Recent content by Ciaran

Ok the mould is starting to appear, some flat and dry white patches on the surface, but in the crevices around the bone it's still white but a bit thicker and almost furry. I stuck a cotton wool tip into this crevice and as well as the white there was a kind of dark brown smudge. I'm not sure...

Hi guys, just thought I'd update with what I've learned so far. I have spoken to the author of a charcuterie recipe book and am still waiting to hear back from the UK's food safety agency as turns out they have advisors for this type of thing. According to the author, it's true that botulism is...

Hmm, ok. I guess it's just a judgement call. I suppose I could just start again but I don't know if I could protect the meat from slipping slightly out of the 10-18C range the book quotes now and then, especially as the weather heats up (although this being England that's probably optimistic)...

I'd quite like some specific advice before I chuck out this £20 piece of meat, rather than just sound bites! I will throw it away if needs be I just would like someone to explain specifically if and why the meat is now unsafe. For example, my main concern is botulism and this book says there...

Just to also say that since taking the meat to the attic to hang I have been the taking temperature of the meat with an infrared sensor and it's max 17 min 10 currently. Can anyone comment specifically on the botulism issue? And is it worth just keeping the meat for a few weeks and seeing how...

Lol either that or it's time to get a pet rat!

Sorry yeah that's what I was thinking, given that it's so toxic even in such tiny amounts.

Thanks for the reply! Is there any point in waiting and seeing how the meat goes or shall I just throw it away now? Also, what is the meat possibly being at a slightly higher temperature for those few days likely to have caused? Are we talking about any specific bacteria and how about...

I followed the instructions, which asked only for an environment between 10-18C, and I'm just saying that it's likely that it's possible it was 2-4C more than that intermittently for ~5 days. My question is whether or not that means I now need to throw this away, and specifically if there is an...

Hmm. Well it was only at that temperature for a couple of days, but yeah I take your point. It's currently hanging at about 16-17 degrees during the day, much lower at night, I can't seem to find anywhere cooler to put it. I'm willing to take the risk with the other possible nasties especially...

Hey guys, I'm pretty new to cured/dried/preserved meats, certainly have never preserved anything for >1 week. I recently began a violino di capra with lamb instead of goat leg. Basically it's a dry cured leg left to dry for~ 3 months. I used a recipe from the River Cottage book on charcuterie...