# 'Nduja inspired by Spilinga



## evan m brady (Apr 8, 2015)

Nduja Final.jpg



__ evan m brady
__ Apr 8, 2015





(the finished product)​Made some 'Nduja, and out from the chamber! Aged for about 3 months. This was made with pork belly and pork jowl ground once through a 12mm plate, then once through a 7mm plate. Spicing was simple:

-Sicilian sea salt

-Cure #2

-Dextrose

-Calabrian hot & sweet pepper powder

-Calabrian hot & sweet pepper paste

-Calabrian hot pepper flakes

-Bactoferm B-LC-007 Starter Culture

-Hog Middle Caps
 ​











10891796_10205623101726995_6080443964050314905_n.j



__ evan m brady
__ Apr 8, 2015





(stuffed 'Nduja in the fermenter)​All Calabrian products equalled 22% the weight of the meat, keeping with what is done in Calabria (ratios always between 20-30% depending on the producer). Fermented with B-LC-007 for all the added benefits of that culture blend at 68-72F for about 48 hours. The pH was then taken to ensure a pH of 5.3 or below was met. pH value read 5.17 at 24 into fermentation at about 71° on average. I pulled it to cool down in the reach in, and will smoke once it firms up a bit. It will probably drop a little more in pH as well from any ambient heat put off from the Amaze'n tube...












10888921_10205623101806997_7437208853087456474_n.j



__ evan m brady
__ Apr 8, 2015





(my "fermenter"...an insulated bread proofer)​After fermentation the 'Nduja was cold smoked with Beechwood for 15 hours, and then it was hung to dry for the time previously mentioned.​ ​











10891770_10205628473021274_2312499826968100462_n.j



__ evan m brady
__ Apr 8, 2015





(post cold smoking with beechwood pellets)​Flavor is unreal!!! Already eaten most of it, and getting ready to make another batch. The heat and flavor of these peppers are so unique. It is like a slow burn, followed by a complexity that is hard to describe. I made this one very hot, but you can always adjust the pepper percentages based on your personal preference. More sweet than hot etc... Amazing!












Jar Nduja Done.jpg



__ evan m brady
__ Apr 8, 2015





I also jarred some using a kinda gangster sealing method I figured out... I took the finished 'Nduja and added 15% nice olive oil to it, then mixed it well. I then spooned it into the jar (sanitized the jar first), and dropped the pressure in the chamber. As the chamber vented suction pulled the jar lid down to form an air tight seal for prolonged shelving. There is cure #2 in the 'Nduja, so storing in this anaerobic environment I see no different than a casing. This is why I didn't add heat to make this product. Some manufacturers use heat to pasteurize it, but I do not feel the need to since: I sanitized the jar, it has cure #2, checked the water activity of this mixture on Thursday in the lab and it read 0.8637, low pH of 5.07 - and so all these on top of each other is why I feel it is safe to do it this way. Now it is shelf stable, and in an awesome jar without heat pasteurization that alters the texture (in my opinion)!


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## daveomak (Apr 9, 2015)

Evan, evening....   You have some serious equipment and skills...   Very nice products....     Dave


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## atomicsmoke (Apr 9, 2015)

Never heard of 'Nduja...but I am salivating after reading your post. Great work.

I need to try this.


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## rgautheir20420 (Apr 9, 2015)

Please go further into detail about the percentage of each spice if possible. I'd really like to make this stuff.


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## evan m brady (Apr 9, 2015)

Atomicsmoke, it is a spreadable salami from Calabria. Super smoky, super spicy, and absolutely delicious. It is spreadable because of the high amount of fat.


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## evan m brady (Apr 9, 2015)

2.75%     Sicilian sea salt

0.25%     Cure #2

0.4%       Dextrose

20-30% Calabrian Pepper Products

Bactoferm B-LC-007 Starter Culture

Hog Middle Caps

That is literally all the percentages...quick.


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## daveomak (Apr 9, 2015)

Evan, thanks.....    Hey.....   I'm still thinking about fermenting stuff....   a few weeks ago I ran across the B-LC-007 and was impressed...  Seems it adds an extra margin of safety in ALL directions....    So, that culture has me one step closer....

I can only find it at Butcher&Packer.... their website won't let me log in.... I have purchased from them previously...  I've written them twice to fix the login...    they haven't responded....  so, now I'm looking for another source...   any suggestions....


Dave


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## evan m brady (Apr 9, 2015)

Dave,



I don't really know the rules here for posting about your business, but I own an online store specializing in salumi needs and ingredients. 



My company is called the Craft Butchers' Pantry.It truly is an amazing culture, and I summarize why in the description...


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## daveomak (Apr 9, 2015)

If you become a premium member, ~$15 year, you can link to your businesses....   


http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/payment.php



Nice website by the way....     Thanks much....    B&P had 2 chances....  their loss.....


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## atomicsmoke (Apr 9, 2015)

Evan M Brady said:


> 2.75%     Sicilian sea salt
> 0.25%     Cure #2
> 0.4%       Dextrose
> 20-30% Calabrian Pepper Products
> ...


Calabrian pepper products? That means combination of pepper sauces?
I looked up Nduja as soon as I saw your OP. One recipe mentioned roasted peppers. What do you think?


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## atomicsmoke (Apr 9, 2015)

Evan M Brady said:


> Atomicsmoke, it is a spreadable salami from Calabria. Super smoky, super spicy, and absolutely delicious. It is spreadable because of the high amount of fat.


What % of fat are we talking about?


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## gary s (Apr 9, 2015)

You know you are required to send out samples, !!!!

Gary


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## evan m brady (Apr 9, 2015)

DaveOmak said:


> If you become a premium member, ~$15 year, you can link to your businesses....
> 
> 
> http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/payment.php
> ...


Thanks for pointing me in the direction of the membership! I had no idea. Thanks for helping me out, and meant no harm. Brand new to this forum, and need to learn the rules!

As for:


atomicsmoke said:


> What % of fat are we talking about?


This really varies by the producer. I have seen so many recipes for 'Nduja, and they are all different. Basically you want above 80% fat, but you can mix meats. I made this with Pork Jowl and Pork Belly at 80% jowl and 20% belly, but it is not strict to that. You could use fatback etc... If you get too much lean it wont be spreadable.


atomicsmoke said:


> Calabrian pepper products? That means combination of pepper sauces?
> I looked up Nduja as soon as I saw your OP. One recipe mentioned roasted peppers. What do you think?


I say Calabrian Pepper Products because again it is kinda up to you as long as the percentages are between 20-30%. I mix for flavor! I use whole chile, powder, and paste. You dont have to, as I believe in Italy they use all dry peppers. They actually grind the whole chile with the meat like I did here:













Nduja_1.jpg



__ evan m brady
__ Apr 9, 2015






Just play with what you like! If you want to use paste keep the percentages of the total lower because you are adding water to the system, and it will take longer to dry.


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## atomicsmoke (Apr 9, 2015)

Thank you Evan for 'splaining.


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## evan m brady (Apr 9, 2015)

atomicsmoke said:


> Thank you Evan for 'splaining.


No problem! Glad I could 'splain this product to you. One of my favorites. Let me know if you need any ingredients to make!


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## disco (Apr 24, 2015)

Never heard of it. Love the looks of it. Want some of it!

Disco


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## dirtsailor2003 (Apr 24, 2015)

I'll second everything Disco said! Nice!


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## disco (Apr 25, 2015)

Never heard of it. Love the looks of it. Want some of it!

Disco


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## BGKYSmoker (Apr 25, 2015)

Thats freakin awesome

Maybe you can teach us something, even us old dogs.


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## deuxcv (Jun 9, 2015)

been reading up on nduja and setting forth to make a 50# batch of nduja as a trial for my restaurant and wanted to get your feedback on a pew points.

since nduja is in the tradition of_ cucina povera_, making the best food from the poorest ingredients, wondering what experience you have in making it from chilies other than imported. seems counter to that ideal to spend $2-3/pound for the pork and then have to spend 2-4x as much on spice imorted from halfway around the world when there are amazing domestic chilies. so wondering what knowledge/experience you have of substituting other more common varietals. that said for the first batch also want to try your products for at least a baseline. i was thinking for 50# of meat i’d want 10-15# of peppers. was thinking 2000g hot powder, 500g sweet powder, 2000g whole hot, 500g whole sweet. but, dang, that’s almost $350 worth of chile. am i crazy? what would you do?


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## daveomak (Jun 9, 2015)

deuxcv, afternoon....   If I may interject.....    It is my understanding Evan is making his "old world" meats to satisfy the taste buds of the most discriminating folks there are....   in the New York area....  these folks taste some of the most desirable foods there are...  imported from all corners of the world ....  In some circles, from what I have read, folks will spend hundreds $'s on tasting plates...    
I am going to assume they are looking for that little something that makes the food "special" and spices can make or break some foods...   
Sooooooo, in order to get his specialty group of food, that he makes, "in the door" so to speak, he doesn't compromise on spices...  especially when some of the products take 6 months or so to get to a finished stage....  
In my own personal experience, I have found certain spices to be a step above the others...  and refuse to compromise...   the flavor of some just don't cut the mustard, so to speak...   fresh sweet basil in Pico de Gallo....  crushed fresh Tellicherry black pepper corns on a pepper steak...   Madagascar vanilla beans in home made vanilla...   and lastly my home grown hard neck garlic and horseradish in my recipes...  some stuff just brings certain food a step above the others.....   
 I'm sure Evan is trying to make the best charcuterie there is...  something to be remembered...  something to be discussed at the next cocktail party....    from looking at the pictures of his products, he has accomplished the curing portion of the process....  the food looks AWESOME....   if you eat with your eyes first, his stuff is a winner...   If the flavor profile leaves something to be desired, he fails.....  

No, I am not a shill for Evan...  I buy his products....   casings, fermenting products....  only because he is a member here, and I want to see him do well....   If I was closer than 3500 miles from his business, I would stop in and give a personal tasting so I could be more specific as to how good his stuff really is...

Dave


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## deuxcv (Jun 9, 2015)

thanks dave. i'm excited to try his products and have a go at this. where is his shop? just supplies or does he have a salumeria too?


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## daveomak (Jun 10, 2015)

Owner - The Craft Butchers' Pantry Online Store


Location: Wappingers Falls, NY


He's on facebook and other sites also....



Dave


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## evan m brady (Jun 10, 2015)

deuxcv said:


> been reading up on nduja and setting forth to make a 50# batch of nduja as a trial for my restaurant and wanted to get your feedback on a pew points.
> 
> since nduja is in the tradition of_ cucina povera_, making the best food from the poorest ingredients, wondering what experience you have in making it from chilies other than imported. seems counter to that ideal to spend $2-3/pound for the pork and then have to spend 2-4x as much on spice imorted from halfway around the world when there are amazing domestic chilies. so wondering what knowledge/experience you have of substituting other more common varietals. that said for the first batch also want to try your products for at least a baseline. i was thinking for 50# of meat i’d want 10-15# of peppers. was thinking 2000g hot powder, 500g sweet powder, 2000g whole hot, 500g whole sweet. but, dang, that’s almost $350 worth of chile. am i crazy? what would you do?


Sent you a quote and private email :)


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## evan m brady (Jun 10, 2015)

@DaveOmak  Thanks for the kind words! I agree with you. 

@deuxcv  

Yes, best food from the poorest ingredients, but we are not in Italy where the peperoncino is plentiful and inexpensive. For us in the US this product is a luxury. It is packaged and imported on which there is importation tax on top of the cost of the product. Than there is the importer mark up, then there is me. I hardly mark up my products at all, as I understand it is wicked expensive. There is just so much that goes into getting this pepper into this country, and that is why it is so expensive…

As for domestic peppers, I understand your thought process here, but it would not be ‘Nduja. I am a stickler for nomenclature to an extent, but the flavor of American chiles taste nothing like the Calabrian. The peppers I get from Calabria have a very, very unique flavor that can’t be substituted. I am not denying that America has great peppers, but for a specific product like ‘Nduja you can’t just substitute. If I believed you could I would not spend so much money getting them imported…

The proper ratio for ‘Nduja di Spilinga is 33% Calabrian pepper product. Yes, you can mix and match. I have done recipes with varying percentages from 22-33%, and love it all. Obviously the more the better. It is up to you as the producer to decide how much to add, but never add less than 20% or you will be straying too far from the characteristics of the product.


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## DanMcG (Jun 11, 2015)

[quote ] but the flavor of American chiles taste nothing like the Calabrian. The peppers I get from Calabria have a very, very unique flavor that can’t be substituted.
[/quote]

The last batch of fresh hot Italian sausage I made I used Evans Calabrian pepper and it was the best I ever made. Not as hot as a cayenne but the flavor is outstanding.


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## evan m brady (Jun 11, 2015)

DanMcG said:


> The last batch of fresh hot Italian sausage I made I used Evans Calabrian pepper and it was the best I ever made. Not as hot as a cayenne but the flavor is outstanding.


This is great to hear! I know I am not crazy here when I say there is something very unique about the Calabrian pepper. I spend so much money getting these peppers in, and it is good to see some validation that they are something unique.


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## atomicsmoke (Jun 11, 2015)

Couldn't take it anymore - went out for lunch and bought a package of imported nudja (Calabria). Can't wait to get home to taste it.

Evan, 
I saw Len Poli's recipe for nduja lists cure#2 as optional. He religiously uses cure#2 in his ground cured product formulations (not optional). What do you think sets nduja apart from other dry cured sausages? High fat content and hot condiments inhibit bacterial activity?


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## evan m brady (Jun 17, 2015)

His recipe is the worst I have seen to date. I think it is terrible...

I do not recommend making it without some form of curing salt, or even potassium nitrate.

I think he says optional because of the high amount of fat. Nitrate and nitrite are only soluble in the water portion of the meat added, so truly you do not need that much when making Nduja because of this. 

Do not listen to him... I like Len's recipes for sausage, but when it comes to salami I do not like what he brings to the table.


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