The mornings are getting colder and I’ve pretty much made the switch from beer to wine, that’s a good sign that winter is just about here. The heavy yield garden crops of the warmer months are all but gone and so now we look for something different to preserve. Around the start of winter, usually the Queen’s birthday weekend most Italian families lock themselves away and convert their garages, sheds and kitchens into home butcher workshops; it’s salami season.
The weekend just past was something of a test run and real treat, Giancarlo and I were able to attend an amazing day of butchery, cooking, charcuterie and most importantly coffee. Hosted near Kilmore, just north of Melbourne, in a converted stone building that anyone would be happy to have in their backyard we kicked off early and with an espresso in hand, James, our host proudly led us on a tour of his home, garden and backyard butchery. WOW!
Organised by the Home Make It crew and the Salami Board (hosts of the massively successful Melbourne Salami Festa) we were in great hands and in my opinion they really nailed it. The day consisted of meat boning lessons – a guide on how to butcher a pig, mincing, mixing and spicing – getting the texture right is just as important as the spice mix and then a guide on filling and hanging salami.
During the day we were treated to an amazing spectacle of food, wine and hospitality by our host, true to form from any Italian, and when it was time to go we were all sent off with our own salamis to hang as well as a few kilograms of pork sausage to cook. Most of us stayed well after the course officially finished, enjoying that day’s produce cooked in our host’s wood-fired oven all the while quaffing his chianti.
From our new friend made this weekend we have already secured our own 130kg free-range sow and are planning our own full scale weekend of butchery and curing soon, stay tuned for the result.
your own 130kg sow? insane, can’t wait to see the crafty cuts from that
It’s going to be awesome, happy to try a polish recipe if you have any suggestions.
Good idea! Did steve tell you that? Steeeeeve.
sure, just try some Dubbin for extra flavour in your next salami. ah, shoe polish/Polish jokes never get old.
I would be keen to see the result of a good kielbasa using free-range pork though…
What a great day out; I would love to have a go at making salami! Good luck with the pig project.
Looks like such an amazing class! I would love to attend something like this. Very jealous!
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What a great blog! after being without the internet for so long in rural Fiji after moving from Brisbane, I am sure that I am going to check it out often! I used to run a little restaurant in Bris many years ago called Denwa Bango
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I would love to learn the art of charcuterie. Keep it posted more, I can’t wait to see the ending results. I’ve tried learning from the CIA book of the Art of Charcuterie but my products never seem to turn out like the pictures 😛
It’s much easier than it look, the key is how and where you cure it. Give it a try…
thanks for the inspirational comment, i shall go on this culinary adventure to create the most epic cured meat known to man!
Excellent, It’s a salami off
touche my friend touche
Heaven…..close to it.
Thanks for liking “feeding an army.” Hope other quips fit your interests and/or concerns. Boned beef, like in some above pictures, when I butchered a long time ago. Best to you.
Now you have set me drooling 😀
That was our plan this whole time