Salumi Palooza Jan, 2025 (Culatello 2024)

[indaswamp]

Cased and trussed the Calabrian Lonzino this afternoon. No pics. of the process, but did get one after I was finished...

Got the Nduja loaded in the smokehouse for Cold smoke tonight...using some fruit wood pellet dust in my large tube...

And one more wine massage on the Culatelli....I stuff them tomorrow!

 

[uncle eddie]

Just got back from vacation and have flagged this thread for in-depth study. Will get through it this weekend. Thanks for posting!

 

[indaswamp]

First night of cold smoke on the Nduja done. Pic this morning when I pulled them....

And now for the Grand Finale!!! Time to truss my obsession....the Culatelli! Pics. tonight of that process,,,,stay tuned!

 

[indaswamp]

Thought I posted a pic. of when I pulled the Nduja from the smokehouse from the first session of cold smoke. But looks like I did not, so here it is....

 

[indaswamp]

Saved the best for last.....the Culatelli!! First one was rather large. I chose the largest bladder I had, having blown them up with a stainless steel straw to have a look at the size.

It barely fit! Only about 1/2" of overlap. but made it work! Sewing this one was tricky. Had to be careful and go slow so the bladder did not rip. Using the pricker to hold the bladder together worked extremely well...

The only trim piece I had to cut was at the top of the bladder....

Culatello #1 Trussed....

Second one, bladder had about 2" of overlap....

Sewn together, shaped as I went...

Culatello #2 Trussed....

And inda old chamber for salt equalization @ 36-42*F for 3 weeks....

That is the Calabrian salami hanging out in the old fridge until it loses about 15% weight loss to prevent further fermentation when moving to the big chamber. All that pepper powder is equivalent to about 5g./kg sugars......

 

[indaswamp]

Had dinner plans tonight so will hold off on second round of cold smoke for the Nduja. Will do that tomorrow night. No worries....no rush.

Made with some of the leftover Nduja from stuffing the salami....
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t...redo-sauce-over-garlic-wilted-spinach.330359/

 

[checkdude]

Each and every time I read your posts I'm left speechless, shaking my head. I love food and cooking (sausage making included) but seeing yours artistry leaves me humbled and reminds me how much I have to learn. Thank you, thank you, for leting all of us follow your steps. Hopefully some of it will rub off one day. Small steps, small steps....

 

[indaswamp]

Each and every time I read your posts I'm left speechless, shaking my head. I love food and cooking (sausage making included) but seeing yours artistry leaves me humbled and reminds me how much I have to learn. Thank you thank you for let all of us follow your steps. Hopefully some of it will rub off one day. Small steps small steps....

A humble Thank you checkdude. Progress- not perfection. Everybody starts with baby steps. I have had my share of failures. First Culatello I attempted did not dry properly, sour middle and had to throw it away. It was off a pig I bought for $100 that had not been fed correctly. But-lesson learned. I have spent a LOT of time learning...both by doing and researching. Even building my large drying chamber taught me some things about the proper environment for both whole muscles and salami.

 

[indaswamp]

Guanciale is finished curing so I added a string to each and hung them in my old chamber...only thing left is 2nd round of cold smoke on the Nduja, and to smoke the bacon in about another week or so....

 

[indaswamp]

My brother stopped by while I was trussing the Culatelli.....I asked him to snap a couple pics. For you guys. As you go around trussing, parallel the string where you want to make the next loop knot around a vertical line...

Then pinch it down with your thumb to hold pressure....then pull the horizontal wrap string you are working with under the vertical string to complete the loop knot. Move on to the next and repeat.

 

[indaswamp]

2nd round of cold smoke done on the Nduja last night. Low of 55*F so perfect conditions for cold smoking salami!

 

[indaswamp]

Weighed some of the pieces tonight. Mold coming on strong on the Pistachio and Lemon...9 days into drying; 10% weight loss so far. Now it'll really start slowing down.... Soppressa di Veneto is not far behind the Pistachio.....

Up close...

And the casings on the ends of the Coppardo...

 

[indaswamp]

I learned some stuff watching this video... Nduja at 60/40 fat to lean will dry with a firm texture. You need at least 80% fat for it to remain soft....and that is how it is made commercially.

 

[WstTxSmokes]

This looks amazing! You should be on next years 2 guys and a cooler month! Its my goal to eventually try a cured meat, but it looks above my skill level.

 

[indaswamp]

This looks amazing! You should be on next years 2 guys and a cooler month! Its my goal to eventually try a cured meat, but it looks above my skill level.

Cajuneric is a member on SMF. I consider him a friend. We have had many conversations back and forth about salumi. He featured 2 recipes on Celebrate sausage. Last season it was the Pistachio and Lemon. He did a great job with it on his show. As far as skill level...it is mainly acquired knowledge. Hands down the BEST book out there is by Stanley and Adam Marianski, The Art of Making Fermented Sausages ; about $15 bucks....best money you can buy to learn how to do it right and safely.

 

[indaswamp]

I took all my Culatello covers (old mold covered salami casings) and did a long 72 hour soak in 50/50 vinegar and water solution to clean all the old molds off. After 2 years, had some wild molds start growing...not too bad, but time to regenerate good mold. I then laid them out to dry on racks.

Today, time to re innoculate with mold 600. I am using old mold covered casings cut in roughly 1" squares in 2 gallons of water with a little salt and dextrose in a tote. Add squares until the water smells of mold. I think I used 20-30 or so....mix until the water is a little cloudy and the mold spores release from the squares of casing.

Then add the Culatello cover casing to re innoculate with mold...

Will cover and let soak probably 24+ hours....

 

[indaswamp]

I forgot to post the ratio breakdown on the salami...

Pistachio and Lemon...
1,5kg. lean class 2 shoulder
2kg. lean class 1 loin, tenderloin, and ham
1,5kg. back fat

Soppressa di Veneto...
3,5kg. lean class 1 loin, tenderloin, and ham
1,5kg. fat (1000g. belly; 500g. Back)

Soppressata di Calabria...
3,5kg. lean class 2 shoulder
1,5kg. fat (500g. Belly; 1000g. Back)

Nduja...
Roughly 20% lean scraps (rib, flank, rough scraps)
roughly 80% fat...50% soft inter-muscular fat and 50% back fat

*edit to add:
Meat classification for salumi here:
https://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-making/meat-selection/classes

 

[indaswamp]

I am kicking myself now....I had wanted to save the cavity lining on the ribs. The Italians pull this off in one big sheet and save that membrane. It is called sugna in Italian. They use it to cover the ends of panchetta and other rolled cuts. I wanted to use it on the Coppardo. Oh-well, have to remember next year.....

 

[uncle eddie]

This is where I sit back and watch the artist, in his element! This has been a great post so far...

 

[indaswamp]

This is where I sit back and watch the artist, in his element! This has been a great post so far...

A humble thank you Uncle Eddie! I m trying to show the whole process...for those interested in learning. Tomorrow will be 14 days on the bacon cure, but will wait until weds. to cold smoke. Have a front rolling thru with nighttime temps. down 40-50*F for 4 nights....perfect for 4 nights of cold smoke.