www.sausagemaking.org

Had a few lbs of Elk meat left over from the last batch my neighbour dropped off and the 2" Beef middles i ordered turned up...so it seemed like fate. I used Poli's recipe;

http://lpoli.50webs.com/index_files/Salami%20venison.pdf

Here's 6 x 1/2 kilo salami in incubation;


This is also the first time i've used netting. It was a proverbial pain in the ass to put over the salami. Is there a trick or tool that I need to know about?
When using the netting do you hang by tying to the netting or the sausage itself?
Stay tuned....

I did the netting by taking a thin flexible cutting board and wrapping around the surface so it's slippery. Then the end of the board you can taper to get into the netting easier.
I just hung by the netting - easier if you knot it at the top or put a ziptie on otherwise it stretches funny if you only tie to a few strands.

There are cone shaped tubular 'thingies' that can be used to stretch the net over the meat. Like this:

http://www.scobiesdirect.com/ItemInfo.a ... No=BT21251

HTH

Phil

Thanks for the info lads.

Here's an update.....we're at 27% weight loss right now...so a while to go. ( like 35-40% for hard salami). Great success with the Mold600 finally. My last couple of attempts yielded nothing.

Awright.....Elk Venison Salami are at 40% weight loss;



The flavor is gamey with a nice mild/hot aftertaste from the chili flakes. You definitely know you are eating venison. The simple ingredients don't try to hide the venison flavor. Even at 40% the texture is still a little oft for me. (i like my salamis very dry). I'm going to leave them hanging until 50% and see how the mouth feel is then.

All said, personally i can think of better things to do with Elk Venison than making salami. It's nice to have some in my fridge, but i probably wouldn't make it again.

The salami look good!

A trick that I was taught to using the stretch netting is to take a piece of PVC pipe, I use 3" dia. for #14 netting, about 6" long and stretch all the netting except the end over the pipe. Tie the end closed. Slide the sausage through the pipe from the open end, bouncing it as it goes, and the sausage will pull the netting from the pipe to fit around it nicely.

Thanks Herjac...That's a great solution!
I'm an irrigation guy...got plenty of 3" pvc laying around. Dont know why I didn't think of that before.