Outstanding Charcuterie Book
I am glad I chose this book on the basis of previous high reviews. I can only concur: this is an outstanding book that explains the craft of preserving meats from start to finish, as well as the whys and hows. I am not a novice, but an "advanced" preserver and smoker, having made my own sausages and hams for years. This book has opened a new world of thinking for me and provided a ton of helpful information I've not before found so conveniently. Highly recommended. Fantastic price here, too.
Extremely useful book
I decided to make sausages this year as holiday presents, and based on a recommendation from a stranger, bought this book. I had tried to make sausages before and ran into many troubles. This book explained what I did wrong and how I should have done it, with very clear directions.
I'm cooking a corned beef now, have two slabs of beef bacon preparing, smoked a fish last night, and have made sausages that actually stuffed and didn't fall apart.
The book explains the whys and hows as well as safety needs, what cuts of meat to use, and includes many great sounding recipes ranging from the easy (brined chicken) to the complex (involving skinning a chicken and taking the skin to wrap pate)
It covers brines, smoked meats, sausages, dry cured meats, pates and terrines, sauces, and much more. Not only does it contain lots of good information, but it is also a fun read.
Great recipes but be wary on the salt
This is a great book and I love it, but I've found some errors, I believe, in the sausage recipes. They often say to use 2-3 tablespoons of salt for 5 lb of meat. If one tablespoon is 3 teaspoons, that is 6-9 teaspoons. Most of the recipes I've seen elsewhere call for just one teaspoon of salt per pound and really more than that tastes too salty to me. Don't let that stop you from trying the recipes, but remember that you can always add more salt, can't get it back out again easily.
I just made the turkey sausage recipe from the book with the sour cherries. I used bacon for the pork fat since that is hard to find here. (Using 3 tsp. salt since the bacon was salt-cured.) It was really delicious, very gourmet!
This is a great book for someone who wants to try making more of their own foods to leave out the MSG, which is unnecessary when you use quality, fresh ingredients. Do believe him when he says fresh herbs make a difference!
charcuterie
very well written, a pleasure to read. covers all aspects of small goods production. very easy to understand for any one getting into this hobby.
Inspirational!
I absolutely love this book. It treats the glorious history of preserved animal proteins with the respect and detail it rightly deserves. "Whether thrifty or luxurious" is fully embodied, from foie gras terrines to meatloaf, to bacon, or blood sausage, or even prosciutto and lardo it's all here. Proper methods are outlined clearly and logically, and recipes are of reasonable size for the home cook. I have produced several recipes from this book, and my coworkers and I are pleased with the results. This book demystifies charcuterie and places it squarely in the hands of the people (As it needs to be). It's a forgotten art among home cooks, and was once vital for survival; now we can practice for the joy, and for the flavor.
(57 reviews)
