@2 Guys & A Cooler There's a channel on TH-cam (cuoredicioccolato) that makes his salami, sopressata, and other cured meats using only salt. Is there any disadvantage or dangers using this method? Thanks!
LOL. You are assuming his method is the "safe" way to produce dry cured meats. Here's the truth. Salt alone isn't enough to protect your meat from the type of bacteria that can kill you when making salami, and because I am an instructional cooking channel there is a burden that I carry to not only instruct people on how to make dry cured meats correctly but how to make them safely so that there's no doubt or fear that they might get themselves, kids, friends, or neighbors sick. My methods are the safest most reliable tutorials on You Tube, producing the most delicious and consistent results. Not only that, but I actually make my self available to anyone who has questions. So rest assured that if you go down this path you are not alone!!😁 The real danger and risk comes when someone (who is inexperienced) chooses to use only salt as a curing agent, doesn't pay attention to pH during fermentation, allows crazy molds to grow on their meat, and then thinks it ok to eat it because a You Tuber told them it was delicious.
@@2guysandacooler Thank you so much for your fast and informative reply. I love your channel (just found it today) and I will be a long time loyal follower... You're the best!!
Just want to say a big Thank You to Eric, anyone willing to take a call to help a viewer of his channel out is awesome....Eric is very generous to his viewers and it is appreciated ...
I used your recipe for the soppressata and the taste is spot on. I did add some red wine to it also. As far as the cure and cultures I did not use them. I followed an old Italian recipe and it came out "Bellossomo"!!!!!! I only made a couple of pounds as a test! I will now be making a lot more! Thank you for all your guidance and your fabulous You Tube channel. It's one that I will go to first.
Yeah! That's a lot more simple than the five tubes I tied up today. (and I tied them dry) I did the 'accordion fold' but after tying the first knot I folded the flap down like you did on your 'filled' summer sausage... and then tied a couple more knots, alternating sides. I'm pretty sure it would hold up if I filled the casings with rocks and swung it around my head, but I'll use this knot next time. Thanks!
Made this recipe 2 weeks ago, almost 3 pounds and the first small stick in 32mm Umai casings is done. Dried to 35% and was amazed how good it tastes, got another small stick going to 40% and 2 50MM casings that I will dry to 40%. Want to taste the differences between the 32 and 50mm sizes. Great recipe!!
Thank you so much for the video, another step to making a true homemade muffaletta. *edit* Thank you again for all your videos. If it wasnt for you I would not have the confidence to even embark on salumi/salami journey. Finally pulled the trigger on a fridge and converted it to a drying chamber. Thank you for my new obsession
Nice! I have been wanting to make this for ages and after watching your video, and a quick visit to your website for the recipe, this will be my next salami adventure for sure.
So I made my Sopressata on 11/2, has a few speed bumps along the way, but I pulled them the weekend, and they were perfect, I learned a few things along the way about my chamber, the flavors in this Sopressata are amazing, I didn’t use TSPX, I used Flavor of Italy, great recipe. 🇮🇹
Terrific Video !! Extremely Coherent. ... Answers the questions. .... Quick presentation, Great Voice Over and Edits, clean tight shots, ... & Snappy Too !! Thank you guise ! ... Packin twenty pounds this week. just a test. ... then more.
Thank you so much! I emailed Eric about making this and 2 days later he sends me a photo of them in the press! you sir are an absolute salami wizard! we are about to start batch number 2 and we might switch to your press method.
@@2guysandacooler they were excellent we are going to throttle our fennel back a smidge add some more pepper and a bit of black pepper to give it a bit more bite. might move away from the natural beef middles and go to something a bit bigger. the rest of our whole muscles are going to get crammed into some casings today though! thanks again for making this channel it sure has helped alot in getting into this process.
I'm glad I found your channel. Lots of inspiration. I just put two coppa on cure tonight to be aged in steak bags. One is you fennel cure, the other one I I ground up a zatarains crab boil bag of spices and am curing the other one with that.
Love watching your video’s. You have taught me a lot about making salami can’t wait to see what you come up with next. I live in country NSW in Australia and a mate breeds pigs so I have a good supply of pork when I need it. Thanks for making the video’s
Very nice. I was thinking it would be pressed the whole way through the curing process, but I guess all that really matters is that it is being pressed while the meat firms up with that starter culture. Very cool and looks fantastic! Any thoughts on your reasoning behind TSP-X vs. Taste of Italy on this?
You are going to love this. I wanted to do a tspx starter culture video and this project came up so here you have it. Personally I would have chosen flavor of Italy 😂😂😂
Nice brother. Cant wait to try this. Been watching u for a few months. I had never known much about charcuterie. But low and behold I'm doing it thanks to you. I'm starting on whole muscles(coppa) Which should be done in about a month. I have a great chamber I made myself. Everything dialed in perfectly. Anyways I just wanted to say thanks. Maybe I'll post a few vids once I get comfortable enough lol.
Hey Mike. That's great to hear!! The hardest part is getting your chamber dialed in and it sounds like you've got that all wrapped up!! Congratulations. I can't wait to see what you'll make.
Great video! I appreciate when creators just show the work and don't care much about showing themselves in frame but I think maybe an outro or intro (or both) with the camera on you would be raise it up to the next level :)
And btw, while I don't have room to make sausage myself at the moment I know it's something I have to do sometime. If not sooner I know that my retirement will be me brewing beer and making cured meats!
Just pulled my first batch of this recipe as it had reached target weight and sadly looks like the fermentation didn't go as planned as was soft and spongy in the middle.
Just out of curiosity…is there an optimal PH for the final product? Just made my first batch, and while every looks and smells great, it would be nice to have a reference for this…..
So excited about this video, this was going to be my first attempt this weekend and out comes this!!....I did get " taste of italy" for the culture, and I only have calabrian peppers in the jar, hopefully it will be ok..should I double up on the grams for peppers since not dehydrated ?
"Flavor of Italy" would have been my first choice. The only reason I used TSPX was because I needed to make a starter culture video explaining how to use it. So here are a few things you'll do different. Taste of Italy ferments much faster, (SUPER FAST) so be sure to ferment on the lower side like 75F. Because you will only be fermenting for 12-18 hours, you'll want to try and keep it pressed for another day or so. This isn't totally necessary but will help with the shape. How do you plan on pressing the soppressata? Also I would add 1% -1.5% of the fresh peppers you have. Just chop them up finely
@@2guysandacooler thanks so much Eric...Honestly, since the mini fridge chamber has little room, once it starts to dry a bit I was going to attempt to use a rolling pin over time...a little every few days
I have got to say, you are a wealth of knowledge! I appreciate the step process that you show. It really takes the angst out of it. One thing I wanted to mention is that in the link to this recipe, you list the things that we will need to make this. Calabrian paste is listed in that but in the recipe, is says flakes. I am assuming this is a typo?
I started a 10 lbs batch 36 hours ago. I used 1/2 tsp and 1/2 cup distilled water and rehydrated for about 40 mins prior to adding to meat. It’s been in my 64 degree basement since. Ph still 5.65 should I be concerned. I used 9 grams dextrose.
Great video and instructions. I have 5 lb batch fermenting now. I did a pH reading after 48 hours and it came up 5.5. The label on the back of the T-SPX pack says that the pH should not go below 5.3 to preserve taste and color. Can I expect my pH to drop over the next day? I have had it at a steady 65F and 90%.
Nada a que ver, como siempre españoles hablando de cosas que no saben. Nduja y soppressata calabrese no se pueden comparare a nada que se hace en Hispanistan.
So I made this pulled after 6 weeks had at 80% and 55 degrees controlled environment and softer than I anticipated. What causes a salami not to firm up? My weight loss is 40%. I used flavor of Italy culture. First batch was perfect. I’m thinking possibly the culture but no clue. The culture was chamber vac sealed and kept in stand alone freezer. Not expired.
Thanks for another great video and recipe - this goes on my to-do list. Anything to watch out for when adding alcohol (here redwine) to make sure it does not harm the starterculture? I am not sure how tolerant TSPX is to alcohol...
@@2guysandacooler awesome thanks for the quick response. Love the channel and have tried 4 of your recipes so far and everyone have been a great success. Thanks again
Most types of salami, must be in the same humidity/temperature range? The only reason I ask is that your drying chamber always seams full of different types, even when your putting new salamis in there?
That is correct. I keep my chamber at 55f and 80% humidity. Under those parameters you can add anything from prosciutto, pancetta, to salami. I never change it.
@@2guysandacooler thank you for you response Eric, you guys are great, love watching your videos, I have to catch up , cause you just came across my channel .
My storage was originally too cold I let the meat warm up a touch and got a PH of 6.1. It’s been 5 days since making it. Should I wait and see how it reacts or is it too late. I followed the recipe to the mark.
Hi Guys, 2 guys I mean, love your fast response, Merry Christmas, BTW, I am allergic to pork, so I use beef, which part of the beef can I use instead, sorry to ask so many questions. Take care Thanks
That looks like it would go well on a toasted sourdough with thin sliced Turkey, mayonnaise, horseradish, sliced Roma tomato, a thin slice of white onion, leaf lettuce, celery salt and fresh ground black pepper….
hello I made Calabrian soppressata with the same ingredients that you used, today a week ago. I have two doubts the first and that someone is making gray mold, the other is very appoccicosa. it could be that, there is a lot of humidity you can cheer me on thanks so much
If you are getting grey mold you can wipe the salami down with some vinegar and let it continue drying. Mold growth is very common. You'll just have to monitor it to make sure no more bad mold grows. Try to keep the humidity 80% and the temp at 12-13C and everything should be fine..
@@2guysandacooler I hang in cold cellar and have a humidifier in there and temp is around 46f and humidity fluctuates from 73-80%. What you think of that ? It’s been drying for 10 days so far
Okay, I made it with beef, and added beef fat, and the pepper sauce some other videos showed, BUT I had no casing, so I used a new tube socked washed and dryed. marinated in the fridge, hung it for a day, then pressed it with two pieces of wood with heavy weight, for a day, which is today, so I am not sure what I should do after that, and how my sock casing LOL with come out, any kind of help will be highly appreciated
Now it's time to dry. You'll need to hang it in an area that's 55f (13c) and high humidity 80%. It will slowly lose weight and when it loses 35%-40% weight it's ready..
Hey Eric, if you have a faster fermenting starter culture like flavor of Italy is 20-24 hours of fermentation enough time to get that pressed shape or is that why Tspx is preferred?
When it comes to sugars I tend to use monosaccharides as my main source of food for bacteria and dextrose is very easy for me to get where I live. I don't think I've ever seen trelahose at any of the places I shop for supplies. If you do use it it would be to feed the bacterial starter culture to aid in fermentation. Because it's a disaccharide some bacteria might have a problem processing it.
Hey Eric. I’m limited with space at the fermentation stage. I usually use a domestic oven (switched off). I wouldn’t be able to get enough weight in there to press the Soppresatas. Could you wrap the combined gastro trays in cling film and ferment on a kitchen worktop (assuming the temperature was in the fermentation range)? Would that work? Thanks again for the videos! You’ve inspired me to book a week’s advanced Salumi making course in Tuscany later in November!
One other question I planned to start another batch tomorrow but this time use flavor of Italy. Wanted to see the taste difference between the two. For the ferment I plan to just use flavor of Italy instructions and ferment that one in my 80 degree oven until the PH is 5-5.2. Am I on the right track?
Thank you. Great content. So we made a lot of soupies this year. After they achieve the desired weight what’s the best way to store them long term. My buddies use olive oil in crocks but I’m thinking about vacuum sealing them. Would they need refrigeration at that point or would they be ok in the cellar for a few months.
Hey Eric, If you vac seal them and the water activity is low enough you can store them in the cellar. If you have space the fridge would be the safest bet. It's hard for a home producer of salami to check the water activity. Thanks for the comment..
Eric, I enjoy your videos very much! I have a question. How long would a salami last before gets bad? Do I need to keep ready salamy vacuumed in fridge? Thanks
hey Eric it's me again, thank you so much for your advice, but I think that once again I need your help.my suppresse ones keep almost 3 weeks but they are still soft and a little humid what can I do I turn the humidifier down a bit
It's been 9 weeks and my sopreesauta is still soft and some is dripping fat. My temperature is 55 and humidity 80 , my dad said he usually sets his temperature to 35 🤪 I used small hog casings for sausage.
there's a problem then. Small hog casings usually take about 4 weeks. If fat is dripping it could mean that your fat was smeared during grinding or stuffing and the fat is keeping the salami from drying properly or you could have an oiling out of the fat due to lypolysis. Either way I would chunk it and start over😅
@@2guysandacooler no way it still smells good I'll just let it dry longer see what happens. Maybe it's taking longer because there's two 30 lb prosciutto legs in the chamber with them
@@2guysandacooler I let it go another month and it's still soft. I cut it open smells good. I tasted a little piece worried about dying but swallowed anyway. Next day I was still alive and I had a full link The taste is great the texture is kind of loose but all in all it tastes pretty good 👍
My soppressata was like that, and I think it might have been partially because I had humidity in my chamber too low for that cure. After a very long and slow process pealing the first one, I ran subsequent ones under a bit of water, and let them sit for a minute or so. This made a huge difference, they didn't come off in a single piece, but they were much bigger pieces and way quicker/easier.
Hey Steve. It's a funny thing. The type of casings sometimes makes a big difference. In this case I was using 3" Fibrous Casing. Also like Matt stated the humidity in the chamber effects the casing as well. I keep my chamber at 80% humidity all the time regardless of what goes in it. I get all my casings from The Sausage Maker and for the most part I would say that I have about 95% that peel off very easy. Every once in a while I'll have one that gives me trouble.
Hey Evan. The Planetary mixer I'm using in this video can fit 20 pounds and it's a 20 quart unit. I can fit roughly 4.5 pounds in a 5.5 qt kitchen aid mixer. Not sure about the larger units.
@@2guysandacooler I have the 6qt kitchenaid pro 600 series. I *barely* fit 5lbs of mince into it. Gotta be careful with the speed so it doesn't spill over.
I use a 100watt incandescent light (in a cracker tin) connected to an inkbird controller. The controller kicks the light on and off as the temp flucuates. You could also use a heating pad or seed mat. Anything like that
Great video and I’d like to try it. However, I have a question.Do you use FRESH or FROZEN pork back fat? After calling several premier butchers in the area I can only find frozen pork back fat. The last time I used it there seemed to be a lot of moisture in it. Is this normal? If so, are there options we can use to reduce moisture in the back fat?
You can use frozen back fat with no problem. We do it all the time as I tend to buy lots of back fat at once. What I typically do is not let the back fat thaw completely when I'm about to use it. That way i can get to grinding pretty quick.
Almost ready here to try your recipe and make salami for the first time Eric. I only have one last question and concern. You say at the video that we can ferment it at 70f or even 80-85f . Bactoferm T-SPX instructions though says do not ferment with this product over 75°f. My apartment temperature can reach 78.5 easy every day. Is it safe to go? Thank you!
@@2guysandacooler Making 2 salamis here for the first time. Currently fermenting but ph is not droping after 56 hours.At 33 hours was 5.33. 38 hours i got 5.28 And after 46.5 hours i get 5.33 and also even showed 5.39. 56 hours now sopresata shows diferent ph in various spots at my leftover meat. 5.34 , 5.40!!, and 5.31. Saucisson sec salami shows 5.28 and 5.34. Both made with TSPX and fermenting¹ at 76-77°F with 90 % humidity. Doing two point calibration every time before i measure. Sopresata: 2.5% salt 0.3% dextrose 0.1% sugar Salt,peper,garlic: 2.5%salt 0.2%dextrose 3% wine
That looks Amazing Eric! I can't remember if I asked you if you have done a Prosciutto video? What are your thoughts on a LAMB shank instead of doing a Prosciutto? I want to buy one and try it, but I am not sure about the lamb fat and the Lamb meat, will it turn out kind of like a Prosciutto de Parma??
Question, what’s your price/lb once it’s all said and done? I can buy hot sopresatta in bulk from Websterauntstore (butchered spelling) for about $7/lb. From what I can see it’s about $3-$4 per lbs for the meat needed. So once you get done including the cost of the preservatives, spices, etc, it seems like a narrow margin. Then factoring in the purchase/setup of equipment it hardly seems worth it for my situation. Is there something I’m missing? I understand the ability to create it yourself allows for higher quality and flavor customization to preference.. but for me cost is the concern here.
Commercially made products are usually going to be cheaper than artisan made. Obviously there's a huge difference between the 2 as far as flavor goes but the long and short is that if price is your only concern and quality doesn't play a role in your decision then it would be cheaper to stay with the commercially made product. Here's the breakdown though so you know: for a 6 pound stick of my salami that's 100% pork I need to buy 10 pounds of meat and fat. 7 pounds of meat cost me $20.93 and 3 pounds of back fat costs me $3.00. I'm then in it for the spices, starter culture, mold. That's roughly $1.50. The casings are about $1.50 each, so that brings me to $26.93. Then there's the equipment needed to make a dry cured fermented sausage and the drying time which is usually 2-3 months for a salami that big. So just the cost of the meat and spices for a 6 pound salami (you'll lose 40% during the drying period) is $4.48 per pound. I sell mine for $20 - $28 a pound and it's usually all sold within a few days. The other issue that you would have to factor in is a learning cost. Salami making is the most advanced form of sausage making there is. It is truly a skill that takes time and patience to produce a great product. I have mad respect for anyone who can make great artisan salami as I know the climb and it's all uphill.. I hope that helps..
yes. Just add 1/2 tsp of Flavor of Italy to every 5 pounds of meat and shorten the fermentation time to 24 hours (or until you get to 4.9ph). The temp range for fermenting is a little higher as well (for flavor of Italy). It's 75f-95f
@@2guysandacooler Appreciate it! I was hoping so and was wanting to be sure. Is there a chart a document out there that says when and when not to use certain starter cultures based of what other ingredients you're using in the recipe or can you use pretty much any starter culture and just adjust the environment/time that it ferments?
That's correct. Basically you can use any starter culture for any recipe. All you need to know is the parameters of that starter culture. There are starters that produce a more acidic salami (American style) like F-RM-52, FLC, LHP Dry and there are starters that are better for Italian style of salami like TSPX, Flavor of Italy, and FLC. The FLC starter is unique in the sense that it can be used either way depending on the conditions you allow your salami to ferment..
Aloha question..made the salami and loss at 38%. My question is the center seems a little softer then I like. Can I return the salami to the drier for another couple weeks to harden the center.(cut off about 1 in) Smell is good taste is a little sour. use mold 600. Thanks
Yes, absolutely. Did you test the pH when you fermented it (out of curiosity). Typically a sour or tangy flavor comes when the pH drops to the mid to high 4's. It's no big deal and still safe but that part of the flavor can be controlled by keeping the pH in the 4.9-5.2 range
Eric, I have watched and read a number of different recipes and noticed that some people do the pressing after about a week later after making the salami. I could find no reason for this anywhere. Thoughts on this?
I've read the same thing. There doesn't seem to be a lot of reason for it. For me I like to press in the beginning because that's when the proteins are binding and forming their matrix. I personally find it easier to do (during fermentation) as my chamber would be a complicated place to press as space is very limited.
The sausage I have has stalled out at about 5.37 ph using T-SPX at 96 hours. Since I am approaching the max hours fermenting, I have a decision to make. Should I view 5.37 as sufficient and begin lowering temperature or continue fermentation? I had the temperature at 65 / 18.3 for about 2 days and raised to 70 for the last 2 days. The max hours should be about 120 hours. Seems like I am flirting with spoilage if I push out to 120 hours when 5.37 may be sufficient. Your thoughts?
@@2guysandacooler Milwaukee meter and was calibrated. Seems to be inaccurate within about .05. The sugar is dextrose and amount consistent with your recipe
ok. Weird as TSPX generally will ferment in about 48 hours. No worries. I would raise the 80f (if you can) for another 12-28 hours. I wouldn't worry about it too much though. ph is just one of several hurdles. If you are still hovering around the 3.0-3.5 I would proceed with drying
Hello, Eric. thanks for all the great recipes and ideas. my dryer is completely ready according to your recommendations works great during the test period now you need something with it. I have a question. I have pure sea salt But it is on the rocks, I grind it and use it with nitrate pickling and curing salt( sodium nitrate 0.5- 0.6% . Is this suitable for salami or should I change it.thanks
Thanks 🙏. From Amazon UK. I leave here D.I.A.H. - pickling salt. Or to skip it and to buy another. I use it for Capcollo + Calabrian recipe from you. And now just waiting to drying properly.
hi Eric, thanx for the video. i tried making salami for the first time. i m one week in. i use a fridge, and the surface of the casing feels sticky. what could be the problem? thank you for your answer.
It could be mold but don't worry just yet. Let it dry out a bit. in the next 7-10 days you'll know for sure. Reach out again in 1 week and let me know what it looks like..
i let it dry out, its fine. thank you very much. next project with mold 600. its fantastic to have homemade salami, and its so much fun, and when i have a problem, im shure i l finde a video about that on your Chanel.
Hi Eric, I made this Soppressata a total of 17 days ago from my garage to my Fridge, Temp. 36*F, and the Original Weight of ea. 381g, 459g, and 399g, Weight loss respectfully is 37%, 38%, and 37%... Is this to short of a time for this weight loss or is this normal? Thank you.
Hey Steve. I actually wanted to use Flavor of Italy but I needed to do a video on "How to use TSPX" for my salami starter culture series. This project happen to line up with that one so I knocked out 2 videos at once...
Try B-LC 007. The bacteria mix in this culture works great on the meat paste! Also, the addition of Debaryomyces hansenii yeast adds an additional nice flavor to the final product.
I made the sopressata but I smoked it, I didn't realize how hot it was getting outside and the sample read 101 internal, using tspx is it savable or should I just make another batch ?
Hi Eric, my soppresatta has been fermenting about 20 hours at room temp wkth tspx. Ph has not dropped at all yet, and the meat has gone darker and firmed up, smells good. Presumably I just need to wait longer?
Hi Eric, my soppresatta is done, and it's amazing. Only my second attempt and I don't think it could have gone better. Very happy, thanks for all your guidance
Hi! 48hrs after i stuffed the meat, ive tested the Ph of the meat and i got 4.66. Its in a temp controlled room (71F 80%humidity) Is this safe to start hanging or should i wait another 24hrs? Thanks you
Yes. Start drying. Anything under 5.2 is ok to start drying. For this salami i generally target 5.0. At 4.66 your salami will have a slight tangy flavor. Not a bad thing, but just letting you know. What starter culture did you use?
@@2guysandacooler awesome thanks. Because i live in Toronto Canada my choices were very limited when it came to choosing a starter culture. I tried ordering from sausage maker but they dont deliver to Canada anymore🤷♂️. So i couldn't use what you recommend and use in your videos. I had to settle with 'Bitec Starter LD 20'
@@2guysandacooler for future sopressata making....what can i do to make it less tangy? How can get to that 5.0Ph level? I did everything in your video and have a temperature controlled room. Thanks again !
@@2guysandacooler i used Bitec Starter LD20 and i added Dextrose (0.88% of the total weight of meat used) i used 6,222 grams of meat (14pounds) so i added 55grams of Dextrose.
I am from Egypt and I love your videos very much Unfortunately, I do not understand much of the words. Please translate the videos in Arabic by writing on the video. Do not be surprised that I am writing in English. This is a Google translation 😅
I generally press at the beginning because there's not a lot of room in my drying chamber to press this salami. Besides once fermentation has occurred the meat firms up. I like for my sopressata to have already formed it's shape by this time.
If you don't get to 5.3 or below the salami is in the danger zone. I would say either ferment a little longer or scrap it and next time add more dextrose.
@@2guysandacooler My family is calabrese and we only use curing salt for our soppresatta and our own seasonings and homemade pepper sauce as well never used a starter culture or that mild rub , doing for 40 years plus
what are you targeting? If you are targeting 5.0, the I say you are done and you can start drying. Don't worry that it's a little low. Just next time check the ph a little sooner and pull when you hit your target range. A low ph isn't bad it just means that the meat will have a slight tangy quality to it. Like summer sausage or pepperoni..
I have lots of "salami making" videos on this channel so if you are curious to know more be sure to check out my playlist. BUT BASICALLY: Grind Meat Add seasoning and bacteria Mix Stuff into a casing Ferment and press the raw meat for a few days till till the ph drops to below 5.3 Hang to dry in a controlled environment for 2 months Voila! You just made salami
@2 Guys & A Cooler There's a channel on TH-cam (cuoredicioccolato) that makes his salami, sopressata, and other cured meats using only salt. Is there any disadvantage or dangers using this method? Thanks!
LOL. You are assuming his method is the "safe" way to produce dry cured meats. Here's the truth. Salt alone isn't enough to protect your meat from the type of bacteria that can kill you when making salami, and because I am an instructional cooking channel there is a burden that I carry to not only instruct people on how to make dry cured meats correctly but how to make them safely so that there's no doubt or fear that they might get themselves, kids, friends, or neighbors sick. My methods are the safest most reliable tutorials on You Tube, producing the most delicious and consistent results. Not only that, but I actually make my self available to anyone who has questions. So rest assured that if you go down this path you are not alone!!😁
The real danger and risk comes when someone (who is inexperienced) chooses to use only salt as a curing agent, doesn't pay attention to pH during fermentation, allows crazy molds to grow on their meat, and then thinks it ok to eat it because a You Tuber told them it was delicious.
@@2guysandacooler Thank you so much for your fast and informative reply. I love your channel (just found it today) and I will be a long time loyal follower... You're the best!!
Welcome to the team!! If you ever need help or have a question don't hesitate to reach out!!
@@2guysandacooler Thank you so much, and I joined Patreon to support your channel... The first time I've ever done that!
Thank you!!
Just want to say a big Thank You to Eric, anyone willing to take a call to help a viewer of his channel out is awesome....Eric is very generous to his viewers and it is appreciated ...
Thank you Larry. I'm glad I could help. 😁
By far the most helpful video on the web. Thanks for posting this.
You're very welcome!
I used your recipe for the soppressata and the taste is spot on. I did add some red wine to it also. As far as the cure and cultures I did not use them. I followed an old Italian recipe and it came out "Bellossomo"!!!!!! I only made a couple of pounds as a test! I will now be making a lot more! Thank you for all your guidance and your fabulous You Tube channel. It's one that I will go to first.
Sopressata di Calabria capital in America is Westerly Rhode Island slang is soupy
No nitrates or any chemicals
I am attempting this salami today!!!
Yeah! That's a lot more simple than the five tubes I tied up today. (and I tied them dry)
I did the 'accordion fold' but after tying the first knot I folded the flap down like you did on your 'filled' summer sausage... and then tied a couple more knots, alternating sides.
I'm pretty sure it would hold up if I filled the casings with rocks and swung it around my head, but I'll use this knot next time.
Thanks!
Been making this this morning. I love how my salamis I’ve made look exactly the same as yours in the video. Very exciting :-D
That's awesome. Congratulations 👏🎊
Another Winner you guys are the Best!
Made this recipe 2 weeks ago, almost 3 pounds and the first small stick in 32mm Umai casings is done. Dried to 35% and was amazed how good it tastes, got another small stick going to 40% and 2 50MM casings that I will dry to 40%. Want to taste the differences between the 32 and 50mm sizes. Great recipe!!
Thank you so much for the video, another step to making a true homemade muffaletta. *edit* Thank you again for all your videos. If it wasnt for you I would not have the confidence to even embark on salumi/salami journey. Finally pulled the trigger on a fridge and converted it to a drying chamber. Thank you for my new obsession
Nice! I have been wanting to make this for ages and after watching your video, and a quick visit to your website for the recipe, this will be my next salami adventure for sure.
So I made my Sopressata on 11/2, has a few speed bumps along the way, but I pulled them the weekend, and they were perfect, I learned a few things along the way about my chamber, the flavors in this Sopressata are amazing, I didn’t use TSPX, I used Flavor of Italy, great recipe. 🇮🇹
Terrific Video !! Extremely Coherent. ... Answers the questions. .... Quick presentation, Great Voice Over and Edits, clean tight shots, ... & Snappy Too !! Thank you guise ! ... Packin twenty pounds this week. just a test. ... then more.
Wow, thanks!
I’m drooling just watching these one Eric👍
Thank you so much! I emailed Eric about making this and 2 days later he sends me a photo of them in the press! you sir are an absolute salami wizard! we are about to start batch number 2 and we might switch to your press method.
Hey Tom, This was a fun project. How did batch #1 come out?
@@2guysandacooler they were excellent we are going to throttle our fennel back a smidge add some more pepper and a bit of black pepper to give it a bit more bite. might move away from the natural beef middles and go to something a bit bigger. the rest of our whole muscles are going to get crammed into some casings today though! thanks again for making this channel it sure has helped alot in getting into this process.
Oh man, I think I could like my screen right now. Real proper, classic techniques right here, thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the comment!!
@@2guysandacooler so i'm just reading my comment and now, and I meant to write "lick" lol. Anyway, you folks rock. Keep it up!
"There are MANY ways to press your salami" Trust me buddy, i know.
🤣🤣🤣
I'm glad I found your channel. Lots of inspiration. I just put two coppa on cure tonight to be aged in steak bags. One is you fennel cure, the other one I I ground up a zatarains crab boil bag of spices and am curing the other one with that.
What! That's amazing 😍. First of all thanks for the comment. Secondly you'll have to let me know what happens with the cures!!!
Just found the channel but I love it. Especially the summer sausage episode. My fave
Welcome aboard! Thanks for the comment
Love watching your video’s. You have taught me a lot about making salami can’t wait to see what you come up with next. I live in country NSW in Australia and a mate breeds pigs so I have a good supply of pork when I need it. Thanks for making the video’s
Nice.. Gotta love a friend who raises pigs!!
All you need now is a cheese tray - or not. Salami is delicious on its own - take it from a salami lover whose writing this post 🥰
Oh my thoughts exactly. With or without cheese it's amazing!!
Wow. You are an artist
I made homemade Sopressata with some deigo that came over on the boat, I made diego red, baby goat.but not every one has an old coal bin
Very nice. I was thinking it would be pressed the whole way through the curing process, but I guess all that really matters is that it is being pressed while the meat firms up with that starter culture. Very cool and looks fantastic! Any thoughts on your reasoning behind TSP-X vs. Taste of Italy on this?
You are going to love this. I wanted to do a tspx starter culture video and this project came up so here you have it. Personally I would have chosen flavor of Italy 😂😂😂
I love soppressata so much
Nice brother. Cant wait to try this. Been watching u for a few months. I had never known much about charcuterie. But low and behold I'm doing it thanks to you. I'm starting on whole muscles(coppa) Which should be done in about a month. I have a great chamber I made myself. Everything dialed in perfectly. Anyways I just wanted to say thanks. Maybe I'll post a few vids once I get comfortable enough lol.
Hey Mike. That's great to hear!! The hardest part is getting your chamber dialed in and it sounds like you've got that all wrapped up!! Congratulations. I can't wait to see what you'll make.
Great video! I appreciate when creators just show the work and don't care much about showing themselves in frame but I think maybe an outro or intro (or both) with the camera on you would be raise it up to the next level :)
And btw, while I don't have room to make sausage myself at the moment I know it's something I have to do sometime. If not sooner I know that my retirement will be me brewing beer and making cured meats!
Just pulled my first batch of this recipe as it had reached target weight and sadly looks like the fermentation didn't go as planned as was soft and spongy in the middle.
Can you briefly mention differences between the starter culture you used versus CHR B-LC-007 versus Flavor of Italy. Thank you
This doesn't look like the kind my friends dad gives me in jars filled with olive oil. , but these look nice
Love it!
Your channel is incredible. Can you recommend an entry level pH meter? Thanks!
Looks great!!! How would I go about getting a darker red color to the final product??
Let it dry longer
Just out of curiosity…is there an optimal PH for the final product? Just made my first batch, and while every looks and smells great, it would be nice to have a reference for this…..
So excited about this video, this was going to be my first attempt this weekend and out comes this!!....I did get " taste of italy" for the culture, and I only have calabrian peppers in the jar, hopefully it will be ok..should I double up on the grams for peppers since not dehydrated ?
"Flavor of Italy" would have been my first choice. The only reason I used TSPX was because I needed to make a starter culture video explaining how to use it. So here are a few things you'll do different. Taste of Italy ferments much faster, (SUPER FAST) so be sure to ferment on the lower side like 75F. Because you will only be fermenting for 12-18 hours, you'll want to try and keep it pressed for another day or so. This isn't totally necessary but will help with the shape. How do you plan on pressing the soppressata? Also I would add 1% -1.5% of the fresh peppers you have. Just chop them up finely
@@2guysandacooler thanks so much Eric...Honestly, since the mini fridge chamber has little room, once it starts to dry a bit I was going to attempt to use a rolling pin over time...a little every few days
Can I make soppressata with beef only?
Sure. The texture and flavor will be different but it will work..
I have got to say, you are a wealth of knowledge! I appreciate the step process that you show. It really takes the angst out of it. One thing I wanted to mention is that in the link to this recipe, you list the things that we will need to make this. Calabrian paste is listed in that but in the recipe, is says flakes. I am assuming this is a typo?
Thanks for the comment. I appreciate that! I just fixed it :)
I started a 10 lbs batch 36 hours ago. I used 1/2 tsp and 1/2 cup distilled water and rehydrated for about 40 mins prior to adding to meat. It’s been in my 64 degree basement since. Ph still 5.65 should I be concerned. I used 9 grams dextrose.
increase the temperature to 80f and finish fermenting. TSPX sometimes takes a few days 48-72 hours
Hi Eric
Is there a rough guide to amount of meat you need to make say 2 salami , re diameter to length = volume of meat
1 kilo of meat will make 1 salami stick that 62mm wide and 18 inches long (give or take)
Great video and instructions. I have 5 lb batch fermenting now. I did a pH reading after 48 hours and it came up 5.5. The label on the back of the T-SPX pack says that the pH should not go below 5.3 to preserve taste and color. Can I expect my pH to drop over the next day? I have had it at a steady 65F and 90%.
The ph should be between 5.0 and 5.2 for TSPX. What are you using to test the ph?
En España eso es "salchichón" de toda la vida :)
Nada a que ver, como siempre españoles hablando de cosas que no saben.
Nduja y soppressata calabrese no se pueden comparare a nada que se hace en Hispanistan.
Can you use skim milk powder as a substitute? What’s the difference between the two? And is there a video that explains why you use it?
So I made this pulled after 6 weeks had at 80% and 55 degrees controlled environment and softer than I anticipated. What causes a salami not to firm up? My weight loss is 40%. I used flavor of Italy culture. First batch was perfect. I’m thinking possibly the culture but no clue. The culture was chamber vac sealed and kept in stand alone freezer. Not expired.
Can this whole process be done in a normal house refrigerator? I know you said the first part can be done but what about the ageing and drying process
you would need special casings like the ones from UMAI to do it in your refrigerator
Thanks for another great video and recipe - this goes on my to-do list.
Anything to watch out for when adding alcohol (here redwine) to make sure it does not harm the starterculture? I am not sure how tolerant TSPX is to alcohol...
not really. Alcohol (wine) will add sugars - which will feed your starter culture so add it sparingly
Would using taste of Italy be ok to use as a starter culture or should I stick with your suggestion in the video. Thank you
Taste of italy would work great! Just follow the fermentation guidelines for taste of italy (75f-85f in 90% humidity)
@@2guysandacooler awesome thanks for the quick response. Love the channel and have tried 4 of your recipes so far and everyone have been a great success. Thanks again
Most types of salami, must be in the same humidity/temperature range? The only reason I ask is that your drying chamber always seams full of different types, even when your putting new salamis in there?
That is correct. I keep my chamber at 55f and 80% humidity. Under those parameters you can add anything from prosciutto, pancetta, to salami. I never change it.
@@2guysandacooler thank you for you response Eric, you guys are great, love watching your videos, I have to catch up , cause you just came across my channel .
My storage was originally too cold I let the meat warm up a touch and got a PH of 6.1. It’s been 5 days since making it. Should I wait and see how it reacts or is it too late. I followed the recipe to the mark.
What ph meter are you using?
Por favor traduzca al español, con subtítulos gracias
Hi Guys, 2 guys I mean, love your fast response, Merry Christmas, BTW, I am allergic to pork, so I use beef, which part of the beef can I use instead, sorry to ask so many questions. Take care Thanks
any part. The goal is to have a 35%-35% lean to fat ratio.
@@2guysandacooler I couldn't wait so I sliced some last night, it is moist, but it is breaking if I try to make the slices thin
Hi eric. Recipe calls for a 1/4 tsp T-SPX starter for 5 lbs of meat, but in how much water?
2-4 tablespoons
Mine turned out great, thanks! Question - how do you store it after it ages? Leave it dry? vacuum seal?
Awesome!! Remove the mold, Vac seal it and store it in the fridge. If you have a bunch you can freeze some of it.
👍
That looks like it would go well on a toasted sourdough with thin sliced Turkey, mayonnaise, horseradish, sliced Roma tomato, a thin slice of white onion, leaf lettuce, celery salt and fresh ground black pepper….
hello I made Calabrian soppressata with the same ingredients that you used, today a week ago. I have two doubts the first and that someone is making gray mold, the other is very appoccicosa. it could be that, there is a lot of humidity you can cheer me on thanks so much
If you are getting grey mold you can wipe the salami down with some vinegar and let it continue drying. Mold growth is very common. You'll just have to monitor it to make sure no more bad mold grows. Try to keep the humidity 80% and the temp at 12-13C and everything should be fine..
@@2guysandacooler grazie tanto
@@2guysandacooler I hang in cold cellar and have a humidifier in there and temp is around 46f and humidity fluctuates from 73-80%. What you think of that ? It’s been drying for 10 days so far
@@davesuppa9434 monitor your weight loss. Pull between 35% -40% weight loss.
What type of casing did you use and what is a good mm size? Thanks all your vids are awesome, please keep them coming.
I generallu use a protein lined casing but any casing will work. Beef middles are pretty popular for this. I would suggest 60-80mm
Okay, I made it with beef, and added beef fat, and the pepper sauce some other videos showed, BUT I had no casing, so I used a new tube socked washed and dryed. marinated in the fridge, hung it for a day, then pressed it with two pieces of wood with heavy weight, for a day, which is today, so I am not sure what I should do after that, and how my sock casing LOL with come out, any kind of help will be highly appreciated
Now it's time to dry. You'll need to hang it in an area that's 55f (13c) and high humidity 80%. It will slowly lose weight and when it loses 35%-40% weight it's ready..
after pressing for 7 days or so, I put it in the wine fridge, 46" F what do you think
@@mashwehla3343 that should work. Just make sure you've got high humidity so it doesn't dry too fast
Hey Eric, if you have a faster fermenting starter culture like flavor of Italy is 20-24 hours of fermentation enough time to get that pressed shape or is that why Tspx is preferred?
You could, heavy weights will do the trick. I like the slower culture for this salami but both work.
What's your take on celery powder cure?
I think that it imparts a celery flavor to the finished product (which I didn't like). Also they don't recommend using it for salami
Do you guys ever use trelahose? If so what for? Thanks.
When it comes to sugars I tend to use monosaccharides as my main source of food for bacteria and dextrose is very easy for me to get where I live. I don't think I've ever seen trelahose at any of the places I shop for supplies. If you do use it it would be to feed the bacterial starter culture to aid in fermentation. Because it's a disaccharide some bacteria might have a problem processing it.
Hey Eric. I’m limited with space at the fermentation stage. I usually use a domestic oven (switched off). I wouldn’t be able to get enough weight in there to press the Soppresatas. Could you wrap the combined gastro trays in cling film and ferment on a kitchen worktop (assuming the temperature was in the fermentation range)? Would that work? Thanks again for the videos! You’ve inspired me to book a week’s advanced Salumi making course in Tuscany later in November!
Yes, You can certainly ferment like that. WOW. That sounds amazing!! I bet it'll be great. You'll have to let me know hot it was once you finish 😊
You still plan on doing the salami with the dry aging bags that can be done in the fridge
Of course. I have that project coming up
Great videos. Can you provide a link to the plastic labels that you tie up when ageing your Sopressata? Thanks again.
Those are plastic stickers I use for my business. What I actually use now for salami is this: amzn.to/32b45eY
@@2guysandacooler Great. Thanks for getting back to me 😁
One other question I planned to start another batch tomorrow but this time use flavor of Italy. Wanted to see the taste difference between the two. For the ferment I plan to just use flavor of Italy instructions and ferment that one in my 80 degree oven until the PH is 5-5.2. Am I on the right track?
That is correct. I would aim for 4.9-5.0
Thank you. Great content. So we made a lot of soupies this year. After they achieve the desired weight what’s the best way to store them long term. My buddies use olive oil in crocks but I’m thinking about vacuum sealing them. Would they need refrigeration at that point or would they be ok in the cellar for a few months.
Hey Eric,
If you vac seal them and the water activity is low enough you can store them in the cellar. If you have space the fridge would be the safest bet. It's hard for a home producer of salami to check the water activity. Thanks for the comment..
Eric, I enjoy your videos very much! I have a question. How long would a salami last before gets bad? Do I need to keep ready salamy vacuumed in fridge? Thanks
If you keep the salami in a vac bag in the fridge you can keep it for 6 months to a year
hey Eric it's me again, thank you so much for your advice, but I think that once again I need your help.my suppresse ones keep almost 3 weeks but they are still soft and a little humid what can I do I turn the humidifier down a bit
what is the % of weight loss (starting weight and current weight)? Also what is the diameter of your casing?
It's been 9 weeks and my sopreesauta is still soft and some is dripping fat. My temperature is 55 and humidity 80 , my dad said he usually sets his temperature to 35 🤪 I used small hog casings for sausage.
there's a problem then. Small hog casings usually take about 4 weeks. If fat is dripping it could mean that your fat was smeared during grinding or stuffing and the fat is keeping the salami from drying properly or you could have an oiling out of the fat due to lypolysis. Either way I would chunk it and start over😅
@@2guysandacooler no way it still smells good I'll just let it dry longer see what happens. Maybe it's taking longer because there's two 30 lb prosciutto legs in the chamber with them
LOL, I know it's hard.... And other products in your chamber won't affect how your salami dries.
@@2guysandacooler I let it go another month and it's still soft. I cut it open smells good. I tasted a little piece worried about dying but swallowed anyway. Next day I was still alive and I had a full link The taste is great the texture is kind of loose but all in all it tastes pretty good 👍
Hi, the cure# @ last for years, but I see the T_XPS has an expiration date, so what is the shelve life for T-XPS Thanks
18 months
Eric, what is the trick to get the casings to peel off in large pieces? I'm forever and a day peeling off bits and pieces.
My soppressata was like that, and I think it might have been partially because I had humidity in my chamber too low for that cure.
After a very long and slow process pealing the first one, I ran subsequent ones under a bit of water, and let them sit for a minute or so. This made a huge difference, they didn't come off in a single piece, but they were much bigger pieces and way quicker/easier.
Hey Steve. It's a funny thing. The type of casings sometimes makes a big difference. In this case I was using 3" Fibrous Casing. Also like Matt stated the humidity in the chamber effects the casing as well. I keep my chamber at 80% humidity all the time regardless of what goes in it. I get all my casings from The Sausage Maker and for the most part I would say that I have about 95% that peel off very easy. Every once in a while I'll have one that gives me trouble.
Looks great! What size mixer are you using? How much meat can you fit in a 10 qt mixer, 20 qt, 30 quart? Is the ratio linear? Thanks!
Hey Evan. The Planetary mixer I'm using in this video can fit 20 pounds and it's a 20 quart unit. I can fit roughly 4.5 pounds in a 5.5 qt kitchen aid mixer. Not sure about the larger units.
@@2guysandacooler I have the 6qt kitchenaid pro 600 series. I *barely* fit 5lbs of mince into it. Gotta be careful with the speed so it doesn't spill over.
What do you use in your fermentation chamber to raise temperature?
I use a 100watt incandescent light (in a cracker tin) connected to an inkbird controller. The controller kicks the light on and off as the temp flucuates. You could also use a heating pad or seed mat. Anything like that
Great video and I’d like to try it. However, I have a question.Do you use FRESH or FROZEN pork back fat? After calling several premier butchers in the area I can only find frozen pork back fat. The last time I used it there seemed to be a lot of moisture in it. Is this normal? If so, are there options we can use to reduce moisture in the back fat?
You can use frozen back fat with no problem. We do it all the time as I tend to buy lots of back fat at once. What I typically do is not let the back fat thaw completely when I'm about to use it. That way i can get to grinding pretty quick.
Almost ready here to try your recipe and make salami for the first time Eric. I only have one last question and concern. You say at the video that we can ferment it at 70f or even 80-85f . Bactoferm T-SPX instructions though says do not ferment with this product over 75°f. My apartment temperature can reach 78.5 easy every day. Is it safe to go? Thank you!
Yes, that is ok..
@@2guysandacooler Making 2 salamis here for the first time. Currently fermenting but ph is not droping after 56 hours.At 33 hours was 5.33.
38 hours i got 5.28
And after 46.5 hours i get 5.33 and also even showed 5.39.
56 hours now sopresata shows diferent ph in various spots at my leftover meat. 5.34 , 5.40!!, and 5.31.
Saucisson sec salami shows 5.28 and 5.34.
Both made with TSPX and fermenting¹ at 76-77°F with 90 % humidity. Doing two point calibration every time before i measure.
Sopresata:
2.5% salt
0.3% dextrose
0.1% sugar
Salt,peper,garlic:
2.5%salt
0.2%dextrose
3% wine
Where do you get your Twine Cutter From?
I got mine from The Sausage Maker: tinyurl.com/jkf942jz
That looks Amazing Eric! I can't remember if I asked you if you have done a Prosciutto video? What are your thoughts on a LAMB shank instead of doing a Prosciutto? I want to buy one and try it, but I am not sure about the lamb fat and the Lamb meat, will it turn out kind of like a Prosciutto de Parma??
Hey Dan. IN the middle of doing a prosciutto right now. About 3 - 4 months into it. Lambs prosciutto is great!!! Takes less time and is super tasty!!
Question, what’s your price/lb once it’s all said and done? I can buy hot sopresatta in bulk from Websterauntstore (butchered spelling) for about $7/lb. From what I can see it’s about $3-$4 per lbs for the meat needed. So once you get done including the cost of the preservatives, spices, etc, it seems like a narrow margin. Then factoring in the purchase/setup of equipment it hardly seems worth it for my situation. Is there something I’m missing? I understand the ability to create it yourself allows for higher quality and flavor customization to preference.. but for me cost is the concern here.
Commercially made products are usually going to be cheaper than artisan made. Obviously there's a huge difference between the 2 as far as flavor goes but the long and short is that if price is your only concern and quality doesn't play a role in your decision then it would be cheaper to stay with the commercially made product. Here's the breakdown though so you know:
for a 6 pound stick of my salami that's 100% pork I need to buy 10 pounds of meat and fat. 7 pounds of meat cost me $20.93 and 3 pounds of back fat costs me $3.00. I'm then in it for the spices, starter culture, mold. That's roughly $1.50. The casings are about $1.50 each, so that brings me to $26.93. Then there's the equipment needed to make a dry cured fermented sausage and the drying time which is usually 2-3 months for a salami that big. So just the cost of the meat and spices for a 6 pound salami (you'll lose 40% during the drying period) is $4.48 per pound. I sell mine for $20 - $28 a pound and it's usually all sold within a few days.
The other issue that you would have to factor in is a learning cost. Salami making is the most advanced form of sausage making there is. It is truly a skill that takes time and patience to produce a great product. I have mad respect for anyone who can make great artisan salami as I know the climb and it's all uphill.. I hope that helps..
The seasonings in this Soppressata include:
Black Pepper
Whole Peppercorns
Calabrian Pepper Flakes
Calabrian Pepper Powder
Garlic Powder
Red Wine
Can I use Flavor of Italy starter culture with this recipe instead?
yes. Just add 1/2 tsp of Flavor of Italy to every 5 pounds of meat and shorten the fermentation time to 24 hours (or until you get to 4.9ph). The temp range for fermenting is a little higher as well (for flavor of Italy). It's 75f-95f
@@2guysandacooler Appreciate it! I was hoping so and was wanting to be sure. Is there a chart a document out there that says when and when not to use certain starter cultures based of what other ingredients you're using in the recipe or can you use pretty much any starter culture and just adjust the environment/time that it ferments?
That's correct. Basically you can use any starter culture for any recipe. All you need to know is the parameters of that starter culture. There are starters that produce a more acidic salami (American style) like F-RM-52, FLC, LHP Dry and there are starters that are better for Italian style of salami like TSPX, Flavor of Italy, and FLC. The FLC starter is unique in the sense that it can be used either way depending on the conditions you allow your salami to ferment..
Aloha question..made the salami and loss at 38%. My question is the center seems a little softer then I like. Can I return the salami to the drier for another couple weeks to harden the center.(cut off about 1 in) Smell is good taste is a little sour. use mold 600.
Thanks
Yes, absolutely. Did you test the pH when you fermented it (out of curiosity). Typically a sour or tangy flavor comes when the pH drops to the mid to high 4's. It's no big deal and still safe but that part of the flavor can be controlled by keeping the pH in the 4.9-5.2 range
@@2guysandacooler just below 5 approx. so could be 4.8 -9? using paper
forgot 36hrs ferment reddish color @@2guysandacooler
Can you use a little less fat in the soppressata
Sure
Eric, I have watched and read a number of different recipes and noticed that some people do the pressing after about a week later after making the salami. I could find no reason for this anywhere. Thoughts on this?
I've read the same thing. There doesn't seem to be a lot of reason for it. For me I like to press in the beginning because that's when the proteins are binding and forming their matrix. I personally find it easier to do (during fermentation) as my chamber would be a complicated place to press as space is very limited.
@@2guysandacooler Makes a lot of sense, I will be trying this next week. Keep up the good work!
The sausage I have has stalled out at about 5.37 ph using T-SPX at 96 hours. Since I am approaching the max hours fermenting, I have a decision to make. Should I view 5.37 as sufficient and begin lowering temperature or continue fermentation? I had the temperature at 65 / 18.3 for about 2 days and raised to 70 for the last 2 days. The max hours should be about 120 hours. Seems like I am flirting with spoilage if I push out to 120 hours when 5.37 may be sufficient. Your thoughts?
What type and how much sugar did you add? Also what ph meter are you using and has it been calibrated recently?
@@2guysandacooler Milwaukee meter and was calibrated. Seems to be inaccurate within about .05. The sugar is dextrose and amount consistent with your recipe
Last question. What's the expiration of your Starter Culture
@@2guysandacooler January 2022
ok. Weird as TSPX generally will ferment in about 48 hours. No worries. I would raise the 80f (if you can) for another 12-28 hours. I wouldn't worry about it too much though. ph is just one of several hurdles. If you are still hovering around the 3.0-3.5 I would proceed with drying
Hello, Eric. thanks for all the great recipes and ideas. my dryer is completely ready according to your recommendations works great during the test period now you need something with it. I have a question. I have pure sea salt But it is on the rocks, I grind it and use it with nitrate pickling and curing salt( sodium nitrate 0.5- 0.6% . Is this suitable for salami or should I change it.thanks
Just to say that sea salt is with Potassium Iodide 25- 50 mg per kg.
what brand of curing salt do you use?
Thanks 🙏.
From Amazon UK. I leave here
D.I.A.H. - pickling salt. Or to skip it and to buy another. I use it for Capcollo + Calabrian recipe from you. And now just waiting to drying properly.
Does it have Nitrite or Nitrate? If you plan on doing salami or dry cured meats in your chamber then jI would recommend this one: amzn.to/3HTIZBb
Thanks for the reply 😊.
I will buy a new salt. Will follow you advise. Will go to number 1 and 2 . will not take any risk.
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
hi Eric, thanx for the video. i tried making salami for the first time. i m one week in. i use a fridge, and the surface of the casing feels sticky. what could be the problem? thank you for your answer.
It could be mold but don't worry just yet. Let it dry out a bit. in the next 7-10 days you'll know for sure. Reach out again in 1 week and let me know what it looks like..
@@2guysandacooler thanx for your answer. i l let you know.
i let it dry out, its fine. thank you very much. next project with mold 600. its fantastic to have homemade salami, and its so much fun, and when i have a problem, im shure i l finde a video about that on your Chanel.
Hi Eric, I made this Soppressata a total of 17 days ago from my garage to my Fridge, Temp. 36*F, and the Original Weight of ea. 381g, 459g, and 399g, Weight loss respectfully is 37%, 38%, and 37%... Is this to short of a time for this weight loss or is this normal? Thank you.
What's the diameter of each
@@2guysandacooler 1.25 inches, they look good and firm.
that's pretty fast but if it's lost 37% it's ready to slice. Cut one open an dlet me know how the inside looks..
@@2guysandacooler Thank you Eric for the quick response, I'LL let you in a few days. I hope it tasty
Why the switch back to TSPX? I've been using Flavor of Italy exclusively.
Hey Steve. I actually wanted to use Flavor of Italy but I needed to do a video on "How to use TSPX" for my salami starter culture series. This project happen to line up with that one so I knocked out 2 videos at once...
Try B-LC 007. The bacteria mix in this culture works great on the meat paste! Also, the addition of Debaryomyces hansenii yeast adds an additional nice flavor to the final product.
I made the sopressata but I smoked it, I didn't realize how hot it was getting outside and the sample read 101 internal, using tspx is it savable or should I just make another batch ?
101 is pretty hot. Can you measure the pH?
@@2guysandacooler ph was 5.3
@@robborn1082 I would say you are good to continue the process. Let it dry😉
@@2guysandacooler thank you for taking the time to respond, ill post when finished.
Hi Eric, my soppresatta has been fermenting about 20 hours at room temp wkth tspx. Ph has not dropped at all yet, and the meat has gone darker and firmed up, smells good. Presumably I just need to wait longer?
yo u are correct. assuming you are in the temp range (65f-85f) you should be fine. check again at 36 - 40 hours.
Hi Eric, my soppresatta is done, and it's amazing. Only my second attempt and I don't think it could have gone better. Very happy, thanks for all your guidance
@@PetesShredder another success story! Good to hear. Mine is still drying.
@@2guysandacooler TaDa!!! Below
So I messed up and added the 600 to the meat I’m guessing my batch is trash now ?
not necessarily. You can remove it from the casing, add the culture quickly mix, and recase the sausage.
Where do you source your calabrian pepper?
Hey Eddie,
I got mine from several different places. The easiest was Amazon. I also found some at craftbutcherspantry.com
Hi! 48hrs after i stuffed the meat, ive tested the Ph of the meat and i got 4.66. Its in a temp controlled room (71F 80%humidity) Is this safe to start hanging or should i wait another 24hrs?
Thanks you
Yes. Start drying. Anything under 5.2 is ok to start drying. For this salami i generally target 5.0. At 4.66 your salami will have a slight tangy flavor. Not a bad thing, but just letting you know. What starter culture did you use?
@@2guysandacooler awesome thanks.
Because i live in Toronto Canada my choices were very limited when it came to choosing a starter culture. I tried ordering from sausage maker but they dont deliver to Canada anymore🤷♂️. So i couldn't use what you recommend and use in your videos. I had to settle with 'Bitec Starter LD 20'
@@2guysandacooler for future sopressata making....what can i do to make it less tangy? How can get to that 5.0Ph level? I did everything in your video and have a temperature controlled room. Thanks again !
@@giorgiomallia9267 what starter culture did you use and how much sugar did you add?
@@2guysandacooler i used Bitec Starter LD20 and i added Dextrose (0.88% of the total weight of meat used) i used 6,222 grams of meat (14pounds) so i added 55grams of Dextrose.
I am from Egypt and I love your videos very much Unfortunately, I do not understand much of the words. Please translate the videos in Arabic by writing on the video. Do not be surprised that I am writing in English. This is a Google translation 😅
looks like your pressed right away. I understood pressing happens usually 1 week later.
I generally press at the beginning because there's not a lot of room in my drying chamber to press this salami. Besides once fermentation has occurred the meat firms up. I like for my sopressata to have already formed it's shape by this time.
epic
What happens or what do you do if you don’t reach the targeted ph ??
If you don't get to 5.3 or below the salami is in the danger zone. I would say either ferment a little longer or scrap it and next time add more dextrose.
@@2guysandacooler My family is calabrese and we only use curing salt for our soppresatta and our own seasonings and homemade pepper sauce as well never used a starter culture or that mild rub , doing for 40 years plus
After 30 hours my pH is at 4.6 what do I do?
what are you targeting? If you are targeting 5.0, the I say you are done and you can start drying. Don't worry that it's a little low. Just next time check the ph a little sooner and pull when you hit your target range. A low ph isn't bad it just means that the meat will have a slight tangy quality to it. Like summer sausage or pepperoni..
@@2guysandacooler okay thank you I was wondering if I had to leave it longer before I hang it LOL
Yeah for this salami anything under 5.2 is good to go. Ideally 5.0 should be a nice target..
I still don’t understand the process
I have lots of "salami making" videos on this channel so if you are curious to know more be sure to check out my playlist. BUT BASICALLY:
Grind Meat
Add seasoning and bacteria
Mix
Stuff into a casing
Ferment and press the raw meat for a few days till till the ph drops to below 5.3
Hang to dry in a controlled environment for 2 months
Voila! You just made salami