Homemade Sausage Making

I normally average anywhere from 1.5-2% per day, but the final 10% took a lot longer. 34% in 12 days seems very fast, as it is almost 3% daily. I'm sure they will slow down. What temperature and what humidity level are you holding? As far as cutting them earlier, don't waste your time. If you feel they are soft, they are softer than you think when you cut into them. I would let them go at least to 43%. Even at 43%, being they are round, they will still be soft in the middle. That's been my experience. Make sure you post pictures of a crosscut when you decide to cut one open.

Thanks for the reply mate.
I have it sitting at around 12c and 70% humidity.
There will be pictures, don't worry about that. Haha.

DRying that fast at a relatively low humidity you are inviting dy rim/ case hardening.

Listen to what Lou said earlier in this string:

LOUSANTELLO wrote:Air exchange is crucial, but you don't need a lot of it. Secondly, 85% in the first few weeks is not problem. In Fact, you don't want them to dry much faster because the outer surface will dry and the inner won't. In time the humidity will drop, but I never let it drop much lower than 75% anyway. In most cases, I've had to induce humidity to keep the level higher. Don't rush the drying process by trying to decrease the humidity.

Yea it wasn't my intention to have the humidity so low. I had 2 sensors in there reading differently and I chose the wrong one to trust.
It is at 37.4% loss now, so I took one out to cut open. Seems to have a darker ring outside
Are they still safe to eat like this?
I will have another go this weekend probably so will look for a better recipe to try.







Thanks guys

Rob

Maybe Bob K can make suggestions. I don't know enough about the cure used and it's residual after 2 weeks, but I would eat it. Let the other ones go longer.

I ended up slicing some of it and cooking it. Tasted great to me. Lots of fennel flavour. So if this is the worst of what I make, ill be happy.
I tried one slice without cooking and wasn't too bad.
I have the rest in the fridge still at around 80% humidity now.

My plan would be: Up the humidity to 85%. DRy slowly until 40-42% weight loss. Then vac seal and refrigerate for a month or so to even out the moisture.

Unsure of what "salami cure" contains.