Right Salami Texture?

[Twoscoops]

I note that Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's recipe for salami (River Cottage Cook Book) states that the back fat should be chopped into pea-sized pieces. Can anybody tell me if they have made salami using minced fat? I just wondered if it might give a smoother texture, or maybe it will ruin the finished product.

Would appreciate any advice on the matter.

[Franco]

I always grind my fat separateley and then mix it with the meat, HFW's recipes usually conflict with mine and most other salami makers, I have not heard of anyone who has made good salami or air dried ham from any of his recipes yet, most people I have spoken with complain that the finoshed product is over salty.

Franco

[Twoscoops]

I made salami using his recipe earlier in the year, and have no complaints. Actually, I made a complete pigs arse of my chorizo yesterday. After making a salami I decided that the mince wan't coming out of the machine too easily, so for the chorizo I put the sausage mincer attachment back on!!!! Only half way through I realise what I had done, so my chorizo will have a very, shall we say, smooth texture.

On the subject of the air-dried ham, did you ever post the idiot-proof, step by step recipe? I don't currently have the confidence to give it a go, but was the same about salami a year ago!

[aris]

How about posting a step-by-step idiot proof guide to salami too.

[Twoscoops]

I'll see how mine go, I just hung them yesterday. I'll post the recipe if they turn out OK.

[aris]

Where are you hanging them to achieve the correct humidity & temperature?

[Twoscoops]

They are just hung in my garage, in line with a one-inch gap between door and wall, so will get the draft. The book says that the temperature shouldn't drop below around 12c so they should be OK.

[Parson Snows]

It's not just the temperature that you have to maintain it's the humidity. Probably more so than the temperature. If the air is too humid then excessive surface mould will develop and must be removed.

hope that this is of some use to you

kind regards

Parson Snows

[Twoscoops]

Tastes OK, nothing special.

[Parson Snows]

Glad that it turned out well for you. I will have a look through my files and see what salami recipes that I have and then post some.

kind regards

Parson Snows

[aris]

I too want to make some salami soon.

I've ordered a hydromerter/thermometer from Machinemart, and some starter culture from Franco. All i need is are some correctly sized collagen casings. I was thinking perhaps i'll try making using hog casings - though i'm not sure if that would work.

What type of casing did you use twoscoops?

[Twoscoops]

Hog, from Franco. He is also sending some ox runners* so I can try the larger ones. I use the River Cottage Cook Book for quantities etc and HFW says that if you use hog casings you lose less if one spoils.

I don't measure temperature or humidity, just hang them when it feels cool enough. Haven't made any other than in late autumn/winter so that might make a difference.

*Still haven't arrived, and I do need to get brining my Christmas hams in the next couple of days!

[aris]

So you don't use any cure or starter culture either?

[Parson Snows]

As to the casings for Salamis, what you have to remember is that collagen casings are "relatively" new, prior to these natural casings were used and still in some areas. These are typically

* Beef middles
* Beef bungs
* Hogs middles
* Hog bungs

Hope that this is of some use to you.

kind regards

Parson Snows

[aris]

Any harm in using regular 32mm hog casings as used for sausages?