I'm a little embarrassed to ask but?

Air dried cured Meat Techniques

I'm a little embarrassed to ask but?

Postby ped » Tue Jun 25, 2013 5:22 pm

My latest 2 projects (chorizo and 1st salami) are coming to fruition and today I weighed them for weight loss, the Chorizo sausages have lost on average 40% and a small test salami is at 35%. Now, the chorizo had a fair amount of fluid added so that would have increased actual sausage weight quite a lot and the salami is as is but both are quite soft which I don't mind at all, but a question for you?, should they be softer than what I buy? I am so used to buying shop bought which is probably overly dry that actually eating my fresh salami/chorizo seems strange but I believe that what I have produced is correct in it's consistency, could you give me your views, is good fresh salami/chorizo softer than shop bought?, fyi, there isn't any case hardening it's just that it is softer than what I am used to.
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Re: I'm a little embarrassed to ask but?

Postby NCPaul » Tue Jun 25, 2013 9:35 pm

The weight loss targets are minimums to reach a safe water activity level. If there is a lot of liquid added, the weight loss target should be adjusted. I've made some as you describe and liked them but if the texture is not what you like, continue to dry them. If you keep careful notes, you'll get to what you want.
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Re: I'm a little embarrassed to ask but?

Postby BriCan » Wed Jun 26, 2013 12:58 am

NCPaul is right, ~~ the more liquid you add the more that has to come out and this is on top of the liquid that is already within the meat.

It seems that there are times when we 'all' would wish that the product was dry enough to consume but to be honest it is best to let be and when its done its done and not before. We have no control over the weather so what will be will be. Their are times that I hit the 40% mark but to the feel it is not firm enough so I let it keep on drying until the touch/feel is right and I have seen 55%

How slow can things be ~~~ the following is Bresaola drying and the client ask's every week ~~ ready yet? and I have told him nothing until at least 40% and then we will see

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Re: I'm a little embarrassed to ask but?

Postby ped » Wed Jun 26, 2013 4:28 pm

I'll start eating the chorizo as is but will leave the salami a little longer for everyone else as I could eat most things a little under done as it were (bleau Monsieur, ah oui Merci, steak tartare and all that ). I was just wondering whether it is not accepted practice to start eating such things when they are soft?
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Re: I'm a little embarrassed to ask but?

Postby ped » Wed Jun 26, 2013 4:55 pm

Whilst on the subject of drying, is there a way of stopping the drying process in it's tracks so that the sausage stays optimally moist or is it inevitable that it will continue to dry?
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Re: I'm a little embarrassed to ask but?

Postby BriCan » Wed Jun 26, 2013 5:18 pm

ped wrote:Whilst on the subject of drying, is there a way of stopping the drying process in it's tracks so that the sausage stays optimally moist or is it inevitable that it will continue to dry?


The best way I know is to vacuum pack and put/keep in the refrigerator. So long as fridge is on the colder side and not on the warmer side shelf life could be upwards of five years Well at least thats what I have found and I'm still here :shock: What I have found is that product mellows out (salt wise) and flavor increases
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Re: I'm a little embarrassed to ask but?

Postby ped » Wed Jun 26, 2013 5:41 pm

Thank's Robert
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Re: I'm a little embarrassed to ask but?

Postby bwalt822 » Thu Jun 27, 2013 5:25 pm

I've always thought mine were too soft at 35% and wait until 40% to cut them open now.
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Re: I'm a little embarrassed to ask but?

Postby ped » Thu Jun 27, 2013 5:32 pm

Is that Chorizo or Salami or both bwalt?
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Re: I'm a little embarrassed to ask but?

Postby bwalt822 » Tue Jul 02, 2013 5:28 pm

I've only tried salami and pepperoni but both times pepperoni was in the curing fridge humidity got high and I had to bin them.
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Re: I'm a little embarrassed to ask but?

Postby Mohalk » Fri Aug 02, 2013 2:02 pm

BriCan wrote:
The best way I know is to vacuum pack and put/keep in the refrigerator. So long as fridge is on the colder side and not on the warmer side shelf life could be upwards of five years Well at least thats what I have found and I'm still here :shock: What I have found is that product mellows out (salt wise) and flavor increases


If Vacuum packed will what moisture left in the meat even out? Meaning moisture from the center move to the outer parts where it would be naturally dryer.
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Re: I'm a little embarrassed to ask but?

Postby quietwatersfarm » Fri Aug 02, 2013 5:31 pm

generally yes. a damp cloth before vacpacking can also help out if overall moisture has got too low.
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