What have done towards your prep?

[MaryN]

SS, I know you have planted potatoes for Christmas. I haven't tried growing spuds that late in the year yet - what type do you use?

[Straight Shooter]

Marris piper second early Mary , 3 tubers to a bucket filled about half full of compost , as the foliage develops add more compost , I moved mine inside the poly tunnel but you need to ensure frost free , you can put these potatoes (when ready) into a drum and cover with dry sand and store frost free in the shed ready for Christmas day (you can use straw) making sure you separate each spud ...dark and cool place.

Called in on John the farm yesterday , early ……..to take a few bottles of wine....as we reach the oak front door we are greeted with smells of a good old full welsh breakfast...."come on in ,its open mate.....morning both " on the top of the Rayburn range sits a cast iron skillet ….nestling inside gently sizzling away ….bacon, fresh eggs, sausage , black pudding, mushrooms and a tomato cut in two ……"have you had breakfast ? " as I hesitate to answer wild thang chirps in YES he has John , as she walks to the rayburn checking on the feast and do what girls do with spatula's at every opportunity ...John is toasting a slab of concrete over the open door of the rayburn fire box using a brass wire folk , as he spins it over " I like to make my toast this way he says" on the worktop sits a butter dish and knife waiting to complete the marriage...….can I ask a favour mate ! …..ask away John …...can you give us the recipe for this bacon you made ? its absolutely delicious we both love it ! no problem john ! in fact I can do better mate …..I will be making my own bacon from now on , its so easy ...so we could buy a full loin between us and we just split it !! at this point wild thang is kicking the f..k out of my shins, my good well intentioned gesture was not in sync with wild child,s vision of reality ….the attempted undermining of independence …
(now Johns oh does not enjoy the best of health )….Yes John I will write it out for you ….I expect your oh will love to get some going replies wild thang......as I rub my legs …..that would be good thank you very much ! …….what ! more wine he says …..some rhubarb for your oh mate …..she loves rhubarb …….anyway we have to go John busy day today.....(his breakfast is ready to eat ) …...I,v made the tea john wild thang shouts out as we leave …...oh bugger I forgot to ask ! he spouts …..In the car on the way home I get the rudiments listed out and a reminder " you just don,t think first do you " and some old saying about engaging brain before operating mouth piece ……...I think I have grounds …...brutal , bad , wild thang !...….getting shin pads for Christmas .

[MaryN]

I used to make our own bacon when we lived in France. The French do not understand bacon. Do you use a salting method or a sweetcure?

[CharlesHarris]

(19 December 2018, 19:53)MaryN Wrote: I used to make our own bacon when we lived in France. The French do not understand bacon. Do you use a salting method or a sweetcure?

Here is a recipe from The Southerner’s Cookbook :

https://gardenandgun.com/recipe/home-cur...hum-bacon/

Honey, maple or sorghum syrup lends a sweet nuance to the salt and grease of freshly crisped pork. You’ll need some curing salt and—ideally—a smoker, although you can get by without one. This recipe does take a bit more time than just frying a skillet full of strips. But you know what comes to those who wait? Really good bacon.

INGREDIENTS
2½ pounds pork belly, skin removed
¼ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup kosher salt
1½ teaspoons pink curing salt (See Note)
½ cup sorghum or maple syrup
Applewood chips

PREPARATION
Rinse the pork belly and pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels. Mix the brown sugar, kosher salt, pepper, and curing salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture evenly on both sides of the pork belly, pressing with heel of your hand to help the salt mixture adhere.

Place a piece of plastic wrap twice the length of the pork belly on the countertop. Drizzle ¼ cup of the syrup evenly on top of the fatty side of the pork belly, then place the pork belly in the center of the plastic wrap syrup-side down. Drizzle the meaty side of the pork belly with the remaining ¼ syrup and bring the sides of the plastic wrap up and over the pork belly to wrap it tightly. Place in a zip-topbag and refrigerate for a week, turning halfway through the week.

When you’re ready to smoke, remove the pork belly from the bag and rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of the salt mixture. Pat dry with paper towels, place on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, and return to the refrigerator unwrapped to air-dry for 24 hours.

Remove the pork belly from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Prepare a smoker with wood chips according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place the pork belly directly on the rack of the prepared smoked and smoke for 1½ to 2 hours, until the pork registers 150° F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the smoker and let cool. Refrigerate overnight before slicing lengthwise into strips. The bacon will keep, tightly wrapped, for 1 week in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.

Note: Pink curing salt is available at Williams-Sonoma stores and online from retailers like Weston Products. It is indeed pink and contains sodium nitrite and/or nitrate, which helps preserve the meat’s color as it cures.

Tip: This recipe works without a smoker, although the result will skew more on the Canadian side of bacon—deliciously porky but lacking that depth of woodsy flavor true Southern smoked bacon delivers. Unwrap the cured pork belly, rinse and dry it, and place it on a wire rack set over a baking pan and bake at 175° F for 2 to 2½ hours, until it registers 150° F on an instant-read thermometer.

Another recipe:

https://jesspryles.com/recipe/how-to-make-bacon/

Firstly, curing salt (aka Prague powder) which can be bought at better grocery and specialty food stores or ordered online. Second, you’ll need a smoker of some kind (because that’s where the smokey flavor comes from, duh!) I used a Pit Barrel Cooker because it’s fabulously easy to use, and their unique hanging system is perfect for this type of cooking. I prefer fruit woods like Apple or Cherry to pair with pork, but of course you can go for something stronger like Hickory. Finally, you may want to consider investing in a great quality thermometer. I use and recommend the Thermapen, and also used a Dot to monitor the temp of the PBC.

As with anything, the better quality raw product you start with, the tastier your final result will be. So using something like Kurobuta or Berkshire pork is going to result in some seriously amazing bacon. Having said that, this recipe (and the fact that you made it yourself) will yield delicious bacon no matter what type of pork you use.

INGREDIENTS
3lb skinless, boneless pork belly
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1/3 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon pink curing salt (aka Prague Powder #1)
apple or cherry wood chunks/chips

INSTRUCTIONS
Start by curing the belly: In a small bowl, combine the pepper, sugar, paprika, salt & curing salt. Place belly on a foil lined tray and pat dry with paper towels. Using half of the cure mix, sprinkle evenly over the surface of the belly, and rub in gently. Turn over and repeat on other side with remaining mix. Place the entire belly and curing mix into a large zip top bag and place in refrigerator for 7 days. Each day the belly should be flipped onto the other side, and the contents (which will transform to a liquid) should be massaged around.

After 7 days, remove from the bag and rinse under water. Pat dry with paper towels, and place back in fridge uncovered (on a rack over a pan to catch any drips) for 24 hours.

Smoke the now cured belly using the apple or cherry wood for three hours at 200f, or until internal temperature reaches 150f.

Store bacon in an airtight plastic bag or container in refrigerator for up to a week, cutting and cooking as required (if you don't eat it all at once!).

[Straight Shooter]

I used this recipe Mary but my own mix of herbs....from ( The Telegraph )

Home-cured bacon recipe
Nothing is easier or more satisfying than making your own bacon

Making your own bacon is easy and saves money Photo: Andrew Crowley



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Bring home the bacon

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Rabbit wrapped in bacon with artichokes

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Bacon croquetas



By Stevie Parle
7:00AM BST 12 Jul 2013


Saltpetre is a preserving agent that kills bacteria, but it’s quite hard to find. Try convincing your butcher to give you some (you only need a tiny amount), or you can find it on the internet. Curing salt is a fine alternative, but follow the packet instructions as you will need less of it. You will also need a non-metallic container that fits in the fridge.

SERVES
Makes 2½kg/ 5½lb

–– ADVERTISEMENT ––






INGREDIENTS
60g/2oz coarse rock salt
40g/1½oz fine table salt
40g/1½oz dark muscovado
3 bay leaves
1 sprig of rosemary, leaves picked
A few sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
½ tbsp black peppercorns
½ tsp saltpetre
2½kg/5½lb pork belly, deboned, skin on
METHOD
Mix the salts and sugar in a bowl. In a pestle and mortar, bash the herbs and peppercorns, then combine with the salts, sugar and saltpetre. Cover the base of a non-metallic container with a little of the cure mix, then divide the remaining mix into half. Rub one half of the mixture into the pork belly. Place the pork, flesh side down, in the container and cover with the remaining mixture. Cover with a lid or clingfilm and place in the fridge.
Check the pork every day for the next five days, turning it and rubbing in the cure mix every day and pouring off any excess liquid.
On the sixth day, remove the pork and discard the contents of the container. Rinse the pork under cold water until all the cure mix has been washed away. Pat dry, then place it on a meat hook and hang it to dry in a cool place, such as a cellar, larder or a cool garage. You can dry it as long as you like, but two days should suffice. You will now have your own “green” bacon. Don’t worry if a white mould appears; it’s harmless, just rub it off. Remove the skin, leaving as much fat as possible. Slice to the desired thickness (you might find it easiest to place it in the freezer for a couple of hours).







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[MaryN]

Thanks, Chaps. I used to really enjoy making bacon. I may give it another go.

[Straight Shooter]

Go for it Mary Girl !


We made six small jars of Spiced Red Currant jelly this morning …..bought a booster /power pack (starting cars) also doubles as portable power supply 3 outlets for mobiles/ipad and torch paid £80 .44 on ebay small, light and a good carry case .


My dehydrator is having a well earned rest ! …….until the new year ! …..the garage is nice and tidy and ready for some projects to get started.....will be setting up a mini solar panel just for charging the two deep cycle batteries ...I had a small panel given me a bit back ….will be interesting to see what power I get especially this time of year .

[Straight Shooter]

Although I keep a close eye on the financial markets ,I am finding a lot of financial commentator's are most ALL agreed that a global monetary reset (is imminent)…..if not underway already , I am very concerned …..every year I have had concerns ….since 2007..... actually 2002 ….and still the markets are propped up with QE and the PPT all done via the central banking system...when will our Cyprus come ? bail in ….you bet ! its coming !

Driving to different locations over the last few months has highlighted the store closures just in the last 12 months which has a knock on effect to other smaller stores and shops , (its the internet) they say ….no biz rates no rent to pay and next to no staff to pay ….plus you need not get out of your chair …...all true ...you can order you'r weekly shop on line and get it delivered to your front door , takeaway meals …..the same .

I walked through a village (next down from where I grew up ) the other day , I could name every shop ,store,bank, electrical ,iron mongers ,café's,butchers, and news agents …..you had everything …...all that remains is the news agent and the pharmacy.....which is about to close down along with the post office ! more than thirty businesses making a living back in the day .

You do not have to travel far around here , to see the results of successive governments (no matter what flag) to ship the manufacturing base along with the skills overseas and then expect to grow our economy based on a service only economy that generates nothing backed by nothing …..Our self reliance was sold off as a country ! ….road systems, railways, housing, schools,public buildings ,parks,hedges,in fact All are turning to shit !.....and nobody cares anymore , well kept gardens are like rocking horse shit ! …..no pride no respect ……….on the door knocker in Cardiff many years ago (selling windows) I was leading by example ! ...I was told to f..k off in seven different languages (in one street ) …...I am proud to announce I still hold the record ….and still have all my fingers ,toes , arms and legs ….

[Pete Grey]

Yes SS, I have also been wondering what is going on with the financial situation, i see the price of gold is creeping up.

Yes importing goods means exporting jobs, in the 70s it was said for every foreign cars imported into the UK six jobs were lost, i always wondered why people were so keen to help German or Japanese car workers pay their taxes.

Now everything seems to be imported. The utility companies are mostly foreign owned, and the Germans even own some of the railways.

Around this area at least a third of what i call “proper shops” are shut, any new shop opening is fast food, they make up most of the shops local to us.

Moaning over.......now to prepping.

I’ve ordered the folding solar panel to keep in the camper BOV, it’s also for home use when nesessary.

Ordered two new sleeping bags, old ones will be kept at a relatives, out of area just in case.

Bought two free standing shelf units, crates will easier to check rather than in a stack.

Added another security camera to the system.

All done while under an alcoholic haze .

[Pete Grey]

Happy New Year everyone.