Progress on the raw dried pepperoni ghost stuff.
Coming along nicely.
Lost over 30% in weight and a nice mold forming.
Worth
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Just tried an end piece the flavor is outstanding and getting better.
Has a nice nutty flavor with just a bit of tang.
With favorable weather for the next week it should be ready.
By Christmas for sure.
Worth

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Off to the smoker after drying.
You will notice the high tech second stage cooling can and smoke disperser.:lol:
It works.
Temperature around 90 F.
Worth
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If this temperature holds with a little help from the hot plate I'll be finished in a wee bit.
Worth

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Quit whatever work you are doing now, and fire up Worth's Smokehouse!

I just ruined a batch of slim jims not paying attention... It ain't easy!

[QUOTE=pmcgrady;720275]I just ruined a batch of slim jims not paying attention... It ain't easy![/QUOTE]

I'm sorry to here it.:(
Fear is your worst enemy it strips out bolts and over cooks meat and that is the reason I am doing this for people.
Plus I am lonely.
I can't count how many times I have watched videos on YouTube doing it the wrong way.
Bringing up to 175 F is BS and I see it all the time.
I honestly dont want to sound like a know it all but by darn after almost 40 years of screwing up stuff I have learned how to do a few things.
At no time should the temperature ever reach beyond around 160F or so.
Bringing it up slowly is the secret.
This allows the meat to adjust to the temperatures.
The bigger the chunk of meat the longer it takes to bring up to temperature.
The cure is there to help you and it will allow you to smoke till your hearts desire without worry.

I have ate dried u[p chicken skin pieces off of the BBQ grill months later and have been doing so for all my life. :)

Worth

Fresh out of the smoker fully cooked.
No water bath to cool off no need to.
Now I can dry them the rest of the way.
I cooled one off and it is on the hot side just the way I like it.
Worth.
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Oh yes the recipe more or less for around 7 pounds of meat.
The finished weight was about 8 pounds.

1 cup of sangria wine.
1 and 3/4 or so teaspoons insta cure #2, this is because I am going to dry it for a few days so I wanted the nitrite + the nitrate to be on the safe side.

2 Tablespoons of smoked hot Spanish paprika, sweet paprika, fresh ground black pepper, powdered garlic ,celery seed ground.
4 tablespoons canning salt more or less.
4 heaping tablespoons corn starch.
1/8 cup of my lime ghost pepper sauce.
1/4 cup of the fermented ghost pepper juice salt water stuff I saved.
Hung up to dry for awhile with the humidity at around 37% or so.
The taste of the test piece was good but I have no idea what it really tastes like because my smeller is contaminated with smoke.
It does NOT taste like a commercial Slim Jim.
Worth

Worth, they look really good. I've been checking in all day on and off. I spent the day cleaning up getting ready for the next cold front. I've also been looking at some seeds for a small garden.

I don't know what it would entail, but making sausages for sale sounds like an idea.

Worth, all that work looks awesome and will be nice to have a stock for a while. Awesome Job!!!!

I just used my last pack of green onion sausage in a gumbo yesterday so it's time to make more. Pork butts were on sale for .97# and I bought 3 but should've loaded up to make enough to last till the summer.

[QUOTE=Rajun Gardener;720672]Worth, all that work looks awesome and will be nice to have a stock for a while. Awesome Job!!!!

I just used my last pack of green onion sausage in a gumbo yesterday so it's time to make more. Pork butts were on sale for .97# and I bought 3 but should've loaded up to make enough to last till the summer.[/QUOTE]

Pork butts are on sale here for$1.49/lb, probably cheaper at WM... I'm on my 6th one and still have lots of venison to grind.

Thanks Rajun.

Next on the list is fresh sweet Italian sausage no smoking and no cure.
I really need to invest in a good vacuum sealer.
Anybody any suggestions?
Worth

Weston sealer---tom

Foodsaver