# UMAi PEPPERONI, MY FIRST TRY!!



## SmokinAl (Jul 28, 2018)

Ok guys I have been wanting to get into dry curing for quite some time now, but TheSausageMaker had a sale on UMAi casings & so that put me over the edge. I bought 4 packs, Bactoferm, cure #2, and their dry cure pepperoni seasoning. I read that I should use a combo of lean beef & lean pork or just one or the other then add fatback. Well I looked everywhere & couldn't find any fat back. Every meat man I talked to said he had a guy that came in everyday & bought all their trimmings. So I thought I would just grind up a butt & see what I got. I bought a little over an 8 lb butt & when I cut the bone out I ended up with 3 packages of 2 1/2 lbs. each. Which would be a good amount for an experiment. 
This is the recipe I used:
2 1/2 lb. coarse ground pork butt
1/2 tsp cure #2
3 oz. SM pepperoni seasoning (not enough, next time I'll use 4 1/2 oz.)
.15 gram Bactoferm ( I used bactoferm frm 52 us, because it said it would ferment in warmer climates)
3/8 cup NFDM
1/2 cup distilled water

I practically froze the meat before grinding it & used the large plate. 
Then back into the freezer for a half hour & then mix in all the dry ingredients using wooden paddles so as not to get the meat warmed up.
Next dissolve the bactoferm in the water & mix it with the meat thoroughly with my hands until it became stiff.
Next I stuffed it into the UMAi casings, I used the 32mm casings, I think next time I will use the larger 50 mm casings. Which by the way I'm going to use tomorrow to make some dry cured Chorizo. I hung the sausage in Judy's craft room which is about 79-80 degrees. The bactoferm says it will ferment anywhere from 70-90 degrees, so this seemed just right.

Here is a photo of when they were first stuffed & hung to ferment. 







After one day they are already starting to turn red.






At the end of the second day they are really getting red.







I weighed them all & put tags on each sausage, the recipe said to look for a 35-40% drop in weight, so I put the weights on the tags. And onto a drying rack in the fridge.







After about 9 days they had lost about 38-39 % of their weight & I thought that they were ready.







So here is the first UMAi pepperoni that a I have ever made. I was very surprised at the taste. I was expecting the traditional factory pepperoni you see everywhere here in the US. But what I got was a really deep beefy flavor that had ample spice, (next batch will be much spicier).







I also found that if you let it sit at room temp for a half hour or so the flavor intensified even more. I had some smoked jalapeno jack cheese hat I thought would go with it. So I sliced some up & put the both on saltine crackers.












Snack time!






Well I had to just double up on the sausage & cheese!!






And I took the casings off & vac packed them & put them in the freezer for some fantastic appetizers at a later date!







This has opened a whole new world for me. I have a lot of time on my hands & really like to try new things especially food related. I'm very happy with the way the pepperoni turned out, and honestly when you do something for the first time you have to wonder did I do something wrong & am I going to be in the bathroom for the next 24 hours. But luckily this one turned out good & i'm really looking forward to making the Chorizo tomorrow. I know one thing for sure, it will get more spices than it calls for & it will go into the 50 mm UMAi casings.
I can only hope that the rest of my retirement will be spent doing fun things like this. Judy & I live a very simple life & we really like doing things together, especially cooking!
We have been together for about 60 years, so we kind of know what the other person is thinking!
Thanks for letting me tell my story about my first experience with the UMAi bags. If you haven't tried them yet I would suggest you give it a try!!
Al


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## WaterinHoleBrew (Jul 28, 2018)

Awesome Al, glad you tried the Umai & enjoyed it!  Dry curing is definitely a hobby I enjoy.  BTW, that pepperoni looks phenomenal!  Looking forward to seeing the chorizo!


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## johnnyb54 (Jul 28, 2018)

Excellent looking pepperoni!! Good luck on your new adventure and looking forward to seeing your Chorizo.


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## JckDanls 07 (Jul 28, 2018)

Al....  I'm jealous...  you beat me to it...  Rick gave me some bags and some other stuff..  I need to go through it and figure out what I got... good looking stuff right there...


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## Habitual Smoker (Jul 28, 2018)

Adding this to my list of things to try!  Looks phenomenal!


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## myownidaho (Jul 28, 2018)

Great job, Al! Now your hooked. Get yerself up on that carousel.


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## Bearcarver (Jul 28, 2018)

Oh Boy---Look out Pepperoni Pizza Time, in the new Pizza Oven!!:)
No more of that store bought stuff!!!

Nice Job Buddy,
Like.

John


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## casmurf (Jul 28, 2018)

SmokinAl said:


> Ok guys I have been wanting to get into dry curing for quite some time now, but TheSausageMaker had a sale on UMAi casings & so that put me over the edge. I bought 4 packs, Bactoferm, cure #2, and their dry cure pepperoni seasoning. I read that I should use a combo of lean beef & lean pork or just one or the other then add fatback. Well I looked everywhere & couldn't find any fat back. Every meat man I talked to said he had a guy that came in everyday & bought all their trimmings. So I thought I would just grind up a butt & see what I got. I bought a little over an 8 lb butt & when I cut the bone out I ended up with 3 packages of 2 1/2 lbs. each. Which would be a good amount for an experiment.
> This is the recipe I used:
> 2 1/2 lb. coarse ground pork butt
> 1/2 tsp cure #2
> ...


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## casmurf (Jul 28, 2018)

Al was this the Sausage Maker Smoked pepperoni season blend or another one ?


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## chilerelleno (Jul 28, 2018)

Al, that looks great, nice job on the first.
I'd wipe that board clean and be begging for more.
*Like!*


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## oberst (Jul 28, 2018)

I’ve used the 50mm casings and your post will have me trying the 32mm. Your fast dry time with the smaller casings surprised me. For some applications that should be a nice option.


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## BGKYSmoker (Jul 28, 2018)

Nice going Al
Looks good, ya did it.


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 28, 2018)

Damn...! That's my response...that looks amazing! Those UMAi bags are amazing it seems!


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## forktender (Jul 28, 2018)

That looks amazing Al. 
Did you buy a stuffer or did you use the grinder to stuff?  If you don't have a stuffer I highly recommend that you look into buying one, it makes the job 10x easier. I use a cheap Harbor Freight stuffer for snack sticks and summer sausage. I haven't tried doing any dry cured meats yet. I would love to learn to make some dry cured red wine soppressata calabrese like my Nona and Papa used to make when I was a kid. It was a family event that took pretty much the whole day, I was just a little guy but I can still smell and taste it. 
The pepperoni that you and your wife made looks amazing. 10 points.

Great job.
Dan


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## Gary Uk (Jul 29, 2018)

Wow, looks absolutely fabulous Al
I love a meat and cheese platter 
Wish I had the time to try out this sort of think, something for the future no doubt.


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## Steve H (Jul 29, 2018)

That looks amazing! I'm really thinking about trying this.


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## gmc2003 (Jul 29, 2018)

Geeze Al your on a roll lately. That pepperoni looks absolutely superb. Now lets see that pepperoni resting on top of one of your pizzas. 

Point for sure.

Chris


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## tropics (Jul 29, 2018)

Al Nicely done I to was a little disappointed with the small casing.I do have the 70s and that is perfect size for Sopresatta,Salami even pepperoni.Try the recipes that come with the bags you will like them.Points
Richie


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## SmokinAl (Jul 29, 2018)

WaterinHoleBrew said:


> Awesome Al, glad you tried the Umai & enjoyed it!  Dry curing is definitely a hobby I enjoy.  BTW, that pepperoni looks phenomenal!  Looking forward to seeing the chorizo!



Thanks Justin!
I appreciate it!
Al



johnnyb54 said:


> Excellent looking pepperoni!! Good luck on your new adventure and looking forward to seeing your Chorizo.



Thanks Johnny!
I hope the Chorizo turns out as good as this did. 
I may have just lucked out on my first try!
Al



JckDanls 07 said:


> Al....  I'm jealous...  you beat me to it...  Rick gave me some bags and some other stuff..  I need to go through it and figure out what I got... good looking stuff right there...



Yea Keith, you definitely need to give this a try, I have really been intimidated by this whole process & have had numerous conversations with Rick & he told me it was easy, but I just never pulled the trigger. Now I wish I had been making this stuff all a along.
Al



Habitual Smoker said:


> Adding this to my list of things to try!  Looks phenomenal!



Thank you Sir!!
Al



myownidaho said:


> Great job, Al! Now your hooked. Get yerself up on that carousel.



Thank you, I think Adam put me up there, and I have to thank him for that!
Al



Bearcarver said:


> Oh Boy---Look out Pepperoni Pizza Time, in the new Pizza Oven!!:)
> No more of that store bought stuff!!!
> 
> Nice Job Buddy,
> ...



Thanks John!
I think we are gonna make a Calzone with some of it tonight, cause I still have some Ricotta left from the last Calzone & need to use it up!
Al




casmurf said:


> Al was this the Sausage Maker Smoked pepperoni season blend or another one ?



Yes it was TheSausageMaker dry cured pepperoni blend, they make 2 kinds one for smoking & one for dry curing. If you use it I would add about 1/3 more of the spice blend than they recommend.
Al



chilerelleno said:


> Al, that looks great, nice job on the first.
> I'd wipe that board clean and be begging for more.
> *Like!*



Thank you John!
We ate the whole stick in about 15 minutes. This has really been a fun experience!
Al



oberst said:


> I’ve used the 50mm casings and your post will have me trying the 32mm. Your fast dry time with the smaller casings surprised me. For some applications that should be a nice option.



I was very surprised too, I thought at least 2 weeks, but kept checking the weight every couple of days & it really went fast. I'm sure the 50 mm casings will take longer. And I'm excited to give it a go today with the Chorizo.
Al 



nepas said:


> Nice going Al
> Looks good, ya did it.



Thanks Rick, I know we have talked many times about this & I drilled you with question after question, and you were kind enough to keep answering me & assuring me that I could do this. I really can't believe how easy this was. Honestly I was a little afraid to eat the first piece, but went ahead & ate the whole stick, with Judy's help. Then we both just sat there wondering who would get sick first! But it's all good & thank you again for all you encouragement!
Al



TomKnollRFV said:


> Damn...! That's my response...that looks amazing! Those UMAi bags are amazing it seems!



Thank you Tom, and yes your right those bags make having a dedicated curing chamber a thing of the past. I don't see how you could get a much better result with the real thing!
Al



forktender said:


> That looks amazing Al.
> Did you buy a stuffer or did you use the grinder to stuff?  If you don't have a stuffer I highly recommend that you look into buying one, it makes the job 10x easier. I use a cheap Harbor Freight stuffer for snack sticks and summer sausage. I haven't tried doing any dry cured meats yet. I would love to learn to make some dry cured red wine soppressata calabrese like my Nona and Papa used to make when I was a kid. It was a family event that took pretty much the whole day, I was just a little guy but I can still smell and taste it.
> The pepperoni that you and your wife made looks amazing. 10 points.
> 
> ...



Thank you Dan!
And yes I have a 5# LEM stuffer, I've had it for several years & it has never given me a bit of trouble. I like it because it has metal gears & it's easy to clean.
Al



Gary Uk said:


> Wow, looks absolutely fabulous Al
> I love a meat and cheese platter
> Wish I had the time to try out this sort of think, something for the future no doubt.





Steve H said:


> That looks amazing! I'm really thinking about trying this.



Thank you Steve!
Well all I can say is go for it, you won't regret it!
Al



gmc2003 said:


> Geeze Al your on a roll lately. That pepperoni looks absolutely superb. Now lets see that pepperoni resting on top of one of your pizzas.
> 
> Point for sure.
> 
> Chris



Thanks Chris!
Pizza next weekend!
Calzone tonight!!
Al



tropics said:


> Al Nicely done I to was a little disappointed with the small casing.I do have the 70s and that is perfect size for Sopresatta,Salami even pepperoni.Try the recipes that come with the bags you will like them.Points
> Richie



Thanks Richie,
I ended up using a mix of 2 different recipes, cause I have always liked TheSausageMakers seasoning blends. But in this case they needed to be a little stronger, we like heat! I bought the 50 mm size, but will try the 70 mm. When I bought the 2 sizes the smaller one seemed perfect for pepperoni, and even when I stuffed them they looked like a good size. But I didn't realize how much they would shrink up. It will be interesting to see how the Chorizo comes out with the 50 mm casings.
Al


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## SmokinAl (Jul 29, 2018)

Gary Uk said:


> Wow, looks absolutely fabulous Al
> I love a meat and cheese platter
> Wish I had the time to try out this sort of think, something for the future no doubt.



Thanks Gary!
It's really not that time consuming, although it does take up a shelf in the fridge!
Al


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## 73saint (Jul 29, 2018)

Thanks for sharing this Al!  Pepperoni is on my list of things to make!


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## chilerelleno (Jul 29, 2018)

And congrats on a well deserved spin on the Carousel!


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## donr (Jul 29, 2018)

Fine looking pepperoni Al.
I bought some UMAi casing during that sale too.
Just remember that adding more of the SM spices will add more salt as well.

Don


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## Smkryng (Jul 29, 2018)

SmokinAl said:


> Ok guys I have been wanting to get into dry curing for quite some time now, but TheSausageMaker had a sale on UMAi casings & so that put me over the edge. I bought 4 packs, Bactoferm, cure #2, and their dry cure pepperoni seasoning. I read that I should use a combo of lean beef & lean pork or just one or the other then add fatback. Well I looked everywhere & couldn't find any fat back. Every meat man I talked to said he had a guy that came in everyday & bought all their trimmings. So I thought I would just grind up a butt & see what I got. I bought a little over an 8 lb butt & when I cut the bone out I ended up with 3 packages of 2 1/2 lbs. each. Which would be a good amount for an experiment.
> This is the recipe I used:
> 2 1/2 lb. coarse ground pork butt
> 1/2 tsp cure #2
> ...


Looks like ya knocked it outta the park. Congrats on the carousel, you earned it. Got me wanting to try something new. I think I’m gonna pick up some cure #1 and maybe try and cure a shoulder out some time in not so distant future.


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 29, 2018)

I think Al and Rick need to write a tutorial on these UMAi Bags now ;)


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## crazymoon (Jul 29, 2018)

SA, Fine batch of pepperoni, I'm starting up a batch of venison salami in the next few days. I hope it comes out as well as yours did !


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## SmokinAl (Jul 29, 2018)

73saint said:


> Thanks for sharing this Al!  Pepperoni is on my list of things to make!



Well I can tell you that you won't be disappointed if you try this. I procrastinated for ever & am really glad i took the plunge!
Al



chilerelleno said:


> And congrats on a well deserved spin on the Carousel!



Thanks John, I hope you guys realize that i'm not putting myself up there, I think Adam put me up there this time.
I feel kinda funny being up there, but also feel honored at the same time.
Al



donr said:


> Fine looking pepperoni Al.
> I bought some UMAi casing during that sale too.
> Just remember that adding more of the SM spices will add more salt as well.
> 
> Don



Yes Don use a little more of the SM spice, we don't add salt to anything so the salt content for us was good, but if you use a lot of salt in your recipes then by all means add a little extra to this recipe.



Smkryng said:


> Looks like ya knocked it outta the park. Congrats on the carousel, you earned it. Got me wanting to try something new. I think I’m gonna pick up some cure #1 and maybe try and cure a shoulder out some time in not so distant future.



Well if you want to cure a butt, you can't beat Buckboard bacon. That is one of the first things I ever cured & it really got me hooked. Good luck!!
Al





TomKnollRFV said:


> I think Al and Rick need to write a tutorial on these UMAi Bags now ;)



Well thank you for the compliment, but Rick is the real expert on the UMAi bags & casings. He has helped me more than I can even describe. I bugged him online & in person & he was always very patient & helpful. He can answer any  question about the UMAi bags with great knowledge that I don't have, or if I do have I got it from him. Rick (Nepas) in case some of you don't know who we are talking about is the sausage guru on here & very knowledgeable on the UMAi bags & casings, and also their spice mixes.
Al


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 29, 2018)

I guess we better bug Neppas into a tutorial then for those of us clueless and afraid!


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## MeatSkull (Jul 29, 2018)

Looks great! Want to try something different get the red hot sausage mix from SM and make some with that! You will be surprised, just use the same amount they say for sausage.


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## mosparky (Jul 29, 2018)

I'd be all in for a step by step on these UMAI bags. Might even be worthy of it's own category on the board. Now I need recipes. I'm somewhat against using packaged blends. Too many times in the past, I develop a strong preference for a product and the company goes out of business, quits making it, changes recipe, or the vendor stops carrying it ect and I'm left out in the cold so to speak. If I make it, all I need to worry about is where I put the recipe. Thanks to the computer, flash drives and printer, my odds of being able to find at least one of three copies are pretty good.


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## forktender (Jul 30, 2018)

I was talking to my wife today about having a sausage party and her eye's lite up. :rolleyes: LMAO!!!
She laughed when I said not that kind of sausage honey, don't get excited.
I'm talking about  a party to make pepperoni and soppressata here woman, get your mind out of the gutter.


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## SmokinAl (Jul 30, 2018)

TomKnollRFV said:


> I guess we better bug Neppas into a tutorial then for those of us clueless and afraid!



I think that would be a great idea. I'm sure he would be willing to give one at the S.Florida Gathering in Nov.
Al



MeatSkull said:


> Looks great! Want to try something different get the red hot sausage mix from SM and make some with that! You will be surprised, just use the same amount they say for sausage.



I have always liked the SM mixes, but this time it just didn't have the kick I was looking for, so if I order something from them again I will try the red hot sausage mix!
Al



mosparky said:


> I'd be all in for a step by step on these UMAI bags. Might even be worthy of it's own category on the board. Now I need recipes. I'm somewhat against using packaged blends. Too many times in the past, I develop a strong preference for a product and the company goes out of business, quits making it, changes recipe, or the vendor stops carrying it ect and I'm left out in the cold so to speak. If I make it, all I need to worry about is where I put the recipe. Thanks to the computer, flash drives and printer, my odds of being able to find at least one of three copies are pretty good.



I hear you & agree completely, as a mater of fact the next batch of pepperoni I make will come from Ruhlman's book, and that is where I got the recipe for the Spanish Chorizo that I am going to make today. I was going to use some of my SM chorizo seasoning, but decided to give Ruhlmans recipe a try.
Al



forktender said:


> I was talking to my wife today about having a sausage party and her eye's lite up. :rolleyes: LMAO!!!
> She laughed when I said not that kind of sausage honey, don't get excited.
> I'm talking about  a party to make pepperoni and soppressata here woman, get you mind out of the gutter.



That is too funny!!
Al


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## The Butt Man (Jul 30, 2018)

That looks amazing. I am going to have to try this eventually. Thanks for sharing.


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## pc farmer (Jul 30, 2018)

Looks great Al.  Umai bags are super easy to use.  It's the process that can be intimating. 

I used the umai pepperoni seasoning.  It's really good


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 30, 2018)

Have you used the Smoked Pepperoni seasoning from SM? I was thinking of getting it and doctoring it up. Or is it just not worth the time and effort to tinker with it? I'll admit I'm lazy and would much prefer to bulk order premade seasoning LOL


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## MeatSkull (Jul 30, 2018)

I've used the SM pepperoni mix also and agree, not enough kick kinda plain tasting. The Red Hot will give you what you are looking for. Taste kinda like Johnsonville red hot sausage but better.


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## KrisUpInSmoke (Jul 30, 2018)

Very nice snack platter with pepperoni_ you made __and cheese __you smoked! _That's so cool! It's going to be really neat to make your own pizza and calzones with it!


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## SmokinAl (Jul 31, 2018)

The Butt Man said:


> That looks amazing. I am going to have to try this eventually. Thanks for sharing.



Thank you & yes you should give it a try!
Al



c farmer said:


> Looks great Al.  Umai bags are super easy to use.  It's the process that can be intimating.
> 
> I used the umai pepperoni seasoning.  It's really good



Thanks Adam & thank-you for putting me up on the carousel, I still get excited when I see my stuff up there!
I'm going to make another batch of pepperoni today using the recipe out of Ruhlman's book "Charcuterie". I used his recipe for Chorizo yesterday & I wanted to try his pepperoni one today. Who know's, maybe salami tomorrow!!
These UMAi casings are just too easy!!
Al 



TomKnollRFV said:


> Have you used the Smoked Pepperoni seasoning from SM? I was thinking of getting it and doctoring it up. Or is it just not worth the time and effort to tinker with it? I'll admit I'm lazy and would much prefer to bulk order premade seasoning LOL



Yes Tom I have used the smoked pepperoni spice blend from the SM and I also put fermento, jalapeno's, & high temp cheddar cheese in some sticks that I make. Everybody loves them.
Al 



MeatSkull said:


> I've used the SM pepperoni mix also and agree, not enough kick kinda plain tasting. The Red Hot will give you what you are looking for. Taste kinda like Johnsonville red hot sausage but better.



I'm going to try a recipe today from Ruhlman's book & see how his recipe tastes, at least I will know what I have put in so I can tweak it if needed.
Al



KrisUpInSmoke said:


> Very nice snack platter with pepperoni_ you made __and cheese __you smoked! _That's so cool! It's going to be really neat to make your own pizza and calzones with it!



Thank you so much!
I was going to make a calzone with it last night, but we had some heavy rain & ended up just getting something out of the freezer. Going to give it a go tonight!
Al


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 31, 2018)

Thanks for letting me know Al! I got a lil project fridge now..these UMAi bags are calling my name amoungst many other things ;)


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## SmokinAl (Jul 31, 2018)

Just make sure your fridge has a fan in it. You can't use a small fridge or beer cooler. It has to be a full sized fridge with a fan that circulates the air inside or it won't work with the bags.
Al


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## xray (Aug 1, 2018)

Nice looking pepperoni, Al. I’ve been meaning to try the Umai bags, maybe I’ll give it a go during the long winter.

Like!


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## SmokinAl (Aug 1, 2018)

xray said:


> Nice looking pepperoni, Al. I’ve been meaning to try the Umai bags, maybe I’ll give it a go during the long winter.
> 
> Like!



Thank you xray!
It would be a perfect project for a winter day.
I hope you give it a try!
Al


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## Hauser (Aug 1, 2018)

SmokinAl said:


> I read that I should use a combo of lean beef & lean pork or just one or the other then add fatback. Well I looked everywhere & couldn't find any fat back. Every meat man I talked to said he had a guy that came in everyday & bought all their trimmings.



Oh man I thought I was the only one! I have to resort to adding low-grade bacon to all my sausage because that same guy is here in Toronto snapping up all the fatback!  :D


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## chew2475 (Aug 2, 2018)

SmokinAl said:


> Ok guys I have been wanting to get into dry curing for quite some time now, but TheSausageMaker had a sale on UMAi casings & so that put me over the edge. I bought 4 packs, Bactoferm, cure #2, and their dry cure pepperoni seasoning. I read that I should use a combo of lean beef & lean pork or just one or the other then add fatback. Well I looked everywhere & couldn't find any fat back. Every meat man I talked to said he had a guy that came in everyday & bought all their trimmings. So I thought I would just grind up a butt & see what I got. I bought a little over an 8 lb butt & when I cut the bone out I ended up with 3 packages of 2 1/2 lbs. each. Which would be a good amount for an experiment.
> This is the recipe I used:
> 2 1/2 lb. coarse ground pork butt
> 1/2 tsp cure #2
> ...



Looks Great.  Was wondering if any pepperoni recipe would work in these bags.


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## SmokinAl (Aug 3, 2018)

Hauser said:


> Oh man I thought I was the only one! I have to resort to adding low-grade bacon to all my sausage because that same guy is here in Toronto snapping up all the fatback!  :D



Yea I guess there must be a lot of sausage makers out there!
Al



chew2475 said:


> Looks Great.  Was wondering if any pepperoni recipe would work in these bags.



Yes, any recipe will work, but you need to use Bactoferm, & cure #2. Other than that any spice blend will work.
Al


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## Gwanger (Aug 4, 2018)

nepas said:


> Nice going Al
> Looks good, ya did it.


al, that is some great looking pepperoni, the umai is a great inovation, eliminates the expensive curing chamber,on my list


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## SmokinAl (Aug 4, 2018)

Gwanger said:


> al, that is some great looking pepperoni, the umai is a great inovation, eliminates the expensive curing chamber,on my list



You are so right, I was very intimidated in making a curing chamber, but the bags are so easy & the results seem to be just as good as having a dedicated curing chamber.
Al


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## 73saint (Aug 4, 2018)

SmokinAl said:


> You are so right, I was very intimidated in making a curing chamber, but the bags are so easy & the results seem to be just as good as having a dedicated curing chamber.
> Al


You have convinced me to try.  I was worried about the whole curing chamber as well.


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## SmokinAl (Aug 4, 2018)

73saint said:


> You have convinced me to try.  I was worried about the whole curing chamber as well.



Just go for it, it is just too easy!
Al


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## nanuk (Aug 22, 2018)

The Umai keeps the mold off the outside?

And can you reuse those bags? or are they a one use unit?


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## pc farmer (Aug 22, 2018)

No mold with umaI.  It works and fridge temps, mold won't grow.

Can't reuse the bags.


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## nanuk (Aug 22, 2018)

Thanks Mr. Farmer!

I wonder if I can get Umai bags up here, or have them shipped.  
These offer an exciting new option!


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## SmokinAl (Aug 23, 2018)

I'm sure you could get them shipped.
I got mine from TheSausageMaker, they had a sale on them.
Al


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## 73saint (Aug 31, 2018)

Al, I have a question.  I just ordered everything on your list from SM.  I ordered the dry cure pepperoni seasoning and cure #2, but it looks like the pepperoni seasoning label says to be used with cure # 1.  Did I order the wrong thing?


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## BGKYSmoker (Aug 31, 2018)

73saint said:


> Al, I have a question.  I just ordered everything on your list from SM.  I ordered the dry cure pepperoni seasoning and cure #2, but it looks like the pepperoni seasoning label says to be used with cure # 1.  Did I order the wrong thing?


You can use cure #2 with any mix.


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## 73saint (Aug 31, 2018)

nepas said:


> You can use cure #2 with any mix.


Thanks Nepas!


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## BGKYSmoker (Aug 31, 2018)

73saint said:


> Thanks Nepas!


YW


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## SmokinAl (Sep 1, 2018)

73saint said:


> Al, I have a question.  I just ordered everything on your list from SM.  I ordered the dry cure pepperoni seasoning and cure #2, but it looks like the pepperoni seasoning label says to be used with cure # 1.  Did I order the wrong thing?



Maybe they changed the label, but they do have 2 different pepperoni blends, one says smoked pepperoni & one says dry cure pepperoni. On the smoked pepperoni one it says use cure #1, on the dry cured one it says use cure #2. But as Rick says you can use any spice blend you want with either cure. But for dry curing in the UMAi bags you need to use cure #2.
Al


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## 73saint (Sep 3, 2018)

SmokinAl said:


> Maybe they changed the label, but they do have 2 different pepperoni blends, one says smoked pepperoni & one says dry cure pepperoni. On the smoked pepperoni one it says use cure #1, on the dry cured one it says use cure #2. But as Rick says you can use any spice blend you want with either cure. But for dry curing in the UMAi bags you need to use cure #2.
> Al


Well I’ve got it all on order, just need to figure out where my craft closet will be, and pick up some non fat milk powder.


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## mneeley490 (Sep 3, 2018)

Nice Pep, Al! I'll have to make a batch with the Umai bags this fall. Last time I used casings, fermented & then slow cooked in my fridge smoker. I think I used the SM mix for that too, and it was very bland to my taste. Didn't taste like pizza pepperoni at all.

One thing I've noticed with hard salamies is that they don't freeze well. It changes the texture, and makes it grainy. Vac-packed and refrigerated, it will last for quite a while.


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## SmokinAl (Sep 4, 2018)

73saint said:


> Well I’ve got it all on order, just need to figure out where my craft closet will be, and pick up some non fat milk powder.



Cool!
When you get the NFDM, get it in a box with sealed packets inside. That way it will stay fresh for a long time.
Al



mneeley490 said:


> Nice Pep, Al! I'll have to make a batch with the Umai bags this fall. Last time I used casings, fermented & then slow cooked in my fridge smoker. I think I used the SM mix for that too, and it was very bland to my taste. Didn't taste like pizza pepperoni at all.
> 
> One thing I've noticed with hard salamies is that they don't freeze well. It changes the texture, and makes it grainy. Vac-packed and refrigerated, it will last for quite a while.



I make such small batches that they usually don't make it to the freezer, however the one's that I did freeze seemed to be OK. I didn't notice any change in texture. But then they were only frozen for a couple of weeks, I guess I could have just left them in the fridge.
Al


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## mski2 (Sep 6, 2018)

Looks good, I did the dry aged ribeye 30 days, didn't get sick but we didn't like the flavor.
No off smells or mold, It looked like it should,just like fresh steak better. they seem to work well ,no smell in my fridge or off smells in the meat, and it did dry it alot.
Can't wait to use the casings I got now that you went first
Mark


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## SmokinAl (Sep 7, 2018)

I think you will really like the results you get with the UMAi casings!
Al


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## Braz (Sep 11, 2018)

Al, what did you think of Ruhlman's pepperoni recipe as compared to the Sausage Maker mix?


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## SmokinAl (Sep 11, 2018)

Braz said:


> Al, what did you think of Ruhlman's pepperoni recipe as compared to the Sausage Maker mix?



They are very close in taste. I have a batch drying now & I went back to TSM mix, I just used more of it.
Al


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## Steve H (Sep 13, 2018)

Al, the recipes I'm seeing shows that you should add kosher or sea salt. I noticed you didn't add any. Does this make a difference?


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## chopsaw (Sep 13, 2018)

Steve H said:


> Al, the recipes I'm seeing shows that you should add kosher or sea salt. I noticed you didn't add any. Does this make a difference?


Steve he used a mix from sausage maker . Salt is in the mix . If you are seasoning from scratch , I believe UMAi calls for 3 % salt .


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## Steve H (Sep 13, 2018)

chopsaw said:


> Steve he used a mix from sausage maker . Salt is in the mix . If you are seasoning from scratch , I believe UMAi calls for 3 % salt .



Ok, I purchased the same mix from SM as well. Just wanted to be sure. Thanks!


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## chopsaw (Sep 13, 2018)

I would still pick Al's brain on how much mix he used . I have the same one , tends to be short on flavor . 
Good luck !


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## Steve H (Sep 13, 2018)

chopsaw said:


> I would still pick Al's brain on how much mix he used . I have the same one , tends to be short on flavor .
> Good luck !



Thanks! I'm going to use 9 oz. of the seasoning for a five pound batch. That is going by Al saying he would bump it to 4.5 oz per a 2.5 pound batch. I'm going to be heading home this weekend if all goes well here. So I'm hoping next weekend I'll be doing this.


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## 73saint (Sep 13, 2018)

Steve H said:


> Thanks! I'm going to use 9 oz. of the seasoning for a five pound batch. That is going by Al saying he would bump it to 4.5 oz per a 2.5 pound batch. I'm going to be heading home this weekend if all goes well here. So I'm hoping next weekend I'll be doing this.


That’s exactly what I did.  9oz in a 5lb batch.


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## SmokinAl (Sep 13, 2018)

Good luck, and yes you have to go a little heavy on TSM seasoning. It is just a little too mild.
Al


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## nanuk (Sep 24, 2018)

Hey Al, nice job on the sausage

I was wondering, have you, or do you know of anyone who has used these to dry sausage to "Rock Hard" stage?

When I was in my course for meatcutting, the instructor brought in some dry cured salami that had been drying for many months.
This stuff, one stick's worth, could pound nails!  It was very hard, very dry, and very dark.

we sliced this stuff on a large commercial style slicer, cellophane thin, and the flavour was AMAZING!
only one of those thin slices was needed with a bit of cheese on a cracker to have a full flavoured snak.

I'm thinking if you dried one piece of your pepperoni to that degree, you'd have your heat, and an accentuated flavour that would work in a calzone.   Probably too dry for pizza.
and on a cracker with cheese???   I can see that being OMG Good!


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## SmokinAl (Sep 24, 2018)

nanuk said:


> Hey Al, nice job on the sausage
> 
> I was wondering, have you, or do you know of anyone who has used these to dry sausage to "Rock Hard" stage?
> 
> ...



Actually I have 2 separate batches drying now & I thought I would take at least one stick to 40% weight loss & see how it goes, the first batch is about 30% loss right now, but it is an experiment. I didn't put any bactoferm in this batch so the flavor will be somewhat different & I also added more spices. The second batch has bacto in it, but a different spice blend. So this is an ongoing experiment. I have some more tweaks that I want to do with the spices also, so another batch is right around the corner!
Al


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## nanuk (Sep 25, 2018)

I have read that a mold is required when dry curing.

are you finding you don't need it at all?


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## SmokinAl (Sep 25, 2018)

nanuk said:


> I have read that a mold is required when dry curing.
> 
> are you finding you don't need it at all?



With the UMAi casings you don't get any mold growth. That is what is so cool about them.
You just ferment them for a couple of days and then dry them in your regular fridge. No dry curing chamber needed.
Al


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## fished (Sep 26, 2018)

I have an order put together.  I'm getting the peperoni and the hard salami blends.  Going to go with the 50 mil casings for both.  How long does the bactoferm last for?  And how do you store what you don't use from the package?  Thanks for the help.


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## mski2 (Sep 26, 2018)

6 Months @ home freezer temperatures
sealed well coldest part of freezer


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## chopsaw (Sep 26, 2018)

fished said:


> I have an order put together.  I'm getting the peperoni and the hard salami blends.  Going to go with the 50 mil casings for both.  How long does the bactoferm last for?  And how do you store what you don't use from the package?  Thanks for the help.


I just used some that was over 2 years old . I keep it sealed tight in a -3 degree freezer . I just asked that same question . Others have had luck past the 6 months .


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## pc farmer (Sep 26, 2018)

fished said:


> I have an order put together.  I'm getting the peperoni and the hard salami blends.  Going to go with the 50 mil casings for both.  How long does the bactoferm last for?  And how do you store what you don't use from the package?  Thanks for the help.




I have some over a year old in my freezer , opened but folded the open end over.


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## crazymoon (Sep 27, 2018)

The T-SPX  culture has a shelf life of 18 months according to the manufacturers (CHR Hansen) spec sheet if stored correctly.


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## SmokinAl (Sep 27, 2018)

My bacto says use in 6 months, but as other's have said I think it will last much longer. I do like Adam, keep it in the freezer, with the end doubled over & a clip on it.
Al


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## mski2 (Sep 27, 2018)

chopsaw said:


> I just used some that was over 2 years old . I keep it sealed tight in a -3 degree freezer . I just asked that same question . Others have had luck past the 6 months .


Ok question that I always had was how do you know if it's good, PH test ?


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## chopsaw (Sep 27, 2018)

mski2 said:


> Ok question that I always had was how do you know if it's good, PH test ?


I don't know the answer to that , but that was the reason I asked the same question . 
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/starter-culture-storage-life.279686/

I trust the replies I got . Gonna use what I have 'til it's gone .


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## SmokinAl (Sep 27, 2018)

mski2 said:


> Ok question that I always had was how do you know if it's good, PH test ?



This may be an answer that Rick, @nepas could answer, he has been using the UMAi casings for a long time & he would probably know the answer. I'll PM him & see if he will comment on this thread so we can all get a correct answer.
Al


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