Capicola Dry Cured Recipes

CAPICOLA - DRY CURED

Steps:

• MEAT Lean boneless pork butts that are 3-4 lbs. apiece and well-trimmed should be used. The internal temperature of the butts should be chilled to 34-36 degrees F. before use. About 25 lbs. PROCESSING Rub all the pork butts very well with the above dry cure mix. Lay down a layer of this cure mixture in the container; place the first layer of pork butts inside. Leftover cure then is sprinkled in between each layer, and butts are placed into the cooler at 36-46 degrees F. for not less than 25 days. After 10-12 days, the pork butts should be over hauled; the top ones placed on the bottom, and the bottom ones placed on top. Be sure you have additional spice-cure mixture ready to lay down in between each layer. After 25 days, the pork butts are removed from the cooler and washed lightly. Allow to drain; then rub with Spanish paprika and red ground pepper. The pepper to be rubbed in depends on individual preference. The pork butts are then stuffed into beef bungs. After stufffing, there will be many air pockets; be sure you pin prick these air pockets to allow the entrapped air to escape. Hang on smokesticks, properly space. SMOKING Pork butts are placed in a preheated smokehouse at 90 degrees F. with the dampers wide open to dry the casings. Hold at this temperature for 10 hours. During this period, you may close dampers to 1/4 open after the casings are dry, applying a light smoke; continue to smoke for another 15-20 hours at 90 degrees F. Butts then are removed from the smoker and dipped in hot boiling water momentarily to shrink the casing onto the capicola. Then place in dry room at 70-75 degrees F. with a relative humidity of 65-75%. Capicola must be held in dry room not less than 20 days before using.