# Campania Salami (Orange Zest, Fennel, Garlic)



## indaswamp (Mar 21, 2021)

This Salami is typical of what you will find in the Campania region of Italy. It uses the local orange zest which grow well there being on the SW coast of the peninsula just to the north of Calabria as well as the wild fennel which populates the higher altitude near the hills to the NE. I have been wanting to recreate this one since my interest in getting into making salami 20 years ago. I sampled this salami as a guest at a get together at an Italian immigrants home while in college.

The spice mix..






I used local fresh oranges off a neighbors tree to get the zest. Once chopped, I put it in my dehydrator @95*F for about 4 hours. FYI, fresh orange zest has about 70% water by weight so 10grams of fresh orange zest will yield 3grams of dried zest.

The grind...cold fat thru 6mm plate, cold lean thru 8mm plate.





The mix up close...you can see the fennel and zest...






The test piece...






Inda can @74-75*F to ferment overnight. I'll check 'em in the morning to see where I'm at...


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## indaswamp (Mar 21, 2021)

*Campania Salami*

1000grams:
Lean Pork; shoulder, loin, leg 800g.
Pork back fat, throat  200g.

Sea salt (2.5%)        25g.
Cure #2 (0.3%)        3g.
Dextrose (0.2%)     1.25~1.5g. (check pH of meat after adding wine)
Turbinado sugar (0.2%) 1.25-1.5g. (grind into a powder; check pH)
Fresh cracked black pepper (0.3%) 3g.
Calabrian Hot pepper ground (0.3%) 3g.
Whole toasted fennel seed (2.5%) 2.5g
Fennel pollen (or ground toasted fennel seed 2.5%)  2.5g.
Mace ground (0.01%) 0.1g.
Dried Orange zest fine mince (0.3%) 3g.
Fresh garlic minced (0.3%) 3g.
White wine 25ml.

0.25g. Flavor of Italy starter culture in 30mL distilled water

Fat thru 6mm plate, Lean thru 8mm plate

Initial pH reading of the meat, salt, cure, spices, and wine was 5.71 so 4 grams of sugars should put me around pH 5.

I made 5 kg. of this salami...5 sticks 1,000 ~ 1200 grams each.

hattip out to redzed over at Marianski's forum for posting his recipe for this salami. I used it as a template and made my modifications to it....


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## indaswamp (Mar 21, 2021)

I used 50-55mm beef middles; should take 5-6 weeks to dry to 35-40%


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## Mmmm Meat (Mar 22, 2021)

That sounds great.  I'm trying to imagine what it will taste like.


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## DanMcG (Mar 22, 2021)

Sounds like a winner to me!


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## indaswamp (Mar 22, 2021)

Mmmm Meat said:


> That sounds great.  I'm trying to imagine what it will taste like.


Thanks M&M...I hope to recreate the flavor I experienced so long ago...


DanMcG said:


> Sounds like a winner to me!


Thanks Dan! redzed is a true artist! He really knows his stuff!!


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## indaswamp (Mar 22, 2021)

At 12 hours fermentation the salami is down to pH5.50...should be fairly steady drop now...


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## Domie (Mar 22, 2021)

very interesting looking spice mix!  Thanks for the recipe also.  I'll have to try that one!


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## indaswamp (Mar 22, 2021)

If you do not use flavor of Italy starter culture, and instead use tspx or a different slow fermenting culture, bump the total salt up to 3%. Flavor of Italy is a fast/medium culture depending on temperature...pH target usually hits pH5 around the 30 hour mark when fermenting between 70-75*F...


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## indaswamp (Mar 22, 2021)

23 hour mark and the pH is down to 5.14....I'll let it go a little longer then move to the chamber.


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## SmokinEdge (Mar 22, 2021)

Be curious as to well the orange flavor holds through the 6 week process.


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## Mmmm Meat (Mar 22, 2021)

SmokinEdge said:


> Be curious as to well the orange flavor holds through the 6 week process.



I was wondering the same thing.  I'll be interested to see if you used too little, too much, or just the right amount of zest.  (Goldilocks samples salami.)

BTW - Probably just a typo - I believe the correct spelling is Campania.  (Ahhh, Napoli - the birthplace of pizza and still considered to have the best collection of original pizzerias in the world, (and a great place to loose your wallet to pick-pockets or to get hit by a car while walking on the sidewalk ))   (Edit - but still one of the most amazing cities you could ever visit )

Killer salami? - https://www.tasteatlas.com/salame-napoli

but I'm still drawn to these Sicilian wonders - (I wish we had wild boar in WA).
http://www.siciliandeli.com/shop/salami.html


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## indaswamp (Mar 22, 2021)

Very cool link you posted! I had no idea there was even such a thing as wild porcupine salami!



> *Salame porcospino / SLM018*
> 
> This singular and delicious salami is the master of all the niche Sicilian products, one of the most elusive Italian and also Sicilian products. Is produced with a blend of wild Sicilian porcupine and pork meats. It presents a strong taste and firm flavour.


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## indaswamp (Mar 22, 2021)

The salami reached a pH of 4.96 after 29 hours of fermentation.





I have them hanging on a smokehouse pole over chairs @ room temp.; 52%RH with a slight airflow over them to evaporate condensate off the casings before moving to the chamber. Will let them go for about 2 hours until I see no more water drops in the pin prick holes on the casing. This will help keep the RH% spike down in my chamber when I put them in later. I learned this trick from Salumi Master Creminelli. He talks about this in his book Meat Salt Time....


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## indaswamp (Mar 23, 2021)

Mmmm Meat said:


> BTW - Probably just a typo - I believe the correct spelling is Campania.


Where is the typo?

*Edit to add: I found it...thanks for pointing that out to me.


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## indaswamp (Mar 23, 2021)

Mmmm Meat said:


> (I wish we had wild boar in WA).


I have 35# of wild boar meat in the freezer. It has been frozen long enough. I need to pull the coppas out and start them curing. And need to make some salami too. I have 2 bags 15# each. I'll need to go to my butcher and pick up some heritage pastured hog back fat...


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## Mmmm Meat (Mar 23, 2021)

indaswamp said:


> I have 35# of wild boar meat in the freezer. It has been frozen long enough. I need to pull the coppas out and start them curing. And need to make some salami too. I have 2 bags 15# each. I'll need to go to my butcher and pick up some heritage pastured hog back fat...


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## Mmmm Meat (Mar 23, 2021)

I'm jealous, though feral pigs are not something I would wish on any area.  Nothing but bad news.   Looking forward to seeing what you do with that pig though.  

What I continue to see as I look at recipes for all foods around the world is that the great dishes always use what is available locally.  Living in Washington State, I'm wondering how moss and mold would taste in salami?  that's what we grow best.


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## indaswamp (Mar 23, 2021)

LOL!!!!


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## indaswamp (Mar 23, 2021)

Wild hog from 2020:
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/processing-day-2021.304141/


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## indaswamp (Mar 28, 2021)

SmokinEdge said:


> Be curious as to well the orange flavor holds through the 6 week process.


I used 4.2 grams/Kg. of Fresh Lemon zest when I made the Pistachio and Lemon salami and the lemon flavor was there, though not strong. The 3 grams of dried (which is equal to 10 grams of fresh) orange zest in the Campania should really come through. I was surprised the sticks turned orange after fermentation! I am anxious to sample it!


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## SmokinEdge (Mar 28, 2021)

I noticed the orange color. Kinda neat.
I had read somewhere that in about 4-5 weeks the citrus flavor gets lost, or at least it can. In the article they addressed that issue. I’ll have to see if I can find that. In the meantime I’ll be curious how this turns out for you.


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## Mmmm Meat (Apr 4, 2021)

Nice shot on that doe in the other thread.  I'm looking forward to the next hunting season here.  Venison's not my favorite table fare but there's a lot of good looking recipes for whole muscle and fermented venison sausages on the internet.  We can only take one deer per year up here in WA so I'll be looking for a big rutty buck just perfect for the grind.


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## SCBBQ (Apr 10, 2021)

Look forward to trading some samples with you guys if you are up for it..


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## SCBBQ (Apr 10, 2021)

One of my fennel recipes had Sambuca in it - wonder what this recipe with a little bit of Cointreau would do...


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## indaswamp (Apr 10, 2021)

Did you use the 2 guys and a cooler recipe? 

Liquors have higher alcohol content and the higher alcohol has antimicrobial properties. My understanding is that it is not good for use in salamis.


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## SCBBQ (Apr 10, 2021)

This is one of the two I tried this past weekend 









						Finocchiona Recipe - How to Make Fennel Salami | Hank Shaw
					

A recipe for homemade finocchiona, an Italian fennel salami. This is how to make this salame at home with fennel seeds and anise liqueur.




					honest-food.net


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## indaswamp (Apr 10, 2021)

...

edit-
disregard... the recipe is for 5#, not 1 kilo... And 5# is roughly 2 kilos so the 10 grams sugar is roughly 5 grams per kilo which is the right amount...


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## SmokinEdge (Apr 10, 2021)

indaswamp said:


> too much dextrose ....
> cut that back to 2 grams dextrose and 3 grams sucrose.


Agreed.
Where do these people come up with these recipes? 10 grams of T-spx per 5 pounds of mince???  Should be around 0.3 grams for 5 pounds.
10 grams of dextrose or 15 grams sugar????
Clearly a sign of internet recipes posted by people who have no clue. That recipe is straight up nuts.


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## indaswamp (Apr 10, 2021)

See my edit...


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## indaswamp (Apr 10, 2021)

SmokinEdge said:


> 10 grams of T-spx per 5 pounds of mince???


I missed that...yeah that is way too much!!!!


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## SmokinEdge (Apr 10, 2021)

indaswamp said:


> See my edit...


My point on sugar was the interchangeable dextrose at 10g OR 15g sucrose. They are not interchangeable in salami. They both serve a purpose. Include the liquor and the fresh garlic and my view is to cut dextrose way back and forget sugar (sucrose). Anyway they can continue to happily make internet salami. No skin off me. I won’t be eating it.


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## indaswamp (Apr 10, 2021)

Some cultures can metabolize both sucrose and dextrose....tspx being one of them. But F-RM-52 can only utilize the dextrose so I dunno why Hank used those two cultures interchangeably with either dextrose OR sucrose.

There is a benefit to using 1/3 dextrose and 2/3 sucrose with a culture that can convert both....the dextrose will give a fast small pH drop while the sucrose will take longer to produce acid giving the flavor bacteria more time to do their work with optimum pH conditions...


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## SmokinEdge (Apr 10, 2021)

indaswamp said:


> Some cultures can metabolize both sucrose and dextrose....tspx being one of them. But F-RM-52 can only utilize the dextrose so I dunno why Hank used those two cultures interchangeably with either dextrose OR sucrose.
> 
> There is a benefit to using 1/3 dextrose and 2/3 sucrose with a culture that can convert both....the dextrose will give a fast small pH drop while the sucrose will take longer to produce acid giving the flavor bacteia more time to do their work with optimum pH conditions...


Yup


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## SCBBQ (Apr 11, 2021)

I think Hank was recommending SPX on this  Finicchiona recipe - and he explained his overuse of cultures some and then again in the question / comment section again- so far in my journey of f 6 batches (so not a lot of experience) , I’ve put half a packet of culture per recipe (12 grams) for around pounds of meat . Might be too much but I’m not aware of a penalty for too much ?
I’ll let you guys know how this recipe turns out in a few months - meanwhile I had success with his other recipe and it turned out great , to me and friends at least .. 









						Salami Recipe - How to Make Salami | Hank Shaw
					

A recipe and instructions on how to make salami at home. This is a basic salami recipe with only pork (or wild boar), fat, salt, pepper and garlic.




					honest-food.net


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## SCBBQ (Apr 11, 2021)

Edit - I see where he recommends either culture  in this recipe -


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## indaswamp (Apr 11, 2021)

SCBBQ said:


> I think Hank was recommending SPX on this  Finicchiona recipe - and he explained his overuse of cultures some and then again in the question / comment section again- so far in my journey of f 6 batches (so not a lot of experience) , I’ve put half a packet of culture per recipe (12 grams) for around pounds of meat . Might be too much but I’m not aware of a penalty for too much ?
> I’ll let you guys know how this recipe turns out in a few months - meanwhile I had success with his other recipe and it turned out great , to me and friends at least ..
> 
> 
> ...


Well....

The only disadvantage to adding too much culture is the logarithmic growth of the  culture will be faster. That impacts fermentation time. It also has an effect on the stability of the proteins and fat in the salami as there is such a thing as too much Proteolysis and Lipolysis within the salami. There has actually been research done on this and that is the reason for the dosage recommendations on the packages of different cultures.

For flavor of italy,
I use 1 gram for the first kilo and 0.25g for each kilo after up to 5kg. 
If I am making more than 5Kg. then I just measure out 0.25g per kilo.

The initial 1g. is just to ensure I have enough viable culture as recommended by people way more experienced than me.

I bought a 50g pouch of Flavor of Italy and used it to make every salami you have seem me post with the exception of one. So It has lasted a while....I also used it on 125# of snack sticks.....


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## SCBBQ (Apr 11, 2021)

Wow - ok will keep that in mind - hopefully won’t impact these 4 current batches  too much.


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## Mmmm Meat (Apr 11, 2021)

Marianski Bros. book recommends 1/4 tsp T-SPX per 5Kg (11 LBS.) meat.  That 25 g packet has enough culture to inoculate 440 pounds of meat.  Using that amount ensures that the good bacteria will greatly outnumber and outcompete any bad bugs in the meat.


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## Mmmm Meat (Apr 11, 2021)

Regarding the Hank Shaw recipe - other than the obviously wrong amount of culture and the questionable recommendation for dextrose/sucrose use, it still appears to be a safe recipe as far as I can see. I don't see it killing anybody if they follow the recipe accurately.  It may end up being a very tart/sour final product, but not poisonous. In my mind, safety is paramount in any salami recipe uploaded to the internet.  It all sounds pretty easy and with all the videos on Salami making on YouTube, many people are willing to give it a try without any understanding of how important it is to follow the directions exactly.  That is where it might become dangerous.

I get the feeling that some of these headscratcher recipes come from those passed from generation to generation in Italy and eventually, the US. No one changed them much, (even if they don't make sense to us) because they always created as safe and tasty product.  In many ways, those generations of Salami makers never really understood how and why  the ferment and drying progresses the way it does.


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## SCBBQ (Apr 11, 2021)

not trying to contradict but It wasn’t tart or sour at all.  Glad to send a sample out to anyone who wants one ..


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## Mmmm Meat (Apr 11, 2021)

Even better.  Exactly my point (in the edit/addition on the last page).  Safe and tasty.  Success!

Thank you for the offer to send out samples.  I'm up to my knees in my own salami these days so I'll pass on your offer.  Glad that worked out for you.

BTW - which sugar did you add in your mix.  Dextrose or Sucrose?


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## indaswamp (May 12, 2021)

So...the Compania salami has lost 30% as of today. I have been watching this one closely..for several reasons. Firstly, this hog was not fed the proper diet for good salami production.  I was told the pigs were fed garden waste and when no garden waste was available, they were fed commercial pig feed protein pellets. Well, this pig must have eaten quite a bit of protein pellets...as this is the fourth salami attempt with this pig and for the fourth time the salami has produced fat out. It is not due to production temp. nor methods; this is 100% the diet of the pig which produced bad fat for salami production.

Here is a picture up close of the salami...you can see the casing separation and fat coating the casing.






Fat out started around 12% weight loss and coated the entire outside of the salami. At 30% weight loss, the salami is still too soft and does not have a good bind.

The slice...





This will be the last salami attempt using this pig. It is just not going to work. I'll be making fresh sausages with the rest....brats, Italian, etc....

So disappointed. But lesson learned. Now I know what they mean when they say the pig has to be fed the right diet for salami production....


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## indaswamp (May 12, 2021)

I will buy a boston butt double pack and trim out the lean meat. I will use the free range grass fed heritage hog fat I get from my butcher and I will make this again...

I will pull and discard these salami as they are not worth saving.


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## Domie (May 12, 2021)

That is a shame!  All that work and its attributed to lousy pork.   I've never seen fat out like that.....


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## Domie (May 12, 2021)

SCBBQ said:


> not trying to contradict but It wasn’t tart or sour at all.  Glad to send a sample out to anyone who wants one ..


A small sample would be greatly appreciated as this is on my "to do " list!


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## SCBBQ (May 12, 2021)

Sorry to hear about the results ! I guess as long as we all learn from collective mistakes , maybe it makes for a better future !?


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## Mmmm Meat (May 13, 2021)

Hey Inda - what exactly happens in a fat out?  Why does the fat end up coating or migrating to the exterior?


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## indaswamp (May 13, 2021)

The diet of the pig affects the fat. I can't remember if it is too much saturated or unsaturated fat though; but basically the starter culture can break it down too easily and it turns to liquid, thus greasing out and coating the salami. 

Same greasing out happens with severe fat smear, but that is a different cause.


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## Mmmm Meat (May 14, 2021)

indaswamp said:


> The diet of the pig affects the fat. I can't remember if it is too much saturated or unsaturated fat though; but basically the starter culture can break it down too easily and it turns to liquid, thus greasing out and coating the salami.
> 
> Same greasing out happens with severe fat smear, but that is a different cause.


Good answer - thanks!  From what I remember, using too much soft fat (non-back fat) produces similar results.


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## indaswamp (May 14, 2021)

Mmmm Meat said:


> Good answer - thanks!  From what I remember, using too soft fat (non-back fat) produces similar results.


There are many salami that are made with soft fat in Italy. It varies from region to region. Most spreadable type salami use soft fat as part of the mix. Finocchiona made in Tuscany uses soft fat as well.


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