Semi-cured sausage?

[Fingers]

Ok so after wondering for some time how is it that Chorizo is soft, I discover some is semi-cured!

One recipe for the cure was 2.3% salt and 0.25% cure#1 dry for 7-10 days then cook or freeze. Great, this is just what I have been looking for, if this is correct?

If so then I guess the same could be done with any fresh sausage, breakfast for eg or Cumberland. Has anyone tried this? I am guessing that most sausage could possibly benefit from a good old maturing for 7-10 days before cooking.

[NCPaul]

You can do this but that level of cure #1 and salt, which are necessary, will change the taste of fresh sausage quite a bit.

[Fingers]

Yes I would guess that the extra salt n cure would effect the flavour of, say Cumberland,
got to be worth a try though.
As cumberland is one of my favourites, I think I will, Has any one else?

[wheels]

I wouldn't dry a sausage with a filler in it like rusk or breadcrumb.

If you're asking if you can make a dry cured sausage using 2.3% salt and 0.25% Cure #1 and use the same spices as in a Cumberland, then yes, of course you can. Just adapt a Chorizo recipe (or similar).

Technically, it will no longer be a Cumberland sausage, but as long as you enjoy it, so what.

Phil

[BriCan]

As cumberland is one of my favourites, I think I will, Has any one else?

If you really want to av a go use the following

Per 1000gm
0.90% Salt
0.25% Cure #1
0.152% Black pepper
0.152% White pepper
0.021% Cayenne pepper
0.155% Ground Coriander
0.155% Ground Nutmeg
0.078 Ground Mace

Pork shoulder 70/30

Course grind three times -- add spices and mix well then re-grind with medium plate

Stuff into 29mm/32mm hog casings

[Fingers]

What might the max drying time be for these, semi cured chorizo using cure#1? I ask as I thought cure#2 was used for cured sausage so a longer curing time can be achieved.

After 6 days my semi cured chorizo has not firmed up anywhere near what I am wanting.

[NCPaul]

I would use 2-3 weeks as a limit, but remember that temperature is a factor as well.

[Fingers]

Ah champion thanks.

The temps at the mo have been well under 15deg, 1-4 deg over the last few days and certainly no chance of getting up over 15deg this side of March now. I think another 10 days would bring it to the sort of texture I am after.

[Fingers]

Update

This semi cured chorizo did not turn out as I hoped. Gave it 2 weeks to where spots of white mold had just started to bloom. The flavour is too "cured meat", its a like eating big chunks of cured sausage, quite unpleasant to my taste. Very little chorizo flavour at all.

So, back to the drawing board with this one?

Salt---------------- 2.3%
Cure#1------------ 0.25
Sugar-------------- 0.30
Paprika------------ 3.15
Chilli powder----- 0.25
Fresh Garlic------ 1.00
Oregano ---------- 0.20
Dry white wine--- 2.50

[NCPaul]

You might want a bit less paprika or maybe split it between sweet and hot. I find making a paste with the cold wine makes it easier to mix with the mince.

[wheels]

I do a recipe with very similar ingredients, but no wine.

What paprika did you use?

Phil

[Fingers]

I used a mix of smoked and spanish, if anything I thought there was not enough, nowhere near enough. When frying there was not enough of the usual leaching out of the spice.

I recall a Rick Stein program where he watched a small Spanish manufacture mixing, there was tons of Paprika. Just dried garlic, salt and paprika, lots of each it looks.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2svmdt starts at 28.25

You also don't seem to get that cured meat taste with chorzo..?? Notice also the texture, very loose and not looking overly cured at all.

[wheels]

Mmm... Odd.

I use the spanish smoked Pimentón de la Vera and don't use anywhere near the amount you did - I use 2%. Jeffrey Weiss, in what I consider the definitive guide to Spanish Charcuterie - 'Charcuteria - The Soul of Spain', quotes typical amounts of 2 - 2½%. It's difficult to judge from the Rick Stein programme as it's hard to see the quantity of meat. From the amount of salt, I'm guessing that it's a lot.

However, don't let that stop you - make it to your taste.

The texture of it sounds as if you didn't get a good bind. You need to mix it well to develop the myosin in the meat, or salt the meat overnight to achieve the same thing.

HTH

Phil

[Fingers]

I feel I mix it and knead it, but maybe not enough. Are you saying if its not kneaded enough it goes tuff?

Regardless, the amount of paprika at 2% would indicate more a problem with my situation. Geographically I am some way north of Spain. It might be as simple as that. When I made fresh chorizo along the same recipe there was way more "chorizo" taste. If that makes sense?

[wheels]

The bind is difficult to describe. It should be mixed until the meat mass is sticky and really sticks to your hand - we'd call it claggy around here!

It also seems to smell different - more like sausage than meat.

Phil