I got some pepperoni in my fermentation chamber. My question is what is everyone’s thoughts about how long to dry cure? The recipe I’m seeing from 2 Guys and a Cooler has them hanging u til they lose 20% and then smoking them. Other recipes I’ve seen will have them hanging until 40% weight loss like salami.
What’s the best option?
I saw something on line that you should rinse fermented snack sticks after fermenting but before smoking to get any of the bloom from the culture off the sticks. Anyone do this?
My sheep casings just came in today. I am planning on making some snack sticks. I made a really good batch with collagen a couple of weeks ago and those went well but the casings peeled off really easily (not really an issue, just saying).
So with sheep casings, what am I getting myself into? Any advice on how to limit the blowouts? I keep hearing they are more fragile than hog casings.
I have 3 rules for Father’s Day:
This Father’s Day was a complete success on all fronts.
I’ve played him sparingly as a 6* but not enough to really appreciate what he does.
This was my first time making snack sticks and I gotta say I’m pretty happy with the results. The flavor and texture is insane. I need to dial in the collagen casings since some of them peeled off, but that really was not much of a problem. Maybe sheep casings will behave better. Also I need to make them into a shorter uniform length since my fermentation chamber and smoker were a little short (I had to curl one of them around my hanging rod). But all in all, for my first time, I could not be happier.
Never made snack sticks before figured I’d give it a try with collagen casings. What am I getting myself into? Anything I need to know before getting started?
Used the Chuds BBQ recipe. I was worried this was going to be too spicy for some of my family but it was really well balanced with a good amount of heat.
I recently made my first pepperoni. It was fermented for about 30 hours until it was around a ph of 4.8 and then I hung it for 3 weeks in my curing chamber at 55 degrees and 75 RH until it lost about 36% of its weight. I pulled it out and it was dry and pretty good although a little tangy.
I kept it in my pantry because I saw it should be held in a dry dark place. After about a week I noticed a lot of oil on the outside of the pepperoni and there were raised yellowish bubbles. It smelled more vinegary than before. I ate some (because I’m foolish) and it tasted ok but I threw it out just to be safe.
Can anyone tell me what happened? It seemed to go well but what can I do better next time?
My pepperoni has finally reached its ultimate destination. It was really good. Now I need to get some beef middles so I can make proper pizza size pepperoni. The hog casings were a touch on the small side. But now I know I can do it.
After about 3 weeks I think I’m calling my pepperoni done. It lost 36% of it’s green weight and tastes pretty good. Little heat in the back and a nice tang. I made it using 32mm hog casings so I’m not sure if it’s really big enough for a pizza, unless I’m going those cup pepps that seem to be popular now.
I was a little surprised with the grease on the outside. Not greasy by any stretch, just wasn’t expecting it. So as it’s my first time, please let me know what your thoughts are. This is my second successful attempt at fermentation and dry curing (first being a summer sausage I pulled out last weekend) so I think I’m hooked.
I know Spot needs a high sig, but honestly, I’m not crazy about him, so who else?
Two weeks ago I took my first steps in the world of fermenting and dry curing sausage. I made pepperoni, which still has about a week to go and I made summer sausage. I had made summer sausage before, but in the past I used encapsulated citric acid in lieu of fermentation. So this is a whole new experience for me.
I have to say I am extremely happy with the results. I pulled out a smaller chub about a week into drying and it was good, but after two weeks of drying, it is so much better! If this pepperoni turns out, I may be hooked.
Btw this is a beef and pork sausage.
Why have I not done this sooner?!?!
I’m waiting on Spiral to be ascended but other than her, who goes up?
I have been hanging some pepperoni for one day short of 2 weeks. This is my first foray into dry cured meat. The pepp has gone from a green weight of 935g to a current weight of 630g which is a 33% loss. Is it ok to eat now or should I let it go longer?