Salami drying too fast

[smokeaddict]

Years of sausage making led to my first salami. 3750g meat, stuffed into casing, hung in the cellar initially for 6 days, smoked four non consecutive days (only at night av temp 10 º C. )
The conditions in the cellar are not ideal, though always at 17.5 º C, humidity 70 %. After the last smoke, they have lost 40 % weight. This sounds far too fast. They look and smell wonderful, but surely they can't be fully fermented ?
I was on the verge of building a drying cabinet, ordered all the bits etc etc......
Any thoughts fellow salami makers please ?

Immediately after stuffing, hanging in the cellar

After only 14 days. There is an initial feel of hardness to the outside, but pressing harder, the interior feels soft still. Thinking that I will pack in vacuum bags to stop drying and continue cure.

Regards,
Gus

 

[BGKYSmoker]

40% in 14 days is pretty fast.
If i am right 17.5 C is about 63.5* Thats a little cool for fermenting
If you vac seal what you will start is EQ.
Equalization of the liquid in the chubs. This could affect the integrity of the meat.

What casings did you use?

 

[indaswamp]

What temp. did you smoke them at?

 

[daveomak]

Did you have a fan blowing air on them ???

 

[smokeaddict]

40% in 14 days is pretty fast.
If i am right 17.5 C is about 63.5* Thats a little cool for fermenting
If you vac seal what you will start is EQ.
Equalization of the liquid in the chubs. This could affect the integrity of the meat.

What casings did you use?

Thanks for the reply. Used fibrous casings. Since the earlier post, I cut one. Tastes great, full of flavour, a little "raw" but not much. Expected case hardening, but not in evidence. If I get to assemble the drying chamber shortly,

do you think it is worth continuing with the drying process ? I used Bactoferm, which is seen on all of them.

 

[smokeaddict]

What temp. did you smoke them at?

Max 20, overnight, using an Amazen pellet smoker.

 

[smokeaddict]

Did you have a fan blowing air on them ???

Do you mean during hanging in the cellar Dave ? No fan, not much, if any air movement in there.

 

[daveomak]

Do you mean during hanging in the cellar Dave ? No fan, not much, if any air movement in there.

Well, I don't have any idea now...
Did the pH get low enough to kill bacteria ???
Is the case hardening to the point vac packing will dry out the middle and moisten the outer layer to make a satisfactory salami ???
They don't look that dry in the new picture... compared to the original picture..

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Yeah its looks to be not done.
I dont think vac is going to save em. You could be risking spoilage which is not good.
Your call.

 

[smokeaddict]

Yeah its looks to be not done.
I dont think vac is going to save em. You could be risking spoilage which is not good.
Your call.

Thank You for the reply. Have since completed the drying cabinet. I will resume the process. Do you find any risk in this ?

 

[indaswamp]

If the salami has case hardened, putting it into a drying chamber will not solve the issue.

 

[smokeaddict]

40% in 14 days is pretty fast.
If i am right 17.5 C is about 63.5* Thats a little cool for fermenting
If you vac seal what you will start is EQ.
Equalization of the liquid in the chubs. This could affect the integrity of the meat.

What casings did you use?

Thank you again for your input. I meant to enquire a whole ago re your comment,

"Equalization of the liquid in the chubs. This could affect the integrity of the meat."

Would you mind elaborating on that please ? What might happen to the meat ?
Regards,
Gus

 

[daveomak]

BGKYSmoker should come around to answer that....

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Thank you again for your input. I meant to enquire a whole ago re your comment,

"Equalization of the liquid in the chubs. This could affect the integrity of the meat."
(EQ of the chubs without the proper drying time can result in the water being re distributed into the meat and make it mushy)

Would you mind elaborating on that please ? What might happen to the meat ?
Regards,
Gus