wittdog
Master Chef
Capicola- Dry Cured
Dry Cure Mix
1 lb. salt
3 ozs. powdered dextrose
1 oz. Prague Powder No. 2
25 pounds of lean boneless pork butts that are 3-4 lbs. apiece and well-trimmed should be used, chilled
to 34-36ºF. before use. 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 36-46ºF. 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 stuffing, 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. Pork butts are placed in a preheated smokehouse at 90ºF. 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 90ºF. 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 70-75ºF. with a relative humidity of 65-75%. Capicola must
be held in dry room not less than 20 days before using
Dry Cure Mix
1 lb. salt
3 ozs. powdered dextrose
1 oz. Prague Powder No. 2
25 pounds of lean boneless pork butts that are 3-4 lbs. apiece and well-trimmed should be used, chilled
to 34-36ºF. before use. 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 36-46ºF. 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 stuffing, 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. Pork butts are placed in a preheated smokehouse at 90ºF. 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 90ºF. 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 70-75ºF. with a relative humidity of 65-75%. Capicola must
be held in dry room not less than 20 days before using
I'll look for some at the local Italian deli
