[tygo]

Smoked ice cubes in one of those meat-tinis would be cool.

Hmm, how about half a drop of liquid smoke in an ice cube for that...

[beerocd]

We don't do things the easy way here... 

[euge]

Smoked ice cubes in one of those meat-tinis would be cool. I'll probably spend as much as one of those units rigging up a way to avoid paying for one of those units. 

Hah! That's how my brewery was put together!

[bluesman]

im convinced, im getting one.

I like it too.  I am definitely in the market for a cold smoke generator.

[nicneufeld]

Sooo...to those acquainted with balkan cured meats...any opinions on the smoked/cured/dried pork loin?  I got one of these, I think its a suva svinyska prsuta or something.  Scared the dickens out of my wife for how red it looked when sliced, it being pork and all, but quite interesting.  We think we still prefer suva govedina on the whole but it was nonetheless rather an interesting product. 

For dinner last night I had a huge plate of suva govedina, the prsuta, ljuta kobasica, cheese, roasted red peppers, green olives, black olives, dill pickles, celery sticks, green peppers, cucumber, ajvar and crackers.  Oh, and lots of beer.  The wife had friends over so I holed up in the mancave and watched Michael Caine affect a poncey British officer (still, a VC recipient, though) in "Zulu".  Such a frightfully entertaining, albeit grossly inaccurate, movie.

[bluesman]

I'm thinking about curing and smoking a Turkey Breast this weekend.  If I can get a good turkey breast at the local market I want to brine it for two days in the following:

1 gallon hot water
1 pound kosher salt
2 quarts vegetable broth
1 pound honey
1 (7-pound) bag of ice
1 (15 to 20-pound) turkey, with giblets removed
Vegetable oil

Combine the hot water and the salt in a 54-quart cooler. Stir until the salt dissolves. Stir in the vegetable broth and the honey. Add the ice and stir. Place the turkey in the brine, breast side up, and cover with cooler lid.. Brine overnight, up to 12 hours.

Remove the turkey from the brine and dry thoroughly. Rub the bird thoroughly with the vegetable oil and start smokin'!

What do you think?  Comments?  Suggestions?

[beerocd]

Sooo...to those acquainted with balkan cured meats...any opinions on the smoked/cured/dried pork loin?  I got one of these, I think its a suva svinyska prsuta or something.  Scared the dickens out of my wife for how red it looked when sliced, it being pork and all, but quite interesting.  We think we still prefer suva govedina on the whole but it was nonetheless rather an interesting product. 

For dinner last night I had a huge plate of suva govedina, the prsuta, ljuta kobasica, cheese, roasted red peppers, green olives, black olives, dill pickles, celery sticks, green peppers, cucumber, ajvar and crackers.  Oh, and lots of beer. 

Suvi vrat and prsut are two different cuts. The loin is often referred to as suvi vrat - prsut is prosciutto. Was the piece you had a bit more on the mush side, also was yours kinda the marbleized cut or the ultra lean meat only cut? I prefer the loin a little drier, it has better mouthfeel. You just basically have to try everything at least once and decide what you like from that.

That plate is almost perfect - I'd toss the celery and crackers and sub in some kajmak and fresh bread.  

[beerocd]

I'm thinking about curing and smoking a Turkey Breast this weekend.  If I can get a good turkey breast at the local market I want to brine it for two days in the following:
1 pound honey

Is the honey actually going to penetrate into the meat? Could injecting warm honey give you a bigger bang for your buck since you won't need to use anywhere near as much honey?

[bluesman]

I'm thinking about curing and smoking a Turkey Breast this weekend.  If I can get a good turkey breast at the local market I want to brine it for two days in the following:
1 pound honey

Is the honey actually going to penetrate into the meat? Could injecting warm honey give you a bigger bang for your buck since you won't need to use anywhere near as much honey?

Yes that is a great method but I am brining the turkey so the honey is used to flavor and sweeten the brine.

[beerocd]

Well, be sure to report back to us. I am interested as to how much honey comes through in the final product. I am sure it will taste great, but being a cheapskate, I don't think I'd dump 5-6 bux worth of honey into a brining solution.

[bluesman]

Well, be sure to report back to us. I am interested as to how much honey comes through in the final product. I am sure it will taste great, but being a cheapskate, I don't think I'd dump 5-6 bux worth of honey into a brining solution.

Substituting brown sugar will work great as well if money is an issue.

[nicneufeld]

Suvi vrat and prsut are two different cuts. The loin is often referred to as suvi vrat - prsut is prosciutto. Was the piece you had a bit more on the mush side, also was yours kinda the marbleized cut or the ultra lean meat only cut? I prefer the loin a little drier, it has better mouthfeel. You just basically have to try everything at least once and decide what you like from that.
That plate is almost perfect - I'd toss the celery and crackers and sub in some kajmak and fresh bread.  

Totally meant to post this in ethnic cooking, oh well...at least the meat was smoked, if not by me! The labelling just said "pork loin" and googling I think led me to think prsut was correct.  The piece I had was very firm, but almost a jelly-like glossiness to it, on the inside and out.  Very strange.  Certainly dense and not really mushy.  I would say its similar to the dried beef (nothing near as soft as slanina), but that gelatiny gloss, and a textural uniformity, unlike the beef.  I'd say suvi vrat sounds like it!

[beerocd]

Substituting brown sugar will work great as well if money is an issue.

Not quite as simple as that (I'm complicated  ). Putting it another way it's like frying up a pound of bacon (and then throwing it away) so you can have the grease to fry liver and onions in.

Know that I'm not knocking you or your methods. I would just have to have you come back and say OMG best turkey ever before I would try something like that.

[bluesman]

Substituting brown sugar will work great as well if money is an issue.

Not quite as simple as that (I'm complicated  ). Putting it another way it's like frying up a pound of bacon (and then throwing it away) so you can have the grease to fry liver and onions in.

RDWHAHB   

[riverrat]

Could similar results be had by mixing up a much smaller batch of the brining solution and injecting it into the meat, then allowing that to sit for a while?