"Funk" Smell?

[fatboyz]

I here often this description with a dried salami of the "funk" smell with a long aged mature Salami. I just finished my first long dry mouled Genoa salami. It has a slight "stinky feet" funk smell. Tastes great but is this what to expect?

[Bob K]

If you remove the casing, vac seal and refrigerate the earthy smell all but goes away.

[fatboyz]

Thanks Bob, I'll have to tell my wife it's "Earthy" not stinky feet!! ha ha. Much better sounding.

[redzed]

Funky generally has connotations to an off or unpleasant smell of something naturally occurring in the process of degregation, decomposition anf fermentation. In the world of salami and dry cured meats the word has been adopted in a positive way to describe the smells from fermentation and enzymatic activity during the various stages of the process. If you visit a long etablished salumeria you will understand. To some it may smell like heaven, to others it may be off-putting.