Confused beginner

Air dried cured Meat Techniques

Confused beginner

Postby jormor » Fri Jan 21, 2005 10:39 am

I need some help as my head is spinning with all the ideas and theories on curing, incubation, humidity etc etc
.
I am about to try my hand at Salami making. Bought a great Hygrometer and Thermometer combo, which comes with a station so I don�t have to leave the house.
I have been measuring how my old chest freezer would work as I followed some examples on Len Poli�s site. Then I see lots of people just hang them in ventilated areas like the porch or garage.

I can see that the 1st Incubation has a high temperature, so I am guessing I can use the freezer for that as long as I increase the heat and control the humidity, using humidifier, light bulbs, thermostat etc� is this right? Should I then find somewhere to hang them OUT of the chest, as they are not ventilated enough? Or could I leave them in there as long as the temperature and humidity is different for the curing phase? Could I use a heat fan blowing warm air in the chest which would cover my heat and air circulation problems in one go?

Sorry to go on but I have been very good and read so many topics on this site since the start of December. Made a nice long list and are now more confused than when I started.

Your humble servant JOHNNY :?
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Postby deb » Fri Jan 21, 2005 11:10 am

Johnny, hi and welcome. If you have a look on this topic there is a thread called Controling Humidity, Parson Snows has posted a link which is an article about curing dry sausages, this may help you.
I'm a bit like you, a beginner interested in making dried sausages and just trying to sort everything out.
Good luck.
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Postby jormor » Fri Jan 21, 2005 11:16 am

Thanks Deb, Been there. That link shows the conversation of a freezer, which the maker seems to keep them in.

I remember you are going for the hanging in the porch option?? See told you I have been reading them all :-)

What temperature and humidity do you get in there and what did you decide to do for the 1st phase?

Johnny
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Postby Parson Snows » Fri Jan 21, 2005 2:27 pm

jormor
We were all confused once, just stay with it. There are numerous recipes on Len Poli�s site so I do not know exactly which one you are planning on making, however, I would suggest that you read through the links below before proceeding.

The first covers some general issues
http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopic.php?t=74
The next two are for an "EASY Salami"
http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopic.php?t=360
http://blessingsforlife.com/recipes/fru ... salami.htm

This is a Salami Recipe from Professor A. M. Booren at Michigan State University

Image

This one gives you Wet and Dry Bulb temperatures and Dew point readings
http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopic.php?t=438

I hope that this is of some use to you

kind regards

Parson Snows
Last edited by Parson Snows on Fri Jan 21, 2005 3:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby aris » Fri Jan 21, 2005 2:47 pm

Does anyone see any problem in using either fresh or collagen hog casings to make salami? I would have though it is just a thinner version of the same thing.
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Hog casings for Salami

Postby Parson Snows » Fri Jan 21, 2005 2:58 pm

Aris asked
Does anyone see any problem in using either fresh or collagen hog casings to make salami?

I have never tried this though I would have thought that the problem would be the amount of shrinkage that you are going to experience, certainly with the natural casings, would make the size impractical, and the "salami" possibly too dry.

kind regards

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Postby Fatman » Sat Jan 22, 2005 6:40 pm

jormor

May I suggest if we are making you confused with our barrage of advice, that you ask one of the forum users to take you by the hand and via the PM email system to get you through this particular problem. Sometimes advice from only one can be better than from all sides, not that I'm suggesting you need leading by the hand.

On this problem, I would be of no use as this is not my area.

Good Luck

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Bare with US

Postby Parson Snows » Sat Jan 22, 2005 7:10 pm

Fatman wrote
May I suggest if we are making you confused with our barrage of advice, that you ask one of the forum users to take you by the hand and via the PM email system to get you through this particular problem.


What I personally recommend/suggest would be AVOID PM�s UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY as it is then private � meaning nobody else benefits; and the information provided/suggested may not the best information available. What I would suggest however, is that someone post a detailed though �easy-to-understand� walk though of salami production � ie. a �Salami 101� as it were. As I have mentioned before, though I am aware of the practical /scientific principles of this process - this is not my forte/strong point. Everyone has a weakness, and I�m the first to admit mine. Surely it is not beyond us to achieve this. From other sites I am aware than Jason Molinari (jasonmolinari) has quite a lot of knowledge/experience in this field. Perhaps he would agree to �guide� us. Just a suggestion.

Kind regards

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Postby Fatman » Sat Jan 22, 2005 8:12 pm

Jason

Take one step forward, you've just been volunteered!!!!!!!!!!

LOL

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Stepping to the plate

Postby Parson Snows » Sat Jan 22, 2005 8:33 pm

Fatman wrote
Jason
Take one step forward, you've just been volunteered!!!!!!!!!!

As I mentioned he is normally on another site though if he doesn't respond here I will contact him there. At the worst he can only say NO. I can certainly fill in the gaps.

kind regards

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Postby deb » Mon Jan 24, 2005 2:34 pm

Johnny, I didn't get very far at all. I think for this year (meaning this cold season) I'll give dried sausages a miss. I'm going to get in a bit more practice with fresh sausages first. We may be getting a garage built later this year which will change things a bit regarding the maturing, just have to wait and see.
I was considering, for the 1st phase, using my "drying cupboard". This is a 500mm kitchen base unit which has a light bulb holder in the bottom, ventilation holes and wire shelves. I could take the shelves out and put some rods across to hang sausages from. With a bit of experimentation the bulb could be changed in order that it would maintain (with some judicious turning on and off) the right temperature - maybe even set up a thermostat!. Use either a humidifer or, more likely, some water near the heat source to give the correct humidity. With a bit of practice I'm sure the right conditions would be possible.
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Wet and Dry Bulb Tables

Postby Parson Snows » Tue Jan 25, 2005 4:50 am

deb wrote
With a bit of experimentation the bulb could be changed in order that it would maintain (with some judicious turning on and off) the right temperature - maybe even set up a thermostat!. Use either a humidifer or, more likely, some water near the heat source to give the correct humidity. With a bit of practice I'm sure the right conditions would be possible.

When you do get into it use the following tables for humdity and Dew Point readings etc.
http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopic.php?t=438

kind regards

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