Click here for Charcuterie Workshops at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School in Gauteng.

Charcuterie Workshops around South Africa

In 2022, for the first time, the Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School Team did a series of Charcuterie Workshop roadshows around South Africa.

To read What Tony Jackman of Daily Maverick wrote about our Cradock workshop, click here

Workshops planned for 2024

For 2024, due to numerous factors, we will be concentrating, from May to September, on workshops from out teaching kitchens at Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School in Gauteng. We have one workshop scheduled for Mpumalanga and Limpopo:

• 27-28 July – Hoedspruit – 2-day pork charcuterie. More….
  

In-depth 2-day charcuterie workshop

An introduction to the wonderful world of charcuterie. This hands-on 2 full day workshop, includes all ingredients and lunch on both days. In this charcuterie workshop we will introduce you to the basics of the 2 main arts of meat curing – whole muscle dry curing, how to make 2 classic pork sausages, and the basics of making salami. We do not cover brining in this workshop. R3 995pp or R2290 per day for only part of the workshop.

Techniques covered include:

Day one – Pork butchery and Whole muscle curing

• The science and theory of whole muscle curing – extensive notes and explanation of exactly how the process works including the use of different salts, drying and smoking techniques.
• How to break down a pig for charcuterie – hands-on demonstration of how to break down a pig carcass and the different charcuterie cuts;
• Whole Muscle Curing  – the basics of dry curing for pancetta, bacon and coppa;

Day two – Making of Sausage and Salami

• The science and theory of making wet and dry sausage – extensive notes and explanation of exactly how the process works including salting, spicing, cultures, grinding, filling and drying.
• The basics of making 2 perfect pork sausages –  for two very different classic pork sausages;
• Meat fermentation and how to make a basic pork salami – how spices and preservatives work, and grinding, stuffing and drying a classic salami.

Free-range Pig Husbandry and Processing Workshop

2-day workshop  – R2990pp for both days or R1990pp per day.

This Workshop will give you a unique insight into raising pigs on pasture from birth to slaughter, processing and marketing.  Participants get a unique window into what pasture is all about, as well as the impact pigs have on pasture and how to manage pasture for maximum return. We will also walk you through the entire slaughtering process, from dispatching a pig humanely, to cleaning the carcass and butchering. More…..

Day 1 – Slaughter demonstration – An early start where we do a full live demonstration on dispatching a pig humanely, scraping, cleaning and disemboweling the carcass, and preparing for chilling down and processing the next day;  

For the remainder of the day we concentrate on free-range pig husbandry. This will include a detailed practical demonstration of exactly how we successfully farm free-range pigs on pasture, followed by an in-depth presentation, notes  and Q&A session.

Day 2 – Butchery – the day will be spent doing a hands-on demonstration on how to break down a carcass and the various butchery cuts, and how to make two delicious sausages.

Beef charcuterie Workshop

In this hands-on 2 full day workshop, we will introduce you to the basics of the three main arts of beef curing, whole muscle dry curing and aging; brining whole cuts for corned beef and hot smoking; and how to make 2 classic sausages, and the basics of making droewors and salami.. ±R3 990pp. More….

Day 1

• Hands-on demonstration of how to identify the different muscles and the different charcuterie beef cuts;
• Different dry cures for biltong, cured loin, Bresaola, and dry cured brisket;
• Hands-on demonstration on how to prepare, apply, cure and age the different cuts of meat;
• The art of wet curing or brining, and how to make the perfect corned beef and pastrami;
• The secrets of hot smoking at home.

Day 2

How to make our champion traditional boerewors, spicy beef sausage, beef meat stick and salami.

• The science and theory of making wet and dry sausage – extensive notes and explanation of exactly how the process works including salting, spicing, cultures, grinding, filling and drying.
• The basics of making 2 perfect Beef sausages –  classic traditional boerewors, and spicy beef;
• Meat fermentation and how to make a basic beef salami – how spices and preservatives work, and grinding, stuffing and drying beef snack stick, Droewors and a classic salami.

In-depth 2-day Venison charcuterie workshop

Looking at both large (kudu) and small antelope (impala). R3 990pp 

Day 1  – the basics, how to break down and antelope, and whole muscle curing.

• Hands-on carcass breakdown and how to identify the different muscles and the different charcuterie beef cuts;
• Venison butchery for fresh cuts and how to cook them for the best results;
• Different dry cures for biltong, cured loin, Bresaola and dry cured brisket, followed by a hands-on demonstration on how to prepare, apply, cure and age the different cuts of meat;
• The art of wet curing or brining, and how to make the perfect corned beef and pastrami;
• The secrets of hot smoking at home.

Day 2 – How to make a selection of both fresh and dried venison sausages.

• The science and theory of making wet and dry sausage – extensive notes and explanation of exactly how the process works including salting, spicing, cultures, grinding, filling and drying.
• The basics of making perfect sausages –  classic traditional boerewors, and spicy beef;
• Meat fermentation and how to make a basic salami – how spices and preservatives work, and grinding, stuffing and drying meat snack stick, and a classic salami.

In-depth 2-day warthog/bushpig charcuterie workshop

Due to the potential of parasites and bacteria in warthog and wild pig we do not recommend dry curing of the meat, We do however feel that it lends itself perfectly to brining and hot smoking which if properly done will eliminate any risk. This hands-on 2-full day workshop, includes all ingredients. In this charcuterie workshop we will introduce you to the basics of the 2 main arts of meat curing – whole muscle wet curing (or brining), how to make 2 classic sausages, a spicy hot smoked sausage and the basics of making cookked salami using batch packs. We do not cover dry curing in this workshop. R3 995pp.

Day 1 – Warthog/bushpig butchery and Whole Muscle curing

• How to break down a warthog/bushpig for brined pork – hands-on demonstration of how to break down a warthog carcass and the different brining cuts;
• The brine – An introduction to the wonderful world of brining meat and wet curing hams. We’ll introduce you to different brining mixes for various cuts to make salt pork, shoulder hams, gammon, hot smoked belly bacon, and kassler-style smoked loin;
• Hot smoking – how hot smoking works, smoking times and how to build a simple hot smoker at home;
• Gammon cooking methods – stove top and oven methods of how to cook the perfect juicy gammon.

Day 2 – Making of Sausage and Meat Sticks/Salami

• The science and theory of making wet and dry sausage – extensive notes and explanation of exactly how the process works including salting, spicing, cultures, grinding, filling and drying.
• The basics of making perfect sausages –  for 3 very different classic sausages, a plain, fruity and hot spicy Spanish style;
• Meat fermentation and how to make meat sticks and salami – how spices and preservatives work, and grinding, stuffing and drying a classic large batch cooked salami, using commercial batch packs and a spicy hot smoked meat stick.

 

Advanced 2-day sausage and salami Workshop

More complicated processes and advanced spicing for truly unique sausages and salamis (participants in this workshop must have attended our 2 or 3 day introductory workshop so they have a good understanding of the basics of sausage making and fermentation for salami).  R3 990pp or R2 290 per day for any one day of the workshop:

• • Day 1 – Sausages We’ll show you the principles of how to interpret, adapt and develop a sausage recipe, and share 10 of our favourite sausage recipes with you. In the workshop we’ll make a selection of sausages from around the world including Thai Sai Ua, Mexican Chourizo, Greek Feta and mint, North African Lamb Merguez and American cheese griller.

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  • Day 2 – Salami Advanced dried sausage/salami making of 4 very different salamis from citrus flavoured venison salami, and hand crafted mini Italian salamis to Spanish chourizo, Pepperoni and the spectacular fiery Italian Nduja spreading salami.

To book Contact Cilla on 076 236-2345 or cilla@wickedfood.co.za

For more information on the charcuterie workshops contact Mike 060 761-0885.