Just curious. I'll be making a batch of Bratwurst this weekend. I make my own Brats and Breakfast sausage as well as Boudin. I also make my own sauerkraut to go with the brats...

I don't have a smoker, but I do have Prague Powder #1 and #2, but never use them. Never used the Dextrose I bought, but I have it just in case. I get my supplies online at Allied Kenco.

Last year I corned my own briskits for St. Patty's day.. They were GOOD. I boil them for a couple hours and then slap them on the BBQ for a while till browned..

The jerky I make is killer! Elk, Deer, Beef, and Buffalo. I tried turkey, but it sucked...

I can jelly's jams, fruit, pickles, and I have canned meat and veggies before but it's a pain to use the pressure canner... I do pressure can the sauerkraut when it has fermented.

OK..This is making me hungry.. I love doing stuff like this...

What kind do you make and are you willing to share a recipe?

Ah!  DIY foods.  From REAL jerkey, smoked and dried sausage (both RAW) and my own hams, it is all real good.

I even make my own Parma-style ham.  NOT smoked like regular hams but dried extensively to about 40%.  The flavor is wonderful and the stuff keeps well in the refrigerator.

The key is correct salt cure with enough potassium nitrate to inhibit mold growth.  Choose a lean ham, about 8-15 pounds.  This is typical of a 100-130 pound shoat.  Feral hogs are PERFECT.  Leave skin on, slipping the bristles after a hot water dunk.  Cut off the hocks and pickle in hot 2% sodium bisulfate wash.  Rinse and pat dry.  Cover with nono-iodized salt containing 3% potassium nitrate and press flat with heavy dishes.  Keep in 40-50 F room for 2-3 days, recoating with the salt cure daily.  Moisture will run out, let it drain completely.  After 3 days, the meat should have stopped draining.  Now is the time to dry it.  Hang it in a dry area at 40-50 F for 3-4 months unitl sufficiently dry.  Longer produces better flavor.  The Jews do not know what they are missing...this is the caviar of the land.  Prosciutto.  Accept no substitute.  

Quoted: Ah!  DIY foods.  From REAL jerkey, smoked and dried sausage (both RAW) and my own hams, it is all real good. I even make my own Parma-style ham.  NOT smoked like regular hams but dried extensively to about 40%.  The flavor is wonderful and the stuff keeps well in the refrigerator. The key is correct salt cure with enough potassium nitrate to inhibit mold growth.  Choose a lean ham, about 8-15 pounds.  This is typical of a 100-130 pound shoat.  Feral hogs are PERFECT.  Leave skin on, slipping the bristles after a hot water dunk.  Cut off the hocks and pickle in hot 2% sodium bisulfate wash.  Rinse and pat dry.  Cover with nono-iodized salt containing 3% potassium nitrate and press flat with heavy dishes.  Keep in 40-50 F room for 2-3 days, recoating with the salt cure daily.  Moisture will run out, let it drain completely.  After 3 days, the meat should have stopped draining.  Now is the time to dry it.  Hang it in a dry area at 40-50 F for 3-4 months unitl sufficiently dry.  Longer produces better flavor.  The Jews do not know what they are missing...this is the caviar of the land.  Prosciutto.  Accept no substitute.

That sounds really good! I do have a problem with temperature this time of year though here in Arizona. Where do you get your salt and supplies from? Where do you put the hams to produce the consistant 40-50'F temp?

I've been making jerkey recently.  I have 3 pounds of skirt steak ready to hang in the oven tomorrow for jerkey.  Mmmmm.

Quoted: I've been making jerkey recently.  I have 3 pounds of skirt steak ready to hang in the oven tomorrow for jerkey.  Mmmmm.

We were looking for you earlier

Quoted: Quoted: Ah!  DIY foods.  From REAL jerkey, smoked and dried sausage (both RAW) and my own hams, it is all real good. I even make my own Parma-style ham.  NOT smoked like regular hams but dried extensively to about 40%.  The flavor is wonderful and the stuff keeps well in the refrigerator. The key is correct salt cure with enough potassium nitrate to inhibit mold growth.  Choose a lean ham, about 8-15 pounds.  This is typical of a 100-130 pound shoat.  Feral hogs are PERFECT.  Leave skin on, slipping the bristles after a hot water dunk.  Cut off the hocks and pickle in hot 2% sodium bisulfate wash.  Rinse and pat dry.  Cover with nono-iodized salt containing 3% potassium nitrate and press flat with heavy dishes.  Keep in 40-50 F room for 2-3 days, recoating with the salt cure daily.  Moisture will run out, let it drain completely.  After 3 days, the meat should have stopped draining.  Now is the time to dry it.  Hang it in a dry area at 40-50 F for 3-4 months unitl sufficiently dry.  Longer produces better flavor.  The Jews do not know what they are missing...this is the caviar of the land.  Prosciutto.  Accept no substitute.   That sounds really good! I do have a problem with temperature this time of year though here in Arizona. Where do you get your salt and supplies from? Where do you put the hams to produce the consistant 40-50'F temp?

I get mine from a local Italian food supply shop. Any sausage supply will have it...salt cure is not common with the majors but a few have it.  Morton only carries sugar cure-YUCK!! For the proper conditions, a modified refrigerator works well.  These hams are salty and very dry, not your typical sandwich material unless you layer with thin sliced fresh tomatoes. Add some fresh basil and fresh motzerella cheese and you are golden. It also makes a WONDERFUL sushi.  Really.  With thin slices of musk melon, rolled in regular fashion with vinegared rice between the nori and the prosciutto and the melon.  Italian sushi, who would have guessed?  My old Japanese neighbor LOVED it.

For a real antipasta treat, wrap blocks of ripe musk melon (canteloupe) with very thin slices of prosciutto.  Heaven.

Quoted: Quoted: I've been making jerkey recently.  I have 3 pounds of skirt steak ready to hang in the oven tomorrow for jerkey.  Mmmmm. We were looking for you earlier

You can always find me here.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I've been making jerkey recently.  I have 3 pounds of skirt steak ready to hang in the oven tomorrow for jerkey.  Mmmmm. We were looking for you earlier You can always find me here.

So, how many ARs do you own?  California?