Hi Guys
Total newbie here to the joys of curing meats. I have a couple of issues that i could really use some help with,heres the first !
I hung some salami as per ruhlmans recipe on March 5th and today i pulled one out to check. The exterior doesn't feel exceptionally hard but the inside is definitely softer than i would have expected. Its cured but i fear not enough. I have noticed a lot of people mentioning vac packing which i can do, is this a good way to resolve this problem?
The second issue i have is mould, I noticed chalky white mould appearing on my salami and on my pancetta about 2 weeks ago( which i know to be a good thing) however just recently i noticed some fluffy white stuff appearing which i know is not good, I wiped them down with a rag soaked in vinegar but the mould has reappeared and today i noticed the pancetta has a worrying green mould appear i definitely know this is not good i cut of the offending part and cleaned again with a rag. The pancetta is cured at this stage and won't be eaten raw, However considering the appearance of the green mould is it still safe to eat? seems like a heartbreaking waste to throw out but i need to know if this is my only option?
My chamber is a converted shed with cedar panelling on the inside and up until this point there has been no ventilation ( I'm figuring now this might be a big part of my mould problem as the air is not moving), I'm thinking the mould spores aren't leaving because of the lack of air flow. I am set to remedy this with a room to room type extractor fan and an operable heat register grill to allow stale air to be removed and fresh air drawn in.
I have been running my chamber as follows
HR 78 +/- 5
8-10 degrees
i haven't been using any sort of fan.
so these are my issues, I'm hoping someone out there can give me some pointers and how to fix these issues.
i know it work out right every time and any help would be great. also, can anyone tell me how the heck tp upload pictures to a post !! i can't see to do it
many thanks in advance
BCSG