Cacciatore

[NCPaul]

Cacciatore
Based on Paul Bertolli's formulation in the excellent Cooking by Hand.


Pork shoulder. 1945 g
Fat back. 325 g

Ground through very course plate then mixed with

Salt 52.2 g
Cure #2 5.7 g
Black pepper 5 g
Dextrose 6.8 g
Coriander. 2.5 g
Garlic powder. 4 g
Fennel. 4 g

Added last:
SafePro F-LC 0.9 g

Hog casing 40 mm

pH (46 hrs. at 72F) = 5.2

11/9 2230 g
11/21. 1706 g (23.5 %) 46F/ 78 %
11/30. 1265 g (43.3 %) 46F/ 68 %
12/9. 1083 g (51.4 %)

This has a straight forward taste that says Italian salami. I made it in a rope of links that I could give away whole at Christmas.

[wheels]

At what stage doe you consider they are at their optimum Paul. I note that you tend to take them over 50%, it seems a lot more than the norm?

I also note that this one has taken longer than some of the others?

[NCPaul]

These were done in 40 mm hog casings so a month does not seem too long to me. I did dry them more than my usual target of 35-40 %. I was going on feel and I wanted a small dry salami. The biggest downside of drying them to this point is that the salt taste has increased. I know I have tasted salami of this type in the past. The original recipe called for fennel pollen which I found in my cupboard only three days after I was forced to substitute fennel seeds.

[wheels]

Sorry, I missed that they were larger 40mm casings. It makes sense now.

Phil