# honest question.. Why UMAI?



## dernektambura (Feb 18, 2019)

Honestly, I am not trying to be jerk or put down anyone's practise, but by reading about UMAI I do question purpose of UMAI...
I have been drying, curing and cold smoking long enough to plea guilty for animal cruelty.... seems to me UMAI is waste of money knowing that I get same or most of the time better charcuterie results doing old traditional way.... ok, I do use zip-lock bags nova days and I am sure my grandpa would smack me (if he could) over the head from the heavens for using them...
Here is tested, for generations, the way to charcuterie without UMAI and with ziplock bag...It's all about temperature and humidity...
1. Get your meat..
2. Mix your cure and rub in to meat...
3. Place the meat in to ziplock bag and use the straw to draw the air out
4. Place the bag in to cool environment... one day curing in meat own juices per 1/4" thicknesses of the meat...
5. 12 hours desalination in cold water.. .
6. Rub the meat with spices if you like spices....
7. Hang the meat to dry @ 12 - 18 deg. C untill meat loses 30% of original weight....
8 Hope that white mould accumulate on meat... white mold is essentially penicilin and it is good sign that meat is healthy...
Why UMAI?


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## Saline_Smoker (Feb 18, 2019)

I see the use of UMAI as a great way for people to do dried salami/sausages when they don't have a drying chamber.

I mean, the real issue is having a place to dry out the stuff slowly (to prevent case hardening and your salamis rotting in the middle because the moisture can't escape properly), at a consistent 54-58ºF and 75-80% relative humidity (to hang and dry the traditional way) - and that really means having a drying chamber which isn't practical for a lot of people. On the other hand, throwing some UMAI bags in the fridge most people already have and not having to concern yourself any further with controlling temp, humidity, or mold growth makes making these types of salamis/sausages far more accessible.


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## dernektambura (Feb 18, 2019)

ok I got that but all I have is the simple cold cellar underneath my front porch and I control humidity with cheap ass 35$ humidifier in the summer time....Seems that UMAI is more expensive than meat itself....


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## Saline_Smoker (Feb 18, 2019)

Yeah, they're not always the best/cheapest way to go - but once again "the real issue is having a place to dry out the stuff" - and while you're indeed lucky to have that; the crux is not everyone has a root cellar/basement/room for an extra fridge/lives in a climate where temps and humidity are stable enough.

Not advocating for them, or trying to be contrary - I've actually never used them myself. Just trying to give you a reason as I understand it, as to why some people do use them.


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## dernektambura (Feb 18, 2019)

fair enough..  I was questioning logic behind using expensive way to charcuterie...


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## HalfSmoked (Feb 18, 2019)

There is as always the old time way and then there is a new way. Both if done correctly will be satisfactory and as with everything food safety comes first. If you understand what you are doing and follow the complete steps to a T then they shall be fine.

Warren


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## 73saint (Feb 18, 2019)

I’m not sure I could do dry cured sausages here in the Deep South, without a dedicated curing chamber (which i don’t have the room for) or UMAi.  So for me, UMAi is the only way to go.  If I am wrong and there is a way I could incorporate the methods you refer to here in Looziana, then I’m all ears...


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## BGKYSmoker (Feb 18, 2019)

Been there done that with home built cure fridge. Hate to babysit. (Savannah, GA) Went with UMAi after i replace dry controls. Have had 0 problems with UMAi salumi and charcuterie and i now live in S, FL in a 40' 5th wheel.

So why not UMAi?


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## dernektambura (Feb 18, 2019)

Essentially applying cure 94% salt and 6% nitrite takes care of drawing the water out of cured meat and preserving botulism.... once moisture withdrawn and preserving is taken care of rest of the time it's simple air dry cure which cam be done in fridge, meat wraped in cheap cheese cloth...


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## 73saint (Feb 18, 2019)

This is why I UMAi


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## indaswamp (Feb 18, 2019)

dernektambura said:


> ok I got that but all I have is the simple cold cellar underneath my front porch and I control humidity with cheap ass 35$ humidifier in the summer time....Seems that UMAI is more expensive than meat itself....


Can't do that in most environments....especially in the hot south....

It is easier to do it the old fashioned way in northern climates.


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## atomicsmoke (Feb 18, 2019)

I dont have experience with umai but if working as advertised you get textbook dried meats: uniformly dried.

My cold room dried meats, odl school, have some form of dry rim. Some more, some less depends on size and method. I am happy with them but they don't look as pretty as what i think umai produces.

Also, we have the convenience of the cold room, here in cod climates. Down south, if one does not have a curng chamber the fridge is the only option. Which, without umai, leads to failure.


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## indaswamp (Feb 18, 2019)

dernektambura said:


> Essentially applying cure 94% salt and 6% nitrite takes care of drawing the water out of cured meat and preserving botulism.... once moisture withdrawn and preserving is taken care of rest of the time it's simple air dry cure which cam be done in fridge, meat wraped in cheap cheese cloth...


There are other pathgens to be concerned with other than botulism in a hot climate...


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## dernektambura (Feb 18, 2019)

indaswamp said:


> Can't do that in most environments....especially in the hot south....
> 
> It is easier to do it the old fashioned way in northern climates.


Ok, that make sence...  my cold smoke season starts with first frost on the ground and ends in march.....I did cure charcuterie during the sumer in my curing dedicated fridge with small humidifier and small set of two computer fans installed and I got very good coppa... that's why I am asking why expensive UMAi....


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## dernektambura (Feb 18, 2019)

atomicsmoke said:


> My cold room dried meats, odl school, have some form of dry rim. Some more, some less depends on size and method. I am happy with them but they don't look as pretty as what i think umai produces.


low humidity is reason for dry out outer ring..at low humidity surface dry to fast, shrinks meat surface pores and there is no way back to fix it... that's why humidity is the most important part during the air drying process.... it is not so much problem if thick casing is used as hog middles for example but it is essential if dryng meat for example using butchers net where meat is exposed to enviroment...


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## dernektambura (Feb 18, 2019)

73saint said:


> View attachment 388384
> 
> This is why I UMAi


Saint, that is mighty good looking..? Chorizo...?


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## chopsaw (Feb 18, 2019)

I think most if not all members doing this type of curing understand case hardening . If what you do works for you , I'm all for it . Umai works great for what I have to work with , and looks as your question has been answered .


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## 73saint (Feb 18, 2019)

dernektambura said:


> Saint, that is mighty good looking..? Chorizo...?


Soppressata. I’ve got a batch of pepperoni, salami and chorizo going


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## dernektambura (Feb 18, 2019)

73saint said:


> Soppressata. I’ve got a batch of pepperoni, salami and chorizo going


big chunks of fat throw me off... I thought its chorizo...  good stuff...


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## dernektambura (Feb 18, 2019)

chopsaw said:


> I think most if not all members doing this type of curing understand case hardening . If what you do works for you , I'm all for it . Umai works great for what I have to work with , and looks as your question has been answered .


Sir, I am not questioning is it UMAi good or bad and I am not questioning other members practise..  As sure as hell it is not my intention to lecture or sway anyone practise one way or the other.. I am sympli asking why UMAi....You got the problem with civilised exchange of information so you trying to shut down this topic??


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## chopsaw (Feb 18, 2019)

dernektambura said:


> I am sympli asking why UMAi....


No problem here . You have the conditions , and no doubt the knowledge to turn out some great results without using Umai bags . I just wanted to make sure you saw the answer to your question .


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## dernektambura (Feb 18, 2019)

chopsaw said:


> No problem here . You have the conditions , and no doubt the knowledge to turn out some great results without using Umai bags . I just wanted to make sure you saw the answer to your question .


with all due respect Sir, I didn't talk about case hardening, I was talking about meat surface hardening ring and sharing my own experience with Saint....No reason to jump in and police... All good...


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## pc farmer (Feb 18, 2019)

When you say a surface hardening we even me thought of casehardening.   I have a chamber and used umai.  The chamber is more maintaince.   I have used both.


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## pc farmer (Feb 18, 2019)

No one is trying at argue with you.


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## dernektambura (Feb 18, 2019)

No problem here and I don't take it as argument at all... I tried to understand logic behind UMAi use... at moments conversation touched other stuff and I apologize if conversation got carried away in different direction away from original topic...


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## pc farmer (Feb 18, 2019)

dernektambura said:


> No problem here and I don't take it as argument at all... I tried to understand logic behind UMAi use... at moments conversation touched other stuff and I apologize if got carried away...



Its all good.    As said, most dont have a way to dry in a cold room.  My temps even in winter wont allow it.


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## dernektambura (Feb 18, 2019)

pc farmer said:


> Its all good.    As said, most dont have a way to dry in a cold room.  My temps even in winter wont allow it.


Ok... thanks... just trying to understand difference...  for example, I start in the beginning of December with whole pork leg (bone in) dry cure, mid of January start with air cure and first cut and taste in the begining of June... by that time temp in my cellar is around 70F and at that time it goes in to fridge..  never got it bad or spoiled..  just trying to understand difference.... thanks to all of members for anwers....


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## pc farmer (Feb 18, 2019)

I keep my chamber at 50 degrees and 75% humidity.  My basement hits 60 in the winter and very dry.


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## chopsaw (Feb 18, 2019)

pc farmer said:


> My basement hits 60 in the winter and very dry.


Mine stays about the same as you . I could use cheese cloth in a bowl of water as a wick to stop the case hardening , but I don't have to worry about the umai .


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## dernektambura (Feb 18, 2019)

pc farmer said:


> I keep my chamber at 50 degrees and 75% humidity.  My basement hits 60 in the winter and very dry.


I've got opposite problem how to warmup cellar up to 50F....heater working overtime last 3 weeks... lol...


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## pc farmer (Feb 18, 2019)

dernektambura said:


> I've got opposite problem how to warmup cellar up to 50F....heater working overtime last 3 weeks... lol...



You have a room  built in the cellar or using the whole cellar?


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## 73saint (Feb 18, 2019)

dernektambura said:


> I've got opposite problem how to warmup cellar up to 50F....heater working overtime last 3 weeks... lol...


Crazy.  It was 80 degrees here on Sunday.   53 today and it’ll be 70 tomorrow.


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## dernektambura (Feb 18, 2019)

pc farmer said:


> You have a room  built in the cellar or using the whole cellar?


Using the whole cellar... its about 10 x 12 with two 4" air holes near ceilings in which I've installed two small computer fans controled by termostate to adjust temp in cellar plus small heater for winter and humidifier.... plus dedicated fridge... its by no means state of art but does work....


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## dernektambura (Feb 18, 2019)

73saint said:


> Crazy.  It was 80 degrees here on Sunday.   53 today and it’ll be 70 tomorrow.


up here in Ontario is so cold, this morning I swear I fart a snow flake..


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## indaswamp (Mar 7, 2019)

Here ya go:
http://blog.sausagemaker.com/2015/11/how-to-make-dry-curing-chamber.html



> When doing research into dry curing, I soon realized how precious little there is on the subject. The dry curing method I am referring to is the hanging of sausages filled with choice meats, salt, dextrose (or sugar), fresh spices and sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate (Insta Cure #2) in a controlled environment with relatively low temperatures and high humidity. Ideally, this is done where the climate permits, which is why Italy has for so long produced the best dry cured (salumi) products, and for the same reason San Francisco has become the unofficial U.S. capital of Italian salumi. Some of the traditional dry cured meats include sopressata, capicola, prosciutto, pepperoni and the leader of the pack, salami. Being in Buffalo, NY this would have been perfect to do in the winter months, but we tend to crave salami even in the summer. Most people live in climates and environments that do not have ideal temperatures and humidity for prolonged periods of time. So, we have to create them. Once the controlled space has been created, it won’t matter where you live or what season it is. You can have dry cured pepperoni, salami, capicola… you name it. That was one of the main reasons for making this curing chamber: It will take the climate in your location virtually out of the equation by letting you create your own micro-climate.


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