Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Okay, so I'm on a bit of a preserving bender.
I am marinating some beef for jerky as I type, just ordered some curing stuff for homemade small goods and bottled my first two bottles of preserved beetroot last weekend. I also went to a friend's house and we cut up some pigs and made some sausages (I got to do that thing where you tie the sausages in bunches... some weird sized sausages in THAT lot!). I'm going to make bacon out of a shoulder of pork when my online curing stuff order gets here too!

What else can I do??? I'd love to try home brew something but I don't know what to do or what stuff I'd need to do it. I want to get the smoker which is gathering dust in dad's shed and have a go at hot-smoked sausages.

Does anyone else do any of this stuff?

I just packed some dried apples this morning, waiting on the mangoes to ripen up so we can dry about 15kg of them

I do some canning mostly tomatoes, tomatoe sauces, chili tomatoes and spegetti sauce. I also did some canned okra and veggies kinda like quick gumbo without the meat. Also some pickling, ocra, eggs, franks, peppers. I canned peaches and pears. I use the Ball Blue book as a guide. I did some venison Jerky but it came out too dry and crunchy, there is like no fat in venison. I need to work on my times. I have a charcoal smoker and made smoked deer sausage.
I made a couple batches of beer, it came out ok for dark beer. I do make my share of homemade wine. Kiwi wine I label as passion fruit wine. My buds are always on me to make more of that stuff as they claim their wives really like the stuff! I make strawberry, peach apple orange blackberry elderberry and honey meade wines. I'm starting to get brave enough to make sparkling wines and champains. Got to be careful with that because broken glass can be hard to get out of the sheetrock!

I've smoked some of my fish. The smoked jade perch dip that I made was fantastic. Recipe and pics are in the second edition of the BYAP Magazine.

Would like to try canning - and will one day buy a big pressure cooker/canner for the purpose.

- though I have no idea what a sheetrock is

When I used to make a very full on alcoholic ginger beer - I always used champagn bottles (for strength). You can buy crown seals for them.

Make jerky for dog treats. And have made beer and spirits. Will be doing a little pickling later.

Gyprock VB

Yay!

Canning would be cool. Probably just as fun as bottling... for now I'm happy with my little fowlers unit I am looking at the fruit trees... waiting, waiting. Also, the thornless blackberry is covered with flowers this year. Might have to do some jam if OH doesn't put them on his icecream before I get to them

I dried some apples not so long ago but left the skins on and they came out too hard... lesson number one. Mango sounds like YUMMO.

I'd love to make wine. I have a kiwi plant but its still young. No fruit yet. I have a bunch of young tamarillo plants too, I'd love to make wine from those... what is involved?

What chips does everyone use for smoking fish? Can you use any chips?

Hickery and others.
But I still use Jarrah.

Aha, I see.

Are there many brewers here? How much beer would I get from a coopers kit? I reckon I'll have a go at it.

I use the pellets (BBQ Delight brand). I found the savoury herb one to be good for the fish - but haven't tried others yet, so they may be better .

The savoury herb one has Oak, Oregano, Rosemary and Thyme in it (remember me to one who lived there ).

I'm guessing you could dump your own herbs in the dish with any chips you get... right?

Alex is a brewer, he makes ruly noice cidre he's nearly a professional

F&F is also a brewer os fome renown

+1 x 2
sampled and passed by the management!

Home brew beer is the best,




Got about 10 times that now

Each brew makes nearly 3 cartons of beer, and costs under $20.

It is extremely easy to make beer.