Lots of curiosities about salami
How is salami made?
Here's the main question: how is salami made? Pork represents the fundamental ingredient for making local salami , subsequently spices and other condiments are added which make the product more or less personalized. Some ingredients depend exclusively on local customs, while others comply with European regulations for the production of PDO and PGI cured meats.
The mixture can be stuffed into the pork casing which must be treated properly to offer maximum elasticity and avoid cracking during the subsequent processing stages. Stewing and seasoning represent the plus of a successful salami since, in addition to the mixture, the two phases lend themselves to making the product mediocre or excellent. The production procedure is therefore rather long and laborious, however it is possible to approach the feat of home made production, you just need to follow the instructions to the letter!
How to make salami
The production techniques are differentiated into two macro categories: those who choose to rely on products from large-scale retail trade, and those who instead prefer traditional craftsmanship and bring healthier and more genuine products to the table. To make an informed choice you need to know - at least in broad terms - the procedure of how to make salami at home: it takes a little time, but the result will repay all the efforts!
How to make salami at home
There are many elements to take into consideration, first of all it is necessary to remember that home made production is free of preservatives and, consequently, it perishes in a very short time, which is why consumption must be done promptly. However, if this detail doesn't slow down your intention, here's how to make salami at home! The procedure is the same both for a generic product and if the intention is like making Calabrian salami at home, what varies are the ingredients which, in the second case require specific pork meat and the addition of particular spices such as Calabrian chili pepper.
The ingredients for making salami
The pork meat must have at least 40% fat, so as to make the mixture juicy and tasty. For the lean part, cuts of pork such as pulp, pork loin and shoulder are used, while for the fatty part, lard from the throat or bacon is ideal. The salt must be coarse - strictly!
The other spices added - black pepper, nutmeg and garlic - can be either chopped or powdered, the second variant is preferable to avoid adding moisture to the mixture. Red wine must be added to the mixture already created, as well as vinegar, while sorbic acid is a good idea to add as the first ingredient.
The preparation of homemade salami
For those who make salami, cleaning the pork is another fundamental step that must be done with a knife, taking care to eliminate nerves and resistance and then proceed with mincing. First the lean part is chopped and then the fat part, finally both sections are passed through the machine so as to begin to mix the mixture.
Subsequently we begin to add the secondary ingredients which offer an extra touch and the true added value of the salami. Furthermore, before being stuffed into sausages, the mixture must rest for at least two hours, so that all the ingredients can settle properly and the maturing phase can begin.
The casings and the sausage
The perfect advisor for choosing which casing is suitable for the preparation of salami is the master butcher, who offers the perfect solution in terms of elasticity - another fundamental condition for the success of a good product. After having properly prepared and washed the casing, we proceed with the filling which can be done by hand, using a funnel, or mechanically using the ad hoc machinery.
Watch out for any air bubbles or cracks in the casing. At the end we proceed with the tying, using common kitchen twine and the drying which must last 3-4 days in a dark place with a maximum temperature of 20°C.
The maturation of salami
At the end, the sausage must be moved to another cool place - with a maximum of 10 °C and begin the maturation which will last a maximum of 3 months. Every now and then a check to check that there are no anomalies and that the process is bearing fruit! Here's how to season homemade salami without mistakes! The procedure on a theoretical level is very simple, in practice it requires a little experience and ingenuity. The sausages must be hung from beams and dangle in the cellar, exactly as happens in the special spaces used by master butchers.
How to make salami soft
Salami, like other sausages, become hard if left in the refrigerator for too long. This effect occurs when the meat comes into contact with oxygen which makes it "dry" to solve this problem and make the salami soft again you need to use grandmother's tricks, among the most famous and simple is that of wrapping the salami in a well-wrung cloth after having been wet with water and vinegar. Using this solution the salami will remain soft for longer and the next cut will offer the same flavor as the first slice!
Making salami soft: between ideas and innovations
Sausages should be stored in the lower shelves of the refrigerator, or at least, this is what our ancestors did and, if it worked for them, why not repeat it? The method is homemade, simple and immediate, however there are other ways that answer the question "how to keep salami soft". If you are in doubt as to how to preserve the whole salami, it can easily be stored in a cool, dry place such as the cellar, otherwise if it has already been opened, the perfect solution is to equip yourself with a vacuum packing tool and package the food, so as to avoid unpleasant waste and keep the organoleptic qualities of the salami intact. The same technique can be used to solve the problem of how to preserve salami.
How to make Turkish salami
Salami is a very good and very tasty sausage, the passion for the product has allowed us to create different variations that range in different areas. Ever heard of Turkish salami? The dessert is typical of Sicily and differs from the classic chocolate salami due to the use of cocoa instead of melted chocolate. The Turkish name refers to the skin color of the "Saracen invaders" who fought with the Sicilian population for many years. The product is rich in local ingredients: from almonds to Marsala pistachios, tasting a slice of Turkish salami becomes an explosion of pure pleasure! The preparation is very simple and worthy of any traditional cuisine, it requires the presence of a few ingredients and cooking is not necessary: just combine the ingredients and place in the refrigerator.
Salami, delight and goodness
Salami is perhaps one of the most well-known and appreciated components of the cold cuts and cheese platter. To perform at its best, it must be properly preserved and meet a series of characteristics. The more experts can already define the quality from the color and consistency of the grains of fat, while the less "studied" leave all opinions to the palate. What matters is learning - at least in broad terms - to choose a genuine and homemade product, so as to convey the true essence of the product which harks back to the country tradition of the past.
The farmhouse salami was born exactly with this intent, but if you want to dare something more aristocratic, you can choose a product obtained from specific qualities of pigs that are bred and raised in certain conditions and circumstances such as the black pig of Calabria or the version obtained from the Cinta Senese . Choose to offer the best.
