For the semi-dry fermented Project B sausage I crafted a 4 kg. batch of cervelat according to Marianski. Very close to the summer sausage recipe, and smoked for 12 hours. (Used cherry pellets which seem to impart a dark mahogany colour). I also utilized the Mondo 2M starter culture rather than F-L-C...

Red z ed, I may just have to follow through on my threat to move up there, preferably next door. My mouth waters, looking at those pictures. Schinkenspeck was perhaps my favorite (sorry, must practice: favo u rite) part of breakfast during my many trips to Germany. ...although I admit to having con...

Congrats Tim, looks good. I think I also have to seriously look at installing some sort of exhaust system in my setup. Will be going away for a while, and will not be around to open the door a couple of times a day.

My effort at making schinkenspeck. Used pieces from butt and one from loin. pork 2100g Salt 60g Cure #2 1/2tsp Sugar 1 tbsp Juniper 15 crushed berries. Dry cured 5 days. Cold smoked with oak and juniper berries 10hrs one day and another 10 hours the following day. Three weeks in curing chamber. As f...

Jan, ole' boy that kangaroo meat looks fantastic! Do you hop around the house after a few bites?

While I'm certain that CW will be able to analyze your salami correctly, I've been thinking that it might have something to do with the binding process, the mixing, or if you used wine as the finnochiona recipe calls for, the acidity in the wine prevented the myosin proteins to do their job. So it m...

This morning it was time to try the sopressatta since it has lost 30% of its weight after the fermentation period, so it's technically a higher loss than that. It was started 35 days ago. I am happy to report that it turned out very well, great flavour and texture, but next time I will add a little ...

Hello Tom, welcome to the forum. Can you better explain what you will be using this hygrometer for? You can buy a hygrometer with a sensor, but I have never seen one with a probe, since the purpose is to measure the relative humidity in the air. If you are intending to use it in your smoker, I have ...

I'm really surprised that at 32% loss the salami is still so soft. My finnochiona was is smaller diameter casings but the meat bonded together very well and there is elasticity in the slices. I will be trying my sopressatta in a few minutes and will post pics.

Thanks CW. I will be sharing some of that salamini tonight with some friends. Over the next few weeks the rest of the stuff in my curing chamber will also be ready. And then Hawaii, Christmas on the prairies, and then Arizona is coming up. Does not look like I can manage the spreadable stuff until M...

This evening was a special one as I sliced into my first ever fermented dry cured creation. The Salamini Finnochiona was started on October 20, fermented for 36 hours, in the curing chamber since Oct. 22 and today achieved a 31% weight loss. So in three weeks you can have cured salami if you use 36+...

When I purchase butts I select the largest, heaviest ones I can find and carefully remove an inch to an inch and a half thick slab from the skin side. I'm going to try this when I get butts with a nice fat cap on them. Currently I'm getting them at Costco, and they have neither skin nor much of the...

Geez, you've had these on the salamis since August, how did they turn out?

Red, can't see how it was a failure with 1.75L of Luksusowa. Thanks, I think I got this food and beverage pairing down pat. Hey Redzed - it looks beautiful to me! Give it time, let it mellow. I have an Amaz'n too, and have never gotten such dark color in such a short amount of time as you did. I wo...

Dear Uncle, We are currently suffering from a moose famine here on the Island. We have an infestation of black tail deer around here, but the tree huggers, PETA, the SPCA and my neighbours won't allow me to bag one or two right from my front yard. Moose salami sounds intriguing , please send meat. Y...