# UMAi Bresaola



## BGKYSmoker (Jan 3, 2019)

Have a busy week coming and have to work in a UMAi Bresaola.

Whew


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## SmokinAl (Jan 3, 2019)

That is something I would like to try next!
I'll be watching this!
Al


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## daveomak (Jan 3, 2019)

Squeeze it in....  seriously !!!


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 3, 2019)

Man your busy what you going to do open a store selling all the things your making?

Warren


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 3, 2019)

HalfSmoked said:


> Man your busy what you going to do open a store selling all the things your making?
> 
> Warren


That would be eeee-legal....lol


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 3, 2019)

So is moonshining :rolleyes: :D

Warren


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 3, 2019)

HalfSmoked said:


> So is moonshining :rolleyes: :D
> 
> Warren


But i cant run that fast anymore  :)


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 3, 2019)

Let wife operate store.  :oops: :eek:

Warren


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 5, 2019)

Getting the Eye trimmed and patted down for the Bresaola cure time. I do a 2 application dry cure/mix. Below is how i prep the round and how much of the dry you will need for the 2nd application. 5 days in the fridge for the 1st application. Remove from zip bag, apply generous amout for the 2nd application and back in the zip and fridge. Notice the salt is pulling the moisture from the eye. if you have liquid in the bag you can discard. 2nd application and cure will be another 5-7 days. 
The eye will be pretty stiff, lightly rinse the dry off before the UMAi bag (dont dry the eye before the UMAi. Keep it moist)







I pulverize all the dry






Keep your twine clean and dry.






Pat the dry into the meat, Rubbing balls the dry in blotches. here you can tie the eye.






Put in large zip lock for the cure times stated above.






You will need this much of the dry left for the second application, dont be shy use it up.






BBL


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## chopsaw (Jan 5, 2019)

Watchin this . Love that twine dispenser .


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 5, 2019)

Are the spices your own mix or a package mix?

Warren


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 5, 2019)

HalfSmoked said:


> Are the spices your own ix or a package mix?
> 
> Warren



Salt
Pepper
Thyme
Rosemary
(pinch of basil)
Juniper berries
1 tsp smoke powder added for 2nd application
cure 2


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 5, 2019)

what is the difference between cure #1 and cure #2?

Warren


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 5, 2019)

HalfSmoked said:


> what is the difference between cure #1 and cure #2?
> 
> Warren




CURES - Cures are used in sausage products for color and flavor development as well as retarding the development of bacteria in the low temperature environment of smoked meats.
Salt and sugar both cure meat by osmosis. In addition to drawing the water from the food, they dehydrate and kill the bacteria that make food spoil. In general, though, use of the word "cure" refers to processing the meat with either sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate.
The primary and most important reason to use cures is to prevent BOTULISM POISONING (Food poisoning). It is very important that any kind of meat or sausage that will be cooked and smoked at low temperature be cured. To trigger botulism poisoning, the requirements are quite simple - lack of oxygen, the presence of moisture, and temperatures in range of 40-140° F. When smoking meats, the heat and smoke eliminates the oxygen. The meats have moisture and are traditionally smoked and cooked in the low ranges of 90 to 185° F. As you can see, these are ideal conditions for food poisoning if you don't use cures. There are two types of commercially used cures.


Prague Powder #1
Also called Insta-Cure and Modern Cure. Cures are used to prevent meats from spoiling when being cooked or smoked at low temperatures (under 200 degrees F). This cure is 1 part sodium nitrite (6.25%) and 16 parts salt (93.75%) and are combined and crystallized to assure even distribution. As the meat temperate rises during processing, the sodium nitrite changes to nitric oxide and starts to ‘gas out’ at about 130 degrees F. After the smoking /cooking process is complete only about 10-20% of the original nitrite remains. As the product is stored and later reheated for consumption, the decline of nitrite continues. 4 ounces of Prague powder #1 is required to cure 100 lbs of meat. A more typical measurement for home use is 1 level tsp per 5 lbs of meat. Mix with cold water, then mix into meat like you would mix seasonings into meat.


Prague Powder #2
Used to dry-cure products. Prague powder #2 is a mixture of 1 part sodium nitrite, .64 parts sodium nitrate and 16 parts salt. (1 oz. of sodium nitrite with .64 oz. of sodium nitrate to each lb. of salt.) It is primarily used in dry-curing Use with products that do not require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration. This cure, which is sodium nitrate, acts like a time release, slowly breaking down into sodium nitrite, then into nitric oxide. This allows you to dry cure products that take much longer to cure. A cure with sodium nitrite would dissipate too quickly. Use 1 oz. of cure for 25 lbs. of meat or 1 level teaspoon of cure for 5 lbs. of meat when mixing with meat. When using a cure in a brine solution, follow a recipe.


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 6, 2019)

Thanks Rick

Warren


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## wade (Jan 7, 2019)

I have recently tried out a couple of methods of making Bresaola with these bags and it worked very well. Are you planning on trying to air dry it in the fridge (which did not work well for me) or at cool room temperature?


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 9, 2019)

wade said:


> I have recently tried out a couple of methods of making Bresaola with these bags and it worked very well. Are you planning on trying to air dry it in the fridge (which did not work well for me) or at cool room temperature?


Going in the fridge as i have done before.


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## wade (Jan 9, 2019)

Last year I performed a trial where I left several Bresaola to cure in the fridge in the Umai bags and several to air dry in the bags at ~18 C (64 F), also in the Umai bags. I weighed each of the meats every 7 days to determine when it has lost its required 30% in weight. The air dry bags lost the required weight after ~3 weeks (21 days) whereas the ones in the fridge had only lost 14% after 70 days (10 weeks). Extrapolating this the Bresaola in the fridge would have taken 153 days (22 weeks or 5 months) to reach the 30% weight loss. After the 70 days I gave up in the fridge and continued to air drying them at 18 C. Also after the 10 weeks in the fridge (at 3 C, 37 F) the surface of the Umai bag had begun to grow significant amounts of mould. In contrast the Bresaola cured in Umai bags outside of the fridge showed almost no mould growth.







From my experiences I still use the Umai bags, as they act as a partial moisture barrier (to slow down the drying process at room temperature) and they also inhibit the growth of mould on the meat surface. I now package and sell Bresaola produced this way.


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 11, 2019)

Second application of cure/spice mix to the Bresaola. Wrap and back in fridge for 4 days before the UMAi Charcuterie bag.


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## daveomak (Jan 11, 2019)

That looks delicious...


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## pc farmer (Jan 11, 2019)

Can't wait to see this done


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## wade (Jan 12, 2019)

It looks good


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 12, 2019)

And so on goes the wait time. Looking great Rick.

Warren


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## wade (Jan 12, 2019)

How long are you expecting it to take to lose the 30%


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 12, 2019)

wade said:


> How long are you expecting it to take to lose the 30%


Not sure

I go by squeeze. Weights are really not my thing.


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## daveomak (Jan 12, 2019)

When you're old enough, and been doing this long enough... a squeeze gives you more information than a scale ever could...   It's the same technique the Masters of years ago determined when stuff was finished...  
Therefore, I conclude, nepas is an old Master.....  lovingly of course....


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## wade (Jan 13, 2019)

nepas said:


> Not sure
> I go by squeeze. Weights are really not my thing.


It is great that you can tell - however it is a shame for the rest of us. The beef looks great so far, but without your experience to rely on it will make it difficult for anyone else to try to reproduce what you are doing. Would it be possible to weigh it now and then, when you judge it is ready, let us know the final weight. That way we will have a better chance of trying to create something similar.


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## wade (Jan 13, 2019)

daveomak said:


> When you're old enough, and been doing this long enough... a squeeze gives you more information than a scale ever could...   It's the same technique the Masters of years ago determined when stuff was finished...
> Therefore, I conclude, nepas is an old Master.....  lovingly of course....



If this is a case of Nepas just showing off his masterly prowess (which I don't think it is) then that is great and showing that he is a "old master" is wonderful. However if he is showing how to make this delicious charcuterie with the aim of helping us recreate something similar, then masterly experience does not really help.

As the water content of the Bresaola is a key factor in its shelf life (and ultimately food safety) then us "grasshoppers" need help in determining when it is ready. It is a bit like saying " I don't weigh my cure because I can judge when the amount is just right". I am sure some old masters amongst us can do that - though it is not something that would be recommended for a lesser mortal to do.



 BGKYSmoker
 it would be great if you could help here. I mention it because, if you don't weigh it at the beginning then then you cannot go back and do it at the end.


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 13, 2019)

Y'all are killin me....lol

Ok for the kind members who want to see weight loss, i will do the weight when i go into the UMAi bag. Right now there is very little weight loss being its wrapped in clear wrap and a zip lock bag for the cure. However i am (thinking) on putting the eye into a vac seal for a couple days, then rinsing and applying a slight coat of black pepper, thyme and rosemary then into the UMAI which i will show a starting weight.

For the new folks starting the art, Please do follow your instructions so you will have the product you desire at the end.

The Bresaoloa still has a few more days before the UMAi.

Thanks y'all


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 14, 2019)

Going to vac seal the bresaola for couple days. My VacMaster has a pulse function so i dont pull all the liquid out.

Looks like its floating huh.







Sealing






Now back in fridge for few days. Then rinse and add some thyme and rosemary and into the UMAi.


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 19, 2019)

Time to take the cured Bresaola out of the vac bag and prep for the UMAi.

Rinsed the cure/spice rub off, patted dry and then sprayed some sweet vermouth on all sides. 







Applied some  Italian grinder herbs to the wet Bresaola.








Into the UMAi large charcuterie bag and sealed. Weights taken in both pounds and grams. 













I use a Bradley smoker rack inverted with a food grade frogmat so i dont get squares on the meat. Using this will give me air flow all around the UMAi Bresaola while in the fridge. Now i wait.


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 19, 2019)

Is that a special bag? looks like any other zip lock.

Warren


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 19, 2019)

HalfSmoked said:


> Is that a special bag? looks like any other zip lock.
> 
> Warren


UMAi large charcuterie bag.


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 19, 2019)

Thanks Rick

Warren.


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 24, 2019)

UMAi Bresaola in my fridge. 







I am a full time RVr and do all my dry and smoked sausage with 0 problems or issues.


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## crazymoon (Jan 24, 2019)

Rick, Looking good !


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## daveomak (Jan 24, 2019)

..... Looking really good......


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## wade (Feb 2, 2019)

Ditto :-)


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## BGKYSmoker (Feb 4, 2019)

UMAi Bresaola. Todays weight is 1,801g. Still have lots of time.


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## wade (Feb 4, 2019)

What is the temperature inside your fridge?


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## BGKYSmoker (Feb 4, 2019)

Im good at 38.5


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## BGKYSmoker (Mar 1, 2019)

Took the Bresaola from the UMAi this morning, cut the twine off.







Right now i'm at a 32.57% weight loss. I normally dont re UMAi but this time i am.

Little rub down with some Brandy before the new UMAi bag.






Going to look for a loss between 40-45%


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## pc farmer (Mar 1, 2019)

Your precise in your weight loss.  LOL


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## indaswamp (Mar 6, 2019)

Planning on doing a venison bresaola soon. I have the umia kit. My question is this: should you put the bresaola, once in the umia bag, in a drawer in the frig to keep humidity high so as to lessen the hardness of the outer layer?


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## BGKYSmoker (Mar 9, 2019)

Getting closer. Another 3-4 days then vac seal to EQ for while
Heading to Texas on the 16 so when i get back it may be ready to slice.


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## BGKYSmoker (Mar 15, 2019)

UMAi Bresaola is at weight loss. Time to go into a vac bag for some EQ.


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## cpanderson (Mar 17, 2019)

.


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## bluebombersfan (Mar 18, 2019)

Wow,  Cant wait to see a few slices of this!!


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## HalfSmoked (Mar 26, 2019)

And the finish is coming.

Warren


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## BGKYSmoker (Mar 28, 2019)

Been a long time wait. Started 1-19

Well worth it.







Started with really thin slices.






Went with a slightly thicker slice.












My Slicer.












I'm happy. Now vac seal some slices.


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## daveomak (Mar 28, 2019)

Looks awesome...  Nice finish...


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## chopsaw (Mar 28, 2019)

Looks awesome .


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## HalfSmoked (Mar 28, 2019)

Nice

Warren


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## bluebombersfan (Mar 28, 2019)

Beautiful!


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## cpanderson (Apr 1, 2019)

What is the benefit of the 2 stage cure/spice mix?  My second question is, if you are adding cure in 2 stages, is your initial batch of cure/spice mix weighed to have your cure reach the final ppm of nitrate/nitrite, because if so, it would seem that for the first 5 days you are at a lower ppm than you would be shooting for, and then adding the rest after 5 days to reach the desired ppm.  I would assume with your amount of knowledge that this wouldn't be a problem, but I'm just curious as to whether one should/could add full strength of cure in the initial spice mix rub and then just add spice rub to the second addition.  I'm not questioning your wisdom, because the product looks excellent.  I am just wondering about the process and why you chose to do it that way.


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## BGKYSmoker (Apr 1, 2019)

cpanderson said:


> What is the benefit of the 2 stage cure/spice mix?  My second question is, if you are adding cure in 2 stages, is your initial batch of cure/spice mix weighed to have your cure reach the final ppm of nitrate/nitrite, because if so, it would seem that for the first 5 days you are at a lower ppm than you would be shooting for, and then adding the rest after 5 days to reach the desired ppm.  I would assume with your amount of knowledge that this wouldn't be a problem, but I'm just curious as to whether one should/could add full strength of cure in the initial spice mix rub and then just add spice rub to the second addition.  I'm not questioning your wisdom, because the product looks excellent.  I am just wondering about the process and why you chose to do it that way.



Its just my way at times.

I do my mix all at 1 time, split that up, apply the 1st then 7 days later apply the rest of the dry. so in other words no its not getting over or under cured. I dont go by PPM like others do, just not my thing as i know from years of experience that my products are safe.


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## cpanderson (Apr 1, 2019)

SFLsmkr1 said:


> Its just my way at times.
> 
> I do my mix all at 1 time, split that up, apply the 1st then 7 days later apply the rest of the dry. so in other words no its not getting over or under cured. I dont go by PPM like others do, just not my thing as i know from years of experience that my products are safe.


I'm cool with that.  You can't trade experience for anything else!  I wasn't questioning your knowledge, just trying to dig a little deeper.  As a newbie, I will stick to recipes but keep watching and learning from the Maesters


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## BGKYSmoker (Apr 1, 2019)

cpanderson said:


> I'm cool with that.  You can't trade experience for anything else!  I wasn't questioning your knowledge, just trying to dig a little deeper.  As a newbie, I will stick to recipes but keep watching and learning from the Maesters


No worries its all good, we all learn still, heck even an old phart like me...lol


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## GentlemanJerk (Apr 2, 2019)

Looks amazing!  Been kicking around getting the UMAi system for a while now and I think you just convinced me to order it.


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## radioguy (May 2, 2019)

Here is another Umai Breseola.  Thanks for the brandy rub down.  I used a little cognac then dusted with Italian herb mix.  Will be making this again.


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