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When drying the equivalent of the coppa muscle from a boston butt ,it comes out delicious and tender from about 1/8 th of an inch off the edge . But eating along the edge it is very Tuff. So my question is what am I missing and what can be done. My method is to salt it completely for a week to ten days remove from refrigerator wash the salt off with wine, pat dry , season , wrap without casing just netting hang for 5 weeks or whatever until 35-40 % water removed . Thanks in advance ...
P.S. is the problem that I should wait to get the shoulder ?,which is not as easy .

LOU

What you describe is called rim drying or case hardening. The best way to avoid it is to start the drying process at a higher relative humidity. You haven't given your drying conditions so I can't give exact advice. The goal is to balance the rate at which water moves within the meat with the rate at which water leaves the surface. The problem can be lessened somewhat by sealing the capicola is a vacuum bag and leaving it in the fridge for a couple of months for the moisture to equilibrate within the meat. With salami this condition is a much greater Rick as it can trap harmful bacteria in the moist center.

As per what NCPaul said - casing it also helps.

Phil

I find the center is done as far as taste and smell go I am not too worried about that , but I didn't have any casing that fit.
Had a hospital stay and I had it hanging too long which I guess produced the hardening. By the way the
Temp=60-65F Hum.=50-60%

Thanks NC &Wheels

Humidity could be higher - particularly in the early stages of drying.

got it ,Thanks W