Calabrian Soppressata

[indaswamp]

Hard to believe the last time I made this was almost a year ago! It has become one of my favorites and is usually one of the first to disappear off the board at parties, so I am making a big batch this time around; 11.6Kg.

Class 1 Lean Meat (shoulder, loin, filet, belly) and Pork Fat (belly, back)...

The garlic infused wine to steep overnight...

The salt, cure, and seasoning...

Should end up with about a dozen salamis. Gonna hang them in my old chamber after fermentation with the culatelli. The chamber is set 41-46*F; 80-85%RH for winter phase so this will slow further fermentation to a crawl.

I get started grinding tomorrow....gonna be a rain day (matter of fact it is raining now). So if ya wanna follow along, more pics tomorrow.

 

[TNJAKE]

I'm in

 

[indaswamp]

Meat chilled then ground thru 8mm plate. I passed both the meat and the fat thru the 8....instead of stepping up to a 12mm for the meat since I was grinding belly, the added meat to the fat helps get a cleaner cut with less belly fat smear.

All mixed up, about ready to stuff...

Ended up with 11 salami 1000-1200g.
Stuffed salami...

tied, tagged, pricked, about to press between 3/4" cutting boards and (2) 5gallon buckets full of water for weight.

Bottom row...(6 salami)

Top row...(5 salami)

Using TSPX starter culture so should hit target pH of 5.15-5.2 in 36 hours fermenting @ 67*F.

 

[dls1]

Looks great. I was wondering if you were going to press them and I see you are.

Nice job, and I'm looking forward to seeing how you progress.

 

[indaswamp]

Looks great. I was wondering if you were going to press them and I see you are.

Nice job, and I'm looking forward to seeing how you progress.

Thanks dls1 . about 6 week to dry them to 35% weight loss...

 

[jcam222]

Yessir, I love soppresata

 

[indaswamp]

Recipe is posted here:
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/calabrian-sopressata.313906/#post-2310394

 

[indaswamp]

Yessir, I love soppresata

Me too!!

 

[indaswamp]

The pH after 24 hours fermentation @67*F is 5.41. Moving along nicely.

 

[indaswamp]

The pH @33 hours has dropped down to 5.31....Awesome. Looking good. Will transfer to chamber in the morning.

 

[indaswamp]

The pH hit 5.1 @44 hours of fermentation.

Transferred to my old chamber @41-46*F; 80-85%RH until around 15-18% weigh has been lost.

 

[LoydB]

Along for the ride. Looking good.

 

[Steve H]

In for the finish! Looking good!

 

[indaswamp]

Thanks Loyd & Steve! The Salami have lost 10.5% weight as of today so drying nicely...

 

[indaswamp]

Transferred the Calabrian today to my 42cu.ft. drying chamber...a.k.a. Norcini Nirvana:

All the salami have lost 15-18% weight as of today....now to dry @54-55*F; 80%RH until 35% is lost....

 

[dls1]

Looks great. How long in the drying chamber to hit your target? A couple months?

 

[indaswamp]

Looks great. How long in the drying chamber to it your target? A couple months?

Since these are pressed, they dry pretty fast. be ready in about a month..

 

[indaswamp]

The soppressata is at 31% weight loss as of today. Be another 7-10 days to reach target of 35%. But looking great so far! The mottled mold is due to D. Hansenii yeast which is a flavor forming yeast and helps to inhibit Staph. Aureus. Slight ammonia smell on the salami so this is a good sign of good flavor development.

 

[Coach JoeQB]

OMG... I am drooling here. Soppresata is food from the gods.

 

[indaswamp]

OMG... I am drooling here. Soppresata is food from the gods.

I always post a cross cut shot when it is done drying... check back in another 7-10 days....