Moved the Fiocco to the drying chamber...

[indaswamp]

It has been in the vac bag dry brine in the fridge since Fed. 14th. so enough time has passed. Got it wrapped with collagen sheet in the net and trussed. Weighed, mold applied and in the chamber.

Chamber pic...

3 coppas on the right, Campania salami (notice how orange this salami is after the casing cleared up from drying...) in front, Fiocco in the back on the left. I'll remove the paper towel on the floor tomorrow and wipe the floor with some vinegar from the dripping. Will add the Culatello in about 7-10 days...it should be ready by then.

Also- I put some duct tape over the bottom return vent as it was blowing directly on the product hanging. Should help....


Oh- also applied more mold to 2 of the coppas as they were a little splotchy on the collagen sheet.

 

[DanMcG]

Looks great. Thanks for sharing all your good stuff.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Your the salumi master.

 

[indaswamp]

Looks great. Thanks for sharing all your good stuff.

Thanks Dan. I make this stuff to share it with friends and family. But this damn Covid crap needs to end so friends and family will feel more comfortable gathering in large groups like we use to do.....

Your the salumi master.

High compliment coming from you...Hell-you know more about this than I do! One thing is certain though-the more I learn, the more I see that I don't know! This is a huge subject with so many things to be mindful of when making a salami.

I doubt my salumi will ever be as good as what Italy produces...I don't have the flora and fauna in my chamber like those places that have been hanging salumi for hundreds of years uninterrupted. But I'm trying....and doing my best...learning as I go. I really want to dial in my Calabrian Sopressata recipe though. I guess it was beginners luck because I used an astronomical amount of both pepper paste and powder yet the salami did not sour upon fermentation...and there had to be enough sugars to push it to pH4.5. Only thing I can figure is that the pepper paste I used had a preservative in it and killed the culture. I got a slight pH drop, but it was more than likely from the wine and acid in the pepper paste-not the culture. I will be doing some fermentation R&D here soon so I will have some baseline for pH drops from the ingredients in that salami. I'll post my results.....

 

[jcam222]

This stuff is fascinating to me and you are the zen master of it! Really enjoy your posts. I haven’t dipped my toe in yet as I am terrified I wouldn’t put out a safe product.

 

[indaswamp]

This stuff is fascinating to me and you are the zen master of it! Really enjoy your posts. I haven’t dipped my toe in yet as I am terrified I wouldn’t put out a safe product.

Education. That is the answer to your fear. Knowledge of the process and the safety hurdles. Creating a favorable environment for the culture bacteria, and an inhospitable one for the spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. It is a whole lot easier and more predictable now than it was 20 years ago with the cultures. You have an army of little safety soldiers when you dump just 1.5grams of culture/5 Kg. into your mince.

Buy the book The Art of Making Fermented Sausages by Marianski Brothers and start reading. Best $20 bucks you will ever spend on this subject for your education. It will give you the information you need to proceed safely. First salami you make-I recommend a fast ferment pepperoni. Lotta acid for the tang real fast for safety. Once your confidence builds and you learn and do you can branch out.

 

[indaswamp]

There are also bio-protective cultures that create antibiotics that kill/inhibit listeria and e. coli.....

 

[BGKYSmoker]

inda

Im still learning. The younguns come with new ways all the time.

 

[crazymoon]

IDS, I love your chamber and the goodies in it !

 

[indaswamp]

IDS, I love your chamber and the goodies in it !

Thanks crazy!

 

[indaswamp]

inda

Im still learning. The younguns come with new ways all the time.

...and the learning never stops... even after all we know, science still doesn't know exactly how the complex flavor develops in a Culatello. There are only 8 towns in Italy where Culatello can officially be produced because those areas are the only ones in Italy with the right micro climate for the perfect mix of microbes and molds for the perfect flavor profile. I am fascinated by each new discovery science is able to tease out on the flavor development...

 

[indaswamp]

Reviewing how to tie the Culatello.....THE SKILLS!!! Wow!

 

[indaswamp]

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Dang

I dont know that many people to give all this away.

 

[indaswamp]

Dang

I dont know that many people to give all this away.

I can't eat it all! And I enjoy sharing it with people that can appreciate it. It's not potato chips...and each bite must be savored to it's fullest extent. Most of my extended family can appreciate it....they make the wine, I bring the salumi and salami.

Now, I do have really close friends I won't waste the effort on. They just don't appreciate the complex flavor and would be just as happy with a hot dog.

 

[indaswamp]

Removed the sugna from the fiocco about 5 days ago. Smells incredible! Weight loss is about 39% right now...gonna let it keep drying, though it is losing weight faster now without the sugna.