Salami Recipe

Chill and prepare equipment

Place meat and fat in the freezer for 20–30 minutes until firm but not frozen solid. Chill grinder and mixing bowl. Soak natural casings in cool water for 30–60 minutes, then rinse thoroughly inside and out under running water.

Dissolve starter culture in 30 ml of the red wine (or cold water) as per manufacturer's instructions and keep cool until use.

Grind the meat and fat

Run the chilled pork shoulder through a coarse grinder plate (8–10 mm) once. Then grind the pork back fat through the same plate. Keep everything cold to avoid smearing.

Mix with salts and seasonings

In the chilled bowl combine the ground meat and fat. Add non-iodized salt, curing salt #2, glucose/dextrose, starter culture solution, minced garlic, black pepper, white pepper, fennel seeds, paprika, and sugar. Pour the remaining wine (or cold water) gradually while mixing. Mix by hand or with a paddle on low speed for 5–8 minutes until the mixture becomes tacky and cohesive (protein extraction), ensuring even distribution of cure and spices.

Prepare casings and stuffing tube

Fit your sausage stuffer with an appropriate diameter tube for the chosen casing. Rinse casings once more and slide onto the tube, leaving a 10–15 cm overhang. Tie a knot at the end of the casing.

Pack the mixture into the stuffer, taking care to avoid air pockets. Fill the casings firmly but not overly tight so the salami can ferment and dry. Leave about 15 cm between links for tying if making multiple sausages. Twist or tie into desired lengths and use butcher twine to tie off sections if needed. Prick any large air pockets with a sanitized needle and press to remove air.

Warm fermentation

Hang the filled salami in a warm, humid environment at 20–26°C (68–79°F) with ~85–90% relative humidity for 24–72 hours to allow the starter culture to acidify the sausage. Check pH if possible: target pH after fermentation is about 5.0–5.3 depending on style. This step is crucial for safety and flavor.

Initial drying

After fermentation, move salami to a cooler drying room or curing chamber set to 12–15°C (54–59°F) and 75–80% relative humidity. Hang sausages to dry for 4–8 weeks depending on diameter and desired dryness. Aim for a 30% weight loss for typical salami texture and safety; larger diameter may take longer.

Monitor and finish

Check salami weekly for even drying, mold growth, or case hardening. White benign surface mold (Penicillium nalgiovense) is normal and can be encouraged by maintaining RH and by optional surface spray with a mold culture. If unwanted molds appear, wipe with a cloth dampened with 1:1 white vinegar:water. When weight loss target is reached and interior is firm but still moist, refrigerate and rest for a few days before slicing thinly.

Slice salami thinly using a sharp knife or slicer. Store whole salami wrapped in breathable paper in the refrigerator for several weeks; vacuum sealed slices keep longer. For long-term storage, freeze sliced portions.