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I'm making bacon. Anyone else make their own food or drink stuff?



Bakero

Languidly clinical
Oct 9, 2010
14,907
Almería




Superphil

Dismember
Jul 7, 2003
25,680
In a pile of football shirts
I smoke cheese quite often. Quite easy to do with the right kit. Also chuck in a load of garlic bulbs. Always very tasty, and Makes for great little give aways for friends.
 


MTSeagulls

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2019
936
It’s amusing revisiting this thread. My bacon making was short lived as a kiwi started making proper bacon and has over the years has become rather successful and now services most of the higher end cafes and restaurants, as well as the public, with his products.
I actually just started as we can't get decent bacon here. I bought a smoker too.
Looking to make ham, salamis and sausages as well.
Later in the year we are looking to raise some pigs.
I'm also looking to make wine from the various fruits we have here like cashew and mango.
 


Brok

🦡
Dec 26, 2011
4,373
My scotch eggs making skills need honing a bit...

IMG_20230730_105757.jpg
 








Superphil

Dismember
Jul 7, 2003
25,680
In a pile of football shirts






Bakero

Languidly clinical
Oct 9, 2010
14,907
Almería
I'm also a fan of pasta making as well as noodles. Nothing more satisfying than slapping out some biang biang noodles.

 


Questions

Habitual User
Oct 18, 2006
25,513
Worthing
I made some seriously good Pear Drop Vodka last week. OK, I know it's not exactly rocket science and not like making the vodka itself, but still bloody nice. Going to try doing After Eight Vodka next.
That would be no good to me….. I start drinking at 6.
 


The Clamp

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 11, 2016
26,206
West is BEST
I make my own infusion “tea” bags.

I buy the bags online and fill with dried fruits, herbs and spices.

I started because I found the fruit infusions that you can buy at the supermarket insipid and all taste the same. A sort of weak, berry water that is as hot as the sun for 20 mins, whereupon it turns stone cold.
 




Questions

Habitual User
Oct 18, 2006
25,513
Worthing
I do love bacon though even if it does bring me out in rashers.

(Thanks for the joke Pickles)
 


Machiavelli

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2013
17,778
Fiveways
I was going to add to my post that me and her are dab hands at scotch eggs too, and now we’ve discovered the air fryer they easier too.
I too have made some cracking scotch eggs in the past. I find they're only worth doing if you do a big batch, so you need to be entertaining or asked to take something to an event -- they tend to get plaudits.
 


Machiavelli

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2013
17,778
Fiveways
I do a similar thing with veg but also uncooked ones like pickled radishes. I'm also a fan of fermentation; kim chi, sauerkraut etc. Love a preserved lemon too. Oh, and fruity chilli sauces/jams.
Have done pickled radishes in the past, which were great so, thanks, will give them a go. Have also done kimchi, and need to do that again. Ditto preserved lemons, but we don't get through that many so won't.
The only chilli thing (I wouldn't call it a sauce) is shatta, which is a lipnumbing delight:

 




thedonkeycentrehalf

Moved back to wear the gloves (again)
Jul 7, 2003
9,356
I was going to add to my post that me and her are dab hands at scotch eggs too, and now we’ve discovered the air fryer they easier too.
How long do you cook them for in the air fryer? I used to bake mine rather than fry them but hadn’t thought about using the air fryer.
 


Bakero

Languidly clinical
Oct 9, 2010
14,907
Almería
Have done pickled radishes in the past, which were great so, thanks, will give them a go. Have also done kimchi, and need to do that again. Ditto preserved lemons, but we don't get through that many so won't.
The only chilli thing (I wouldn't call it a sauce) is shatta, which is a lipnumbing delight:


Shatta wasn't something I was familiar with but it sounds right up my street.

Re. Preserved lemons, I made a big batch last winter and still have a few left. They keep very well so I wouldn't worth about not using them quickly. And you can use them in all kinds of things.
 


Superphil

Dismember
Jul 7, 2003
25,680
In a pile of football shirts
How long do you cook them for in the air fryer? I used to bake mine rather than fry them but hadn’t thought about using the air fryer.
For 20 mins, job’s a good ‘un
 


Superphil

Dismember
Jul 7, 2003
25,680
In a pile of football shirts
I too have made some cracking scotch eggs in the past. I find they're only worth doing if you do a big batch, so you need to be entertaining or asked to take something to an event -- they tend to get plaudits.
I’m not so sure, we do a batch of 6 or 8 or so, we often use crushed cornflakes rather than breadcrumbs, makes a nice batch for the weekly lunchbox.
 




Louis MacNeice

Active member
Dec 7, 2015
147
Brew my own beer, one of the best things I have learned to do, both in terms of cost but more so in terms of taste. Really good beer is pretty easy to do.

Also do infused spirits such as raspberry and black pepper vodka, plum and vanilla brandy, sloe gin etc. Again really simple for great tasting results.

Do various pickles and chutneys plus my own brown sauce on occasion. Have also cured bacon and smoked fish to good effect and can bake bread when I can be arsed.

The one I do do on a very regular basis is baking hams, usually cheap Aldi smoked gammon joints, sometimes with studded cloves and muscovado sugar, usually just on a base of onions, garlic and chicken stock/white wine (the liquor produced makes a great basis for a white bean stew).

I really like cooking - Louis MacNeice
 


Brok

🦡
Dec 26, 2011
4,373
Brew my own beer, one of the best things I have learned to do, both in terms of cost but more so in terms of taste. Really good beer is pretty easy to do.

Also do infused spirits such as raspberry and black pepper vodka, plum and vanilla brandy, sloe gin etc. Again really simple for great tasting results.

Do various pickles and chutneys plus my own brown sauce on occasion. Have also cured bacon and smoked fish to good effect and can bake bread when I can be arsed.

The one I do do on a very regular basis is baking hams, usually cheap Aldi smoked gammon joints, sometimes with studded cloves and muscovado sugar, usually just on a base of onions, garlic and chicken stock/white wine (the liquor produced makes a great basis for a white bean stew).

I really like cooking - Louis MacNeice
I intend going two steps further this year.
Not only have I found a wild hop plant in deepest darkest Cheshire, (don't ask what sort, haven't a clue), but I'm also going to have a bash at malting my own barley...
What can possibly go wrong? o_O
 


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