Culatello 2023!

[indaswamp]

Here is a pic. of a Spalla Cruda being tied in Palasone, Italy...

 

[indaswamp]

Your trussing is like art. Looks really good! Can't wait to see the final product.

Thank you Kvgsqtii, appreciate the comment. Though I think I'm a little too much of a perfectionist at times....I do strive for improvement with each piece.

 

[indaswamp]

Here is a picture of Culatello trussed in Italy...

I think I did good trussing this year...

 

[indaswamp]

Your trussing is like art. Looks really good!

I learned from the Maestro himself- Massimo Spigaroli; watching youtubes of him teaching a class how to truss a Culatello. Massimo is President of the Culatello Consortium and built the Culatello Museum at Antica Corte Palavacina where he processes his Culatello to hang in a 800 year old cellar built in 1300A.D.

 

[indaswamp]

Today marks the end of the dripping/salt equalization phase at low refrigerator temps; 75-80%RH. Now a slow ramp up in temps. to between 10-15*C for the first mold fermentation phase to get an explosion of mold growth going which will infuse the enzymes into the meat for flavor creation...

Mold growth starting off great!

 

[civilsmoker]

Man you have skills!

 

[indaswamp]

Mold coming on very strong...ammonia smell is intensifying In the chamber so this is good, means flavor creation is kicking into overdrive and the mold enzymes are going to work....

Made some new Culatello covers from the Calabrian Casings that had just finished drying. Put the mold side towards the Culatello...

 

[indaswamp]

Well, the first mold fermentation period is over,

now to drop the temp. down to 38-44*F with 85%RH for 4 months for the first winter period and let the fog do it's thing. Right at 18% weight loss and the rate should slow dramatically now.

 

[Hockeydudde]

Lookin awesome. Late to the party, but following along.

 

[indaswamp]

Well, it was time to start raising the temp. in the chamber up from 38~42*F to 48-56*F in preparation for a rise in temps. to the summer phase. Weight loss is right at 29% so should be around 35% or less in another 2 months when summer phase starts. This is when flavor creation goes absolutely crazy!!!

pic....you can see the drying lines deepening where strings are...