# Fermented/Smoked Pepperoni and Romano Cheese Snack Sticks...



## indaswamp (Oct 22, 2021)

I made these 3 weeks ago. Fermented, then smoked and onto the drying chamber. Dried to 40% weight loss in 12 days.

I ran across a good sale on pork, $1.49/# AND found Romano cheese marked down 60% off. Been wanting to make some of these for a while...now's my chance. I used 40% Canada goose/ 60%  pork butt.

The shredded Romano Cheese...






Toasting the Fennel and Anise seeds...





The seasoning mix...





Fermenting... brought the pH down to around 4.8 or so.





Smoked to 136*F INT for 30 minutes per USDA regs. for fermented sausages.






Then onto the drying chamber to lose 40% weight loss...







These turned out VERY GOOD! I will be making these again! Gonna be REAL GOOD on the deer stand in a couple weeks!!!


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## TNJAKE (Oct 22, 2021)

Always a pleasure seeing your posts. Looks delicious.


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## indaswamp (Oct 22, 2021)

The recipe:

*Goose/Pork Pepperoni and Romano Cheese Snack Sticks*

Pepperoni Stick Recipe I use and Like (a variation of Marianski's recipe)
2kg lean trimmed goose meat (grind thru 3mm plate)
3kg. 70/30 Pork Butt (grind thru 4.5mm plate)

1.7% fine pickle salt
0.3% cure #1
*2% total sodium*
0.2% Dextrose
0.3% Sugar
0.3% Black pepper
0.1% White pepper
0.8% Paprika
0.3% Fennel seed
0.12% Anise seed
(run the fennel and anise in a spice grinder)
0.2% Cayenne pepper powder (dark red = no seeds; so milder)
15 ml/kg. dry red wine- I use chianti
0.25g/kg. Flavor of Italy starter culture (Can use FLC or F-RM-52 or a different Fast/Med.-Fast culture)

32oz. Shredded Romano Cheese (mix last; cheese is brittle and will break easily. Mix no more than 1 minute)

Ferment ~85*F  with 90%RH to pH drop 4.8. (usually 24-36hrs.)

Cold smoke <71*F with red oak dust overnight 12 hours. Fermentation will slowly continue. PH should drop another point or so.
Transfer to drying chamber 55*F; 80% RH until 35-40% weight loss for a shelf stable product.


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## BGKYSmoker (Oct 22, 2021)

Really nice


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## indaswamp (Oct 22, 2021)

TNJAKE said:


> Always a pleasure seeing your posts. Looks delicious.


Thanks Jake! I thought I had used up all the goose meat. Would you believe I found ANOTHER gallon bag in one of my freezers today, 2 kg. of goose meat! Thinking of making a salami with them. I have some 4-4.5" beef bungs that just arrived I want to use. Want to make something to slice for sandwiches.


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## indaswamp (Oct 22, 2021)

SWFLsmkr1 said:


> Really nice


Thanks Rick!


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## TNJAKE (Oct 22, 2021)

indaswamp said:


> Thanks Jake! I thought I had used up all the goose meat. Would you believe I found ANOTHER gallon bag in one of my freezers today! Thinking of making a salami with them. I have some 4-4.5" beef bungs that just arrived I want to use. Want to make something to slice for sandwiches.


Got a grinder and stuffer coming for Christmas hopefully. Will be picking your brain soon enough


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## chef jimmyj (Oct 23, 2021)

Looks great and the flavor combo sounds tasty...JJ


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## indaswamp (Oct 23, 2021)

TNJAKE said:


> Got a grinder and stuffer coming for Christmas hopefully. Will be picking your brain soon enough


No problem Jake. Will help all I can.



chef jimmyj said:


> Looks great and the flavor combo sounds tasty...JJ


Thanks Jimmyj! The cheese really contrasts with the pepperoni spices.


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## indaswamp (Oct 23, 2021)

I ended up with 62 sticks 24" long. I cut each stick into (4) 6" long pieces for vac sealing...perfect snack portion for the woods....


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## SmokinEdge (Oct 23, 2021)

Those look great. I like the flavor profile. Nice job.


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## SmokinAl (Oct 23, 2021)

Nice job on the sticks!
They look delicious!
Al


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## pushok2018 (Oct 23, 2021)

The sticks look great! So jealous I cannot make fermented sausages since my drying chamber died - about two years ago or so.... Thank you for sharing this recipe!


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## indaswamp (Oct 23, 2021)

SmokinEdge said:


> Those look great. I like the flavor profile. Nice job.


Thanks SE! Give it a go, it's a great combo.



SmokinAl said:


> Nice job on the sticks!
> They look delicious!
> Al


Thanks Al! Do you still have your little drying chamber?



pushok2018 said:


> The sticks look great! So jealous I cannot make fermented sausages since my drying chamber died - about two years ago or so.... Thank you for sharing this recipe!



Thanks pushok2018! That sucks about your chamber dying. My first chamber was a used freezer. It died about a year after setting it up for dry curing. I bit the bullet and had to buy new because it was right after a hurricane and supply was tight. But I knew dry curing was something I would continue doing so....
You can always pick up a used refrigerator for about $100 bucks.


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## SmokinAl (Oct 24, 2021)

Thanks Al! Do you still have your little drying chamber?

[/QUOTE]

No it’s back to a beer fridge.
Al


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