Salami 101

[manticle]

So with bacon if you dont use pink salt will you still get the traditional colour and flavour?
Everything I can find says it will come out Grey and not have the same taste

When you cook it, it will lose its pink colour. The flavour will also differ but my experience of home smoked, un- nitrited bacon is superb. Amazing stuff. Like super kaiserfleisch. Try it both ways.

As for grey - it comes out the colour of cooked pork with nice browning if you fry it good.

 

[MattC]

And here starts my charcuterie journey. Thanks to Mercs, Manticle, Kaiser, Fortmonty and others for the friendly advice. Will let you know how it turns out.

Cheers

 

[rusty274]

Nice topic guys!

This my second year making salami. 1st time me and a mate got a 7kg shoulder of pork and got the butcher to bone it and mince it. We flavoured and stuffed them ourselves.

This year we may have got a little excited and got a 95kg pig from Springfield pork! It came in two halves so we had to break it down and mince it by hand! We enlisted the help from two mates.

We stared at 6:30am and finished at midnight! Ended up with loads of roasts, hams, pancetta, salami, belly, ribs and even Braun made from the head. It was a great day with a few drinks and plenty of nice food.

Salami and pancetta still hanging in the roof. Should be ready in a week or so.

Just hung some bresaola ( beef cured in red wine and herbs ) hope it works out?

Might see some of you guys at salamifest.

 

[Malted]

Would love to see some pictures Rusty274.

 

[fortmonty]

Looks like I'm making bresaola this year after all . A mate called me today saying he had some venison for me .

This is going to be very interesting . I'll let you know how it works out.

Cheers

 

[fortmonty]

And here starts my charcuterie journey. Thanks to Mercs, Manticle, Kaiser, Fortmonty and others for the friendly advice. Will let you know how it turns out.

Cheers

Looks good .

Good luck , drop me line if you need any help.

Cheers

 

[rusty274]

Here are some pics of my salami day.

 

[Malted]

Here are some pics of my salami day.

Charcuterie porn. Awesome stuff. :super:

 

[fortmonty]

You just gotta love pig.

 

[Malted]

You just gotta love pig.

 

[seamad]

Heads up for those interested, just got my copy of the revised and updated charcuterie by ruhlman/polcyn today. It was on backorder from the book depository until publication. Don't know how different it is to the original. Says in the foreword that commercial sausage ingredients have been removed and salt levels adjusted.

 

[pat_00]

Perhaps it's the cultures they refer to? Bactoferm or whatever.

 

[Mercs Own]

Heads up for those interested, just got my copy of the revised and updated charcuterie by ruhlman/polcyn today. It was on backorder from the book depository until publication. Don't know how different it is to the original. Says in the foreword that commercial sausage ingredients have been removed and salt levels adjusted.

Interesting and scary that the salt levels have been adjusted - does that mean in the first edition they are out?????? I made my first pancetta to his recommendations last year and it didnt cure due to not enough salt?

This year I just covered them in salt and they came out a treat.

 

[seamad]

Interesting and scary that the salt levels have been adjusted - does that mean in the first edition they are out?????? I made my first pancetta to his recommendations last year and it didnt cure due to not enough salt?

This year I just covered them in salt and they came out a treat.

Interesting to see how it's changed then. This ed has 2.25kg pork belly with 14g pink salt and 50g kosher salt and 26g dark brown sugar, then garlic/juniper etc.

 

[QldKev]

Heads up for those interested, just got my copy of the revised and updated charcuterie by ruhlman/polcyn today. It was on backorder from the book depository until publication. Don't know how different it is to the original. Says in the foreword that commercial sausage ingredients have been removed and salt levels adjusted.

There goes 35 bucks :lol:

Hopen tu gut mur edumacated frum tis wun

 

[seamad]

Is there any reason why I can't vacuum seal the pork belly ( for pancetta) up with the salt ,sugar, etc ? Haven't read anywhere of it being done so thought there might be a reason for it.

 

[Mercs Own]

Interesting to see how it's changed then. This ed has 2.25kg pork belly with 14g pink salt and 50g kosher salt and 26g dark brown sugar, then garlic/juniper etc.

If the accepted amount of salt needed to cure your salami is 3% to weight of meat ie 30 grams per kilo of meat then the equation above is not enough - yes he is using pink salt or instacure but.... I used 1/4 cup of salt mixed with my herbs and sugar and then rubbed all over my pork belly (1 1/2 kilo piece) Then I put that in a zip bag. What ever salt lay on the bench after doing this was binned.

 

[QldKev]

Is there any reason why I can't vacuum seal the pork belly ( for pancetta) up with the salt ,sugar, etc ? Haven't read anywhere of it being done so thought there might be a reason for it.

How would it dry out?

 

[seamad]

How would it dry out?

Just for the salt curing, thought it would keep the salt in better contact than just sticking it in a bag. Would take it out to air dry it.

 

[benno1973]

I vacuum seal mine, prevents it leaking everywhere.