So what will you do when it's finished? Do you just wash off the links under running water? Wipe it off? Usually mold is a sign of spoilage, so in this case it's supposed to be there, but how will you know it's the good kind?
I've been buying air dried sausage from a local guy, and last year some of what I got from him had some light white mold on the outside when I got it from him. I wiped it off and I went ahead and froze part of it, but some of what I left in the fridge spoiled pretty quick! I'm just trying to figure out the difference because I'd like to try air drying some myself. Not going to add any bacteria like you did, just hang it in a small fridge with a little fan moving air.
I guess the "air dried" I'm talking about is really more like just aging it rather than completely drying it. Would I need anything other than just salt or should I also add some of the Morton's tender quick?
I remember seeing my grandpa hang hams in a net bag and coat the outside of hams and sausage with black pepper. I seem to remember hearing the black pepper was to keep flies off of it. This was just hung in the smoke house or sometimes the pack house. In NC we don't have many days that are cold enough to keep flies and such off of curing meat unless you have it inside a building that is sealed with something like screenwire. My grandpa never smoked any of his meats, but I guess the smoke would also keep pests away too.