[MiSS_E]

Does anyone here make their own salami?

[MiSS_E]

no one?

[Procrastinator50...]

That sounds very advanced.. I'm really curious as to how you would make it!

[MiSS_E]

Not too advanced, it's just pork cured with salts and spices. Was hoping to swap recipes and/or techniques.

[Le-a]

Yes, I do. Haven't for a few winters, but I'm keen to get back into it!

I've had mixed success, we have never used peet salt, or preservative (sulfur) so when the sausages went wrong the y went so wrong the dogs wouldn't even eat them!

I'd love to swap recipes, I'll have to dig mine out

[Le-a]

I use a mincer with a sausage making attachment I bought from Harvey Norman for about 150 bucks. I buy the wet natural casings from a butcher, they will reluctantly sell them by the meter I've found!

We make a day of it and mince lots of meat, make different types of sausages, make salami for hanging, drink lots of wine and listen to great music. It's so much fun and so rewarding!

[MiSS_E]

What sort of salt do you use? I stick to the plain old sea salt, have never bothered with the saltpetre either. Dried chilli flakes, smoked paprika, and lots of cracked pepper is as adventurous as I get so far. I can't find a butcher who will sell me the wet casings here so I have to buy the dry ones and soak them which is a pain because they tend to be not as strong. I don't actually have a mincer, I should get one. I chop by hand for the first knead then chuck it in the food processor for a whiz around and then into my stand mixer for a second knead just so as to not miss any bits.

Have you ever made skinless salami? I haven't but I did see a video once of it, can't seem to find it again. If I remember correctly, they wrapped the meat in a cheesecloth/muslin and tied it, wiped it down with vinegar solution and cured it in that. I want to give that a try.

Where do you cure yours? My DH hates the curing smell in the kitchen lol but I love it.

[Le-a]

So far I've just used plain sea salt as well. There is a shop in the next town which stocks sausage making supplies so I think I'll try peet salt this year. I am a bit wary of killing us all with funky salami!

It sounds like a LOT of hard work you're doing with the chopping and the wizzing you're doing! I see the old crank handle meat mincers quite often in op shops (perhaps they are there for a reason!) but they might be worth a go?

I'd keep asking at butchers. Some have been really helpful, and others have been quite guarded. I've found that if I explain that I'm just making, say, 3mtrs of sausages just for myself they are a bit more obliging!

My favorite recipe has red wine, garlic, pepper, smoked paprika, and fennel seeds. So. Good.

We cure ours in the shed in winter. This can be a problem because we have had mice... Ewww...

I haven't head of the skinless sausages you speak of, but it sounds interesting.

This year I might try to make some coppa or pancetta or something.