de-lish

consider the future

ask your butcher for a leg of mutton (cut long)

judge for yourself if any more fat needs to be trimmed off (you want some)

if you have chosen boned ask for it to be tied as tight as possible

weigh your meat

you will nead precision scales (IMO) if you haven’t any let me know and i’ll adjust to graded spoon measurements

3% salt

1.5% sweetener (i use dextrose, you can use any type of ground sugar)

0.2% cure#2 (optional, but will give you colour, further flavour and preservation qualities) available from sausagemaking.org – other premixed FULL COMPONENT cures are available from other places, but it’s more interesting to DIY

0.2% black pepper

0.2% chopped juniper

0.2% herbs (you choose)

mix dry ingredients

in a lidded plastic box spread a little carpet for the leg to sit on

lay it down on the cure

put the rest evenly over the top

put in fridge

overhaul (turn over and baste with the brine you will find) every day or so (don’t stress) for at least 2 weeks

take out of fridge and give it a good wash

dry it and put back in the fridge on a plate or somesuch to air-dry for a few days

ideally cold smoke for a few sessions

wrap it tight & secure in muslin or stockinette

hang in a cool airy place for a month or two or three

this place must be away from flying, climbing, crawling and dribbling predators

judge safe readiness by a minimum weight loss of 33.3%

scoff with fruit or vinegar (think acidity)