The basturma/pastirma is coated in its chaman, and hanging in the "bacon box". Thoughts:
- I should probably have made the meat pieces a little thinner.
- I really need to press the next batch much more--boards and 'c'-clamps.
- Puree the garlic for the chaman, next time.
- Maybe try mixing all of the spices together, *then* the fenugreek; the stick blender didn't do as much to the fenugreek "gelatin" as I might have liked, so it's kind of lumpy. Alternative: spend a *lot* more time working it with some forks.
The "bacon box" has a stronger fan than I had initially installed, but that doesn't seem to be doing so much. I also "cleaned up" the fan opening, and widened the air-intake hole. The intake filter is catching a striking amount of dust...
The smokehouse is built, complete with hanging hooks inside. I need to build the "hot-box" (for starters, just a cardboard box with a hot-plate, cast-iron pan with perforated pie plate, and an inward-blowing fan for positive pressure; later, I'll probably build something a little more permanent), and to attach the smoke-hose connection to both ends, but those are minor details.
The "lambcetta" are cured and air-drying; they'll get rolled this evening and hung in the bacon box. I plan on reserving one of them (the "mangled" one, looks like it was, well, butchered in the butchering process) to be smoked lightly. I may set aside one of the other three to be "tesa" (flat) rather than "arrotolata" (rolled), but we'll see.
Tomorrow, I intend to pick up a pork tenderloin and some red wine, to start making the lountza. Pics and recipe to follow. Duck breasts have been ordered; pink salt #2 is on its way, and I'm planning things for a pig belly in the (hopefully) not too distant future.
News on the "Beer" front:
The Altbier I brewed back in November is probably ready for kegging. I may move the Decemberfest down into the cellar for a little extended aging and maturing--probably no longer than March. I'm undecided just yet as to whether to rack it first.
News on the "Bread" front:
Not much to report here... I'd like to pick up a Dutch Oven and try doing a boule in that, whether I go with "fresh" bread or using my sourdough. Which reminds me, I need to feed it...
