Salami Advice Please

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Salami Advice Please

Postby debsp » Thu Feb 23, 2006 10:39 am

Good morning everyone,

I have made my first ever batches of salami (Hugh FW recipe), garlic salami (Preserved book receipe) and chorizo (Hugh again) and they have been hanging in the spare room for about a month.

The chorizos have a good covering of mould on them, but the others have none at all.

Is this normal or have I gone wrong? I would hate to have them hanging for a couple of months then find out I can't eat them!

Any advice gratefully received.

Many thanks.
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Postby Oddley » Thu Feb 23, 2006 11:38 am

Hi debsp welcome to the forum.

I've not seen HFW's recipe for salami, does he use any acid producing substance in the recipe. If the salami's ph <4.6 then the meat should be fairly safe, if the temps you have been hanging the salami in are reasonable.
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Postby lemonD » Thu Feb 23, 2006 2:14 pm

Heres HFW's salami recipe
http://www.rivercottage.net/edibleprojects/article.jsp?ref=edibleprojects.200305014346

I'd be interested on your view on it Oddley?
Looks like a easy recipe for me to start on or is it?
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Postby Hobbitfeet » Thu Feb 23, 2006 2:46 pm

Hi debsp,
If you hang the other salami with those which do have mould, there should be some transference. What I do to ensure a covering is, three or so days before making the salami, pare off some of the white covering from a Brie cheese, add a couple teaspoons of sugar, water to cover and leave the mixture in the fridge. Each salame is then dunked in the mixture before hanging, once on two succesive days. This seems to work.
"I would not enter on my list of friends (Though graced with polished manners and fine sense, yet wanting sensibility) the man who needlessly sets foot upon a worm." William Cowper.
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Postby debsp » Thu Feb 23, 2006 4:54 pm

Thank you.

The salamis seem quick hard now and have been hanging for 5/6 weeks. Although there has been no mould on it, would it be safe to have a taste of it now?

Patience was never one of my strong points!
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Postby Hobbitfeet » Thu Feb 23, 2006 7:06 pm

I'm just the same! I usually start tasting after a month, when they're usually still too moist but still. Neither should you worry about the lack of mould, they'll still taste good.
"I would not enter on my list of friends (Though graced with polished manners and fine sense, yet wanting sensibility) the man who needlessly sets foot upon a worm." William Cowper.
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Postby Oddley » Thu Feb 23, 2006 7:50 pm

lemonD I've had a look at HFW's recipe, he does say to add some wine and acidophilus which should contain Lactobacillus acidophilus which is a lactic acid producing bacteria. The American FDA recommends a level of below 4.6 ph.

I would use some Cure #2 or Cure#1 and saltpetre. I can't give definite amounts because franco was going to change his percentages of nitrites/nitrates in his cure #1 and Cure #2 He hasn't said anything so I don't know if he has or hasn't. If you can find out I will recommend the amounts to use.
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Postby debsp » Mon Mar 06, 2006 6:45 pm

Many thanks for all the advice. I decided to go for it and taste them. (Well, I have to admit I gave a piece to the dog first and waited a couple of hours!).

They tasted great - even better with a cold glass of wine, although the garlic sausage was very strong.

I keep wandering past the fridge and taking a slice - Can't be good for the waistline.

I think I have definately found my new hobby. Next project is the parma ham, which I am about to start tonight and already I have a question that I will put in a new thread.

Thanks again. This forum is worth its weight in sausages!

Best wishes,

Debbie
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