# Summertime projects



## mike w (Oct 14, 2014)

Howdy all,

So since I've just joined this forum, I'll share some of my projects from this summer that I did here. If this winter is going to be mild like last years. I've got two small hams and about 10lbs of bacon curing. I posted in the curing section about those since this is my first time using curing salts (insta cure#1). If any math gurus can check my numbers, I'd appreciate it.

That being said onto the pictures!













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__ Oct 13, 2014





1kg boneless "ham"













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__ mike w
__ Oct 13, 2014






tub o bacon and ham













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__ Oct 14, 2014






streaky bacon













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__ Oct 14, 2014






pork shoulder that turned into pulled pork













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__ Oct 14, 2014






streaky maple bacon just off the smoker













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__ mike w
__ Oct 14, 2014


















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Texas style beef brisket













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__ mike w
__ Oct 14, 2014






cheddar bratwurst, which I then smoked.


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## kc5tpy (Oct 14, 2014)

Hello Mike.  Welcome.  Good looking smoked food.  It's on my list but I have yet to make my own bacon.  I have a really great local butcher ( he gets smoked treats 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






  ).  I buy an unsmoked streaky bacon joint and then hot smoke it.  Really good stuff.  I know it is an American thing but it has to be streaky and has to be smoked to call it bacon IMHO.  Jamie Oliver has also stated the same on some of his shows.  Maybe we are converting folks one at a time.  The Missus messed up and got a back bacon joint from the butcher the last time.  My fault, I should have gone myself.  HEY! No big deal.  Will smoke just about anything so gonna try that as soon as weather and work commitments align.  I have saved some start up money as my butcher makes an American ( Texas ) style sausage for me to my recipe.  All I need do is pick it up and smoke it.  No equipment costs and no clean up after.  Getting to know your local butcher can be a really good thing.

If I can help in any way feel free to PM me.  I am usually here at least once a day.  Wade might be of some assistance if you are having trouble opening a tin of beans or smoking a tin of Spam.  At this years meet he used so many electrical gadgets on his charcoal smoker he kept blowing the breakers in my caravan.  Looked like a space station after he had it all set up.  I hear his BBQ sauce is pretty good but I saw the bottle.  He tried to remove the label but I did recognise HP on the bottle.  "REAL MEN" just build a fire, throw some raw meat on, become one with the Great Smoking Gods and get on with it.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





You might notice we are a pretty informal Group and we tend to "take tha piss" now and then.  Just give as good as you get and you will fit right in

  

Glad to have you in the Group and look forward to your contributions.  Keep Smokin!

Danny


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## wade (Oct 14, 2014)

Hi Mike - A great looking mix of summer projects/products.


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## kc5tpy (Oct 14, 2014)

Hello Mike.  Don't let my friend Wade fool ya.   He has spent quite a bit of time in the States and learning his art.  His advice can be taken as gospel.  As I told him at our meet I was dubious if folks from the U.K. really could make good Que.  I watched his technique and everything he did.  I can tell ya he KNOWS his stuff.  I was also pleasantly surprised that the folks who showed up for our first meet brought the REAL DEAL smoked foods.  Some folks are learning but we have quite a few members who know their stuff.  They may lack a little confidence as they may not be quite sure what the standard is but they have nothing to worry about.  I'd be proud to take their food to ANY BBQ I have been to in the States.  Also a GREAT bunch of folks.  Offer to help in any way they can.  Within an hour of meeting we all got along like long time friends.  Very proud to claim each and every one of them as a friend.  I hope you can make next years meet.  I know you will enjoy it.  Keep Smokin!  Danny


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## mike w (Oct 14, 2014)

My boy and I just got back from a trip to the butchers. I'm making cottage pie for dinner tonight, but I grabbed two pheasants. I'm going to toss those in a brine and smoke them tomorrow. 

I did a search for Mungjack and got nothing. Has anyone tried anything with those little buggers? I've heard the meat is pretty good.


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## mike w (Oct 14, 2014)

Danny I do the same for streaky bacon, I love my bacon haha. I've made over a hundred pounds since I've been here. And Costco carries real maple syrup for a decent price along with bulk spices.


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## kc5tpy (Oct 14, 2014)

Hello Mike.  You do realize that most U.K. folks don't get the smoke, salty, sweet taste.  My wife loves going to IHOP but she always has her pancakes and syrup as sort of a dessert after breakfast.  Finally one day I grabbed some hot smoked streaky bacon, put it in some toast with grape jelly and told her to close her eyes and taste.  She had to admit it was good but she still can't get her head around combining those flavours.  The other odd thing ( don't know how you feel about it ) I have found is that many folks can't get gravy on fries.  Just as a quick snack.  They put vinegar on fries but couldn't dream of gravy.  It's a POTATO!!  If it were mashed or a roasty they would put gravy on it, just not fries.  Heaven forbid chilli cheese fries!  Junk food is not a particular favourite of mine but now and the you just have to.  Sometimes I think I would kill for a can of Van Camps Pork n Beans.  Just getting a good saltine cracker can be a struggle.  Good corn tortillas, the same.  I have online sources for some of these things ( except for Pork n Beans ) so if I can help let me know.  Below is a thread you might find amusing.  Keep Smokin!

Danny

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/153264/dirty-little-secret


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## mike w (Oct 14, 2014)

That's interesting, well I guess we need to spread the word far and wide how delicious maple streaky bacon is Danny =) I've taken some of my bacon up to the local gastro pub for the chef to try and he liked it haha. Made me very happy to have a pro like my food. My wife loves British bacon and Canadian bacon so I intend to tryy making that next. She's a ham fiend so that's why I'm dabbling with curing ham now.

I do love gravy on fries but I grew up loving long John silver's fried seafood so vinegar on chips is enjoyable. I do miss routine though.


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## wade (Oct 15, 2014)

KC5TPY said:


> Wade might be of some assistance if you are having trouble opening a tin of beans or smoking a tin of Spam.  At this years meet he used so many electrical gadgets on his charcoal smoker he kept blowing the breakers in my caravan.  Looked like a space station after he had it all set up.  I hear his BBQ sauce is pretty good but I saw the bottle.  He tried to remove the label but I did recognise HP on the bottle.  "REAL MEN" just build a fire, throw some raw meat on, become one with the Great Smoking Gods and get on with it.


Don't mock my Spam Danny It has taken me years to work out how to open those cans. Anyway it was a tight squeeze trying to find anywhere to actually set up as Danny had not parked his dinosaur quite square between the parking bay lines.


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## wade (Oct 15, 2014)

KC5TPY said:


> The other odd thing ( don't know how you feel about it ) I have found is that many folks can't get gravy on fries.  Just as a quick snack.  They put vinegar on fries but couldn't dream of gravy.  It's a POTATO!!  If it were mashed or a roasty they would put gravy on it, just not fries.


Now this is a regional thing. Down south it is very unusual to just eat fries with gravy but up north it is one of the staples you can get from most fish and chip shops. I am of course talking about real brown runny gravy and not the white sludge type sauce that you get with biscuits and gravy in the US.


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## mike w (Oct 15, 2014)

Yep Brown beef gravy, so good. Probably a northern US thing along with poutine (fries with cheese curd and gravy) for Canada. A favorite comfort food for me in the winter is an open faced roast beef or roast turkey sandwich with brown gravy or chicken stock gravy poured over it.


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## wade (Oct 15, 2014)

KC5TPY said:


> I hope you can make next years meet.


Hi Danny - Do you know if they have opened their site bookings yet for next year?


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## wade (Oct 15, 2014)

Mike W said:


> A favorite comfort food for me in the winter is an open faced roast beef or roast turkey sandwich with brown gravy or chicken stock gravy poured over it.


Now that sounds good


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