sopressata (or other dried salami) meat option opinions

[yianni]

Hello everyone,

I have been a long time lurker and am starting getting into sausages from my love of smoking to curing bacon to a few fresh sausages. I am now ready to try one of my favorites, sopressata style.

I am looking to duplicate Olli brand calabrese style. (I'll attach a pic) below using standard kielbasa size hog casings. (Olli uses some synthetic) The closest recipe I have found is Rhulmans sopressata.

I have made a fermentation box from a large Tupperware storage box and am monitoring the temp and humidity in the attic above my garage as the weather cools (Michigan) and it seems ideal for curing so I'm ready to go.

My questions is this. I have the kitchen aid grinder attachment and frankly for doing pork shoulder any little bit of sinew gums up the works and smashes it through rather than grinding and gets annoying quick. Here is what I am thinking.

I have a good butcher shop nearby so all meats will come from there

Option 1

Pork loin instead of shoulder and mix in back fat. I am trimming the shoulder to the leanest pieces anyway so why not just buy the lean loin.

Grind loin separately from the fat then mix in (4 to 1 pound ratio) I have a corse grind die coming in the mail.

Option 2

Just buy 5 pounds of ground pork from the butcher. Freeze for a few weeks (is this freezing even needed)

The pork is ground fresh daily so go first thing in the morning and pick up 5 pounds. Hamburger grind. Will I need to add back fat?

Opinions? Suggestions?

Thanks everyone. Check out the photo I took below when "researching" how photogenic is this sausage

[NCPaul]

Option one is much better to me. I hand dice the fat. I'll show you it in a couple of weeks when I slice I for Christmas.

[yianni]

Thanks for the reply. Makes sense to me. I can hand dice the fat pretty small.

Thanks!

[BriCan]

I hand dice mine and as usual I tend to be anal (guess it was that German Master that I learned from) on the size

This is in preparation for a Duck Salami

Smaller than a dime as they swell a bit




And the mound gets higher ~~~ the one great thing is that this can be frozen for a later date on using

[yianni]

Thanks for the visual.

If by chance I can only get blocks of salt pork. (I know the shop has it for sure) can I use it? Do I soak it or blanch it or something?

[quietwatersfarm]

Robert, what cure recipe do you use for your salami fat?

[BriCan]

Thanks for the visual.

If by chance I can only get blocks of salt pork. (I know the shop has it for sure) can I use it? Do I soak it or blanch it or something?

To be totally honest I would not even at my stage as a curer -- do not make things complicated as this can and will put one off what in a sense can be and is a most enjoyable pastime

I realize that fat may not be always available -- when it is or you are able to scrounge some -- do so and dice up and place in freezer for later use

[BriCan]

Robert, what cure recipe do you use for your salami fat?

I don't -- this is a work in progress

which is one of the reasons that's why vagreys is over this way to find out why some of the things I do which in all honesty should not work --- but do -- confused?? -- so am I

Is there a specific reason for the question??

Fetten Speck I do sometimes

[Mohalk]

Robert, what cure recipe do you use for your salami fat?

I don't -- this is a work in progress

which is one of the reasons that's why vagreys is over this way to find out why some of the things I do which in all honesty should not work --- but do -- confused?? -- so am I

Perhaps a book should be the focus of your work??

[BriCan]

Perhaps a book should be the focus of your work??

Chapter one:

This little piggy went to market but took a slight wrong turn along wiv some friends. they hung around for a bit before the was introduced to the bacon fairy .....................

[DanMcG]

What are those 2 dusty white football size things behind Piggy and its friends?

[BriCan]

Good eye Dan


bresaola 

[DanMcG]

bresaola 

I hope that will be the next write up.
I'm running temp tests on my new curing chamber and need some ideas on first attempts at moldy meat.
bresaola is on my list.

[BriCan]

bresaola

I hope that will be the next write up.
I'm running temp tests on my new curing chamber and need some ideas on first attempts at moldy meat.
bresaola is on my list.

I will do my best Dan -- might have to wait as there might/is some changes coming up in the next short while