Sundried... Salami?

Post Reply
User avatar
wasuky
User
User
Posts: 62
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2020 23:12
Location: Cumaná
Contact:

Sundried... Salami?

Post by wasuky » Tue Dec 08, 2020 03:12

I imagine what the answer will be but I'm making the question anyway : do you guys have any reference about drying sausages using the heat of the sun?

I happen to know a Spanish man who used to be food preservation teacher in a technical school in the city. He used to teach about sausages. He told me he could teach me a thing or two about sausages and of course I was excited because I can't find a place in the city to learn about this. Then I told him I was quite interested in doing cured dried sausages and he told me he used to do dry sausages in a small cage under the sun (the cage was to keep flys away from the sausages). He told me that in 2 or 4 hours sausages were ready (that made have a 2nd thought about what he used to teach).

Let's say I ferment a sausage until right PH and then I expose it to middle/high heat... Or course it will lose 30-40% in matter of hours. Will those few hours be enough to spoil it? If not, could I then vacuum seal it and put it in the fridge for weeks/months to develop flavors? Will it be safe to eat after taking it away from the heat?
User avatar
redzed
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3852
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 06:29
Location: Vancouver Island

Re: Sundried... Salami?

Post by redzed » Tue Dec 08, 2020 07:37

I'm not sure what to say, but I suppose anything is possible. But it won't be anything resembling a traditional Southern European fermented and dry cured salami type. You will only have dried meat stick, without the benefit of the enzymatic processes and changes in the proteins as the salami matures. When I was in China a few years ago I saw sausages and other meats hanging on a wire in the sun. Lots of guys here make a type of jerky using ground meat which is seasoned, formed into strips, left uncased and then dehydrated. Perhaps that would be closer to what you want to achieve rather than a salami type product.
sambal badjak
Frequent User
Frequent User
Posts: 173
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 15:41
Location: In the hot Zambezi Valley
Contact:

Re: Sundried... Salami?

Post by sambal badjak » Tue Dec 08, 2020 08:14

That actually sound very much like drywors and is eaten a lot in Southern Africa
life is too short to drink bad wine (anonymus)
User avatar
wasuky
User
User
Posts: 62
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2020 23:12
Location: Cumaná
Contact:

Re: Sundried... Salami?

Post by wasuky » Tue Dec 08, 2020 16:23

I saw dried Sausages in South Africa while I was living over there a while ago. They are actually good. I also got to see a place whee they were made (I must have seen them a few Minutes after they were hanged to get sun because they looked like regular sausage). Now I realize it is the same product. Anyway its not same the same, these are dry sticks (it's as tough as biltong) and what my Spanish friend was pointing at was to an actual Spanish chorizo.

He's been living here in Venezuela for almost 60 years, so I think he has no clue how the actual drying process works to end up with a high level dried sausage. Maybe he listest to "dry sausages" and he automatically thinks he can dry them out with heat.

What I know?
User avatar
Butterbean
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1955
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 04:10
Location: South Georgia

Re: Sundried... Salami?

Post by Butterbean » Wed Dec 09, 2020 00:13

I would think if they dried to fast you'd get case hardening and the centers would rot. But like Redzed said, anything is possible and thinking on these lines I'm wondering if you have high humidity there. If so, I've noticed when I dry salami in the barn sometimes the temperatures get higher than ideal but I noticed that when this happens the humidity also rises to the point where I have seen very little case hardening with natural casings. This could be a possibility I'd think. Don't know. Heck, I'd go and see what I could learn from him.
User avatar
wasuky
User
User
Posts: 62
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2020 23:12
Location: Cumaná
Contact:

Re: Sundried... Salami?

Post by wasuky » Wed Dec 09, 2020 15:47

Butterbean wrote:
Wed Dec 09, 2020 00:13
I'm wondering if you have high humidity there.
It's hot (30-34 ºC average) and wet (85-infinite-and-beyond).
Butterbean wrote:
Wed Dec 09, 2020 00:13
Heck, I'd go and see what I could learn from him.
I agree. After a few hours of thinking "does he really know this stuff?" Then I remembered that even if I only learn 1 thing, then it's going to be worth it.
User avatar
Butterbean
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1955
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 04:10
Location: South Georgia

Re: Sundried... Salami?

Post by Butterbean » Wed Dec 09, 2020 17:50

You are right. Nothing ventured nothing gained. Every region has its own methods of doing things so maybe he knows something worth learning. Seems I recall reading where regions which have high heat often add vinegar to their mince to bypass the need for fermentation step. I'd be curious if this is plays into his method in any way.
User avatar
wasuky
User
User
Posts: 62
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2020 23:12
Location: Cumaná
Contact:

Re: Sundried... Salami?

Post by wasuky » Wed Dec 09, 2020 23:00

Butterbean wrote:
Wed Dec 09, 2020 17:50
Seems I recall reading where regions which have high heat often add vinegar to their mince
That actually lines up with a recipe my aunt gave me a few years. Her mother in law was a very traditional Spanish woman (and a genius in the kitchen as far as my mouth recalls). When she died she left her a "secret book" with tons of personal recipes, Spanish chorizo among them. One of the ingredientes is vinegar. When she first told me the recipe I thought it was odd (due to the vinegar and no fermentation period) until now. It was like mixing everything together, stuff, leave at room temp for a couple hours and hang to dry.
User avatar
Scogar
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 218
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 23:28
Location: Atlanta GA

Re: Sundried... Salami?

Post by Scogar » Mon Dec 14, 2020 20:20

I know Mexican chorizo has vinegar...didn't think Spanish had any and that makes me wonder if MX did it because of environment
bluc
Frequent User
Frequent User
Posts: 136
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2020 05:12

Re: Sundried... Salami?

Post by bluc » Mon Dec 14, 2020 22:45

Wouldnt vinegar sour it and add a healthy lacto bacteria colony?
Post Reply