After eating the first leg of lamb prosciutto, we got behind on checking on the prosciutto, between National Guard and vacation.
Leg 1.
Jan 2, Starting weight: 2.098 kg
Recipe 1: 160g (90g salt [4.2%]) rub for one week in fridge.
Jan 9. Salt box dredge without weighing for 9 days.
Jan 18. Second weight 1.80 kg, (14.2% weight loss).
Aging Day 1:
Hung 1/18/2024 @ 60 degrees F, 50% humidity.
Target weight: 1.47 kg
Weight after 40 hours:
1.70 kg.
Weight after adding strutto: 1.85 kg.
New target weight: 1.62 kg
Day 6: 1.80 kg.
Day 10: 1.77 kg
Day 12: 1.74 kg
Day 16: 1.70 kg
Day 23 (Feb 10): 1.65 kg
3-4 more days!
Day 36 (Feb 23): 1.565 kg.
Eaten at day 38.
Leg 2.
Jan 2, Starting weight 2.080 kg
Recipe 2: 105g (52g salt [2.5%]) rub for one week in fridge.
Jan 9. Salt box dredge without weighing for 9 days.
Jan 18. Second weight 1.85 kg, (11.0% weight loss).
Aging Day 1:
Hung 1/18/2024 @ 60 degrees F, 50% humidity.
Target weight: 1.46 kg
Weight after 40 hours:
1.70 kg.
Weight after adding strutto: 1.85 kg.
New target weight: 1.61 kg.
Day 6: 1.75 kg.
Day 10: 1.79 kg.
Day 12: 1.77 kg
Day 16: 1.74 kg
Day 23 (Feb 10): 1.695 kg
8-10 more days!
Day 36 (Feb 23): 1.635 kg.
Day 52 (Mar 11): 1.56 kg
Day 59 (Mar 17): 1.54 kg
Leg 3.
Jan 2, Starting weight 2.030 kg
Recipe 1: 55g (31g salt [1.5%]) rub for one week in fridge.
Jan 9. Salt box dredge without weighing for 9 days.
Jan 18. Second weight 1.85 kg, (8.9% weight loss).
Aging Day 1:
Hung 1/18/2024 @ 60 degrees F, 50% humidity.
Target weight: 1.42 kg.
Weight after 40 hours:
1.65 kg.
Weight after adding strutto: 1.85 kg.
New target weight: 1.62 kg.
Day 6: 1.80 kg.
Day 10: 1.785 kg.
Day 12: 1.77 kg
Day 16. 1.75 kg.
Day 23 (Feb 10): 1.7 kg
8-10 more days.
Day 36 (Feb 23): 1.63kg.
Day 52 (Mar 11): 1.555 kg
Day 59 (Mar 17): 1.54 kg
Moisture loss appears to have slowed down. Leg 2 and Leg 3 are both at 1.54 kg, so on Tuesday (Mar 18, day 60) I took down leg 2 and cut into it.
After the strutto is cleaned off, the leg has a slightly drier, harder texture than leg 1, Though with less case-hardening. The remaining fat has a yellowish tinge thanks to the turmeric in seasoning mixture #2. The leg has a slightly off-putting scent of turmeric as well (not actually a fan of turmeric, but no mold to be seen anywhere. I opened up the seam between the muscle compartments, and the pocket around the aitch bone (which should have been removed in butchering, oh well) but could not detect any sight or scent of mold. So that’s good. I neglected to weigh it without the strutto.
The first slice was unnecessarily thick, but I did not have a sharp enough knife on hand to shave it. Internal color is a beautiful deep red, much more uniform down to the bone than was leg 1. The texture is firmer and, interestingly, the rind is much thinner and in some areas non-existent. The flavor is round and full, without a strong flavor of turmeric.
This is also the rub we used for the lamb tenderloin last week, and let me tell you, that was to die for!
We will definitely be keeping this dry rub recipe around, though maybe in two separate forms, one with high salt for salt-curing, and one with low salt for baking/grilling.
Little Farm in the Big City 