Purposely dried pepperoni sticks?

[diyelker]

So, most of the snack sticks and summer sausages that I've made end up having the same consistency or moisture level and I'm not unhappy with it. It's good stuff.

Now. I recently had a pepperoni snack stick from a well known meat market from the south Seattle area. It is dry. But not in a bad way. It's good. Easy to bite and it is just a fantastic snack stick. How do they get it this way? Dry, but not dried out or crispy. Do they just hold at temp longer??? My texture is nothing like theirs. I'd like to be able to make it both ways. Any thoughts/ideas? Thanks guys/gals.

 

[JckDanls 07]

I'm not sure what the answer is... NEPAS would be the one that could answer this... Also you would get more answers if this was under the sausage forum instead of wild game...

 

[chef jimmyj]

They use a different process than snack sticks. They likely add a starter culture followed by Fermenting at around 90°, They also add Cure #2, age and dry in a controlled atmosphere Curing Cabinet until the weight drops by 30%. This gives a bit of tang and the chewy but tender consistency...JJ

 

[BGKYSmoker]

You can make good pepperoni with cure 1 with added fermento or eca. For a semi dry pepperoni you can fridge for 4-5 days in a paper bag in the fridge, this will pull some moisture from the meat. Keep in mind though using cure 1 your shelf life will not be as long and will need to stay cold. Try to stay away from a zip lock bag, it creates moisture and will spoil.

90* fermenting is too high. Ideal is between 70-82*

 

[diyelker]

Thanks guys. I suspect that you are correct. I've never made anything like this. Is it a difficult process? It seems like a lengthy process that must be monitored closely? And, I posted in the wild game section instead of the sausage section because that is what I'll be using. Venison/pork.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Thanks guys. I suspect that you are correct. I've never made anything like this. Is it a difficult process? It seems like a lengthy process that must be monitored closely? And, I posted in the wild game section instead of the sausage section because that is what I'll be using. Venison/pork.

Making dried salami and such is not hard. I am a full time RVr and have made without fancy equipment with great results. You will need the right tamps and humidity. Also look into the UMAi charcuterie bags, Easy to use and results are great. With just about all the dry process it can take anywhere from a couple weeks to months (depending on size of product)