Salami query/help

[countrybumpkin]

I had a "go" at some salami's at the weekend along with a load of Lincolnshire sausages which I've written about somewhere else, I bought the salami "kit" from this wonderful website, little realising what was involved, well we did 2kg - half Milano & half Chorizo, so far so good. Relative humidity? at 8pm on a Friday evening??? I've always been resourceful so I hung them under the stairs (where a freezer lives) from the top step of a shortish stepladder - under the step and covered said steps with a bin liner and stood a bowl of hot water underneath - they weren't hot but it did make it humid, now here comes the first query, in the instructions which came with the mixes it said humid for 8 hrs so I left them overnight and although the humidity had gone down in the morning they weren't dry on the outside, on Paul Kribbs wonderful website it says 24 hours, but I've only just read that. Then I hung them from a rack in the kitchen with a fan on them as it says high air circulation and drying should be 10% loss, but again Mr Kribbs says 20 - 25% loss and hang for up to 6 months - well I don't mind doing that but not with the fan on as I don't think there will be anything left. HELP. It's now Tuesday and they are looking a little shrivelled should I now turn the fan off & move them to my outside brick shed which also has a freezer in so it's not too cold but not heated either and will have more air circulation than in my kitchen, or have I cocked it up completely, I like salami but I'm not too keen on botulism. HELP

[Wilf]

I cant quite remember all the temp and humidity as I made mine at Xmas time, but after the initial incubation time if you had the starter culture you can just hang them in a shed, gararage porch or back bedroom for a couple of months just watch temperatures dont pick up too quickly now. Ours went into the garage then when it got too cold the back bedroom was OK never used a fan or suchlike

[Paul Kribs]

countrybumpkin

There is a bit of discussion on another thread regarding drying and humidity.
http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopic.php?t=1463

Although it depends on temperature and relative humidity, a lot also depends on what size casings you are using. I am pretty new to all this myself, but have noticed that the bigger diameter the casings are, and the higher the RH, the slower the salami's/chorizo will mature/dry. I have in the past had results where case hardening was prominent. This was with smaller casings, a lower RH and higher temperature. It drys the casing a lot quicker than the inner mix and sometimes creates a void through the middle of the sausage. This is generally accompanied by a discolouration of the meat more to the grey side and I discard these, preferring not to take any chances.

I generally try to aim for 70% RH and 15�C for drying/maturing. At present my workshop is not too far away from these figure, fluctuating a bit as the nights are a bit colder than the days. I am finding that it is also helping the RH, and slowing the drying process by keeping them in my biltong box. No doubt this may change a bit as the weather warms and brings the temperature up and the RH down.

My small tutorial is very sparse but more information can be found on Len Poli's site, where he explains all the concepts and procedures very comprehensively. He also have a number of dried sausage recipes which indicate differing techniques and drying/maturing times. http://home.pacbell.net/lpoli/page0002.htm

Regards, Paul Kribs

[countrybumpkin]

Thanks for those answers - they have put my mind somewhat at ease although I haven't read them and inwardly digested them completely yet, tha salami making was a bit of a last minute decision when I was ordering the mincer, hence not being properly prepared, they're not hugely round, fatter than my Lincolnshires but not like a typical Danish Salami, I think I will now label them with the weights and hang them in my brick shed and let them get on with it, and buy a humidity gauge for next time.
Many thanks & sorry I spelt your name wrong Mr Kribs

Frances