Turkey Foot Trading Company and Forge

[Cruzatte]

Back in October, I was at our club's Fall Rendezvous, fixing my supper Friday evening. A fellow dropped by and asked about the bacon I was slicing. I said I got it at Turkey Foot Trading Company. It's great bacon, I told him, and doesn't need to be refrigerated. So you could throw it in your haversack and slice off what you need.

They sell other commestibles; green coffee beans, maple sugar, and more. I really do like that salt cured bacon. If you do order it, be sure to soak what you slice off before you cook or fry it. It adds a lot to beans, or split peas.

 

[azmntman]

I shall give it a try, geez just checked it out prices are very good, not much more than cracker barrel!). Have not had salt cured meat since grandpa sold the farm. NEED TO LEARN THAT SKILL

 

[bud in pa]

Just make sure that you boil it, to remove some of the salt before cooking with it, and make sure that your knife or axe is extremely sharp if you want to cut it. That was my exp0erience with it.

 

[Cruzatte]

... and make sure that your knife or axe is extremely sharp if you want to cut it. That was my exp0erience with it.

Quite so. The rind is on there good and proper!

 

[Black Hand]

Back in October, I was at our club's Fall Rendezvous, fixing my supper Friday evening. A fellow dropped by and asked about the bacon I was slicing. I said I got it at Turkey Foot Trading Company. It's great bacon, I told him, and doesn't need to be refrigerated. So you could throw it in your haversack and slice off what you need.

My only complaint with the piece I received is that it tastes/smells of the Burlap sack in which it was stored/cured. That oily, chemically Burlap taste/smell is very off-putting and has not faded with time. I have the greater part of the piece I ordered quite some time ago remaining because it I find it essentially inedible...

 

[Black Hand]

Accidental duplicate post.
No way to delete posts with this new software. Very annoying...

 

[Cruzatte]

My only complaint with the piece I received is that it tastes/smells of the Burlap sack in which it was stored/cured. That oily, chemically Burlap taste/smell is very off-putting and has not faded with time. I have the greater part of the piece I ordered quite some time ago remaining because it I find it essentially inedible...

Sorry to hear that, BH. I have to say I've not experienced that, myself.

 

[Black Hand]

Sorry to hear that, BH. I have to say I've not experienced that, myself.

I will likely order another piece at a later date. For the moment, I carry 4x4" pieces of slab bacon purchased from a local store (I request a side and cut/freeze in portions). I've carried this bacon in all seasons and for up to 3 days without refrigeration (as well as fresh meat).

 

[Cruzatte]

I will likely order another piece at a later date. For the moment, I carry 4x4" pieces of slab bacon purchased from a local store (I request a side and cut/freeze in portions). I've carried this bacon in all seasons and for up to 3 days without refrigeration (as well as fresh meat).

Every slab that I've ordered has been a little different. (I've ordered bacon four times.) Some slabs were fatter than others, some meatier than others.

 

[Black Hand]

Every slab that I've ordered has been a little different. (I've ordered bacon four times.) Some slabs were fatter than others, some meatier than others.

I'd prefer whomever cured the bacon sold by Turkeyfoot used sugar in addition to the salt for processing. This would help cut the harshness in flavor and allow some of the pork flavor to come through. In curing, salt and sugar function in a very similar way - by reducing the water activity to levels unfavorable/incompatible with bacterial/fungal growth. They also provide unique flavor profiles that complement each other.

 

[Cruzatte]

I'd prefer whomever cured the bacon sold by Turkeyfoot used sugar in addition to the salt for processing. This would help cut the harshness in flavor and allow some of the pork flavor to come through. In curing, salt and sugar function in a very similar way - by reducing the water activity to levels unfavorable/incompatible with bacterial/fungal growth. They also provide unique flavor profiles that complement each other.

Might be worth dropping them a note to suggest such.

 

[Black Hand]

Might be worth dropping them a note to suggest such.

What I would really like to see is cured and double-smoked bacon.

 

[tenngun]

All that I’ve gotten from them came in plastic bags sealed and wrapped in brown butchers paper then placed in the burlap. I’m a big fan of Turkey foot traders they have always given me great service.

 

[Black Hand]

All that I’ve gotten from them came in plastic bags sealed and wrapped in brown butchers paper then placed in the burlap.

My piece was wrapped in freezer paper and shipped in a Burlap sack - no plastic bag to be found.

 

[tenngun]

That might effect it. I buy 2-3 pounds a year just to take on treks and events and have had good luck with them.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I got a package from TF some years ago, and the bacon tasted too much like burlap. They have probably changed how they package theirs since then.
I get mine from http://www.broadbenthams.com/Hickory-Bacon-Slab-p4-5-Lbs_p/productinfo/101/, and with the shipping it's about $8.50 per pound of air-cured bacon.

LD

 

[OLD CROW]

reminds me ,as a kid of about 14 or so, I went snowshoe rabbit hunting (hare) we needed the meat.....
winter...would spend the night ''camped'' under an old sheet of canvas I kept stached in the cedar trees for such occasions. had some of granny's rock cakes ( called over done BANNOCK today).
after a poor nights sleep,i made hot tea (I'm Canadian EH!!) and cut a couple thick strips of bacon for breakfast. it sort of turned off white and bubbled and hissed ...... seems the local butcher had given me SALT PORK instead of bacon......wrapped up in brown wax paper.......never been BUSH without checking my larder since.... word of caution, DON'T EAT SALT PORK no matter how hungry you are,then drink hot black tea.......because you are now thirsty.......it gives PROJECTILE VOMITING new meaning......

 

[Sicilian Hunter]

I shall give it a try, geez just checked it out prices are very good, not much more than cracker barrel!). Have not had salt cured meat since grandpa sold the farm. NEED TO LEARN THAT SKILL

AZ,
I haven't tried this recipe yet myself but it is an excellent tutorial IMO.
I make something similar that wouldn't travel or keep as well called Grav Lox.
Its a Norse recipe for salt/sugar (50/50) cured salmon which is delicious


Good Luck!

The Sicilian

 

[Black Hand]

I make something similar that wouldn't travel or keep as well called Grav Lox.
Its a Norse recipe for salt/sugar (50/50) cured salmon which is delicious.

I add dried dill and fresh-cracked pepper to the salmon cure for just a little extra flavor.

A cure I've used with beef and venison with success (I believe it was from Muzzleloader Magazine):
4 parts salt (I use Sea Salt)
1 part sugar
Pack your meat in the mix and cure 2 days/lb in the refrigerator. Tastes great when freshly-made, thin-sliced and eaten alone or on crackers (or fried) - if the cured meat is left to dry at room-temperature afterwards, it will require a saw/axe to cut. I have a Venison shoulder and a piece of beef that I could used to pound nails....

 

[Sicilian Hunter]

I add dried dill and fresh-cracked pepper to the salmon cure for just a little extra flavor.

A cure I've used with beef and venison with success (I believe it was from Muzzleloader Magazine):
4 parts salt (I use Sea Salt)
1 part sugar
Pack your meat in the mix and cure 2 days/lb in the refrigerator. Tastes great when freshly-made, thin-sliced and eaten alone or on crackers (or fried) - if the cured meat is left to dry at room-temperature afterwards, it will require a saw/axe to cut. I have a Venison shoulder and a piece of beef that I could =used to pound nails....

Hand,
That sounds tasty !! I will give it a go!
In the Grav lox, they originally call for it to be covered in coarse chopped fresh dill.
Being a Sicilian, I have converted their recipe to my Mediterranean version to exclude the dill and added fresh chopped basil and garlic through a garlic press.
Biltong, made by the Boer settlers in South Africa is also worth trying out.
It uses a rinse of vinegar to start and a coarse ground coriander seed and black pepper dredge (among whatever other dry spices or sugars you might add) before hanging on hooks to dry.
Here in the west (on a similar longitude as Africa which is why Oryx thrive here) the meat dries quick (3-4 days inside) and the pepper keeps the flies off but it needs to be eaten while its still somewhat pliable, as your cured meat before, it turns in to a murder weapon!!
It can be made be out of just about any meat and I've even heard of fish being used but I've only used beef and cut in strips about 2 fingers wide and about a finger thick