Mould,,I know what your thinking but

[AUSDINGO]

Hi People,
Hope someone can help this is my first time at making salami. And im keen to do it well, but i think i have fallen at the mould hurdle.I used a packet mix for flavour,added 16kg beef,14kg pork 8kg cold water and 0.8 pinnaple cure. mixed and pumped into coligen skins .They have been hanging 2 weeks (i was away for the 2 weeks)and look what i found.so i have made the second most typical error read to much on the internet about mould so to wash or to throw?. now im thinking i will get both in my replyes the other thing is some look worse than othere but all made on the same days the really mouldy ones are also still soft?
thanks guys
Glenn



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[Kaiser Soze]

As you said, you're probably going to get all three responses to 'is this mould ok'. Yes, no, and maybe. Much of what I've read indicates that any mould other than white is bad, and should be removed with vinegar soon after it forms. However a couple of years ago, I attended a charcuterie course from a well known butcher here and his view was that most moulds were fine. Black was questionable, white was desired, but greens/blues/etc were ok too.

I later stumbled across this link here:

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/125619-green-mold-on-dry-cured-sausages/

Check out the mould on those guys! And take a read of the thread, it's quite interesting.

Since then I've been happy to eat most salamis with any sort of mould on them. They often get a vinegar bath at the end of their hanging time, but they rarely get discarded. I've also taken to hanging a white mould salami in with my other salamis to encourage the desirable mould to grow.

Of course I'm not saying eat them, it's totally up to you. But I'd be tempted to give them a vinegar bath (are they ready yet?) and see how they taste.

[JerBear]

As someone here has on their tagline, "It's not a sin to bin." I typically take a better safe than sorry stance to sausage making. If you'd been around and seen the mold forming you could have done the vinegar bath earlier and been further ahead of the curve. To be honest they'd probably survive a vinegar bath and be fine but why risk it? I say toss...

That said, I know that the investment of time and money makes that a hard decision. If you do decide to eat them and survive I'd be curious to hear your feedback!

[NCPaul]

What temperature and humidity have the sausages been held at?

Welcome to the forum.

[crustyo44]

Many years ago when I used to make salamis with Italian friends in North East Victoria, we never ever added water to the meat, just salt and chilli flakes.
Could this be your problem? What was the temperature, humidity where you dried the salamis. Where are you situated in OZ.
Be on the safe side and chuck em.
Regards,
Jan.

[AUSDINGO]

Thanks for the advice so far .Im in warrnambool sth west Victoria. the day temp has averaged about 15c they have been in a small room with at window just open.Today its been warmer and they look like the mould has grown.
Glenn