First Coppa

[Jim]

Well, here is my first Capicola. I took it out at 33% of its weight. My wife loved the taste but not the texture. I still have one more drying. I think I’ll pull it at 40-45%. Maybe that will be a little better. Question, can you tell by its appearance if the cure made it all the way thru. I would hate to make some one sick. Also it only took 4 weeks to get to 33%. The website says it would take about 8. I’m I good with just using weight loss to dry it. Any thoughts?

[Troy Butler]

Looks good to me, looks like your cure made it , weight loss is the way to go. Myself I prefer 38-40% and sliced paper thin and let it to get to room temperature the flavor and mouth feel are better in my opinion. I also did 30% on my first but felt the texture was to soft so to me that equates to not enough loss of moisture, it’s al personal taste but 30% is the minimum to be safe from what I have read. Try wrapping it in parchment paper and store in an open ziplock in your frige it will still dry a bit, I did that with my first ones and the flavor and texture improved.

Best regards
Troy

[Jim]

Thanks for the info Troy. Just a little nervous on my first try. I will definitely put it in parchment.

Jim

[Jan Ooms]

Jim,
You made a beautiful looking Coppa and your wife loved the taste. What more do you want.!!! Just dry it some more. Here in the Sub Tropics I do the same as Troy with large Salamis. I only wrap them in white paper towels and then pack them in brown paper bags and into the fridge until they have lost some more weight.
An old butcher friend of mine that makes Coppa’s will only sell them at 50% weight loss. No queries or complaints then from his customers.
Cheers,
Jan.

[Jim]

Well after taking Troy and Crusty’s advice, I wrapped one of my coppa’s in parchment to dry some more. I opened my second one at 40 %. Didn’t taste as good as the one I put in parchment. So I sliced the parchment coppa and wrapped the other in parchment for a rest. I just sliced it a 50 %. It rocked. Thanks to both of you for the help.

[Jim]

Here are some pictures. I love my 1960’s Globe slicer. so thin you can see thru it!
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[Troy Butler]

NICE JOB !! Looks like you nailed it , also a nice slicing job. Yup the parchment works pretty well. I myself just checked mine today , I have 4 Coppa’s that have been drying since Feb 1st their close but not their yet got to wait another week. Almost to 40%

Best regards
Troy

[Jan Ooms]

Jim,
Email me your address, I am inviting myself for brunch or whatever you guys call it. I’ll bring the beer and plonk.
Cheers Mate,
Jan.

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