We have a lovely young Duroc pig at my sisters place that's currently in "fattening up" mode and will be making it's way to our freezer and dinner table later this year. This seems like a great motivator to start experimenting with Charcut. I'd like to do my own curing on the hams and belly but I don't really know what I'm doing here so I'm looking for some guidance on what can be cured and proper technique. It sounds like I need to pick up a copy of "Charcuterie" by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn. but I'd like to start to get a handle on the basics. Aside from curing salt, what do I need and how long should I expect the curing process to take? Chef mentioned months to a couple of years in his curing salt video. Is that length of time normal?
I'll apologize in advance for any delay in my responses. We're moving to our new house next week so things are a little hectic right now.
Blondie, Red, and Willamina (aka Bacon, Pork chop, and Ham) 