Salamis (first try)

[JohnPettigrew]

I've had my first go at making salami and, with the weather turning warm, I decided that 6 weeks hanging was about right. The salami are fairly hard at the top, softer at the bottom (as they hung).

What I'm wondering is, does this look normal?

I ask because the hanging conditions weren't ideal - one was hung in an outside cupboard with a ventilated door and the other in an outhouse, protected from cats with a bucket! (There are more details on my blog - URL below.)

Sadly, once I'd rubbed the mould off, I found that there was a rotten spot on the salami stored in the cupboard (won't try in there again!), but the other looks fine. However, I thought I'd check with more knowledgeable types before trying it!

This charcuterie has been fun - excellent sausages, wonderful (gluten-free!) black pudding, and (gluten-free) haggis Only the salamis have let me down slightly so far

Thanks

[aris]

I'm not sure what to make of all this talk of rubbing your phalic looking salamis

At the end of the day though - its the taste that counts.

[JohnPettigrew]

Well, they were a bit furry to handle originally!

As for taste, I just wanted to test the opinion of more experience people than I about whether they looked safe to eat - all this talk of black mould has me worried

[aris]

What recipe & technique did you use? Did you use a starter culture, and cure#2, and incubate properly?

[JohnPettigrew]

Followed HFW's recipe I did put acidophilus into the mix.

From comments on this forum, I guess that this might be the wrong answer

[Twoscoops]

I use the River Cottage Colokbook as base recipe for my salamis, and I must say yours look a great deal furier than mine usually do after six weeks. Trust your nose - after you've wiped them over with a clean tea towel or some newspaper slice a couple of pieces off and have a sniff. You should know if it's inedible.

[Jonty]

I agree with twoscoops, my first salamis were made with the HFW recipe and didn't get anywhere as hairy as yours - maybe mine were late developers

[stevegask]

Hi John,

I have had some mould grow on pretty well all my home made salami. It comes about because we lack the precise controls for temperature and humidity at home. (In my case that may be about to change! )

Moulds CAN be dangerous - but chances are that these are not!

What I do is simply just clean the mould off, with dilute detergent and warm water, (some suggest vinegar ) then apply some vegetable oil to the casing - to close it off a little. Finish off drying the salami in the fridge in one or two paper bags - you'll be surprised how well it works!