Hard salami is thought to have been developed by Germanic tribes during the Roman era. The Romans had perfected the cold curing of meats, with Genoa perhaps being the most popular Roman era salami still being made. Like all cold cured meats, hard salami relies on fermenting the meat over slow and long period to disarm the harmful bacteria that can lead to meat spoilage and cause sickness. In addition to fermenting the meat, curing salt #2 is used (do not use #1 salt) and the salami is cold smoked, both of these ingredients further keep bacteria at bay and help preserve the meat. The primary difference between hot cured and cold cured meat is that cold cured meats do not have to be refrigerated and will keep indefinitely on the shelf. This recipe involves how to process the meat and get it ready for fermentation. In follow-on posts we will discuss the process for cold curing the meat.
Ingredients
- 907 g Pork – cut into 1″ cubes
- 907 g Beef/game – cut into 1″ cubes
- 453 g Pork fat – cut into 1″ cubes
- 51 g Kosher salt
- 6 g Prague salt # 2
- 12 g Dextrose – can substitute table sugar
- 7 g White pepper
- 36 g Garlic cloves ~4 cloves – minced
- 75 g Dry Red Wine
- 5 g Distilled water – divided
- 1.5 g T-SPX
Process
- Mise en Place – measure and prepare your ingredients prior to starting.
- Chill meat to 45 deg. F, especially the fat. Can freeze until firm but not solid. Also, put grinder housing in freezer 1 hr prior to starting.
- Seep spices (not T-SPX) in just enough hot water to cover. Place in fridge to cool.
- Grind with your large plate (0.5 inch).
- Cool meat again.
- Mix fermenting cultures (i.e., T-SPX) per the manufacture’s instructions using distilled water.
- Hydrate casings per the manufacture’s instructions.
- Mix spices into meat and grind again using your smaller plate (1/8th inch).
- Mix in cultures making sure to get them evenly homogenized with the meat.
- Stuff the casings – if you get air bubbles, use a needle to brink the casing.
- Designate one sausage stick as your metric and weigh it. Record the weight.
- Ferment at 68 deg F. and 90% humidity for 3 days.
- Cold smoke at 64 deg. F. for 12 hours.
- Finish fermenting at 60-54 F. and 85% humidity for 6-8 weeks or until your metric sausage looses 30% of it’s weight.
- Can be stored indefinitely on the shelf but once you cut it open, you should keep end wrapped and in the fridge.
Note 1: The ratio of meats should be 40% pork, 40% beef or game, and 20% pork fat, preferably back fat.
Note 2: The ratio of T-SPX is 0.5 tsp ( g) per 10 lbs meat mixed with 4 oz distilled water. Pitch 20 mins. and mix into meat after the spices have been mixed in. Meat must be cold.
Note 3: If your salami develops a white mold on the casing there is no cause for concern, you see salami sticks in deli all the time with this mold on it. If it bothers you, however, you can wipe the sticks down with a diluted white vinegar solution.
