Pizza Pepperoni, First LEM Use

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

disco

Epic Pitmaster
Original poster
OTBS Member
SMF Premier Member
Oct 31, 2012
11,135
5,265
Canadian Rockies
I tried the recipe for Pizza Pepperoni from the book "Mastering the Craft of Making Sausage"

It calls for fatty pork and lean beef.


I added some pork fat as the butt I used wasn't very fatty as you can see.

I ground it with the smallest diameter plate for my Kitchen Aid. You can see the added fat on top.


The ground meat goes into the fridge for 30 minutes.

I put my stuffer container in the freezer at this point.

I mixed the dry ingredients and then added the liquid.



This is refrigerated for 5 minutes.

I mixed the seasoning mixture with the meat for 2 minutes in the Kitchen Aid.

I then stuffed the mixture into small diameter hog casings with my brand new LEM. Wow, was this easier than trying to use the Kitchen Aid. Thanks so much to the members of the forum who recommended this stuffer. It is great.


I weighed one of the links and marked it. They then went into the fridge overnight and I hung them to dry for a couple of hours.


I cold smoked them for 2 hours over pecan. Here they are after 2 hours smoking.


 I then increased the temperature to 170 to 180 and went without smoke for about 10 hours to bring the internal temperature to 160 F. The idea is that the slow cooking reduces the moisture and makes the pepperoni more dense to simulate a long fermentation method.

After reaching temperature, the pepperoni had lost about 20% of its weight.

Here it is out of the smoker.


After cooling over night, here it is cut up.



The verdict: This is better than the cheap pepperoni in the prepared meat section. It has a nice spicy flavour and a firm texture. I did find it a touch sweet and would reduce the corn syrup called for in the recipe. However, there is no contest between this and a high quality fully fermented pepperoni. The texture isn't as solid or smooth. The fermento does add flavour but not the wonderful sharpness of a fermented product. I will make this again to throw on a pizza or a sub sandwich. I would not serve it by itself on a charcuterie plate.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bearcarver
Looks great Disco.  I recently ordered "Mastering the Craft of Making Sausage" and hopefully it will arrive sometime later this week.

Looking forward moving from fresh sausages to cured.
 
Looks great Disco.  I recently ordered "Mastering the Craft of Making Sausage" and hopefully it will arrive sometime later this week.

Looking forward moving from fresh sausages to cured.
I have liked the book as a starter for the advice and technique information a beginner like me needs. The recipes are good but I have also found great advice and information from the forum too. If you have a lot of experience, I suspect you might find the book a little basic.
 
I have liked the book as a starter for the advice and technique information a beginner like me needs. The recipes are good but I have also found great advice and information from the forum too. If you have a lot of experience, I suspect you might find the book a little basic.
I've always done fresh sausage so the move to cured sausage is a new one to me. Plus I have a son that is wanting to get into sausage making and he likes to eat up any info that I have on the subject.

I have a dedicated grinder and stuffer to use and the only time the ol' KA gets used in sausage making is when I use it to emulsify the ground meat.
 
I've always done fresh sausage so the move to cured sausage is a new one to me. Plus I have a son that is wanting to get into sausage making and he likes to eat up any info that I have on the subject.

I have a dedicated grinder and stuffer to use and the only time the ol' KA gets used in sausage making is when I use it to emulsify the ground meat.
Perhaps you could give me some advice. Is the dedicated grinder superior to the Kitchen Aid? If so how? Thanks.
 
I have found that the KA will trip the thermocoupler after about 10-15 pounds of meat. You then need to wait for the mixer to cool off before it will run again. If all you are doing is 5-10 of meat max-then your KA is doable- the one draw back is the small openings in the grinder plates.

When I do sausage, I do 15-20 pounds at a time and I can usually get all the grinding done in about 10 minutes. 

EDIT:

I should add that my dedicated grinder is a Harbor Freight unit, the only complaint I have is that it's a bit on the noisy side.
 
Last edited:
I have found that the KA will trip the thermocoupler after about 10-15 pounds of meat. You then need to wait for the mixer to cool off before it will run again. If all you are doing is 5-10 of meat max-then your KA is doable- the one draw back is the small openings in the grinder plates.

When I do sausage, I do 15-20 pounds at a time and I can usually get all the grinding done in about 10 minutes. 
Thanks for that help. I'm sure you and your son will get some good advice from the book and I look forward to posts of your efforts!
 
Can you post the recipe ... looks really good.

For suing a small plate it sure looks to have a great texture.

How did you mix it and for how long?
 
Can you post the recipe ... looks really good.

For suing a small plate it sure looks to have a great texture.

How did you mix it and for how long?
I am loathe to post the recipe as it from the cookbook "Mastering the Craft of Making Sausage" and even if you forget about copyright laws, I wouldn't want to interfere with his right to sell books.

If I substantially change a recipe I will post it but in this case, I followed it exactly.

Sorry, perhaps you could check with your local library for a copy if you just want the one recipe.

I mixed it for one minute on low speed with my Kitchen Aid, scraped it down and then mixed it for another minute at low speed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: themule69
I am loathe to post the recipe as it from the cookbook "Mastering the Craft of Making Sausage" and even if you forget about copyright laws, I wouldn't want to interfere with his right to sell books.

If I substantially change a recipe I will post it but in this case, I followed it exactly.

Sorry, perhaps you could check with your local library for a copy if you just want the one recipe.

I mixed it for one minute on low speed with my Kitchen Aid, scraped it down and then mixed it for another minute at low speed.
 
That looks real good there Disco. I also have that Lem, bought after using the KA as a stuffer ONCE...lol....never again. Might not be exactly what you were looking for but that sausage looks like it would be great with some spicy mustard for dippin' and a cold Molson on the side.....just sayin'.......Willie
 
That looks real good there Disco. I also have that Lem, bought after using the KA as a stuffer ONCE...lol....never again. Might not be exactly what you were looking for but that sausage looks like it would be great with some spicy mustard for dippin' and a cold Molson on the side.....just sayin'.......Willie
Actually, it was exactly what I was looking for, a relatively easy pepperoni for every day use. I have had it for a snack it was good. However, I hadn't thought about pepperoni dipped in mustard. Dang, now I have to get a beer and try that! Thanks, Willie.
 
laugh1.gif
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Like
Reactions: rubbin butts
Your pepperoni looks really good. When you mentioned the texture it reminded me of kabanosy. I put in in a open paper bag in the fridge for a week and it dried out and firmed up nice. The flavor also intensified. Your pepperoni probably won't be around that long. Nice job.
 
Your pepperoni looks really good. When you mentioned the texture it reminded me of kabanosy. I put in in a open paper bag in the fridge for a week and it dried out and firmed up nice. The flavor also intensified. Your pepperoni probably won't be around that long. Nice job.
Thanks, Woodcutter. That sounds like a method to try.
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky