Jonathon Tried my hand at baleron. I think basically a Polish cross between Canadian bacon and ham. Used a pork butt cut into thirds. Not quite sure of all the possible seasonings, everything I found was in Polish. I can read, write and speak some but not as proficient as a native speaker.

twilliams I am with the others in this thread. This C19 craziness has caused our son and fiancee to cancel their wedding and reception and with the help of my better half decided to hold the event at our place and I can cook.The ace in the hole is that I have a brother that is a chef and is going to show up early and get things rocking.

Things are going to happen, you just need to power through them. I appreciate the folks that enjoy the food and not worry much about those that don’t. Folks have different tastes and expectations, e.g. Chicken Express or KFC.

Jonathon I am jealous about the pheasant, but I needed to celebrate my wife’s birthday and she has been hinting for beef. I found beef tenderloin for 5.99/lb. Going back tomorrow to stock the freezer.

Beef tenderloin, grilled Mexican street corn, baked potatoes, herbed butter and sauteed mushrooms and onions.

i

I have been off the grid for five days, best break I have had in awhile. No news, tv, radio, ect…

That was my second thought, but wondered if I missed something.

Jonathon I use chicken feet in making my chicken stock. Makes a great way to add body to your stock, all that collagen creates a gelatin like stock when cooled.

Bringing my trailer, new freezer on order…
…we have a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark and we’re wearing sunglasses…

Back to almost $5/lb here, might pay to load up the trailer.

I didn’t even think about that, but we have an event this summer that it would be useful to have around. It is interesting how how life has come full circle from watching ‘the old people’ in my family making foods based on the seasons, moving on to convenience food and now back doing what they did and wishing they would have written down more recipes and I asked more questions. It has been an great learning adventure especially when you nail the recipe that brings back memories.

Today was a shrimp and cheesy grits day with pineapple upside down cake for dessert. Prepping a pork shoulder for a birthday dinner on Friday.

This is a basic recipe and similar to making head cheese. You can additions as you desire.
Possible additions: Pickling spice mix, Hot peppers, Sliced Onions, Garlic, Beet juice (for color), etc…

The processing used to be done by cooking for several hours and that processing time can be reduced by using a pressure cooker or Instapot.

If you can get your feet/hocks at the store chances are that the are already cleaned and split and you can omit that step, but you will still need to cook/simmer for 4-5 hours. I like the fresh store bought because I get a thicker/gelatinous broth.

I have seen this made with feet, hocks and thick cut chops.

1/2 C. Vinegar, more to taste. Salt, to taste.
1-2 Bay Leaves. 1 tsp Whole Peppercorn

1. Split if desired and scrub feet/hocks thoroughly. Cook/simmer partially ~ 1-2 hours. Remove from liquid, cool, remove hoof shell and clean any remaining soiled looking areas.

2. Put meats into salted water and cook/simmer, skim scum as necessary, until tender, bones can be removed easily~2-3 hours. You can remove or keep on the bones. Strain liquid, refrigerate to allow fat to solidify and remove fat. Refrigerate meat.

3. Place meat in in a crock pot or container and cover with a brine of vinegar, salt and seasonings and meat broth, enough to cover. Cover and weigh down and place in fridge or cool area for 2-3 days, minimum.

The broth meat mix should be gelatin like. The beet juice would add some color to the meat if you don’t like the gray cooked look of the meat. Removing the the meat from the bones will make eating a little less messy and adding hot peppers and vegetables to the cook and pickle will add some additional flavors.

I believe that there is no such thing as to much ammo or firearms. And warning shots are considered a miss. I don’t think that we will get to that point here, but I believe that this is a wake-up call to many. I am not a prepper or doomsday proponent, but I was a Boy Scout and believe in being prepared. My family lived through WWII, concentration camps, depression, recession and the like. Always taught to be prepared and self sufficient. With all this free time availabe I am hoping to get a cold smoker set up and a curing chamber built. We used to have a French Mastiff, friendly dog, but you didn’t want to get on her bad side. Go team Orange

Camardelle there are several types of cure excelerators. The only ones that comes mind right now is smoked meat stabilizer and sodium erythorbate. If the only cure agent you are using is cure #1, then you can let them rest in the fridge. The casings will dry but I have never went from fridge to 180 smoker making sausage.

You take the chance of case hardening and fatting out. I would try to get your temp down someway.

https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/172/using-cure-accelerators-in-making-sausage

gus4416 you can make jerky from whole lean muscle proteins. Pork, turkey, buffalo, etc…

Tex_77 that is my plan in about ten days for 10-14 days of solitude. I have two daughter in-laws and neither know how to cook or were taught. But they won’t accept help w/o being offended. I guess that is why they invented antacids and the like.

Ferris: Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

I would find a way to get the initial temp down so that the sausage has a chance to dry so that your smoke will have a better chance of adhering. Maybe prop open the door.

If you are not using a cure accelerator it would be fine to let them rest overnight.

For smoked Polish oak or pecan would also be a good choice.

bckarl there is a thread out there and I will link it if can locate it. I am sure someone has a better recall then me and will beat me to it. You will need to use more seasoning to make the snack sticks if I remember correctly. Let me do a search.

Camardelle Welcome!!! You don’t know what you don’t know until you know it. Lots of folks here with wide range of experience and knowledge. All willing to share and make this a fun hobby. Go Team Orange

lkrfletcher Randyman I would if I could send you some precip from my area. Predicting 2-4 heavy wet snow tonight and we have been getting rain or snow at least a couple of time a week since the beginning of Oct. Temp’s are all over the place, mid 20’s to low 40’s.
Stay safe out there.

deanlorensen looking forward to seeing it. End product looks great. We have some of venison in the freezer and I could use some andouille in the freezer.

Mcjagger my brother has used their products and is happy with the product and the product they produced. My brothers foray is with whole muscles not sausage though.

Ben W Tex_77 way will make things easier. Taping would be quicker then hog rings, even color coded zip ties.