last rub down of maple sugar.  It smokes, also over oak/pecan till the internal temp reaches 155F.  For bacon the pit temp here is crucial as I keep the fire itself about 200F TOPS.  We're not cooking the meat, just finishing the cure.

Rollin' Smoke

After cooling, slicing is easier

11 lbs ready for wrap

NOTE:  IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT EACH PIECE OF MEAT RESTED OFF THE PIT BE COOLED SIGNIFICANTLY OR EVEN PLACED IN FREEZER FOR A SHORT TIME JUST TO FIRM IT UP SO THAT IT SLICES BEAUTIFULLY.  I HAVE A COMMERCIAL SLICER FOR THE BACON, BUT YOU CAN DO IT BY HAND IF DESIRED.  WE LIKE OUR DELI MEAT THICK.  

      This entire project takes more than one day, and I like to space it out over a week to 10 days.  In fact the final smoking took place on a rainy day, never really much fun.  Oak and pecan wood works well, but so does good lump charcoal.  In the end we have 23 lbs of Pastrami, Corned Beef, and Bacon in the freezer.  Of course, our efforts here every winter will not result in a total assimilation into the self-sufficient community, but for us it's a labor of love.  My next project this year is to work on a good recipe for Cottage Bacon.  

"Bologna is a deli meat for people with eyes"

Mitch Hedberg

WiFi provided by AT & T Wireless