Homemade Sausage Making

IMHO -

SMR wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 29, 2019 22:11

apply sugna at about 25% weight loss (at least that was the plan for the next time). Is that still the sweet spot?

yes. even closer to 28-30%.

SMR wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 29, 2019 22:11

Do you apply it only to the meat side or do you coat the entire thing?

only meat side (water evaporated only by lean meat)

SMR wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 29, 2019 22:11

I have found best results for drying to about 42% weight loss in my other projects. You had taken your 2 non-smoked culatelli out of the chamber closer to 36%. The smoked version was at 42%. Aside from the smoked flavor difference, did you find a preference in the moistness of the smoked versus the unsmoked?

in opinion my "testers" smoke improved taste. In my next project i will go up to 40% anyway that seems like better texture and better enzymatic bio reactions. At this moment - unsmoked and opened at 36% -IMO were too soon.

Thank you Stefan. The vac seal and refigeration for 2.5 months lets moisture equalize throughout? Did you do it in pieces or would you recommend whole?

Also, do you get just the 2 cuts from the fresh ham and just the trimmings or is there another big chunk left over?

SMR wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 30, 2019 03:41

The vac seal and refigeration for 2.5 months lets moisture equalize throughout?

it will help for sure.

SMR wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 30, 2019 03:41

Did you do it in pieces or would you recommend whole?

in two pieces - my vac sealing equipment isn't big enough for whole piece so I do cross cut.

SMR wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 30, 2019 04:14

just the 2 cuts from the fresh ham and just the trimmings

yes it is two cuts and little trimmings

Thank you again

Hi Stefan,

I know this is an older thread but I have a question for you. In your culatello projects I noticed that you used s. Erythorbate. Out of curiosity why did you choose to use a cure accelerator for culatello? Did you notice anything different between that culatello and the other ones? Color, taste, things like that?

Eric

Hi Eric.Use of s.erythrobate was some of my project. As you can see I used it with Cure#2. Purpose (in my mind) was to use s. erythrobate as accelerator and as antioxidant. Somewhere in my mind was project of use it as "scavenger" of oxygen to prevent secondary oxidation of nitrite to nitrate. But never had chances to laboratory tested level of nitrates and nitrites during steps of process. Also as color stabilizer.

cajuneric wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 14, 2019 16:55

Did you notice anything different between that culatello and the other ones? Color, taste, things like that?

- no. It is one of reasons I'm not using now it so often.

Thanks for the response. I too am experimenting with this cure accelerator and have been using it in some of my projects. I have noticed a huge color change on a few cuts and on others nothing too noticeable. I think it really shines when you use it with high temp cheeses. Thanks for the answer

The Culatello & Fiocco Project is under way. This is the Fiocco stuffed into a hog bladder



And stitched closed with butchers twine and a trussing needle.

Two Culatelli and two Fiocci in hog bladders that I bought from Butchers Pantry.

I watched Massimo Spigaroli on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUSyIi77yN4 to learn how to tie the Culatello and Fiocco. I made my "Ski Needle" using 1/2" x 1/16" flat aluminum stock from the local hardware store.



Here they are hanging in my chamber with some Cappocola and Landjager that I made with the hind leg trimmings.

Looks great and looks like you've been busy.

They're looks nice.

Last few days we have had a lot of snow. And when is snowing in central Mass - it is mean - time for some projects.
Salami Worcestero (hihihi Americano- Italiano-Poloneis). otehr words - some modification of Salami Ligawa's
Class I - lean meat from ham, loin, butt - 4.2 kg
Pork belly - 2.2 kg
Lean beef - 2.0 kg
Fat back - 2.0 kg
Sea salt - 22.5 g/kg
Cure #1 - 2.5 g/kg
Meats cubed in egg size, salt and cure added - vac pack and left 48 hours in refrigerator.
Fat back cubed in around 1/2X1/2" size, salt and cure added - 24 hours in refrigerator then 24 hour in freezer. After that time - meats were put in box by layer (lean meat on battom, pork belly, Grounded beef by plate 3 mm, then frozen fat) . Little compacted.
Then left for around 1 hour in natural freezer During that time - spices prepared, starter culture dehydrated, staffer and casings ready.
Spices -
White pepper - 2 g/kg
Black pepper-2g/kg
Multi -color pepper corns whole - 5 g/kg
Garlic granulated - 3 g/kg
Cardamon - 0.3 g/kg
Ginger 0.3 g/kg
Dextrose - 2 g/kg
Sugar 3 g/kg
Home made mead (semidry)- 100 ml/10 kg
CHR Hansen SafePro - Flora Italia - 0.25 g/kg
Spices and dehydrated starter culture (50 ml water) spreaded evenly on top of meat.
Then meat ground by 7 mm plate. Stuffed in natural casings (sewn hog double wall 3.25"X 14") - 5 pieces, collagen casings - 3 pieces and fibrous protein lined - 5 pieces. Fermentation chamber - 17.5-18 *C (63-65 F) and 95 % humidity. After 36 hours - pH - 4.92, after 48 hours - pH 4.91. (very fast starter culture even in lower fermenting temperature. Very misleading name of that starter.)
Bacterferm Mold 600 inoculated before moving to drying chamber.

Interesting project! I like the idea of curing the pork in advance of grinding.