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Hey Folks,

I was wondering why some people seem to cure meat before stuffing when making salamis.

For example this recipe here:
spuddy's easy salami - viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1050

and the salami recipe in this book:
Manual of a Traditional Bacon Curer by Maynard Davies

Both say to add the cure to the meat first and leave in the fridge for a few days, then stuff afterwards.

Whereas this one:
Charcuterie - Michael Ruhlman

Says to stuff straight away without the pre-cure step.

Just curious what's the purpose of curing the meat before stuffing, when it would cure inside the casing anyway? I noticed that the first two recipes don't call for adding any kind of starter culture, whereas the last one does. Is it anything to do with this?

Thanks

Welcome.

I can't answer for Spuddy, but in the case of the Maynard Davies salami, I assume that it is because the recipe uses saltpetre which takes time to start working on the meat. The Ruhlman recipe uses a cure that starts working on the meat almost immediately.

It should be noted that the level of saltpetre in the Maynard Davies recipe far exceeds that which would be allowed in a commercial product in the EU nowadays.

HTH

Phil

I think, like so many things, its matter of preference and habit.

Fermentation before stuffing is a very common approach as is letting some flavours develop in the air too.

May lead to subtly different end results (depending on other influencing factors on the way) but neither is right and the other wrong.

Personally though I wouldn't use either Maynards' or Michaels' books as entirely sound text to work from as published!

quietwatersfarm wrote:Personally though I wouldn't use either Maynards' or Michaels' books as entirely sound text to work from as published!

I'll second that!

Phil

Great thanks guys. Definitely clears things up.

Although if both the Maynard and Ruhlman books can't really be trusted, are there any better ones that you'd recommend? I've been following Ruhlman's basic recipe and not had much success so far after about 3 attempts! Though it's good fun trying

Yes, if you buy no other book, buy this one:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Home-Production ... 0982426739

PetesMeat, I don't know whether you're someone used to curing/sausagemaking or someone just starting out, but if it's the latter, I'd probably try some other meat projects before trying salami.

Bacon, fresh sausage, ham for cooking, pancetta, bresaola and other cured small whole muscles, are all simpler and add to experience before tackling salami.

That said, if salami's where it is for you, we'll try and help.

Phil

and 'the art of making fermented sausages' by the same team.

Excellent. I shall get both those books and get reading.

In terms of my experience, I'm a hobbyist and I'd say I'm reasonably comfortable making fresh sausages as I've been at it a couple of years now. But cured meats is new to me. I've built a curing chamber out of an old fridge, in a very similar way to how people on this forum and various other blogs seem to have done it. ie with a digital temp controller, tubular heater etc.
And now I've just added a humidifier and humidity controller (but I'm yet to test it out).

I'm might try some pancetta and easier things first then. But in the long run salami is what I would really love to be able to make a success of.

Thanks again for the help

The Marianski books are the most read and reliable books on sausage making, curing and smoking.
I read them virtually every night, never too old to learn new safe tricks.
Cheers,
Jan.