Hello all. I made merguez back in December. I got a cut that was the shoulder with a couple of ribs attached as well as the neck. As I was butchering I realized I had a chance to use the correct muscle for the coppa. Anyway this is the result.
I finished the rub with paprika and red pepper flakes and stuffed it into a narrow beef middle. It was hung up on Dec. 21 and I cut into in on Jan. 19.
It is the espresso of lamb meat, the essence. It tastes really lambey, then salty, and mellows into a sweet finish. I would definitely do this again, but I would add a bit of dextrose to the cure instead of just salt and cracked black pepper.
I am inspired by Matt Wright's blog "Wrightfood" to take better photos. I don't blog, but who knows I might start. Anyway, on to the show.
<a href="http://s1122.photobucket.com/albums/l536/Papanaq/Charcuterie-%20Almost%20from%20the%20beginning/?action=view&current=IMG_1502.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l536/Papanaq/Charcuterie-%20Almost%20from%20the%20beginning/IMG_1502.jpg" border="0" alt="Lamb Coppa #2"></a>
<a href="http://s1122.photobucket.com/albums/l536/Papanaq/Charcuterie-%20Almost%20from%20the%20beginning/?action=view&current=IMG_1541.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l536/Papanaq/Charcuterie-%20Almost%20from%20the%20beginning/IMG_1541.jpg" border="0" alt="Lamb Coppa #2, Hung this on Dec. 21, cut into it on Jan. 19"></a>
<a href="http://s1122.photobucket.com/albums/l536/Papanaq/Charcuterie-%20Almost%20from%20the%20beginning/?action=view&current=IMG_1553.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l536/Papanaq/Charcuterie-%20Almost%20from%20the%20beginning/IMG_1553.jpg" border="0" alt="#2 Slice/cross section"></a>
<a href="http://s1122.photobucket.com/albums/l536/Papanaq/Charcuterie-%20Almost%20from%20the%20beginning/?action=view&current=IMG_1547.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l536/Papanaq/Charcuterie-%20Almost%20from%20the%20beginning/IMG_1547.jpg" border="0" alt="#2 Slice/cross section"></a>