Talking of the open tray method....?

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Re: Talking of the open tray method....?

Postby wheels » Wed Oct 19, 2016 7:55 pm

What I'm thinking of is not exactly EQ. I'm thinking that the levels of salt/cure could be increased to account for the run-off, but only by 'just enough' rather than heaped on.

I'm sure that's how some of the old butcher's did it? If anyone know's it'll be Brican. Can you help here Robert please?

Phil
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Re: Talking of the open tray method....?

Postby BriCan » Thu Oct 20, 2016 5:10 am

wheels wrote:What I'm thinking of is not exactly EQ. I'm thinking that the levels of salt/cure could be increased to account for the run-off, but only by 'just enough' rather than heaped on.


You are on the right track :)

Salting table sloped from back to front and it had a grove along the front edge to catch the liquid given off from the pork -- Not only did it slope from back to front it also sloped to one end (ours sloped to the left because of location) -- Bellies/middles start at one end (right end for us) salt and cure applied like dust very lightly both sides and left stacked until the next day and the process was started all over again

This time the top becomes the bottom and moved over one space -- dusted as the day before with salt and cure until the bottom from the day before was now on top of the stack This was repeated most days for a week when said bacon was lightly rinsed and hung to mature for another week

Not al places was like this as each shop had there own secrets and ways of doing things

I'm sure that's how some of the old butcher's did it? If anyone know's it'll be Brican. Can you help here Robert please?

Phil


Any tlme :)
But what do I know
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Re: Talking of the open tray method....?

Postby BriCan » Thu Oct 20, 2016 5:36 am

Now for the open tray method -- the best way is to do the EQ method and there will be no problems

I do it on a larger scale than home use but in general it is all the same

Weigh out your salt and cute # 1 -- 1/3rd of this mixture goes the rind (or fat if rind off) side and rubbed in well, the remaining 2/3rds goes on the meat side and rubbed in well - usually until the meat sweets -- it is then stacked/placed in a container that has some sought of raised platform to elevate the meat out of the liquid that will run off -- repeat the process until all bellies are done -- my stacks are between 12 to 20 hight

I have looked in imageshack at my photos but they had some problems some time ago and pictures have been lost -- the following might help

These are remnants of my Maple bacon curing

Salt and cure have been rubbed in

** Note the tray at the bottom to elevate the meat out of the liquid that will run off

Image

Spices dusted on (remnants of working the trade fifty years ago, once learned never forgot)

Image

Maple sugar dusted on

Image

The full stack ready to go into the walk-in cooler -- Note the curing already working -- the liquid on top of the Maple sugar -- They will stay like this for 7 days before being overhauled and being rinsed off and either dried/matured for a further 7 days or off to be cold smoked -- this being my Maple bacon after a few hours hanging to dry they will be recoated with Maple sugar and left for a further 7 days (for the Maple flavour) and then carryed on as normal

Image
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Re: Talking of the open tray method....?

Postby wheels » Thu Oct 20, 2016 12:30 pm

See, it's just a case of knowing the right people! :lol: :lol:

Thanks Brican.

Phil
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Re: Talking of the open tray method....?

Postby BriCan » Thu Oct 20, 2016 3:51 pm

wheels wrote:See, it's just a case of knowing the right people! :lol: :lol:

Thanks Brican.

Phil


You are most welcome young master :)

Now we will see if he listens to me much better than on wedlinydomowe ;)
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Re: Talking of the open tray method....?

Postby ped » Thu Oct 20, 2016 8:22 pm

Thank's all, especially Robert for the tutorial :)
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Re: Talking of the open tray method....?

Postby Fingers » Fri Oct 21, 2016 10:02 am

Cheers BriCan thanks very much that's cracking.

So I guess does it make a difference to the bacon, Bag or Open tray. The bacon is sort of drying as its going in the open tray rather than soaking in a brine for a week. I will have to give this a try.

Cheers.
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Re: Talking of the open tray method....?

Postby bacon.uk » Wed Oct 26, 2016 5:50 pm

[quote][/quote]What I'm thinking of is not exactly EQ. I'm thinking that the levels of salt/cure could be increased to account for the run-off, but only by 'just enough' rather than heaped on.

The River Cottage method uses lashings of salt (most people find the result is very salty)
I would suggest you do what I do and use the same quantity for the open tray as you would use for the EQ method. Add the salt cure in two or three stages on succesive days. Slope the tray so that the liquid drains away from the meat. It is rather like Brican salt box method described above but on a much smaller scale.
I have measured the salt content of the run off liquid and about 5% of the added salt is lost this way. I would guess that the EQ method would not differ very much
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Re: Talking of the open tray method....?

Postby wheels » Wed Oct 26, 2016 8:04 pm

bacon.uk wrote:
What I'm thinking of is not exactly EQ. I'm thinking that the levels of salt/cure could be increased to account for the run-off, but only by 'just enough' rather than heaped on.

The River Cottage method uses lashings of salt (most people find the result is very salty)
I would suggest you do what I do and use the same quantity for the open tray as you would use for the EQ method. Add the salt cure in two or three stages on succesive days. Slope the tray so that the liquid drains away from the meat. It is rather like Brican salt box method described above but on a much smaller scale.
I have measured the salt content of the run off liquid and about 5% of the added salt is lost this way. I would guess that the EQ method would not differ very much


I was thinking of something similar but allowing for the 5% (ish) salt run-off.

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Re: Talking of the open tray method....?

Postby Fingers » Thu Oct 27, 2016 9:15 am

The difference in taste and texture would have to be big to make this worth doing over the bag method. I am thinking about the 4 bags of belly and 1 bag of loin currently in the fridge. Each has been weighed and the exact amount of salt/cure has gone in, job done.

If I am getting this right the open tray way each piece of meat has the correct amount of salt/cure then applying this over a 3 day period. This would require keeping a tag on each piece and in my case 5 separate containers for the salt/cure mix so each piece gets the correct amount over the 3 days. I guess you could just put the salt/cure on in one go day one?
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Re: Talking of the open tray method....?

Postby wheels » Thu Oct 27, 2016 2:27 pm

Fingers wrote:I guess you could just put the salt/cure on in one go day one?


I don't see why not. :D :D

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Re: Talking of the open tray method....?

Postby Fingers » Thu Oct 27, 2016 3:03 pm

wheels wrote:
Fingers wrote:I guess you could just put the salt/cure on in one go day one?


I don't see why not. :D :D

Phil


I can see that working for me, cheers.
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