General experiences and some odds and ends learned

[Mark]

So I’ve been using the drybags for about 8 years now off and on. The first 6 for dry aging which I’ve had generally good results with but could spark little interest here in Brazil to keep going. Plus decent beef became more available and it wasn’t so pressing.

Things I learned for beef aging.
Snorkel vacuums are the best. The vac mouse works with the channel sealers but snorkels work better AND you can use any kind of vacuum bag instead of just the textured stuff.
If you get some of the stretch netting they put around bottles from the liquor store, that works just fine as well.

For the last couple of years I’ve really started using the product a lot and the results have been top notch.
My repertoire runs to capicola, bresaola, pancetta and prosciutto. Results are great and consistent.
I tie and then drybag the cuts with no problem. At first I fought with the capicola as I would package them individually but rarely would they stay bonded.
I found that sliding the bagged capicola or any of the cuts for that matter into pantyhose and tying it off, helps form and keep the bond.
Now that I am doing quite a bit of volume, I have started putting 3-4 of the pancetta in the 12 x 24 bags or 3-4 of the capicola in the 10 x 20 bags crossways with a couple of inches between them works better than trying to seal them off individually.
2 bresaola lengthwise in the 8 x 18 bags with each to its own side and let the middle vacuum down and for the bond all around works well.
For pancetta and capicola leave curing for 2 weeks massaging often. Capicola can even go longer to get the flavours in. Test it when you pull it out and wash it off. If it is too salty, soak in a sink full of cold fresh water for an hour or so and it will balance but you will keep the flavour.
Bresaola divide the cure in half. Cover with half the cure for 8-10 days, Rinse, apply the second half and leave for another week or more. My big secret for flavours is to put in the zest of a lemon and a naval orange, about one each per piece, mixed in with the cure and applied.
All my meat is set to cure in vacuum bags as well the portioning of the final product which is another reason I’m big on the snorkel machine.
Someday I will get to pepperoni and salami and see how well the casings work.
So take the above as you will.

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