Fingers your salami should turn out OK. It will probably have a bit if tang, but 10g/kg of sugar is quite normal for American/North European style sausages. The extra amount of starter will not make any difference, it all depends on the amount of sugar, and it helps to know what the starting pH is. If you don't know, then 8 out 10 times you can assume that it's around 5.8.
I tried to find a spec sheet on Bessastart but could not find it on the web. All I know is that it's been around for a while, is popular in Europe and about 10 years ago was sold in Canada. But I have no idea which bacteria it contains and rate of acidification. If your supplier can provide you with with it would be great if you could share it with us.
over dose of starter culture! help.
Cheers
The litmus full range test paper I have is proving hard to read with any accuracy. More of a problem last night I noticed after 24 hours at 85% humidity and 83degF that the top of the sausage are looking darker and dryer than the bottom! So I turned off the slow cooker which brought the temp down to 55 and the humidity to 95%. I think I might just put in the drying room now. Uneven drying can't be desirable, maybe I need a fan in the incubator to distribute the temp more evenly?
There were no instructions from the bessastart dealer other than use 0.6g per kg and 24 hours incubation should do the trick.
I am reading that the Europeans are not so concerned about dropping the ph so quickly. Not sure as ti the whys but I think I best hang mine in the garage and not worry about the ph so much. I don't think I can measure the ph accurately enough to keep them in the incubator.
PS
After getting them out the incubator and getting a better look in the light, the top drying is not so bad, its just the top 2 cm where the skin has stretched with the weight. And this is just a slight difference in colour.
I also do not need PH strips!! I can smell the change in acidity
hahaha not having done or seen any of this process at first hand, this is going to be a long slow learning curve. Lets see how they develop in 6-12 weeks.
The litmus full range test paper I have is proving hard to read with any accuracy. More of a problem last night I noticed after 24 hours at 85% humidity and 83degF that the top of the sausage are looking darker and dryer than the bottom! So I turned off the slow cooker which brought the temp down to 55 and the humidity to 95%. I think I might just put in the drying room now. Uneven drying can't be desirable, maybe I need a fan in the incubator to distribute the temp more evenly?
There were no instructions from the bessastart dealer other than use 0.6g per kg and 24 hours incubation should do the trick.
I am reading that the Europeans are not so concerned about dropping the ph so quickly. Not sure as ti the whys but I think I best hang mine in the garage and not worry about the ph so much. I don't think I can measure the ph accurately enough to keep them in the incubator.
PS
After getting them out the incubator and getting a better look in the light, the top drying is not so bad, its just the top 2 cm where the skin has stretched with the weight. And this is just a slight difference in colour.
I also do not need PH strips!! I can smell the change in acidity
hahaha not having done or seen any of this process at first hand, this is going to be a long slow learning curve. Lets see how they develop in 6-12 weeks.You will know that the ferment is working by the smell, your sausages firming up and feeling more rubbery and turning pink from grey. After the fermentation is done, you don't need to concern yourself as much about the pH, as you have cleared that particular hurdle.
Make sure you give us updates on your progress. I know that the process is somewhat daunting and strange at the start but we all get the hang of it after a few tries. It is both a science and an art, alsot also a lot of fun!
Make sure you give us updates on your progress. I know that the process is somewhat daunting and strange at the start but we all get the hang of it after a few tries. It is both a science and an art, alsot also a lot of fun!
I will post updates as and when. I am hoping that this smell is just a faze, they are smelling quite vinegary, in no way appetising at all! Yes they have indeed turned pink, so I am guessing with the absence of a good PH test would this be a good indicator they are ready for the drying room?
I was a little conserend with my simple incubator set up using just these two items I was able to create a stable 85% humidity at 83 degF. I guess it worked out ok in the end.
I was a little conserend with my simple incubator set up using just these two items I was able to create a stable 85% humidity at 83 degF. I guess it worked out ok in the end.
Update on this one.
5 and a half weeks, 45% weight loss.
It tastes spectacular!!!... so happy. I would do this exact again bar using the correct amount of bessastart culture, instead of the X10 dose I gave it. I cant say if this has influenced the final taste but it is glorious.
To refresh you on the recipe,
0.25% cure2 and 2.75% sea salt
2 cloves garlic
20g dextrose
2 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon crushed dry chilli flakes
half cup red wine
10.7g of bessastart culture
5 and a half weeks, 45% weight loss.
It tastes spectacular!!!... so happy. I would do this exact again bar using the correct amount of bessastart culture, instead of the X10 dose I gave it. I cant say if this has influenced the final taste but it is glorious.
To refresh you on the recipe,
0.25% cure2 and 2.75% sea salt
2 cloves garlic
20g dextrose
2 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon crushed dry chilli flakes
half cup red wine
10.7g of bessastart culture
-
Butterbean
- Moderator
- Posts: 1955
- Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 04:10
- Location: South Georgia
Looks great Fingers!
I doubt your adding extra starter did any harm. I normally propagate my starter before using it just like I do my yeast in wine making. Don't know if it helps but it sure has never seemed to harm anything. I think the law of carrying capacity apply in all aspects of nature so other than a reduction in the time it took to reach the carrying capacity I can't see where it would make a difference other than the unnecessary on your wallet.
I doubt your adding extra starter did any harm. I normally propagate my starter before using it just like I do my yeast in wine making. Don't know if it helps but it sure has never seemed to harm anything. I think the law of carrying capacity apply in all aspects of nature so other than a reduction in the time it took to reach the carrying capacity I can't see where it would make a difference other than the unnecessary on your wallet.
I'm happy to hear that ithe end the sausage turned out very much to your liking. You can't really have too much starter as the bacteria will only grow and multiply consuming the available sugars. And at 10g/kg there was plenty of food! I suspect that you probably brought the pH to 4.5 or even less during fermentation. And I suspect that your sausage has a well pronounced tang, or am I wrong? 
BTW the sausage does look good, has a nice bind and colour and dried evenly.
BTW the sausage does look good, has a nice bind and colour and dried evenly.
Cheers Folks
The flavour has depth, very much pork, then a very savoury almost peperoni taste, then the pepper spice starts to come through, which is stimulating but not over powering the pallet, very moreish. There's no acidity note if this is what you meen by tang Redzed, which is surprising and a relief as the smell for the first 2 weeks was very acidic in the room. Its smooth with nothing really over powering and taking the front stage.
I know in the UK we are not famous for cured meats so what we get is imported and very much sanitised due to food regs, but I have never tasted anything like it shop bought. The whole family were smiling.
The flavour has depth, very much pork, then a very savoury almost peperoni taste, then the pepper spice starts to come through, which is stimulating but not over powering the pallet, very moreish. There's no acidity note if this is what you meen by tang Redzed, which is surprising and a relief as the smell for the first 2 weeks was very acidic in the room. Its smooth with nothing really over powering and taking the front stage.
I know in the UK we are not famous for cured meats so what we get is imported and very much sanitised due to food regs, but I have never tasted anything like it shop bought. The whole family were smiling.
