Cooked ham lunch meat

[RustyJake]

I tried a different method for making some home style lunch meat.
This is a pressed ham. Just 1.1 kg of pork loin cut into chunks, 3 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cure.. mixed, into the press and packed tight for 3 days in the fridge. Sous vide at 192° for 90 minutes or until 160° internal temp. Cooled overnight and sliced tonight.
Turned out great. Tastes like ham, but I can control what's in it.

Indent is from the top of the bag


I have a kielbasa loaf I am going to make next with this. Lots of recipes for all styles of lunch meats

 

[RustyJake]

Kielbasa loaf another lunch meat
This one could be done as a meatloaf on the smoker. I used the ham press again for this one.


I used some chunks of pork loin in the mix to add some different texture

1 lb ground lean beef
1 lb ground lean pork
Recipe was for 1-1/4 lbs of both of the above, but I added 1/2 lb of pork loin cubed
1 5 TBSP Morton's Tender Quick
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4. Tsp black pepper
1/2. Tsp mustard seed
1. Cup Ice Water

Mix well until you get good protein extraction... sticky pork. Should stick to your hand when you hold a piece in your hand above the bowl.
For me, it went into the ham press overnight and then cooked. I did a small meatloaf from the extra I had in a 350° oven until it was 160°F internal

 

[MidwestSmoker]

Just got the meat grinder attachment to my KitchenAid. Will start slow with sausage patties, before attempting sausages. After that maybe I will try a ham press .........

 

[RustyJake]

Just got the meat grinder attachment to my KitchenAid. Will start slow with sausage patties, before attempting sausages. After that maybe I will try a ham press .........

I think you will be addicted. I am enjoying it.
You can also 'roll' sausages without casing. Not the same texture as a cased sausage, but they are nice as well and a change from patties

 

[RustyJake]

Just got the meat grinder attachment to my KitchenAid. Will start slow with sausage patties, before attempting sausages. After that maybe I will

This YouTube channel has a lot of great information and recipes as well for sausages and curing processes
2 Guys and a Cooler

https://youtube.com/c/2GuysACooler

Some good reference information that they have posted

 

[MidwestSmoker]

That's a great channel! Looking forward to watching.

This is one area where cooking is the easy part. It is all in the prep.

 

[RustyJake]

Did up some hotdogs and some English bangers. I didn't smoke any of these. The hotdogs were cooked in the SousVide. Next time I will.smoke the wieners

There are two types of hotdogs i did up. A regular wiener and a version of Hebrew National dogs you get at Costco

Bangers

Regular wieners on the left, Hebrew National on the right, bangers st the top

I didn't use any cure on the Hebrew National, but did on the regular wiener
Cooking changes up the colors from the cure
Regular dogs are now red

Hebrew National are gray


Basically reversed the color profiles. Cure is more of a visual thing because I didn't smoke them. Using the SousVide, they become pasteurized due to holding them at temperature to kill bacteria and don't require cure.
I will definitely do this again, but try them both smoked next time.
I switched my binder to high heat skim milk powder this time and it definitely increased how juicy the sausage and dogs are.
I updated my spreadsheet to include some recipes from two guys and a Cooler as well as the recipes from Duncan Henry's videos. I have also made some changes on ingredient amounts on a couple of the recipes I have made. Personal choice changes, no salt or cure changes.

 

[MidwestSmoker]

Looks like you have a whole prep kitchen with counters, fridges and freezers. This in addition to your outdoor kitchen/gazebo! You should open a restaurant or a catering business! Or maybe start teaching classes!

 

[RustyJake]

Looks like you have a whole prep kitchen with counters, fridges and freezers. This in addition to your outdoor kitchen/gazebo! You should open a restaurant or a catering business! Or maybe start teaching classes!

I wish. Freezer space is at a premium here, and no space to add a second one unless the motorcycles get stored outside. Kitchen isn't huge by any means either, but it works for me.
I am really enjoying learning about sausage making and luncheon meats as well. All off this has been a lot of fun to make. Nice to get a quality result that you know what went into it to make it.

 

[Slimpicker]

you da man

 

[RustyJake]

For those looking to make bacon, sausage, pastrami or bacon or any cured meats but worried about nitrite in their foods, there's an option from the sausage maker called Eco Cure #1

EcoCure #1 - 8oz - The Sausage Maker

The Sausage Maker's first, all-natural curing blend. The best choice to use when protecting meat from harmful bacterias, without synthetic chemicals!

www.sausagemaker.com

Here's a video from Eric at two guys and a Cooler making bacon using this cure

He also has a brining time calculator link in the video description

Seeing it can be used in place of instacure #1, it may be an option to people that were concerned about nitrites in foods

 

[RustyJake]

Turducken sausage, winged the recipe (pardon the pun).
Used ground turkey and ground chicken, added chunks of turkey, duck and chicken breast to the mix. Added some stuffing and cranberries to the mix.
Glad I did this, it is pretty damn good!

 

[RustyJake]

Been taking a break over Christmas and New Years, recouping from surgery. Haven't done anything on the smokers or BBQ in a while. But heading back to work and I needed some luncheon meats. Having the ham press makes it so easy. Nice to control what goes in to what you are eating. You can omit the curing salts as their o ly purpose when using the press would be for color retention. You cook through the danger zone to finished in about 2 hours total cook time
I did up some kielbasa loaf, salami and pepperoni
They all turned out great and sliced perfectly


all packaged into one week work portions for the freezer

 

[Slimpicker]

very nice Jake