Soppressata di Veneto...Done!!!

[indaswamp]

Northern Italian style Soppressata on deck. Pulled the last Calabrian from the chamber today. Got a double pack of butts on sale for $1.59/#; also picked up a half loin for $1.69/# and a double pack of tenderloins for $2.99/#. Then I went to my butcher and got some pastured berkshire back fat. Only bag he had was 11#. Ok, cool, now I got enough fat to make some Nduja too with all the scraps!! Awesome!

First- I pulled out one tenderloin and trimmed it down clean of all fat and connective tissue; class 1 meat. Weighed it, then calculated the salt and cure for it. Rubbed that on it and inda fridge to cure for 2 days...

Gonna also do Soppressata "Investida" which is a salami with a pork tenderloin in the middle; thus the reason for curing one tenderloin now. This salami will be stuffed in a beef bung. Hope I can center the tenderloin fairly well, I know some people have problems with that. I'll be sure to truss this one TIGHT to squeeze any air I expect to have in it working around the whole muscle in the middle.

So that's what is on deck for this weekend. Gonna try and trim all the meat tomorrow, maybe make the Nduja while I wait for the filet to cure, do the Soppressata Sunday.

 

[indaswamp]

Soppressata Veneto

(variation of Marianski's recipe)
https://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-recipes/soppressata
800g. Class 1 Lean Pork-shoulder, loin, filet
200g. Pork fat- back, jowl, belly

25.0g fine grain sea salt
2.5g. cure #1
0.64g KCl
0.08g KNO3 (potassium nitrate)

I am replacing the sodium nitrate with pure potassium nitrate here, thus the use of cure #1. The concentration is 800ppm/kg. which is below the max. limit of 2100ppm. The increased nitrates fuels stronger flavor profile by the staphylococcus bacteria. Feel free to omit this step and use the standard 0.25% cure #2. Total salt concentration is around 2.85% (potassium and sodium)

2.0g Black Pepper, medium grind
1.0g. Hot Calabrian Pepper flakes
2.0g. Black Peppercorns, whole
1.0g. Hot Calabrian pepper powder
0.1g. ground cumin (optional)
3.0g. fresh garlic sliced steeped in 10mL Soave White wine for 2 days

*check pH to figure out amount of sugars (dextrose and sucrose). Normally around 2.25g/kg. if initial pH is right at 5.75.

0.125g SM-194 culture in 30mL distilled water

Grind lean thru 12mm; fat thru 8mm plate. Stuff in 60-65mm casing. Mold 600 applied. Ferment 68*F for 36-48 hours. Check pH @ 24 hours with SM-194.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

Man I don't know how you get so much done Keith. You Rock!

 

[indaswamp]

I had something that needed my attention yesterday so only thing I got done was prep. work. Mixed up the seasoning, salt, and cure. Along with the Mold 600.

Ended up with 7kg. of class 1 meat for the Soppressata. Added 1.75kg. back fat for a total of 8.75kg. Shoulder, Loin, and filet...

Got busy this morning. After first grind of lean thru 12mm plate, I checked the temp. of the meat. still below 35*F so I grabbed the fat from the freezer; 27-30*F. I added about 20% of the lean to the fat and mixed it good. Ground that thru 8mm plate.

The meat helped to keep the fat separated instead of it all clumping together. Also gave the grinder more grab to push the fat thru with less smear. I like how that worked out.

All mixed up ready to stuff...

And in the fermentation can for the 12 hour dripping phase until I move stuff around so I can transfer to the drying chamber for accelerated drying.

 

[indaswamp]

pH after mixing in seasoning, salt, cure, wine, and culture was 5.74, so I went with 2.25g sugars; 0.75g dextrose and 1.5g. sucrose per kilogram mince...

 

[indaswamp]

Man I don't know how you get so much done Keith. You Rock!

Thanks Brian!

 

[indaswamp]

PH reached 5.15 today at 3pm after 27hours fermentation @73*F with the SM-194 culture using 2.25grams sugars; 0.75g dextrose and 1.5 grams sucrose per kilogram.

 

[indaswamp]

I checked the pH @ around 45 hours and it was holding steady @ 5.15... awesome. I finally figured out how much sugars to add after a lot of trial and error. Those meat science books really helped me dial it in. What I can say is that most recipes use way too much sugars! I find I rarely need more than 2.5 grams/kg. of sugars. And any culture using Lactobacillus acidilactici bacteria need even less! That strain is a FAST ferment bacteria even at 70*F where the pH will reach target in 18-20 hours! Very efficient at converting sugar to acid. I find the SM-194 culture hits target pH at 24-36 hours so not quite as slow as TSPX, but nowhere near as fast as Flavor Of Italy which has acidilactici.....

 

[indaswamp]

Soppressata di Veneto is done!

35% weight loss. Wow, great flavor with subtle heat from the calabrian pepper flakes and that distinctly bitter burn from the black pepper. This one definitely goes in the repeat folder!

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Outstanding.

 

[indaswamp]

Slight dry rim, but I have done everything I can to modify my current chamber, which is a frost free freezer, to lessen the degree of dry rim. Won't matter in a few more months as I will be switching over to my new 42.5cu.ft. double door cabinet for maturing salumi and salami in...won't have that problem to deal with any more....

 

[TNJAKE]

Man Keith that looks so damn good

 

[indaswamp]

Outstanding.

Thanks Rick! I like the addition of the loin and filet in this salami.

Man Keith that looks so damn good

Thanks Jake! It'll be even better as that fat ages! Give it 2-3 months.....

 

[Rafter H BBQ]

Keith, that looks awesome man! Nice work!

 

[indaswamp]

Keith, that looks awesome man! Nice work!

Thanks WaterinHoleBrew!

 

[captainjosh]

Keith, what kind and size casings do you use?

 

[sawhorseray]

Some darned fine work there Keith, has me thinking of making a pizza! RAY

 

[indaswamp]

Keith, what kind and size casings do you use?

Those were 60-65mm Beef middles. I also use 50-55mm beef middles. Most all my salami get stuffed in those casings.

 

[indaswamp]

Some darned fine work there Keith, has me thinking of making a pizza! RAY

Thanks Ray. Sorry for the late reply, no service at the deer camp in Arkansas...I just got home from a 9 day vacation and doing come catching up.