Superlative Solomons Salami

[Vernon Smith]

Thanks Dave,
I've downloaded the article and it should be simple enough for me to put together. Definitely not for the Industrialised World but with a plentiful supply of coconut shell charcoal and fine wire mesh I think it will work well. Might me useful in outback Aus or some similar locations but not for spoilt energy-hungry Townies.

I will have to do some research on the temperature and RH in the cooler and publish the results with some pics. It is basically a box shaped frame of 2" X 2" timber with fine wire mesh inside and out. The spaces around the four sides and packed with pieces of charcoal and then sprayed with water. The wind blowing through in a shady location causes the chilling by latent heat of evaporation. The RH and drying of the Salami will be the critical factor. Might take several weeks to get some results but I'm game. Just off to stuff another 5 kg of salami and put it in the energy-hungry gas fridge.

All the best,

Vernon

[Zulululu]

Thanks Saucisson that is the same one I am talking about. If I remember right his beams were about 50mm with bird wire inside and out and the gap filled with charcoal , It stood on four legs with a simple hinged door (also filled). Cannot remember the roof and floor. I imagine one would need to fit some tubing that would work like a drip irrigation system to keep the charcoal wet at the top. A small wind turbine will push your air flow enough to get some decent cooling. What I do remember was that he would cut the salami and cheese and put it back in there and it was about a Meter square.
A lot of the farms around the area where I lived used to have them as there was no electricity on most of them, they had all kinds of things in them.
( it was kind of the fridge). If I get some more info I will post it .
Regards.

[Vernon Smith]

Yep, Zulululu that's exactly what the diagram shows. The base is solid (understandable) leaving 4 sides and the top filled with charcoal. I think the top might need a plastic membrane - or similar - under it to prevent water and/or charcoal bits falling inside, but I will work that out later.

I am thinking of a 12v computer fan inside to keep the air circulating. I don't want it to expel the cold air, just circulate it. I will rely on natural draught for evaporation to start off and see how efficient it is.

Suck it and see!

All the best
Vernon

[saucisson]

Please keep me informed

When I went on my honeymoon 21 years ago, I made a small evapourative cooler out of a cool box, a sponge, the car battery and a small fan to give us a cool box to keep food in while camping in the Pyrennees.

It didn't work very well.

Fortunately my marital skills were better than my DIY ones at that time

Dave

PS Jackie let me post this

[Vernon Smith]

Now the forum is operating again here is the posting that I posted a few weeks ago but became garbelled. The photo is a better one too.

The 5 kg of Salami that I mentioned in my posting last month has just come out of the fridge. It is a batch of "red" paprika salami and it lost about 45% of its weight in 3 weeks without case hardening. Tastes absolutely great. I haven't made the charcoal cooler yet - too busy - but I will try to get it ready for the next batch. Photo below of one of this batch. I recommend it to anyone who wants to give it a try. Don't worry about the paprika quantity just add whatever gives the "pasta" (that's what the Italians call minced salami mixture) a deep pink colour before stuffing the cases.




Anyway, 5 kg salami reduced to ~3.25 kg shared out with some friends hasn't left me with much but I haven't told anyone about the 8 kg ham that will go into the smoke house tomorrow
LOL
Vernon

[Zulululu]

Hi Vernon,
I am flying up to Zambia on Monday if I find a cooler I will get some pics. and more info on it. I may be going to work up there on the Congo border.
So will not be able to try out your salami which I am dying to do. But who knows they hunt in the winter and might get my hands on some game meat.

[wheels]

Hi Vernon
I saw this on a blog and thought it may be of interest to you. The brick and sand cooler looks interesting:

http://www.mixph.com/2008/04/evaporative-cooling-electric-free-refrigerators.html

Best Regards
Phil

[Vernon Smith]

Phil,
I tried to log on to the blog you mentioned but it does not connect for me, does it for you? If affirmative would you be so kind as to download it and post it on the forum or email it to me. Please advise.
All the best,
Vernon

[saucisson]

Try here Vernon, you can download the pdf:

http://practicalaction.org/practicalans ... cts_id=240

Dave

[Vernon Smith]

Tks David,
I didn't know it was the same PDF that you have me a few weeks ago. I will have to look into the matter more closely. There are no "non-mortar" bricks available here, only cement blocks. I have plenty so I can give it a try. The blocks are hollow so I can fill the cavity with sand but I am not sure about the desiccation of the Salami inside such a cooler. It might be a problem. Keeping vegetables fresh needs saturated humidity but desiccation does not. Any ideas?
Vernon

[saucisson]

I didn't realise it either. I followed the link in Wheels post and eventually ended up at the pdf download, but as I got there by a different route didn't recognise it.

Dave

[wheels]

Oops, I've just noticed

Phil