Dry cured Ayrshire bacon

[BriCan]

From the book ~~ Manual of a Traditional Bacon Curer by Maynard Davies:


Dry cured Ayrshire bacon

[wheels]

It's interesting that Maynard Davies has this as a dry cure as do Scottish Butchers Macbeths. The famous 'Ramsay of Carluke' make it in an immersion brine.

This begs the question as to what makes it uniquely Ayrshire bacon?

This video of the process may be of interest:

phpBB [video]

Surprisingly, they've chosen to show back bacon rather than the traditional Ayrshire rolled middle.

Yours looks better than theirs!

Phil

[DanMcG]

Wow those are nice looking sides of pork, sure wish I could source something like that around here.

[BriCan]

It's interesting that Maynard Davies has this as a dry cure as do Scottish Butchers Macbeths. The famous 'Ramsay of Carluke' make it in an immersion brine.

This begs the question as to what makes it uniquely Ayrshire bacon?

maybe this should/might be a fact finding research/tasting when home next

This video of the process may be of interest:

It was/is as it opens up another (can of worms ) dilemma as no matter how many times I play this (I have done quite a few so far) people ear about's say that immersion curing is five days with a given amount of cure/brine ~~~ Ok folks don't shoot the horses we are not getting up tight; just a general observation ~~~ the trimmed middles go into the brine tank for 24 hours (thats wot e'says) then further salted to draw out the liquid and hung to mature for two or so weeks

I have always stated that I do an emersion cure for three days (60 lt brine anywhere from 6 to 24 long backs)
So to find out if what I heard was true I tried to email them on line but there contact is down so have resorted to tweeting them

Surprisingly, they've chosen to show back bacon rather than the traditional Ayrshire rolled middle.

Yours looks better than theirs!

thank you ~~~ I will give some to him for an unbiased opinion on taste

[BriCan]

Wow those are nice looking sides of pork, sure wish I could source something like that around here.

I do get lucky once in a while, my local source process smaller hogs than the plant closer to me hence you see what I usually get

[yotmon]

Hi BriCan, looks a decent quality bacon. What price do you get for it over the counter, just looking on line and Scottish Gourmet Food are selling it at £26.00 a kilo (200g for £5.25) - bit steep imho.
One other thing, most Ayrshire rolls iv'e seen have the eye muscle tucked inside the belly flap rather than be on the outside like most rolled middles. Doesn't make any difference to taste (or anything else for that matter) but is it part of the tradition ?
Ste.

[wheels]

...most Ayrshire rolls iv'e seen have the eye muscle tucked inside the belly flap rather than be on the outside like most rolled middles.
Ste.

I was thinking that as well. But, a quick check of photos of other Ayrshire bacon (on Google images) shows that I'm wrong.

Phil

[BriCan]

Hi BriCan, looks a decent quality bacon. What price do you get for it over the counter, just looking on line and Scottish Gourmet Food are selling it at £26.00 a kilo (200g for £5.25) - bit steep imho.

Holy cr*p are them there pigs made out of gold or platinum ~~~ I think I might as well move back cuz it looks like I could make some serious dosh. £26.25 a kilo converted to $ Canadian = $43.09 a kilo

I am wholesale but saying that if I was (and do) sell retail for this particular one £17.28 a kilo

One other thing, most Ayrshire rolls iv'e seen have the eye muscle tucked inside the belly flap rather than be on the outside like most rolled middles. Doesn't make any difference to taste (or anything else for that matter) but is it part of the tradition ?
Ste.

I've seen it done both ways and have myself done it doth ways; that being said I will tend to do it this way as I (and most that see it) like the looks of it, sought of gives it class

[BriCan]

So to find out if what I heard was true I tried to email them on line but there contact is down so have resorted to tweeting them

They replied saying 'quote' Thank you will get it to you. ~~~ I asked for an email contact so now I await