3 of this book will spark your fires of creativity to help you give your best when entertaining with charcuterie. You will learn how to source all sorts of great ingredients to build an epic charcuterie board. You will also get a glimpse at how to incorporate different flavors like sauces, nuts, jams, crackers, breads, and pickled products to build a diverse board where your guests can build all sorts of perfect bites. This section will wrap up with a primer on beer and wine so that you can provide pairings that will take your party to the next level.
And last but not least, the Part of Tens covers ten fantastic wines under $25 to impress your friends when entertaining and ten charcuterie meats you absolutely must try if you get the chance.
Making charcuterie and eating it are equally awesome. Charcuterie For Dummies is intended to help you do both.
Foolish Assumptions
We all know what happens when you assume. The goal for Charcuterie For Dummies is to make the topic of charcuterie accessible to those who have no prior knowledge of the topic, regardless of whether they are interested in the fabrication of meat or simply entertaining. You heard that right: You do not need any prior knowledge of charcuterie to be able to use this book. In fact, if you have experience in making sausages, bacons, or dry-cured meats, you may find that your experience level exceeds the scope of this book.
Icons Used In This Book
As you read this book, you’ll see icons in the margins that indicate material of interest (or not, as the case may be). This section briefly describes each of these icons.
Beyond the Book
This book also comes with a free online Cheat Sheet full of tips related to making and entertaining with charcuterie. Go to www.dummies.com and search for “Charcuterie For Dummies Cheat Sheet.”
Where To Go From Here
Its go-time! The world of charcuterie is at your fingertips; you just have to turn the page and get started. Pick a pace you’re comfortable with and just dive in. The first chapter is dedicated to gear. If you already have the gear, or don’t need help finding, using, or caring for it, then skip to the next chapter. Make sure you don’t skip over the chapter on sanitation and safe handling, though. Give it at least one pass and then reference it whenever you have doubts. Other than that, pop around and have fun.
I laid out the book so that you can start anywhere and not necessarily have to read it in a linear fashion. Regardless of how you tackle the topic, Charcuterie For Dummies will get you going on your way toward meaty mastery.
Part 1
Getting Started With Charcuterie
IN THIS PART …
Identify the gear you need.
Learn hygiene and sanitation skills to stay safe.
Get familiar with the risks of using animal proteins.
Source quality ingredients for making quality products.
Season and preserve with salt and nitrates.
Chapter 1
Get the Gear
IN THIS CHAPTER
In any craft, an artisan has a specific set of tools to help get the job done. Having the right tools for the job makes it much easier to execute successfully. For example, you can use any number of blunt objects to knock a nail into a board, but the right tool for that job is a hammer. Hammers make nailing much easier. Taking it step further, a nail gun would make nailing even easier than using a hammer. Regardless of how big, bad, and awesome your tools are, the correct tool is essential for doing a job well.
Successfully making sausages, bacon, cured meats, or any other type of charcuterie, requires very specific tools and equipment. Using the right equipment not only simplifies the process of crafting meats, but also helps you make products that are safe to eat. In this chapter, I identify the various tools that you need to execute the processes in this book. Of course, the right tool is just the starting point; you also need to know how to use that tool. Proper use of your tools is critical to achieving great results. In this chapter, you learn how to find the right tools, use those tools, care for them, and stay safe with them.
Meat Grinders
Meat grinders are specialized machines designed for the sole purpose of breaking pieces of meat and fat into smaller pieces by forcing them through a metal plate containing several small holes. Not all meat grinders are equal, and several factors differentiate them, including the following:
Power source (electric or manual)
Speed of grinding
Volume of grinding
Size of the grinder
Construction of the grinder
All grinders can be broken down into the same core parts, and understanding what each part does will help you decide which grinder is right for you. These parts are shown in Figure 1-1 and include the following:
Body
