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I'd welcome any comments on using citric acid for cured chorizo. I've searched previous threads, and seem some recipes using it, but would like to check what it's typically used for - and whether there can be unwanted side-effects ("dry/grainy" texture of the chorizo was mentioned elsewhere).

I've made chorizo a couple of times before, never used citric acid, but used LS25 starter culture with some dextrose (24 hour fermentation at room temp). The chorizo came out really well, great flavour, but not any noticeable acid/sour "twang" to the meat which you often get with commercial products (and I rather like).

Questions:

1) Is it possible to get a bit of a "twang" just from LS25 starter culture (given suitable conditions for fermentation etc). Maybe I just need to get the fermentation right?

2) Is citric acid added mainly for the extra acid twang, to help acidify the chorizo contents (favouring the right bacteria), both of these - or other reasons?

3) Are there down-sides to using citric acid - e.g. the dry/grainy texture.

Many thanks for any comments and suggestions!

Howard

Howard

I made chorizo using the recipe posted by Spuddy (with the citric acid) - it turned out grainy, as I believe did Spuddy's. Without citric acid it apparently doesn't - hence if you look in the recipe thread there's now no citric acid in this recipe.

Whether the same would apply with other recipes for chorizo - I don't know.

Perhaps it's worth giving spuddys recipe (which uses LS-25) a try, I know others have found it to be very successful. It was posted by saucisson here:

http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopic.php?t=3176&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=90

I'll leave your other questions for others as I haven't done enough air dried curing to advise.

Hope this helps
Phil

Thanks for the feedback and the recipe link - looks good.

Feedback from any other chorizo makers would be welcome!

Howard

P.S. could you add a splash of lemon juice or vinegar to add an acid/sour note?

I've seen a recipe somewhere that uses vinegar - just checked - it's Rytek Kutas's. Wine, of course would be the obvious thing. But, I'm speaking from knowledge through reading, not through doing!

You may want to wait for replies by people who have more experience of salami type sausage making.

Phil

Last batch I made I splashed in some lemon juice, but I don't know the result yet.

Dave