Meat curing chamber

[tracyezzell]

So do I apply mold after I have cold smoked?

[Dave in AZ]

mrobisr spot on!
tracyezzell
Smoked salami is more a northern Europe thing, never seen in Mediterranean area where they didn’t need smoke for good drying temps. And I just don’t really like any of the smoked salami I’ve tried, few that they are. I did a pepperoni with a light smoke, didn’t taste as good to me… everything smoked tastes like snack sticks to me heh.
So far, if I’m taking the time to make real salami, I don’t want to waste the effort on stuff I don’t love. So mostly pepperoni, a lemon zest and pistachio one I got from Indaswamp over at Smokingmeatforums dot com. Hmm, some fermented pork roll that is then heat processed, which I have smoked lightly after ferment, but then cooked.
Oh, Lebanon baloney! Ferment down very acidic, 4.2 to 4.4 pH. Cold smoke 2 days at 75f or less, then not much drying needed. Or hot smoke 110 to 120f, 6 hrs. I’m in Phoenix, so I did the hot smoke since ambient was above 75f. This doesn’t need long aging at all, days if any, it is pretty moist but super tangy.

I see you typed while I was typing long… so yes, after cold smoke, you can apply mold 600 if desired. Or wipe with potassium sorbate as mrobsr said. Or nothing, and wipe down with vinegar if something grows, and you don’t want the white mold 600 flavor.

[tracyezzell]

I am making salmi I have both the mold 600 and bactoferm

[tracyezzell]

Ok I think if I’m applying mold I will forgo smoke I agree I would like to make it as traditional as possible

[tracyezzell]

How do you apply the potassium sorbate? Do you mix it in the meat or do you apply it after it’s cased?

[Dave in AZ]

tracyezzell just a surface wipe. Its an antibacterial surface treatment here, you don’t want to kill your culture by adding to meat.

[tracyezzell]

Can one of you send me recipe for a peppery slightly spicy, and a little sour for a 20 pound mix I think I have the basics but that’s exactly what I’m looking for and obviously you both have tons of experience

[tracyezzell]

I have 4 charcuterie books and I think it was easier making my chamber than picking my recipes lol

[Dave in AZ]

tracyezzell
That is a lot of meat to do salami on an untried recipe… most salamis are like 1 lb! I don’t like any salami enough to eat 20 lbs of it! I have usually just made 2 salami at a time, like 3 lbs total.

Here is my opinion on salami and “recipes”: they’ve been making this stuff for hundreds of years, to the best flavor they can. There is little or no need to experiment, and certainly not when just starting out. Making a salami is a BIG time and effort commitment, it’s not like throwing together a mango habanero maple brat and cooking and eating in 2 hrs. I recommend you just pick an existing, known salami, and make it. If you don’t know what you like, just go to a charcuterie store and buy a bit of several, then pick one.

Meanwhile, go over to YouTube channel, 2guysandaCooler, and scroll through the 70 or so salami he has made, listen to his tasting notes, may help you decide.

Salami flavor is developed from secondary ferments and bacterial processes over time…same way natural flavors like strawberry, pineapple, banana, clove, etc. are fermented and extracted. So I’d steer clear of crazy recipes and look to the culture as primary flavor. Tspx, flavor of Italy, FLC, etc have characteristic flavors.

I like firm, harder salami. So I like 1.5 to 2", so it dries faster and well, and I always go to at least 40% weight loss vs. More common 35%. Here’s ones I like you might try:

1. Sopressata. Similar to hot Italian fresh sausage in spices. Most purchased by me.
2. Felino. A 1.5" diam, peppercorn and wine. Good red color. I made this with a faster culture, FLC, which does a strong ferment…and I didn’t account for sugars in wine, so I got a pH of 4.5, pretty low and sourly. I liked it, and it matches your peppery sour taste. Mine was maybe a “mistake” vs normal Felino, but would make this way again.
3. Pepperoni. Main reason I built a chamber lol, I frigging love pepperoni. Good acid, good heat, peppery. My #1 go to always unless something convinces me to stray.
4. I like a Tuscan or Toscano salami, it has larger fat chunks I like, and is darker. Closest I’ve had to Lebanon baloney look, which I like.
5. I don’t like Genoa or Cotto salami.

Hope that rundown is helpful. Eric has 70 or more types, watch his videos

[tracyezzell]

Thanks Dave!! Will do and I may make 3-4 recipes at a time or what I can fit I also love pepperoni

[tracyezzell]

I think I mentioned to you Dave in another post I probably give 75 percent of what I make to friends, so I picked three salami, recipes and one pepperoni recipe. My question is with the pepperoni would you use mold or could you as a finished product will be cooked after initial cure.

[tracyezzell]

Or can it be completely cured to finish I’m using a recipe from Eric

[calldoctoday]

Dave in AZ Dave, that is great news! We may have to do smaller batches to make it work just fine, but granted, those 25 pound plus batches make for a whole lot of sausage, even if it is more efficient.

[tracyezzell]

Did you see my question on pepperoni

[Dave in AZ]

tracyezzell pepperoni… use of mold600 is always your choice. It protects against bad stuff growing on surface, but it adds a bit of flavor. Maybe you like that flavor all the time. I don’t mind it.
So, depends on your recipe and taste. Fully aged or dried, it is long enough mold600 is probably beneficial. Short ferment and you do a heat treatment for lethality, then maybe there is no time for bad mold to grow.

[tracyezzell]

It calls for heat at 20% loss and recipe is also preg 1 because of shorter cure I think I will follow this recipe on first try but I like the idea he also has a 2 hour heavy cold smoke

[tracyezzell]

What I was trying to say, is I like the idea of curing it all the way and going with the Prag2

[tracyezzell]

I’m gonna use beef medals unless you think that’s too big

[tracyezzell]

They are big but look awsome I got 5 one foot chubs

[tracyezzell]

Dave I just realized they sent me wrong culture for mold they sent the meat culture I won’t get the mold til Wednesday I’m starting fermenting today I guess it is what it is but do you see any issue with adding mold Wednesday and any advice on applying like wiping down with vinegar or just apply