Sopressata Recipe

[ComradeQ]

ComradeQ

Looks wonderful hope everything works out. BTY how are you posting photos?

Thanks for the well wishes, I think it will be fine!

I use http://www.tinypic.com to upload pictures, just upload and then copy the forum link provided. Never had a problem with this host in several years of use. I should add I usually resize the pics to no more than 640 on the longest side so it fits well in the forum. For that I use an app on my phone called "Reduce Photo Size". Does one thing only and simple to use to resize to any size you want.

[ComradeQ]

Got a nice white mold coming along now ...

[Odin]

Lookin good ComradeQ will be watching the progress.

[ComradeQ]

Lookin good ComradeQ will be watching the progress.

Thanks! Been feeling productive lately so I started several litres of kombucha as well on the weekend and set up my grow op for my summer crops. Got nine different varieties of heirloom tomato seeds in the mini greenhouse on a heat pad, once the seedlings start I will transfer to my grow lights. Now I need to get some bacon going so putting in an order for a few whole pork bellies to start on this week. Once the kombucha is finished the first ferment I will add some pineapple, peach and ginger juice and bottle it up for the second ferment where it will get a nice fizz to it. Think I also need to make some Kvass since I've had a craving from all my travels in Ukraine/Russia. But I digress ...

[ComradeQ]

So my PH probe was roughly out by what I thought, putting my PH at round about 5.2. I got some probe cleaning solution, new probe storage solution, and two new calibration solutions. Verified several times after dual calibrating and PH seems to be reading perfectly. I guess freezing PH calibration solution does change the PH, lesson learned, keep it locked in my safe place. I'm a little more at ease now.

[wheels]

Glad that you've got it sorted.

Phil

[ComradeQ]

We are getting there, some of the salamis are drying faster than others. Approximately half of both the sopressata and the orange/fennel salamis are hovering around 33-35% weight loss. The other half are in the 21-25% range. Never had such a variation in drying times, adjusted salami positions in fridge twice during the drying phase but doesn't seem to change much. Strange ...

[NCPaul]

I find drying time can be greatly affected by the size of the grind (course dries faster) and the bind (doesn't need to be tight, though the stuffing should be).

[ComradeQ]

First tasting time. Both of these were at 37% weight loss, the sopressata was just about perfect but the fennel and orange needs to go further. I removed one of each from the casing to try and vacuum sealed after to rest for a week or so.



Sopressata is amazing, it is pretty close to perfect. I would maybe take the heat slightly higher on the next batch but for people who are not as tolerant to spice it is quite spicy. It is a heat that creeps up, nice and warming.



Fennel and orange has such an amazing flavour from the wild tuscan fennel. This one still needs a little further to go but I am very pleased. I think by grinding the fat instead of hand dicing like the sopressata the texture will be better at a higher weight loss.

[wheels]

Oh boy, they look phenomenal. A superb job.

Phil

[NCPaul]

Great job ComradeQ!

[ComradeQ]

Thanks guys, it is all down to the invaluable help from this group of amazing people! The sopressata is probably the best I have ever tasted, after I vacuum and let rest and chill it will only be better! Not too shabby for a first time recipe.