Some Random Projects

I took this hunk of belly down today.

Here it is in all its glory:


It wasn't quite as good as my last attempt (rosemary didn't come through), but its another data point, and I won't feel a pang of guilt chopping it up and tossing it into a carbonara or a minestrone

This is my attempt at Lap Cheong:


I found a recipe online that had a similar flow to how I do andouille (smoke, cook, chill), which I was already making, so I tried a batch. I cold smoked the sausage and finished in the oven. After that, I left it uncovered in the fridge for about a week to dry it out. It seemed like it all worked. As far as the flavor, I was a bit underwhelmed, and next time I'll know to add a lot more soy sauce (the recipe had no additional salt).

I picked up this beauty of a tri tip in NYC:


Its presently curing in hopes that it will be hung and turned into bresaola. I got the idea of tri tip bresaola from this book, unfortunately the recipe went with an african spice theme that I wasn't down with, so I went a more traditional route. I'm keen to the idea of working with tri tip instead of eye of round because it has a much smaller cross section. Without a dedicated curing chamber, I really need to reduce any chance of case hardening.

Great stuff... For the Lap Cheong, was this the recipe you based it upon? What would you do differently on the next try? Definitely want to give that one a try.
Interesting Idea with the tri tip for bresaola.

Primal Cuts is a great book. I was going to start the tri tip bresaola this weekend, too. I'll post it up in here if you don't mind.

The recipes for salami and head cheese terrine also look fantastic.

Well a great post Jeff.

I really like the sausage pic. Looks outstanding!

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> For the Lap Cheong, was this the recipe you based it upon? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I found the recipe here.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> CHINESE SAUSAGES (LOP CHONG) Recipe #1

Ingredients:
5 lbs lean pork butt
3/4 lb pork fat
5 T sugar
1/4 cup thin soy sauce
1/4 cup chinese rice wine
1 tsp prague powder #2
1 tsp white pepper
2 tsp five spice powder
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I switched to cure #1 because I wasn't planning on a long drying period and I just read something about how #2 shouldn't be used if the meat is to be fried (nitrosamine argument).

The problem with the recipe was that is was woefully underseasoned. I was debating whether I needed more salt in addition to the soy sauce. I think that I will up the amount of soy and add some additional salt. If you plan on making this, your are going to have to experiment. Maybe fry some up before stuffing.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Primal Cuts is a great book. I was going to start the tri tip bresaola this weekend, too. I'll post it up in here if you don't mind.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm about halfway through reading it, and its a pretty cool book.

Feel free to post you bresaola here, but it might make sense for you to start a new thread specific to curing tri tip and I'll contribute to your thread.

Say what you like, that lap cheong looks wonderful. I'm particularly fond of the version with duck liver. I'll send you my simple, homey recipe for Chinese claypot chicken with rice and lap cheong if you like.
The store-bought lap cheong I use seems light on the seasoning as well -- a little salty, a little sweet. It's traditionally eaten as an accompaniment or ingredient, so that's never a problem. The Taiwanese version is plumper and saltier I find; and it's sometimes sliced, fried, and eaten plain, so no wonder...
Oh yeah, your bacon is first rate as well!

Jeff those pictures are great It's like I'm flipping through Gourmet magazine

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I'll send you my simple, homey recipe for Chinese claypot chicken with rice and lap cheong if you like. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Like I could possibly have enough recipes to consume all that sausage. Please and thank you, I need an outlet for it all, other than fried rice!

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> The store-bought lap cheong I use seems light on the seasoning as well -- a little salty, a little sweet. It's traditionally eaten as an accompaniment or ingredient, so that's never a problem. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I like to add sausage to things so it can be a flavor booster. This stuff just needed a touch more salt so it could enhance the flavor of everything else.

No that I'm complaining. I did maybe five minutes of googling before I settled on that recipe.