The dogs growling and playing in the background made me laugh a lot. My Heeler does the same thing if I'm on the phone or doing something where I don't pay attention to her for a little while.

We use alum to aid preservation in our pickling process, but its main purpose is to maintain a crispy exterior. It's what makes pickles crunch when you bite into them. We use it for all of our egg, fruit, and veggie pickling. I've never used it for pickling meats, like ham, though. I'll have to give it a go the next time I preserve a small ham or pickle some pig's feet and see how it effects the texture of the meat. I think it'll make it too chewy though.

Looks so good. Can't wait to watch the final video's

My goodness I'm so damned hungry right now !!!!!

DO NOT FORGET to get him back in the kitchen for the italian gravy recipe!!!!

Let me know when dinner is and I will bring a pineapple upside down cake to wrap things up.
-1 degree @ Devils track lake Northern Mn. Snow flurries @6 am Full blown Winter weather alert posted for 4 pm today through 10 am tomorrow 4 to 6 inches of snow. This could be one of those years when the first Robin of Spring I see could be frozen dead on the ground.

Morning All, 32 degrees and a dusting of snow here in NE Indiana. Looks like I'll be rescheduling all my A/C services again today. : (

Is it done yet?

Embalmers always say that no corpse looks better than one that died due to smoke inhalation. The flesh is always pinker and more alive looking. True story.

Uhh... I know ya been doin' for years Don, but what about testing the brine after you stuck the injector in the pork and then stuck it back in the brine?

Not preachin' but just lookin' out for ya--like Diane said, "worms" and stuff...