honest question.. Why UMAI?

[dernektambura]

Honestly, I am not trying to be jerk or put down anyone's practise, but by reading about UMAI I do question purpose of UMAI...
I have been drying, curing and cold smoking long enough to plea guilty for animal cruelty.... seems to me UMAI is waste of money knowing that I get same or most of the time better charcuterie results doing old traditional way.... ok, I do use zip-lock bags nova days and I am sure my grandpa would smack me (if he could) over the head from the heavens for using them...
Here is tested, for generations, the way to charcuterie without UMAI and with ziplock bag...It's all about temperature and humidity...
1. Get your meat..
2. Mix your cure and rub in to meat...
3. Place the meat in to ziplock bag and use the straw to draw the air out
4. Place the bag in to cool environment... one day curing in meat own juices per 1/4" thicknesses of the meat...
5. 12 hours desalination in cold water.. .
6. Rub the meat with spices if you like spices....
7. Hang the meat to dry @ 12 - 18 deg. C untill meat loses 30% of original weight....
8 Hope that white mould accumulate on meat... white mold is essentially penicilin and it is good sign that meat is healthy...
Why UMAI?

 

[Saline_Smoker]

I see the use of UMAI as a great way for people to do dried salami/sausages when they don't have a drying chamber.

I mean, the real issue is having a place to dry out the stuff slowly (to prevent case hardening and your salamis rotting in the middle because the moisture can't escape properly), at a consistent 54-58ºF and 75-80% relative humidity (to hang and dry the traditional way) - and that really means having a drying chamber which isn't practical for a lot of people. On the other hand, throwing some UMAI bags in the fridge most people already have and not having to concern yourself any further with controlling temp, humidity, or mold growth makes making these types of salamis/sausages far more accessible.

 

[dernektambura]

ok I got that but all I have is the simple cold cellar underneath my front porch and I control humidity with cheap ass 35$ humidifier in the summer time....Seems that UMAI is more expensive than meat itself....

 

[Saline_Smoker]

Yeah, they're not always the best/cheapest way to go - but once again "the real issue is having a place to dry out the stuff" - and while you're indeed lucky to have that; the crux is not everyone has a root cellar/basement/room for an extra fridge/lives in a climate where temps and humidity are stable enough.

Not advocating for them, or trying to be contrary - I've actually never used them myself. Just trying to give you a reason as I understand it, as to why some people do use them.

 

[dernektambura]

fair enough.. I was questioning logic behind using expensive way to charcuterie...

 

[HalfSmoked]

There is as always the old time way and then there is a new way. Both if done correctly will be satisfactory and as with everything food safety comes first. If you understand what you are doing and follow the complete steps to a T then they shall be fine.

Warren

 

[73saint]

I’m not sure I could do dry cured sausages here in the Deep South, without a dedicated curing chamber (which i don’t have the room for) or UMAi. So for me, UMAi is the only way to go. If I am wrong and there is a way I could incorporate the methods you refer to here in Looziana, then I’m all ears...

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Been there done that with home built cure fridge. Hate to babysit. (Savannah, GA) Went with UMAi after i replace dry controls. Have had 0 problems with UMAi salumi and charcuterie and i now live in S, FL in a 40' 5th wheel.

So why not UMAi?

 

[dernektambura]

Essentially applying cure 94% salt and 6% nitrite takes care of drawing the water out of cured meat and preserving botulism.... once moisture withdrawn and preserving is taken care of rest of the time it's simple air dry cure which cam be done in fridge, meat wraped in cheap cheese cloth...

 

[73saint]

This is why I UMAi

 

[indaswamp]

ok I got that but all I have is the simple cold cellar underneath my front porch and I control humidity with cheap ass 35$ humidifier in the summer time....Seems that UMAI is more expensive than meat itself....

Can't do that in most environments....especially in the hot south....

It is easier to do it the old fashioned way in northern climates.

 

[atomicsmoke]

I dont have experience with umai but if working as advertised you get textbook dried meats: uniformly dried.

My cold room dried meats, odl school, have some form of dry rim. Some more, some less depends on size and method. I am happy with them but they don't look as pretty as what i think umai produces.

Also, we have the convenience of the cold room, here in cod climates. Down south, if one does not have a curng chamber the fridge is the only option. Which, without umai, leads to failure.

 

[indaswamp]

Essentially applying cure 94% salt and 6% nitrite takes care of drawing the water out of cured meat and preserving botulism.... once moisture withdrawn and preserving is taken care of rest of the time it's simple air dry cure which cam be done in fridge, meat wraped in cheap cheese cloth...

There are other pathgens to be concerned with other than botulism in a hot climate...

 

[dernektambura]

Can't do that in most environments....especially in the hot south....

It is easier to do it the old fashioned way in northern climates.

Ok, that make sence... my cold smoke season starts with first frost on the ground and ends in march.....I did cure charcuterie during the sumer in my curing dedicated fridge with small humidifier and small set of two computer fans installed and I got very good coppa... that's why I am asking why expensive UMAi....

 

[dernektambura]

My cold room dried meats, odl school, have some form of dry rim. Some more, some less depends on size and method. I am happy with them but they don't look as pretty as what i think umai produces.

low humidity is reason for dry out outer ring..at low humidity surface dry to fast, shrinks meat surface pores and there is no way back to fix it... that's why humidity is the most important part during the air drying process.... it is not so much problem if thick casing is used as hog middles for example but it is essential if dryng meat for example using butchers net where meat is exposed to enviroment...

 

[dernektambura]

View attachment 388384
This is why I UMAi

Saint, that is mighty good looking..? Chorizo...?

 

[chopsaw]

I think most if not all members doing this type of curing understand case hardening . If what you do works for you , I'm all for it . Umai works great for what I have to work with , and looks as your question has been answered .

 

[73saint]

Saint, that is mighty good looking..? Chorizo...?

Soppressata. I’ve got a batch of pepperoni, salami and chorizo going

 

[dernektambura]

Soppressata. I’ve got a batch of pepperoni, salami and chorizo going

big chunks of fat throw me off... I thought its chorizo... good stuff...

 

[dernektambura]

I think most if not all members doing this type of curing understand case hardening . If what you do works for you , I'm all for it . Umai works great for what I have to work with , and looks as your question has been answered .

Sir, I am not questioning is it UMAi good or bad and I am not questioning other members practise.. As sure as hell it is not my intention to lecture or sway anyone practise one way or the other.. I am sympli asking why UMAi....You got the problem with civilised exchange of information so you trying to shut down this topic??