Salumi Palooza 2026

[indaswamp]

Will smoke the Bacon somewhere around Fab, 15th...will have been 21 days on cure.

 

[DRKsmoking]

Just amazing.

David

 

[indaswamp]

So, my pH meter is not off. I had a slight technical issue when I was grinding the meat. I normally put the grinder head together prior to getting it cold enough to start grinding. Well after I sprayed all the parts down with star-san, I left them in the tote outside to soak a while, forgot to go back and assemble the grinder head. So next morning, when the low was 19*F, some of the star-san froze in between the threads on the grinder head. So when I tightened the assembly nut down, I got it tight, or thought I had it tight, but the ice stopped the nut from bottoming out on the grinder plate. I had a little bit of play in it. When I ground the soft intermuscular fat, I had a little bit of fat smear. That fat smear interfered with accurate pH readings....reading high 0.2-0.4 points in the Veneto and Sbriciolona. But having done this enough, and having made salami long enough, I know that the fermentation went to completion, and I know the pH is good. I got good readings on the Calabrian (T-SPX; pH 5.35) and the Coglioni Di Mulo (Mull Balls-SM-194; pH 5.27) so I know both cultures are good. And I know the sugar amounts were adequate to reach target, so I will trust my experience on this one. I also used super fresh pork with a much lower initial bacterial load-unlike commodity pork. I did buy an Apera, so now I won't have to worry about the temp. probe jack problem on the Milwaukee. Don't know if it will be worth sending it in to be repaired, as it is out of warranty. So for next year- I will make certain that I assemble the grinder head ahead of time prior to getting it cold.

All the test samples showed all the signs of good fermentation as well...

 

[indaswamp]

Today was the day I had planned to start cold smoking the country style bacon, but big squall line moving through overnight, gusts to 60mph. so will wait and start cold smoking tomorrow night. The extra day wait won't hurt. Also time to start raising the temp. in my old chamber from 42*F up to 52*F over next few days, then up to 58*F for about a week or two. This will cause a mold explosion which is what I want...get those enzymes going because once those enzymes are created and secreted into the Culatello, they go to work and stay working for 12-18 months creating flavor compounds. Pics. of the bacon and mold bloom soon. Also, The Calabrian will be finished drying in the next 10-14 days....

 

[DRKsmoking]

raising the temp. in my old chamber from 42*F up to 52*F over next few days, then up to 58*F for about a week or two. This will cause a mold explosion which is what I want...get those enzymes going because once those enzymes are created and secreted into the Culatello, they go to work and stay working for 12-18 months creating flavor compounds

Keith , you should find a hobby that will keep you busy ..... lol

David

 

[indaswamp]

Two nights of cold on the country bacon done.

Will resume cold smoking Saturday night when the temps. drop back into the 50's again...

 

[indaswamp]

3rd night of cold smoke done...

One more night tonight then I'll be slicing.

 

[SMOKEOCD]

Do you ever cure, smoke and dry the bacon or does that not give you complex flavors like the other delicacies you have going on?

 

[indaswamp]

Do you ever cure, smoke and dry the bacon or does that not give you complex flavors like the other delicacies you have going on?

Oh, Country cured bacon is dried. the cold smoke process is a drying step. I cold smoke at night here in the south when %RH is high, and temps are 35-60*F perfect conditions for drying and cold smoking. I also hold in the refrigerator during the day, and this also dries the Country bacon. Matter of fact, I cold smoked 2 nights, then the bacon sat hanging in the fridge for 2 nights, and now I am finishing up. So by the time the cold smoking and holding are done, the bacon will have lost about 15% weight. But-and this is key- it will not have the flavor development of true dry cured Salumi. That process is time dependent from the bacteria and mold enzymes breaking down the protein and fat...as well as the natural enzymes intrinsic in the meat itself at the time of slaughter. Those enzymes also keep working in the meat breaking down proteins. There is no mold and very little bacterial action on the bacon itself as the compounds in smoke inhibits both.

 

[indaswamp]

Now, if I wanted to, I could use higher salt and cure #2 in the bacon, then cold smoke it for many consecutive nights, then hang in my drying chamber and dry it as a smoked Pancetta Tesa (flat). And as a dry cured pancetta that is kind of like Speck.

 

[indaswamp]

Well, the country bacon is done smoking. 5 nights @12hours/night so 60 hours cold smoke with fruit wood pellet dust.

It smells awesome! Back in the fridge for couple of days to mellow the smoke, dry a little more, will slice this weekend.

 

[indaswamp]

Well, here are the other salami that have finished that I forgot to post...

Calabrian...

Coglioni di mulo a.k.a 'Mule Balls' Salami...

I give it an A for effort, but the eating experience is lacking because the fat I used is not pure back fat. It is two different layers, with connective tissue between them that is tough to chew. You can see the faint line on the fat showing the two different fats; and there is tough connective tissue between them. The fat I really need is the same fat used to wrap the Coppardo so I won't make this salami again at the same time I make a Coppardo


Soppressa di Veneto...

Dried to 42%... meant to pull it earlier, but life got in the way. Still excellent salami though.

 

[indaswamp]

But I do like the salami meat paste recipe in the Mule Balls Salami. Very good and will likely try again without the fat stick center. I actually made 2 of these salami without the fat sticks so looking forward to sampling those.

 

[auerjr]

They all look delicious!! Nicely Done!!

 

[indaswamp]

They all look delicious!! Nicely Done!!

Thank you auerjr!