When do they start to firm up?

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fatboyz
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When do they start to firm up?

Post by fatboyz » Thu Feb 23, 2017 03:00

My Genoa and Sopressata have been in the chamber for 3 weeks and have lost 18% moisture. They're still really soft. At what point do they start to stiffen up?
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redzed
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Post by redzed » Thu Feb 23, 2017 03:47

By this time the salami should have lost more weight. What is your RH at?
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Post by fatboyz » Thu Feb 23, 2017 05:02

It's been at 80%. Just turned it down to 70 tonight.
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Post by LOUSANTELLO » Fri Feb 24, 2017 14:36

When I made them, I lose about 1% per day until you reach about 25% using Beef middles casings. At that time, that last 10-15% feels like forever. I think the last time I made them, they took about 6 weeks total to hit 38%. I also gave them a little help by squeezing them daily once they started holding shape to flatten them out. Image
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Post by fatboyz » Sat Feb 25, 2017 02:26

Do you guys ever turn them end for end? I find the top seems to dry a bit faster than the bottom? Not sure if moisture settles?
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Post by LOUSANTELLO » Sat Feb 25, 2017 02:38

I never flipped them. Think the tops dry faster because the weight of the meat makes the top thinner. That last 2 weeks is well worth it. I always manage to be impatient and slice one open too early all to find out it's still too soft. How much did each one weigh? And about how long are they?
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Post by fatboyz » Sat Feb 25, 2017 03:33

They were all around 550 grams and about 8-9". They were short protein lined shrubs. The sopressata were beef middles. Not too much heavier but a bit longer. One beef cap of sopressata too.
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Post by LOUSANTELLO » Sat Feb 25, 2017 04:01

My beef middles were 400-575 grams. They took about 6 weeks
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Post by fatboyz » Sat Feb 25, 2017 04:51

What RH did you have them at in 4-6 weeks time?
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Post by LOUSANTELLO » Sat Feb 25, 2017 05:17

About 75%. I also have a fanin the chamber that circulates internal air about 5 minutes per hour. The new chamber is not drilled for external airflow, so I open up the door a couple times per day just to change the air out
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Post by fatboyz » Sat Feb 25, 2017 11:04

Thanks Lou. I think I'm going to put a bigger vent in the door of my chamber to allow better air exchange with the computer fan I have currently installed.
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