The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Food processing => Topic started by: MiriMaran on September 27, 2010, 09:31:51 pm
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We tried to make salami for the first time this year and used a season mix that had a culture in it. The Salamis have been hanging on a rack outside our back door in a cage that is wrapped in one layer of horticultural fleece to stop flies. Its now been hanging for 12 weeks, but the salamis are still squidgy and are raw if you cut into them, but don't smell off. The skins have some mould on them. So, we have wiped off the mould, hung 4 salamis back up above the back door but have removed the fleece. The other 4 are now hanging in the garage.
So my question is - have we done something wrong, the instructions said they should be ready after 6 weeks. Is there anything we can do to improve things to make the Salamis work or should we give up and chuck them? I would be very grateful for any advice or suggestions please.
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If they don't smell bad, don't throw them away yet (as long as the mould wasn't coloured or fluffy - white dry mould is fine). Sometimes things just take longer.
Eve :wave:
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There were round patches of green mould on them. It looks like the stuff that grows on bread. The Salamis were rubbed down with a damp cloth to remove it.
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Ah, yes, in that case: throw them away. Dry white mould is good, fuzzy / coloured mould is not.
Don't know why, though - what was the recipe?
Eve :wave:
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I asked my salami making friend who says - the air needs to flow freely around them, if pos. hang them somewhere dry but windy.
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We have found it very hard to find somewhere windy, but not in full sun. We compromised and put them in the shade, but maybe it wasn't breezy enough. I think we will hang them a bit longer as they're not in the way and see if the mould grows back. Hopefully it won't now that the the fleece is off.
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We were worried about the air flow with our air dried hams which are pretty big, really, and which hang in the loft in winter and in a tent (open on one side) in summer. They turn out fine.
So it might just have been the culture, it's not necessarily something you did.
If I remember correctly you're supposed to wipe the outside with vinegar or salt water if there's been fuzzy mould.
I'd try again with just salt and pepper (and garlic if you like).
Eve :wave:
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This link might prove helpful - http://mattikaarts.com/blog/charcuterie/making-salami-at-home/
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Thanks will have a read of it.
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Sorry for late entry into this thread. I've made salami over the last two years as a hobby, and learnt that patience is key. Six weeks is very optimistic IMO. I do mine in a cool basement with very little airflow and eat them from three to (beleive it or not) nine months old. At three months old they still fairly soft in the middle. At nine they are quite dry and need slicing finely, but very tasty.
I've never tampered with the mould growth - predominantly white but a bit of all colours inc green and yellow - until just before eating, when I wipe them down with dry balls of scrunched newspaper.
I make mine with ox "runners", which result in a salami about 4-5cm across. If you are using larger casings like ox bung, will need much longer.
Good luck - it's really worth it! Olly :wave:
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Olly, do you use a starter culture and / or cure #2?
I love home made salami's :yum:
Eve :wave:
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Hello! I love them too! So satisfying.
Yes, I use Acidophilus to get them going. Then the only cure is cooking salt IIRC (I made notes but don't have to hand).
Cheerio
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Thanks, it's always interesting to hear what other people are doing. 2 pigs in the freezer, air dried ham in the loft, and salami to make up the Holy Porky Trinity! :yum:
Eve :wave:
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Can you vary salami recipes? Add herbs etc. like sausages?
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I'm about to try! :D So far, it's been pepper and red wine and fennel, but surely we must be able to do more than that! Chorizo contains paprika so we must be able to use chillies, and then there's the usual army of herbs...
I'm hoping we can impart some herby flavours onto our air dried ham, too, so that's another experiment for the coming year. Think I might mix herbs with the salt first, and then again with the fat that goes on the flesh side during drying, and maybe during smoking as well... :yum:
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You can do what the devil you like! That's where the fun is ;D :pig:
For salami I stick to red wine, fennel and black pepper.
For chorizo - well that would be telling, but it's a bit of allsorts!!!!
Have fun :wave: :yum:
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Managed to get a professional slicer (Berkel 800s) from ebay - didn't work at first but luckily that was just the fuse! Then spent 2 days cleaning it, removing fossilised bits of meat from the previous years and what seemed to be layer after layer of goo :o
Hubby is in two minds about it - he loves the thin bacon rashers but feels that his ham and salami has been rationed rather too severely now that the slices are more shop-like in thickness! ;D
Eve :wave:
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I have a Berkel too. Finally able to slice ham thin enough for French neighbours.
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I'm very jealous of both of you!
Plain old sharp knife for me ;D
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We used a knife until last week, Olly - the bacon came in lardons-style only! ;D
It's a fab machine, though at the moment it's residing in the living room - it takes up about 1/3 of our dining table! Now there's a good reason not to have to invite the in-laws for Christmas! ;D
Eve :wave:
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It's a fab machine, though at the moment it's residing in the living room - it takes up about 1/3 of our dining table! Now there's a good reason not to have to invite the in-laws for Christmas! ;D
Oooh dont tempt me -
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OK I give up the green gooey salamis have been thrown away! >:(
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Oh that is so sad. Better luck next time.
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Oh dear - I wonder what went wrong... perhaps not enough airflow to dry them, or temperature too warm and made them "fester"? Did you use any starter culture like bessastart or acidopholus?
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Yes we used a starter kit with a culture as it was our first time. We thought we would have more success that way!
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Anybody who keeps their salami's outside during frost?
Just wondering if that'd be ok...
Eve :wave:
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Ours hang in the very airy double garage, but not outside. Crows would probably try to steal them...
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During frost, too?
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Eve perhaps you could put just a couple outside; leaving them during the frost to see if there is any difference. Would be really interesting to hear of your results. :D
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Am thinking of doing just that - at the moment the hams go from patio to loft every time the weather changes! ;D
Another winter like last year's and we might end up with salami ice cream... something the Italians never thought of doing :P
Actually, smokey flavour ice cream doesn't sound bad... and now that I've bought one of those cold smoking boxes which works a treat... watch this space!
Eve :wave:
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MiriMaran - what kind of environment did you hang the salamis in, temperature-wise? Green mould is pretty normal, but gooey = bad
Just stuffed this year's batch - see my blog (http://www.brixtonsbounty.blogspot.com).
21 kilos pork (not my pigs, I'm in Brixton!) gave 54 chorizo and 63 salami.
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_JsgTb-d81Ew/TOMqJo2RiYI/AAAAAAAAAPA/UW9Ndfs4uuU/s400/P1010003a.JPG) (http://www.brixtonsbounty.blogspot.com)
I used acidophilus as a starter culture, and a little nitrite to be on safe side. They will ferment at more or less room temp and a little extra humidity (bowls of water underneath) for 3-4 days then down in my cool draughty cellar for 6-8 weeks to 9 months dependin on how quickly I (and all my friends - funny how they all start to call) get through them. :D
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and all my friends - funny how they all start to call
We had people who gave us some rotten apples and then seemed to expect a roast in return! ::)
Our stuff all takes a bit longer to dry out, as the loft isn't exactly draughty - dont' think hubby would appreciate it if I suggested to take some tiles off the roof! :D
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What about running a fan or fan heater on cold for a few hours per day for the first week or so or would this be too expensive?
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I suggested that, but hubby's weary of leaving something electrical on out of sight and it would need to go on a long lead (light but no electrical sockets in that spider-ridden loft, so eight-legged monsters would be able to escape :o). I've got the electricians coming soon, I'll ask them to put a socket in the loft and put a fan on a timer. If we get a fire, well.. that'll be smoked salami, then! ;D
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Well, that's just typical! I tell hubby that the electricians are coming on Tuesday for a quote, and suddenly it turns out we already have a socket up in the loft! The fan is on, now, on a timer! Funny how he suddenly remembers things when I've just arranged them! :D
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So, lemme get this right, you have salami in the loft, with a fan heater to keep the temp up a little? Sounds good - what it the temp in there (roughly)? And how long have they been there?
These are mine now, hanging in the (messy) cellar. It is about 15 degrees down there, slightly damp but good airflow. They dry v.slowly.
I made the hanging rack out of an old clothes horse nailed to the ceiling... waste not, want not 8) :farmer:
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JsgTb-d81Ew/TOeuFHb-XUI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/cYjSSiOs0KE/s400/P1010001d.JPG) (http://brixtonsbounty.blogspot.com/2010/11/in-cellar.html)
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Grin, grin, we're off the make-it-yourself kind, too - our hams are in pillow cases hanging from a clothing rail...
The fan is for the air circulation, as the loft never has a breeze in it and drying takes ages, especially the hams. It's about fridge tempterature up there this time of year. The salami's have been up two or three weeks and are shrinking slowly but surely, and are getting some white dry mould on them since the first week. Can't wait! :yum:
We're getting a garage partially converted in the next few months to store our pork-filled freezers, so for the next lot of salami's we'll have a slightly warmer place that's also easier to get to (as the loft has a wonky ladder plus is full of spiders! :o )
Good idea to suspend them from the ceiling -we're both 6 foot 2 so reaching the ceiling isn't a problem! :D
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...and there was me thinking that the 6 salamis I made at the weekend were far too many for the two of us! ;D Inspired by you lot to make more now! Chorizo...yum...I've got lots of paprika I bought back from Spain...mmmm
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6 salami's...
That's one for eating straight away because you can't wait
Another two you'll slice whenever friends, family, postman, amazon delivery guy etc come around 'cause you're so proud you want to boast to whoever may walk passed your house
Number four will get used up in just one week's sandwiches
The fifth you'll eat a bit more sowly because you're starting to realise that in absolutely no time you've already used most of your supply
The 6th one... you'll eat really slowly, cut all superfine slices in halves and quarters to make them last and spread them out on your slices of bread, and curse yourself that you ever gave anything away in the first place! ;D
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Hallo all. I have just written up the last bit of the salami and chorizo story on the blog (http://brixtonsbounty.blogspot.com/). Yawn! bed now :wave:
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_JsgTb-d81Ew/TUtLkmZtb4I/AAAAAAAAAQo/4hwJtBLIXoM/s400/P1010007.JPG) (http://brixtonsbounty.blogspot.com/)
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Wow! They look delicious! sadly I think my ones haven't worked. They are in a very cold garage, and I don't think they warmed up initially at all. Glad to see yours are mouldy a bit on the outside thoughh - because so are mine! Mine smell yummy, but they haven't dried prperly. Do you think they should be OK? i am a bit scared to trythem in case I die!
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We put ours in a very cold loft, but with a fan on for air circulation. We don't get that much mould on them, but then again they dry out very quickly as they're in sausage skins (so are much thinner).
Weigh the salami's, they should have lost 1/3 of their weight before they're ready, or more. If they smell fine, they should be ok.
Excellent blog, Olly!
:wave:
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Thanks guys :)
Greenerlife, did you use any nitrate/saltpetre/curing salt? If so, the chances of them developing dangerous bacteria are small. Perhaps sample a small skinned section? Have 999 on speed-dial? ;) God forbid shouldn't even joke ::) As far as I know, the warm "fermentation" stage is not essential to producing an edible product.
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I used Bessastart, so I presume I wont die if I try some? Perhaps, if you don't see a post from me within a few days - could you contact the police? ;). The pork ones seem the better than the buffalo ones, they are a bit slimy.
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Slimy doesn't sound good but the pork ones sound be fine. I never used buffalo, though, and the only time a cured meat went wrong was with a buffalo relative (beef) so I stick to our -very plentiful- pork. :yum:
If you're not sure if meat is safe to eat, try giving a bit to a pampered pet dog (not a working dog, the working dogs I know eat everything!) - if it's off, the pampered pets won't eat it.
The pork salami's sound fine, though, post me a bit and I'll try it ;D ;D ;D
:wave:
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I have had a good look around on the internet and it would appear that despite the smell and appaearance, mine might be ok after all! I have brought them into my very cold utility room to dry them up a bit more - they have been hanging in the garage since November and I really think its just not warm enough. I'll give it a few more days... (so dont call the police yet!)
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Well, a month on and today I tried my salamis. i haven't died yet. One is absolutely delicious - wild boar and pig with red wine and fennel. looks right, smells right and tastes wonderful - very happy. My beef one has much larger fat bits in it and tastes OK but a bit bland - all good experiemce I guess!
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Glad to hear of your success! We made dozens of salami's this year, we had to make them shorter as every time we bring one back into the kitchen it gets eaten in no time - at least with lots of short ones we only bring a little back at the time so the whole batch lasts longer! ;D
The saussicon sec with lost of extra pepper is our favourite. :yum:
Enjoy!