Chorizo: What Went Wrong?

[ComradeQ]

I made a batch of chorizo following the recipe in charcuterie. I used Danisco starter culture Texel SP-Elite instead of the called for one since that was what I had available locally. I fermented for 36 hours at 22°C and 90% RH, then dry cured at a range of 13.5°C-14°C and about 75% RH for three weeks. During the first few days I innoculated the surface with a spray I made from piece of salami skin that had a nice white mould as per Griselle's instructions. The chorizo dried perfectly, the mould was OK but not very thick. I decided to inoculate it after the fermentation process so that is perhaps why it wasn't too thick.

Anyway, it smelled good for the first week and a half but then started to smell very strong of "feet". It was right at this stage that the surface mould was in full bloom. The smell, to put it simply, was rather off-putting and was not pleasant but I assumed it was just part of the process. Come week three the sausage had list 35% and I removed it, peeled off the skin and sliced into it. The texture, colour and everything was as perfect as can be but the taste was too "foot" like and not my cup of tea.

So, what could have caused this? Would it have been a result of the starter culture? Or, as I suspect, something to do with the surface mould? I am already ordering some T-SPX and Mould 600 so I will see how that changes my next batch. So any other input on what might have gone wrong? I have a pancetta entering it's third week now and everything seems fine with that so I don't think it is a problem with my curing chamber
Help me brothers and sisters!

[quietwatersfarm]

I don't use cultures in chorizo.

Mine might pick up a little surface dusting from being in a basically 'live' curing room but that's it.

Charcuterie is a very strange book IMO (well meaning, but riddled with errors)

[ComradeQ]

I don't use cultures in chorizo.

Mine might pick up a little surface dusting from being in a basically 'live' curing room but that's it.

Charcuterie is a very strange book IMO (well meaning, but riddled with errors)

Really? I hadn't considered not using a culture if we have them available. I agree there is much in charcuterie that is not correct but I figured the recipe seemed fine, he didn't suggest surface cultures or fermentation, I got the suggestion from some folks on this board. I think that somehow the surface culture I cultivated was the culprit as the bad smell was mainly present on the surface and, while there in the actual sausage, doesn't seem as strong as it did on the surface. Anyone else ever experienced this?

[NCPaul]

I'm not a fan of mold, not because of the protection it offers, but because of the flavor it leaves in the salami. I find it gives a faint amine taste to the salami; is this what you're tasting?

[ComradeQ]

I'm not a fan of mold, not because of the protection it offers, but because of the flavor it leaves in the salami. I find it gives a faint amine taste to the salami; is this what you're tasting?

Amine? Is that supposed to be ammonia? The closest I can describe it is to say it smells like dirty socks, fragrant and sort of cheesy in a bad way. The taste doesn't taste off like rancid or anything by it seems the mould maybe soaked through and flavoured it. I ate a bit to see if it was worth saving and it just isn't right so I figured I will chuck it all and try again. At least I know the chamber doesn't create problems with case hardening or anything like that, the texture was perfect. So now I just want to isolate what step may have created this problem. Does mould 600 also add a strong flavour?

[larry]

I'm betting it was the starter. I've made the Ruhlman recipe exactly as it is written a number of times, and It comes out fine with the FRM-52 starter. I recently made a batch with slightly different spices and the T-SPX starter and it had an entirely different taste and aroma. I think the smell of feet was probably correct for your particular starter, but, as you say, not your cup of tea. That starter may be better for some other recipe. I've never used it. Is it intended for meat curing? I've heard of people using cheese starters for meat and ending up with meat that smells like cheese.

I also prefer chorizo without the ancho powder called for in the Ruhlman recipe (the first few times, I made my own ancho powder) and just use pimenton, garlic and salt.

I use Mold 600. I bought one envelope, and I harvest it off what I've made with it. I peel off the casing which develops a nice thick white mold, and freeze it. It reconstitutes nicely, so I'll never have to buy it again. I would not say it gives a strong flavor. It has a slight ammonia aroma, and it enhances the taste, but does not have a strong taste on its own.

[ComradeQ]

I'm betting it was the starter. I've made the Ruhlman recipe exactly as it is written a number of times, and It comes out fine with the FRM-52 starter. I recently made a batch with slightly different spices and the T-SPX starter and it had an entirely different taste and aroma. I think the smell of feet was probably correct for your particular starter, but, as you say, not your cup of tea. That starter may be better for some other recipe. I've never used it. Is it intended for meat curing? I've heard of people using cheese starters for meat and ending up with meat that smells like cheese.

I also prefer chorizo without the ancho powder called for in the Ruhlman recipe (the first few times, I made my own ancho powder) and just use pimenton, garlic and salt.

I use Mold 600. I bought one envelope, and I harvest it off what I've made with it. I peel off the casing which develops a nice thick white mold, and freeze it. It reconstitutes nicely, so I'll never have to buy it again. I would not say it gives a strong flavor. It has a slight ammonia aroma, and it enhances the taste, but does not have a strong taste on its own.

I think you are right on the money. I used the culture and it is described here: http://malabarsuperspice.com/danisco.htm

I think the fact that it is fast acidification may have been my issue. Probably should have bypassed the fermentation process, right? I'm thinking that the fermentation process increased the acidity too rapidly resulting in a sausage that tastes off. Does that make sense?

[larry]

It might be the fast acidification, or it might be the yeast. I noticed that the starter you used was the only one in the link you provided that mentioned yeast as an ingredient. I don't know if all starters have it, but I didn't think so. You will always get a slight ammonia smell when meat is curing, and in my mind, ammonia + yeast = feet.