So today we started our day off early again. Alfredo, an artisanal prosciutto maker north of the city invited us up to show us how to debone a prosciutto. He starts his day at 7am. We made it up there by 11 30 :) It was one of the funnest experiences i've had not to mention uber informative. We walked around his curing room as he talked about prosciutto's, how to tell when to cover them in paste, how to spot one starting to rot ( and how to save it, but thats a secret i can not pass on i was told) He also showed us how to deal with prosciutto's when they begin to bloat and how to rest them to release any air that might be locked in. We walked, we smelled, we squeezed and most importantly, we listened. I have a how to video we filmed but I am having problems uploading to my mac. If and when i figure out why its not uploading, i will be sure to post it.
Here's Colin (current stage, soon to be payed employee) rockin the metal vest. Alfredo said we had to wear them so we dont stab our stomachs. I dont remember a time where i thought the knife would have slipped and stabbed me, perhaps it was a joke, but i enjoyed the feeling of heavy metal plates on me. It fit right in with the medieval theme.
me
Alfredo cleaning off the flour/water paste
All chained up and removing the H-bone
And the press
Prosciutto's salting. Real Italians use Table salt.... Table salt??? what's that?
Alfredo's private stock. He makes these for himself. Lucky guy!
Curing room
The smell was so good in here.
2 comments:
There is only one word that can properly describe that post;
DROOL!
Sound like a great experience. I keep bumping into people here in Buffalo that have or know someone who's made their own proscuitto. Turns out my parents neighbor has made some in the past. I'm hoping to learn what I can from them and get going on my own.
I'm trying to figure out the boning thing. Most of the proscuitto I've purchased seemed boned, but then I bumped into this:
http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn455/jbiesinger/IMG_2136.jpg
the hunk of ham at top of pic, was purchased at a sausage shop in pittsbugh. It seems they dont bother boning their house cured hams, but instead saw the sides off and sell these hunks for 2.99/lb.
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