johnquayleiom Posted September 18, 2009 Author Share Posted September 18, 2009 I dont know about curing but some bacon is smoked on the Island, i'm sure Desmonds fishmonger in Ramsey was doing it at one point, dont know if they still do or not, i would imagine curing is also done on the Island somewhere as it is a relatively easy process, i dont know why it would be needed to send it away if the pork is manx! I think gammon is made by quite a complex process involving injecting brine etc into the meat - a bit too complex and expensive to do on the island, whereas smoking of bacon etc is much simpler. I spoke to somebody called kieron? at the meat plant this morning and he took the time to explain quite a few things to do with the meat, supply and customers etc - i took it all with a pinch of salt but he seemed to know what he was talking about, so i hope he was telling the truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freggyragh Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Dry curing bacon is quite a simple, but lengthy process, and there is at least one company producing it over here. Dry cured bacon is far superior to wet cured (the stuff that shrivels away to nothing when you cook it, and leaves a white phosphate mess all over the grill). Larger joints, such as gammon (uncooked ham) are more difficult to dry-cure. Wet curing is more suitable for large gammon joints. If anything, wet curing is easier, and could be done quite easily here - in fact some butchers do (at least sometimes) cure their own. The problems are: 1 - not every leg of pork is suitable for curing 2 - If you cure all the legs and loins and bellies (for back bacon and streaky bacon), you are still left with the shoulders - which means you will have to invest in sausage making machinary. 3 - Curing can take up to a month. You need a large chilled storage area. 4 - There are only two pork producers on the whole island. Their pork is excellent, and better cooked fresh, but unless there were to be an explosion in the number of pork producers there just wouldn't be enough product to make the marketing worthwhile. If you really want Manx gammon / ham, why don't you source a suitable joint at a butcher's and try some home-curing? Hugh Fearnley-Wotshisname has written a lot about it, and there is plenty of advice online. Alternatively, ask one of your older relatives / neighbours about it (most Manx farmers' wives home-cured ham in the old days). A good butcher would be able to advise you on a suitable joint of pork to use, and might be able to help you with storage. Manx pork is really good, and if you cure it yourself you have the added reassurance of knowing exactly what is in the cure, and, if you can get it, I'd recommend the near enough free-range 'Crellin Farm' pork, (ask your butcher) too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhumsaa Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I dont know about curing but some bacon is smoked on the Island, i'm sure Desmonds fishmonger in Ramsey was doing it at one point, dont know if they still do or not, i would imagine curing is also done on the Island somewhere as it is a relatively easy process, i dont know why it would be needed to send it away if the pork is manx! I think gammon is made by quite a complex process involving injecting brine etc into the meat - a bit too complex and expensive to do on the island, whereas smoking of bacon etc is much simpler. I spoke to somebody called kieron? at the meat plant this morning and he took the time to explain quite a few things to do with the meat, supply and customers etc - i took it all with a pinch of salt but he seemed to know what he was talking about, so i hope he was telling the truth. Probably Kewin - good guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Dry curing bacon is quite a simple, but lengthy process, and there is at least one company producing it over here. Dry cured bacon is far superior to wet cured (the stuff that shrivels away to nothing when you cook it, and leaves a white phosphate mess all over the grill). Ditto dry cured ham re the quality IMO. Any idea where we can buy locally dry cured bacon and ham ? Presumably local dry cured stuff must have to be done using some sort of electric air drying system given that the climate here is probably too relatively humid for it to be naturally air dried. I doubt any ham is naturally dry cured in the British Isles. ETA: in some ways I wonder (rather randomly) whether it isn't best to buy produce which is produced using the best indigenous processes. So dry cured stuff from countries with a suitable climate. And smoked stuff here. Maybe. ^ but I might be wrong about that - I'm interested but not an expert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Presumably local dry cured stuff must have to be done using some sort of electric air drying system given that the climate here is probably too relatively humid for it to be naturally air dried. I doubt any ham is naturally dry cured in the British Isles. I watched Huge-Furry-Whathisname doing it on his River Cottage programme. I also heard someone talking about it on a farming radio programme a few years ago - doing it at home, simply by putting a leg of ham in a box and covering the leg with salt and seasonings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Jampton Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I have seen cows and sheep grazing but I cannot say I've seen any pigs about. Where are they farmed.? No police station or ladies gym jokes please!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I have seen cows and sheep grazing but I cannot say I've seen any pigs about. Where are they farmed.? No police station or ladies gym jokes please!! pigs are kept inside, thats why u dont see them out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I have seen cows and sheep grazing but I cannot say I've seen any pigs about. Where are they farmed.? No police station or ladies gym jokes please!! pigs are kept inside, thats why u dont see them out Bah...with the weather here - outside, pigs just wear sheep skin jackets, you just have to get close up to be able to spot them hidden amongst the sheep. Helpful hint:Pigs are the sheep with flat noses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Presumably local dry cured stuff must have to be done using some sort of electric air drying system given that the climate here is probably too relatively humid for it to be naturally air dried. I doubt any ham is naturally dry cured in the British Isles. I watched Huge-Furry-Whathisname doing it on his River Cottage programme. I also heard someone talking about it on a farming radio programme a few years ago - doing it at home, simply by putting a leg of ham in a box and covering the leg with salt and seasonings. For a quality product the cured hams then have to be hung for months in a dry atmosphere to properly mature. So AFAIK you either need a dry climate or electric fans and de humidification. ^ may not be right - this is based on something I'm half remembering hearing ages ago on the BBC Food Programme. But it would explain why the best dry cured hams traditionally come from Spain and Italy and why different methods evolved in damp northern places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbms Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I have seen cows and sheep grazing but I cannot say I've seen any pigs about. Where are they farmed.? No police station or ladies gym jokes please!! Quite a few up to the west of Bride Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fergie Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 It's not that much cheaper if you do the sums, also it ain't Manx, although the label is nearly identical to the ballacushag ones. I have been in touch with Isle of man meats to ask whether the meat that shoprite are selling is manx and they assured me it is - well all the beef and pork anyway, they couldnt comment on the other stuff as they dont do chicken and fish. They label it with the ballacushag label and by law they must have their "site code which is why there is an EC number on the pack - apparently same as on the milk. So good to know it is supporting manx farmers i hope. I had a look @ the cheap meat in Shoprite today, it is not manx produced, if you look @ the packaging it says uk eu iom , the manx product states "product of iom" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnquayleiom Posted September 22, 2009 Author Share Posted September 22, 2009 It's not that much cheaper if you do the sums, also it ain't Manx, although the label is nearly identical to the ballacushag ones. I have been in touch with Isle of man meats to ask whether the meat that shoprite are selling is manx and they assured me it is - well all the beef and pork anyway, they couldnt comment on the other stuff as they dont do chicken and fish. They label it with the ballacushag label and by law they must have their "site code which is why there is an EC number on the pack - apparently same as on the milk. So good to know it is supporting manx farmers i hope. I had a look @ the cheap meat in Shoprite today, it is not manx produced, if you look @ the packaging it says uk eu iom , the manx product states "product of iom" as I said earlier IOM meats told me they were producing packing the pork and beef lines so they are definately manx - im told that due to the high demand they are beginning to run low on stocks so appealing for extra cattle at the moment to help meet demand. Not sure about the other stuff but pork and beef are without a doubt manx. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 It's not that much cheaper if you do the sums, also it ain't Manx, although the label is nearly identical to the ballacushag ones. I have been in touch with Isle of man meats to ask whether the meat that shoprite are selling is manx and they assured me it is - well all the beef and pork anyway, they couldnt comment on the other stuff as they dont do chicken and fish. They label it with the ballacushag label and by law they must have their "site code which is why there is an EC number on the pack - apparently same as on the milk. So good to know it is supporting manx farmers i hope. I had a look @ the cheap meat in Shoprite today, it is not manx produced, if you look @ the packaging it says uk eu iom , the manx product states "product of iom" as I said earlier IOM meats told me they were producing packing the pork and beef lines so they are definately manx - im told that due to the high demand they are beginning to run low on stocks so appealing for extra cattle at the moment to help meet demand. Not sure about the other stuff but pork and beef are without a doubt manx. there short about 40 cattle a week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnquayleiom Posted September 22, 2009 Author Share Posted September 22, 2009 there short about 40 cattle a week Thats a lot of meat isnt it? how heavy would a cow be - a few steaks worth id imagine? If they are short how do they mature their meat, or do they just have to let customers down when they run out? Id better get back down and stock up!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 The terrace is a great place to shop these days.... I would tend to agree. however, at night The Terrace does take on a different persona. Agitated and rather unpleasant people going to the hatch in the chemist for their stuff and juvenile delinquents hanging about. I think most places have delinquents (of all ages) hanging about these days, i for one would not be happy to walk home alone after a night out, its probably always been like that but in my younger years i (as most young people) was very naive, i miss that sometimes! I live on the terrace and have never had a problem with deliquents, although the 3am shouters do my head in !! lol I find the butchers on the terrace a great place to get fresh meet, and the Coop is great for chicken. i agree with Bees the service there has improved since the new guys that are working there started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.