Curing / Drying Chorizo

[Yorkie_Porkie]

Hi all,

Just joined up as have now ordered a bunch of stuff from the site to see what making my own sausages and bacon etc will turn out like !...I have gone for a Chorizo mix and the associated Cure No 2 and would really like to get some guidance on it's use so I don't poison myself or anyone else !...Anyone used this and what were the results like ?..Also, how long and where would be the best place to hang these to dry ?

[Wilf]

I am also interested in how to go about this as it seems a bit too warm this time of year for the hanging? I'm oK with the making as Ive made sausages, its just the aftercare

[sausagemaker]

Please see link below from the Len Poli site on how to construct a humidity cabinet.
http://home.pacbell.net/lpoli/htm%20tex ... ontrol.htm
hope this helps

Regards
sausagemaker

[Platypus]

I recently made a batch of Chorizo using Franco's mix and they turned out very nice indeed.

You won't need to add any cure #2 as this is already in the mix, but you will need some LS25 culture to get the best results.

Basically for a 1Kg batch you will need:
1Kg Pork
56g Chorizo Mix
0.5g LS25
1 meter of hog casing (less if you are using Ox runners)
String

After you have minced, mixed and filled the sausages tie the ends with string, leaving enough to hang the sausages by.

Now hang them somewhere warm and humid (24-26C 86-88%RH) for 24 hours to "redden"

Then move them to somewhere cooler (12-16C) but still humid for something like 4-8 weeks to cure. The actual time will depend on the size of casings used and how dry you like them. I did mine for 4 weeks and they were firm but not solid, just how I like them.

[Spuddy]

@ Platypus
Are you sure Franco's mix contains Cure#2?
It mentions on the website that you can ADD cure #2 for an air dried sausage but I can't see a mix that already contains it.

[Wilf]

@Spuddy........I think Franco's Salami starter kit has the Chorizo and a Milano mix with them with the cure already in along with the stater culture, I haven't seen it for sale seperately in the salami section only the cures and the starter culture so its do it yourself unless you get the kit.

@sausagemaker ......nice read but a bit too much at the moment, think I'll just hang my thermometer and hygro around at the moment to find somewhere suitable to hang them

[Platypus]

Yeah Wilf is right, Franco's salami starter kit is what I used and he states that the cure #2 is in the mix.

[Yorkie_Porkie]

There's a lot to do methinks, going to get the temprature and humidity checked out in my cellar 1st I think and then try the mix at the weekend....

Do I take it that I can just use the Chorizo mix and the Cure No 2 and I don't need the Starter Culture then ?.....

[Wilf]

If you have bought the salami starter kit, you need the LS25 Starter Culture, and either one of the 2 seasonings - Milano or Chorizo which has the Cure#2 in it I believe. If you haven't got the starter kit you will need the LS25 Starter Culture, Cure#2 and your seasoning to whatever you are going to make

[Yorkie_Porkie]

Thanks everyone, nice website Wilf, may well have to pay you a closer visit for some of your Chilli products, !! . I am hopefully going to be starting selling Chutney's and jams etc and eventually Pork related products !!!

[Wilf]

Thanks Y_P, Good Luck, we only started with 3 products 4 years ago now.

[Yorkie_Porkie]

Guys,

Got all my stuff now, however not sure how much of Cure 2 to mix in with the Chorizo mix....any ideas ???, would I be ok with say 1 Gram to 1 lb of meat ?

[Oddley]

Yorkie_Porkie Spuddy is an experienced Chorizo maker and he likes to put 1.5 gm of cure #2 per 1 lb.

It ain't poisoned him yet.

[aris]

I believe the "official" usage rate is 1 level teaspoon per 5lb of meat.

[Oddley]

aris the official weight is 1 gm per 1lb according to Franco. But as you can see below Spuddys weights are perfectly acceptable and probably a better ppm for salami or chorizo.

Prague Powder #2
1 pound salt, 1 ounce sodium nitrite, 0.64 ounce sodium nitrate.

Nitrite = 5.6689% = 124.978 ppm at 1 gm per 1lb meat
Nitrate = 3.6281% = 79.986 ppm at 1 gm per 1lb meat

Nitrite = 5.6689% = 56.689 ppm at 1 gm per 1 kg meat
Nitrate = 3.6281% = 36.281 ppm at 1 gm per 1 kg meat

At 1.5 gm per 1 lb meat
Sodium Nitrite = 187.467 ppm
Sodium Nitrate = 119.979 ppm