Minimum Cure time

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Diced
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Minimum Cure time

Post by Diced » Wed Apr 09, 2014 11:53

Hi all,

I have been making sausages for about a year and am planning my first attempt at salami. I have just one question that i couldn't find an answer to. If I use cure #2 is there a minimum cure time to ensure the amount of nitrites and more importantly nitrates is not too high?

I am planning on using hog casings and the recipe said they can be cured in as little as 2-3 weeks. Is this too quick?

Cheers
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el Ducko
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Re: Minimum Cure time

Post by el Ducko » Thu Apr 10, 2014 15:59

Diced wrote:Hi all,

I have been making sausages for about a year and am planning my first attempt at salami. I have just one question that i couldn't find an answer to. If I use cure #2 is there a minimum cure time to ensure the amount of nitrites and more importantly nitrates is not too high?

I am planning on using hog casings and the recipe said they can be cured in as little as 2-3 weeks. Is this too quick?

Cheers
The idea is to hit a STARTING concentration, such that you have sufficient nitrite/nitrate to cure yet don't have too much. Both concentrations decline as time goes by.

As to the time, I have not yet made my own salami, so cannot claim to know much, but it appears to me that you are in too much of a hurry! (That's understandable, but...) Let it take its time, drop in pH as it will, decline in weight as it will. No hurry. Let it mellow. You'll be glad you did.
:mrgreen:
Experience - the ability to instantly recognize a mistake when you make it again.
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Chuckwagon
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Post by Chuckwagon » Thu Apr 10, 2014 22:17

Hi Diced,
Moving from "fresh" and "cooked-cured" sausage to "air dried" sausage separates the men from the boys. It requires much practice and patience, but even more knowledge of how bacteria work. May I suggest reading the entire forum called "Project A"? There is a terrific amount of information in the posts and you may save yourself a lot of grief reading other peoples failure and success explanations.
I`d also like to suggest that you follow each rule specifically. Many folks think they can "fudge" just a bit and have it come out successfully. Won`t happen! However, if you adhere to the ingredients and procedures of tried n` true recipes, you should do well. Good luck and keep us posted! :wink: Here a handy link:
http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.ph ... sc&start=0

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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