Category: Salami

Hi,

This is my lastest salami used on free range pork using beef intestines. It is made using the same method as before. However, this time I have put in in the fridge at 9C and 60-80% humidity with door shut. Then the temp and humdity has been very constant at the start.

• 4450g Minced Pork – free range old white
• 14.42g pepper milled
• 14.42g fennel seeds milled
• 113g sea salt fine milled
• 11.33g Cure #2
• 10g white sugar
• 4 Crushed Garlic Cloves
• 4 tablespoons live yogurt
• 100ml Spanish Rioja

Now at 17 days they still seem a little damp on outside so I removed the bowl of water to allow skins to start to dry off. I am asssuming that after 17 days we are starting to get cured! I think it has helped having temp more even and has stopped any case hardening.

At 22 days still wet in there so I have opened the door a crack.

So at 4 weeks old with fridge off and open a crack for 1 week in the process to let some moisture come out they seem to be getting there. I have tested a smaller one and it is fine but I am going to leave that one for a week longer. Also the really long ones over a foot long are still quite soft towards the centre so they will need longer. However, if I slice a bit and rehang they will be ok. Also the temp has been between 10-15C and RH 60-75% approx.

Now found a tiny bit of green mold growing a few days later so I have wiped over with vinegar and dried off and then hung for a couple of days inside. They have gone all shiny and a bit harder as some fat ozzed out and melted. Now in the fridge for a week till back of holiday. Then back out for 24 hours to dry off again as they got a bit damp again and vac pack.

Total time = 5.5 weeks or 38 days.

Finished Weight = 3kg

Weight loss average = 33%

Each Salami is about 170g so I have about 18 little ones. In some cases the longer ones got cut in half before packing. Now in the fridge and some in the freezer!

Costs…

Pork Meat = £20

Skins = Ox Runners (Hank £12.99) used about half of these so £7 for this batch. (Estimated)

 Herbs & Spices = £4

Total Costs = £31 / 3000 = £0.01 per gram or £1.7 per salami if the salami is 170g at cost price!

Hence each Salami…..  add a bit on for equipment and string etc..!

This is my second salami and it has gone rather well. It is Italian based from a guy called “Spuddy” on https://www.forum.sausagemaking.org. It is quite basic and seems to work fine with naturel starter.

1. 2160g Minced Pork – general spare parts from whole pig
2. 7g pepper milled
3. 7g fennel seeds milled
4. 55g sea salt fine milled
5. 5.5g Cure #2
6. 5g white sugar
7. 2 Crushed Garlic Cloves
8. 1-2 tablespoons live yogurt
9. 50ml Spanish Rioja

Day 1 – All ingredients mixed ice cold and left till overnight 10pm to 2pm before stuffing in fridge. Stuff as normal sausage make sure they are really firm and make into either horseshoes or straight. Tie with string to leave a loop. (see image put on rail at 18C 50% RH above back door)

Day 2 – Next morning checked and range of conditions was 18-25C 30-47RH. It got warmer! At this point take a small camembert slice with god white mold. Scrape off outer mold and place in tepid boiled cooled water in mug with some sugar. Leave for a couple of hours to multiply. Strain solution and paint onto salami to promote white mould growth.

Day 3 – Hung in garage attached to house. The salami go in an old fridge (turned off) with door cracked open about 3cm. Conditions are 14.7-11C 71-43% RH. Also a bowl of water is placed at bottom of fridge which has a load of salt in it. This prevents it going bad and raises the RH.

Regular Checks

Wash your hands and then inspect daily at first give them a bit of a squeeze to promote moisture distribution. Push the horseshoe salami outwards to expose the crevice that forms. This prevents this staying wet and going blue moldy!

If you see any blue mold form, take out all the salami clean down fridge with bleach or similar cleaner I use flash wipes (make sure smell goes before putting back). Then wipe salami with vinegar (which stinks) and put back. This seems to work! But will kill the white mold too.

Final

In the end it took only 19 days to finish, then I vacuum packed it and fridged it. Seems best to peel skin before slicing and the skins come off really well as vacuum packing makes them a bit more moist. In terms of flavour you certainly can taste the garlic but it is nice and not too strong. Also might be nice with some chili as well. Fennel simply goes into background which is interesting.