Manual Of A Traditional Bacon Curer

Maynard Davies shares his lifetime's knowledge of the art of smoking and curing in this manual, explaining how to choose the best raw ingredients, build one's own smokehouse and the secrets of making the best sausage.

"Maynard Davies, the last of the apprentice bacon curers, tells his intriguing story in his own distinctive style. Always one to turn a challenge into an opportunity, Maynard took pleasure in learning the skills of the old master curers of the Black Country and he shares with the reader the secrets of top quality bacon, learnt over a lifetime: the methods, recipes, smoking and curing. His passion for, as he puts it, 'good food for good people', is his motivation - made by experts, using the best ingredients, and cutting no corners. Funny, wise and very human, Maynard's unsentimental tale will remind readers that old fashioned virtues of pride in one's profession, hard work, an open mind and a lot of optimism go along way."

Fans of Maynard will be delighted to read his further adventures in bacon curing. The last of the traditionally-apprenticed bacon curers, the author regales and inspires his readers with tales of * visits from the health inspectors * his colourful customers and work colleagues * his tips on curing, smoking and selling * the burglaries, bungled deals and triumphs * his growing reputation in the field * travels to learn how to make parma ham and much more. This book is the same addictive concoction of humour, tragedy and plain common sense, told in Maynard's disarmingly frank manner.

There has been a need for a comprehensive one-volume reference on the manufacture of meats and sausages at home. There are many cookbooks loaded with recipes which do not build any foundation for the serious hobbyist to follow. This leaves him with little understanding of the sausage making process and afraid to introduce his own ideas. There are professional books that are written for meat plant managers or graduate students, unfortunately, these works are written in such difficult technical terms, that most of them are beyond the comprehension of an average person. Home Production of Quality Meats and Sausages bridges the gap that exists between highly technical textbooks and the requirements of the typical hobbyist. In order to simplify this gap to the absolute minimum, technical terms were substituted with their equivalent but simpler terms and many photographs, drawings and tables were included. The book covers topics such as curing and making brines, smoking meats and sausages, U.S. Standards, making fresh, smoked, emulsified, fermented and air dried products, making special sausages such as head cheeses, blood and liver sausages, low salt, low fat and Kosher products, hams, bacon, butts and loins, poultry, fish and game, creating your own recipes and much more... To get the reader started 172 recipes are provided which were chosen for their originality and historical value. They carry an enormous value as a study material and as a valuable resource on making meat products and sausages. Although recipes play an important role in these products, it is the process that ultimately decides the sausage quality. It is perfectly clear that the authors don't want the reader to copy the recipes only: "We want him to understand the sausage making process and we want him to create his own recipes. We want him to be the sausage maker."

Includes construction plans for a smokehouse and fifty recipes for smoked delicacies.

Cooking With Napalm is 48, beautifully photographed, delicious recipes that prove that wildly spicy food can be flavorful and complex without having to be overwhelming. The recipes in the book use the world's hottest peppers, such as the Bhut Jolokia (Ghost Chili), several Habanero types, Devil's Tongue and others.

'A plan that helps you build a powerful, disease-free heart.'