Tuesday, March 30, 2010

New Salame


It's been quite a while since I made a salame. I mean a salame that didn't contain enough hot pepper to sear your lips. So, I felt like making a regular old salame. But, I didn't feel like making something I've already made. That in mind, I opted for something just slightly unusual, sounded good in my head, anyway. This would be a salame with aniseed, garlic, black pepper and vermouth. Made the usual way, of course. Here's what it looked like:
1863 grams lean pork butt
615 grams pork backfat
86.7 grams salt(3.5%)
24.7 grams black pepper(1%)
19.8 grams aniseeds(.8%)
6.2 grams cure #2(.25%)
11.9 grams dextrose(.48%)
2.2 grams F-RM-52 starter culture(.09%)
3 large cloves garlic
1 cup dry vermouth
All the dry ingredients were combined into a mini chopper and beat up. I added a healthy tablespoon of whole black peppercorns at the end, for appearance's sake. This, incidentally, was my first effort using F-RM-52 starter culture. I think my F-LC has run it's course as I've mentioned in previous posts. These salami were stuffed into beef middles. So, nothing real exciting, but, at least it's something new to look at! Oh, the picture is deceiving, sorry. I hung them in the chamber just to take the pic. They will ferment at 70 degrees for 48-72 hours after being sprayed with M-EK-4 mold spray. Hopefully we'll be ready to cut them down in a month, just as I'm pulling my N'duje.

16 comments:

  1. Scott, looks good. I have read mixed things about using garlic is cured meats. Some stuff says to stick with granulated because it has been sterilized during processing and the fresh stuff may have bacteria, etc. that could thrive during curing. Is this just food safety freaks being hyper or do you blanch your garlic (or use some other sterilization step) prior to use?

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  2. I have heard similar concerns. I despise granulated garlic so much, I refuse to use it. There is a thread on it over at sausagemaking.org forum....opinions are split.

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  3. One could argue that bacteria could be passed in fresh herbs as well as the meat itself. I don't even know if I stand on one side or the other! Scott, they look great. I don't like how you dumb down just a boring old salume, even the simple stuff is great ;-) Thanks!

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  4. Just found your site through FoodieBlogroll. Looks sooo good! I'd better not let my husband see this site . . . he's a homebrewer and just got into smoking meat. I could see this turning into his next hobby and we're running out of room in our basement and garages ;-)

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  5. Charcutier: You're right about the simple stuff being great. I'll stop dumbing down my posts!

    Wendy: Thanks for reading. If you're concerned about space, just put a 2nd full size refrig in your kitchen.....I did. You can imagine the brawl that turned in to.

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  6. I think I meant playing down, not dumbing down! But thanks!

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  7. Scott.. this looks great.

    I'm getting ready to make my jump from "whole muscle" to "salume". I've just ordered the meat grinder, starter, middles, etc.

    I'll be using that recipe as one of my first, if you don't mind, with full credit awarded.

    Check out my blog later.. I'll be putting up a post about my new coppa, lardo, and guanciale from hazlenut finished pigs I got from tailsandtrotters.com

    cheers.

    todd

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  8. Of course you can use the recipe. I'll have a look at your blog today.

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  9. meat grinder is due to arrive friday...as are the starter culture, casings, and assorted supplies...

    stay tuned for a post this weekend.

    cheers.

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  10. Hey Todd, feel free to link it here. Also, check out some of my other brain storms, like the porcini, sage and marsala salame.

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  11. Alton Brown claims that granulated garlic tastes fine if you rehydrate it first. I have tried it in cooking, but not in sausagemaking. I would say that granulated tastes better after rehydration, but it is not quite as good as fresh.

    David

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  12. Hi Scott! I recieved the Calabrian hot pepper powder in the mail last week! It is awesome! Haven't made my picnic yet, but have found it is awesome in pasta! Thanks again!!!! I have so much of it, I put a small amount in a vile and am giving it away myself. Check out my post! I hope you get some traffic directed to you because of it! Best luck with the online store!

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  13. Vermouth, eh? Interesting idea. I usually assoicate vermouth with white meats. Maybe a pheasant (with pork fat) salami with vermouth and garlic and black pepper?

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  14. Vermouth for a couple reasons, Hank. #1. I'd run out of white. #2. I'm not a huge fan of red in salame. #3. I've used vermouth before and like it's neutrality. Oh, also, I sold all of my wild Italian fennel seeds. So, while this salame looks like a real original, it was more of a kitchen sink salame. A true Italian spirited salame, I used whatever was on hand.

    The idea for a pheasant salame with vermouth sounds great. It's been awhile since you've made salame, if I'm not mistaken.

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  15. Can I ask you where do you get F-RM-52?

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  16. Liosha, you can find it at butcher-packer

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