Homemade Sausage Making

Devo - looking good! Did you do the mod to your vac sealer (same model as mine) that lets you control the vacuum time? The mod was posted here and on the Umai forum. Simple and makes a difference.

Shuswap wrote:Devo - looking good! Did you do the mod to your vac sealer (same model as mine) that lets you control the vacuum time? The mod was posted here and on the Umai forum. Simple and makes a difference.

No I was not aware of a mod, I will have to check it out.
Thanks

Devo - go to this page and scroll down to Schwani's post of July 30th
http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.ph ... s&start=45

Ya thanks its already done, took me longer to find my screwdriver than doing the mod. Works good thanks again

I want to thank all the contributors to this thread! Your successes with products made using the UMAi Dry Bags encouraged me to keep trying them. After learning the nuances of sealing these bags with my chamber vacuum, I too have had good results.

I have made Lomo Embuchado, Bresaola, Lonzino, and recently finished a Coppa using redzeds recipe. I do enjoy these treats, but just munching on them is getting rather mundane. I guess what I am asking for is serving suggestions. There must be several ways to incorporate them on a plate. What are some of your favorite serving suggestions?

Jim

What problems did you have sealing them with the chamber machine, and what was the fix?
I'm not sure if the seal time is adjustable on the model that you have.

I just make up a small plate with cheese ,crackers, and some other cured/fermented goodies...never lasts long.

two_MN_kids wrote:I want to thank all the contributors to this thread! Your successes with products made using the UMAi Dry Bags encouraged me to keep trying them. After learning the nuances of sealing these bags with my chamber vacuum, I too have had good results.

I have made Lomo Embuchado, Bresaola, Lonzino, and recently finished a Coppa using redzeds recipe. I do enjoy these treats, but just munching on them is getting rather mundane. I guess what I am asking for is serving suggestions. There must be several ways to incorporate them on a plate. What are some of your favorite serving suggestions?

Jim

Jim, a plate of salami and the lot would always go great with some home smoked cheeses and a nice BOLD Cab for me

I've got some 50mm bags on the way and I plan on getting them rocking as soon as I can. The wife is having our 2nd kid soon and she'll be back ready to have some of the stuff and wine soon.

PS: Smoked cheese is amazing and easy to do. Give it a try if you've got a smoker!

Bob, the bags just never got a good seal, and kept losing vacuum. I can adjust the dwell time up to 9 seconds, but that never seemed to work well enough. I would make two or three seals, and the next day the vacuum was gone and the bag was loose. Against my better judgment, I purchased another (albeit cheaper) Food Saver vacuum machine.

Now I use the chamber machine to vacuum the bags down, and quickly move the bag to the Food Saver unit for the better seal. We haven't had a problem since, and I don't need to modify the Food Saver.

@ rgauthier20420: The very first items I smoked in my new Bradley several years ago was cheese and almonds. You are correct, sir! Smoked cheese would go great, but I am currently out. I must remedy that situation soon. BTW, have you ever had smoked Velveeta? Barely passes for cheese, but smoked, it makes an awesome grilled cheese sandwich! Also, great on a Ritz.

I can't find the comment now, but somewhere I had read about mixing EVOO and Lemon juice, and drizzling it on the dried meats.

Jim

With a lot of the stuff I make I mix up extra virgin oil with lemon juice, use it for dipping or sprinkle it over the meat. I really like that with Bresaola & Lonzino

Slices if fresh fruit such as pear, mango, papaya and pineapple go well with the saltiness of dry cured charcuterie. A couple of years ago I bought a great book on the subject: Salumi: Savory Recipes and Serving Ideas for Salame, Proscuitto, and More
http://www.amazon.com/Sal...o/dp/0811863891

Book was sponsored by the Columbus Salumi Co. in Frisco. Wonderful colour plates and recipes and ideas how to serve fermented sausages and other dry cured products. I was lucky enough to pick one up for 2 bucks at a thrift store!

Thanks Guys, now I have some great ideas.

Jim

Red, just ordered the Salumi book - great idea for Santa toleave under thetree - DW really enjoys her salumi and loves to tinker in the kitchen

Devo wrote:

Bob K wrote:Hey Devo-

Did you use the same cultures and recipes for both methods?

Yes I did. The only thing that bothered me was not being able to test the PH after fermentation. Once they are sealed in the bags you really don't want to mess with them. I understand Ph level is determined by the amount of sugar in the recipe and temperature you fermented at, and the culture used but I still like checking.
../..

You could ferment before sealing the bags. That way you can check the Ph at the open end of the salami then vacum seal it when you are satisfied with the amount of fermentation.

A batch of Sopressa I made a couple of month ago. After fermentation. Tied with zip ties but not vacumed.




Bad mobile phone pictures Sorry.

And a Coppa just bagged in UMAi - The Collarbutt was 2kg and after curing I realised it was too big to fit in the bag so I cut it in half. The vacuum was good in one bag and not so much in the other so I also added some zip ties.

Welcome Ondaderthad! Great to have you hop aboard the WD meat train! That sopressa looks good, and you get extra points for actually pressing it! Is it ready yet? I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product. Pair it with a cabernet sauvignon and some fresh asiago and you'll get peek at heaven. But then a cold beer would probably do the trick as well.

Tell us a bit about yourself and how long have you been making sausages. Have you fermented and cured meat in the more traditional way, or started with Umai?