Note that if you use a pork shoulder cut of meat, the muscle bundle you are trying to obtain is the portion that would like just to the side of the shoulder blade. If using pork butt, opt for Berkshire rather than Heritage since the latter has more fat and less muscle fiber content. If you cannot find Berkshire, however, commodity pork will also work. You can save the trimmings to make sausage, if desired, or you could discard them.
Note that you should check the temperature of the meat using a meat thermometer. Avoid guessing; for health reasons, you should make sure that the meat completely cools to this temperature.
Note that cure #2 is the same thing as Prague powder #2. It contains 6. 25 percent sodium nitrite, 1 percent sodium nitrate, and 92. 75 percent salt. In general, cure #2 breaks down at a slower pace, which makes it safer to use for meats that have a prolonged curing time, like capicola. [1] X Research source Overall, this powdered cure blend you create must contain a minimum of 4. 5 percent salt based on the weight of the meat before you cure it. This is the only way that the Trichinella sp. bacteria will be destroyed.
Save the rest of the spice-cure mixture in an airtight container until ready to use.
If curing more than one capicola, lay the cuts of meat in a single layer. Do not stack them. Use a plastic or glass container. Do not use a container made from reactive material, like metal. Cover the meat with plastic wrap as it chills to prevent air from getting in and to prevent it from drying out.
Keep the pork covered with plastic wrap during this time.
Pat the meat dry with clean paper towels before proceeding.
The water-citrus solution can be made by squeezing the juice of two oranges and two lemons into 1 L (1 qt) of cold water. Let the juiced peels sit in the water, as well. Soaking the casings in this manner removes any odor and also strips away any cholesterol in the casings. Let the casings air dry for another 1 hour after you soak them.
For spice mix options, try: Crushed black pepper Half cayenne pepper and half fancy paprika Half black pepper, finely ground, and half ground fennel seeds Half ground black pepper and half fancy paprika
Note that if you did not use prepared pork casings, you could use beef bungs or collagen casing. If you notice any air pockets after you stuff the casings, use a clean pin to prick these pockets and deflate them.
If you plan on smoking the meat, you can skip over these additional air drying steps and jump directly to the smoking section. Capicola does not need to be smoked, however, and can be used after thoroughly air drying it post-casing.
Note that the relative humidity of this last area should be between 70 and 80 percent.
In particular, consider using a kettle-style grill or a ceramic Japanese-style grill that looks like an outdoor oven. Other great options include a water smoker or large pit smoker with a chimney and separate fire box. [3] X Research source
Leaving the dampers open at the beginning can help dry out the casings. You can, however, close the dampers until they are only a quarter of the way open once the casings feel dry. Doing so will apply a light amount of smoke to the meat.
This process causes the casings to shrink and cling to the meat.
Once the capicola has finished drying, the process is complete. As long as proper procedures were followed, this deli meat should be ready to shave into slices and enjoy.
