Divine Salami

A couple of months ago we began processing the meat from the two most recent weaners we raised for the table. Some of it went into Ox Runners (large intestine casings) to make our very first salami. We experimented with three recipes; plain, garlic and last but not least peppercorn, garlic & port. I was glad we had the comfort of our book which reassured us that the growth of white, blue and green furry mould was perfectly normal and indeed a very good sign.  We decided against using the preservative salpetre which keeps the meat artificially pink but also reduces the risk of botulism in air dried meats. It's something to read up on and to consider carefully before you embark on processing your own pork. Time ticked on and the salami hung tantalisingly in the wood shed to air dry.

Regular groping of the salami gives a crude indication as to when they're ready to sample. Finally, eight weeks later, the time had come to cut down the first salami. Before sampling the bounty the mould is wiped off with kitchen towel and the salami rolled in wood ash. And the moment we waited for .... sheer bliss.

Comments

[Eloise]

Pleased your salami worked out you had me worried earlier in the year. I got to see Cousin Taffeta and Jays hung meats at there resturant the Pheasant pub, they kept them rapped in muslim and hung under a little lean to (thingy) outside there kitchen window.

[Lizz]

Thanks for sharing! Now for some goat chevre to go along...

[kalfupdadia]

i am gonna show this to my friend, man

[katrien]

Oh, so jealous! No chance of sending some across the pond? I love the glimpses you give of your recipes: port and garlic, yum!
Katrien

[polly peirce]

Congratulations! They look lovely and obviously tasted better. I'm delighted for you! I'll bet you were literally holding your breath after the ham incident...

[Péitseoga]

salami looks yummie!