October 1, 2011

Just received six more Berkshire pork neck (Capicollo).  I made some in the past and have some that are almost ready in the curing cellar.  The reason that I changed the C for the K is for my fiance Karen's contribution to the recipe:

She gave me a one litre bottle of Jameson Irish whiskey.  I gladly used some to pair with my cigars.  Then one time when I ran out of wine that I use to wash and moisturize my salumi, I put some in my spray bottle and sprayed the capicollos in the curing cellar.  An amazing aroma took over the cellar and the Capicollo.  I continued sprayng till the bottle was gone.  Needless to say this batch was the most aromatic capicollos I ever made.  So now I will start to produce Kapicollo regularly...

I cure them in salt and my spice blend only for 24 hours then I let them cure and evolve for about three months in the curing cellar.

At the end of maturation I wash them in a Irish whiskey solution and cover with wild flowers.  I vacuum pack them right away and let them further evolve in the cellar for a few weeks then into the fridge. 

Below are pictures of the process as it happens... 

Now they are netted and ready to hang in my curing cellar.

The last batch is almost ready.  It has matured in the cellar for a couple of months with regular wine washes. I am taking the net off and wash thoroughly with wine and put back in the cellar.  The next stage will be to gradually introduce the Kapicollo to Irish whiskey.  They will be misted every few days until they are fully matured.  Then they will spend another month vacuum packed with a coating of whiskey glaze...

Here they are out of grade school ready for high school!

October 16 2011

I am glazing the first batch as each one is ready (they are all different sizes) -- it stays in the curing cellar covered in cheese cloth and plastic wrap for a few days.  When the wiskey is absorbed then I vacuum pack and age for a few more weeks.  Then they will be cut into pieces, tasted and vacuum packed with wild flowers from my (Wild Baco Yard)

December 12, 2011

The aromas are forming now. I cut up a few of the smaller ones and gave it the final wash with Irish wiskey and vacuum packed.

The next batch I will introduce the whiskey misting later in the process.  I have learned that when introduced too soon that the whiskey clogs the pores and restricts the drying process by hardening the outer part. 

The Kapicollos are of different sizes and I will have to guess when each one is ready...