# Making Salami...things I have learned over the past year.



## indaswamp (Mar 14, 2021)

When you are not cutting or grinding meat, slow down and take your time. There is a lot going on and you gotta get it right.

Pre measure out your spice mix for the amount of salami you want to make. I do this the night before. I mix the cure with the salt and seasonings but I leave the dextrose out. I figure out to the best of my ability the sugar sources from my ingredients that the bacteria will use for fermentation. Chili Pepper powders (sweet and hot) contain a fair amount of simple sugars...wine has sugars as well.

Case in point-
The recent Ciauscolo salami I made finished with a pH of 4.8. I was shooting for around 5-5.1. while mixing, I adjusted on the fly and added more Saba. The Saba is sweet and added more sugars, and I got a bigger pH drop then I wanted. It's still a good salami, just a little too much tang. I should have just stuck to the recipe I had worked up and waited until it dried to judge....lesson learned.

Add the wine, seasonings salt, and cure to the meat and mix. THEN check the pH and calculate out how much fermentable sugars you need. I had to review the calibration procedure for my Milwaukee 102 pH meter. I was missing a step...I was not pushing the CFM button after each calibration. Somehow I had forgotten that step. That explains the wild pH readings I have been getting lately.

Use sample cups for your pH calibration solution. I have started saving the used 7.01 and 4.01 solution after calibration in separate 200ml containers. I use this for a second rinse after first rinse in distilled water. It will be closer to the cal. solution and won't affect the calibration as much when using 1/2 TBSP. of calibration solution for calibrating your unit.

Until you feel you have your chamber dialed in and have a feel for how the salamis should progress...weigh them daily on a schedule every 24 hours and track the weight loss. It'll be 1.25-1.5% loss per day at the start and it should slow down over time. If you are 2-3 weeks into drying and still getting those numbers on a salami larger than 42mm then you are drying too fast.

Become very familiar with spices. So you have a ball park to work with. If you don't know what 1g of garlic powder will do to flavor 1kg. of meat, start experimenting....etc....

If you soak garlic cloves in wine for the garlic flavor, if you press the garlic and wine through sieve or cheese cloth, the garlic flavor will be about 3X more potent because you are extracting more garlic juice...learned that lesson on the Napolitana.

When using natural casings, the salami will start weeping some fat right around the 30% weight loss mark. Some Italians refer to this stage as angel tears... the fat is broken down from enzymatic activity (lipolysis) from the microbes, the mold, and the enzymes in the meat itself. If you start seeing fat or grease coat your salami before 30% weight loss, then you have something going on...either fat smear, or the pigs diet affected the fat which sped up lipolysis.

When using beef middles, there will usually be some fat on the casings. Be sure to put this on the outside of your salami so it does not affect the flavor of your salami as it will adhere to the meat when the salami dries if on the inside.

Do not use fresh spices. They will have bacteria on them and may contaminate your salami. Use dried spices.

Don't hold your chamber parameters too tight if you are using a frost free unit. Your compressor needs time to cool off. If you have a bunch of new product in your chamber and try to target 80%RH, your dehumidifier will run almost constantly. This will heat your chamber up faster, and your unit will cycle faster and the compressor will not get a break if you have your parameters too tight. At the start, I use a 5-7*F swing...or even 10*F;  the extra few degrees will compensate for the dehumidifier running to pull moisture out, and the compressor will get a longer rest to cool. Also- if your unit is cycling too fast, you will have too much air flow, and your product will dry too fast and you might get case hardening. Most home chambers are not perfect...it's a balancing act between all the parameters for optimum conditions as best you can.

Over 85%RH and mold will grow too fast. You will get a strong ammonia smell. The mold will be too active and too much protolysis and lipolysis will occur and you might get a soft outer edge just under the casing that will have off flavors.
You can adjust your temp. down about 5*F  for a week and increase outside air exchange and the smell should dissipate.

WRITE DOWN EVERYTHING! Keep meticulous notes! You will refer back to them if things go wrong (or if they go very well and you want to repeat that salami)...and you want everything you did  on that pad!

Start with one culture. Learn it and how it behaves, how long it takes to ferment at various temps. Then move on and try another. Don't skip around with cultures as it will be harder to learn them. JMHO

If you want the fat and lean to be the same size upon drying, then the lean must be ground 35-40% larger than the fat. This is because the lean will shrink a lot more because it has a lot more water than fat... like fat thru 6mm plate and lean through 10mm plate.

Mix your salami grind very well!

That's enough for now...I'll add more as I think of stuff....


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## Brokenhandle (Mar 14, 2021)

Sounds like alot of great info! Still above my head but I sure love watching all that you make! 

Ryan


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## Wurstmeister (Mar 14, 2021)

WOW!!  That was an outstanding lesson.  Thank you for taking the time to write it.  I really appreciate it.


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## Robert H (Mar 14, 2021)

Thanks for the tips. That is one thing I will have to keep in mind(keeping notes) as I am a fly by seat of my pants type. Hoping to do some salami's soon.


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## Mmmm Meat (Mar 14, 2021)

Robert H said:


> Thanks for the tips. That is one thing I will have to keep in mind(keeping notes) as I am a fly by seat of my pants type. Hoping to do some salami's soon.



A lot of gold nuggets in your ideas.  Thanks for taking the time to explain in detail your lessons learned.  I, (of course), have a few comments or questions in response:

RE:  pH meter - I happened upon a vid by Two Guys and a Cooler today that discussed pH meters in a bit of detail.  I was dismayed to hear that the speaker suggested that a pH meter is only good for a year to a year-and-a-half, after which time it will need to be replaced.  He discussed the concept of Slope of the meter and how it changes and becomes less reliable over time.  You've probably seen this vid.  My Apera meter apparently will display the current slope, though I've yet to see that reading.  Hanna instruments lower end meters don't provide the information to compute it.   Anyways, some variability and difficulty in calibration might suggest that the unit is nearing the end of it's useful life (my understanding of what I heard).

RE: preparing spices and salts the night before processing:  I did exactly that two nights ago when I was splitting a planned 5 lb grind into separate 3 lb and 2 lb recipes.   I had everything bagged up and ready to go for each of the two different recipes I was attempting.  I decided that pre-cutting the meat into 3 -4 inch chunks the night before and removing obvious sinew and unwanted unidentified matter helps shorten the final dicing process prior to the grind and minimizes the warming of the meat during final prep. ( I don't feel comfortable cutting the meat up into very small pieces may hours before the grind.  Those big muscles are pretty pristine (bug-free) until they get cut into smaller and smaller pieces.  Bacterial contamination can become a big problem once the exposed surface area of the meat is exponentially increased too far in advance of the grind). 
                When I measured out my spices, salt, curing salt etc., I based it on my weights from the evening before the grind.  After final preparation the next day, I found I'd lost another 6 oz. of miscellaneous matter from my five pounds of meat prior to grinding, which meant my pre-mixed spices/salts were no longer accurate for the pre-grind weight.  Not a huge concern for the spices, but I immediately understood that final calculation of curing salt should wait until the meat is weight just prior to going into the grinder.

RE: pH targets before and just after fermentation (and prior to drying).  I'm still a bit iffy on the concept of when a slow ferment/T-SPX or similar inoculated grind has arrived at the point that it is time to move it to the curing chamber.   I don't see much use in adjusting pre-ferment pH levels unless the readings are above 6 or so.  Acidulating with wine or adding dextrose/sucrose can help reduce starting pH if necessary - that is plainly useful in fast ferments done at high temps. In slow ferments though, it is the inoculating culture that is primarily responsible for driving the reduction of pH down to safe levels before a maximum amount of time has elapsed .

Marianski brothers (The Art of Making Fermented Sausages) often discuss the 5.3 pH level in many of the fermentation processes, as it, along with a reduced water activity combine to make a salami/salumi safe to eat without cooking.  I may be incorrect, but it seems that once a ferment has reached a pH of 5.2 or less, the meat can be moved to the curing chamber to dry.  If fermentation is allowed to progress down to pH 4.8 or lower, the taste of the meat will become tangy/acidic so it makes no sense in letting it get that low.  My first two batches of salami were below pH 5.2 after 48 hours at 70F and near 100% RH.  Though my book readings state that the slow ferment can proceed up to 72 hours in these conditions, it seemed more appropriate to stop the ferment at 48 hours and move into the curing chamber.

I think I'm looking for clear guidance on when it's time to end the ferment, but it appears there really is none, as long as the ferment doesn't exceed the U.S. Standards for times spent above 60 degrees F.        Does anybody have comments/suggestions to clarify what the magic numbers are in deciding when to end the ferment?


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## indaswamp (Mar 14, 2021)

Mmmm Meat said:


> I don't see much use in adjusting pre-ferment pH levels unless the readings are above 6 or so. Acidulating with wine or adding dextrose/sucrose can help reduce starting pH if necessary - that is plainly useful in fast ferments done at high temps. In slow ferments though, it is the inoculating culture that is primarily responsible for driving the reduction of pH down to safe levels before a maximum amount of time has elapsed .


The wine will add some acid because the wine is acidic, but the dextrose/sucrose will not. It is food for the bacteria which will convert it to lactic acid.

As far as fermentation time, it is recommended to follow the degree hour formulas. This will limit the growth of Staph. Aureus and other spoilage bacteria.

In traditional old world slow fermented salami, since the pH drop is small, the wine was added to lower the pH. It is more important to add wine when not using a starter culture as was done traditionally.

Also, the wine plays a part in the flavor development. All those flavor molecules add to the soup of starter molecules which the microbial action transforms into hundreds of flavor compounds. Garlic too is important for the sulfur, magnesium, and manganese as these fuel the favorable creation of pleasant flavor compounds by the microbes. At least this is what I have learned.....


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## indaswamp (Mar 14, 2021)

Mmmm Meat said:


> Marianski brothers (The Art of Making Fermented Sausages) often discuss the 5.3 pH level in many of the fermentation processes, as it, along with a reduced water activity combine to make a salami/salumi safe to eat without cooking. I may be incorrect, but it seems that once a ferment has reached a pH of 5.2 or less, the meat can be moved to the curing chamber to dry. If fermentation is allowed to progress down to pH 4.8 or lower, the taste of the meat will become tangy/acidic so it makes no sense in letting it get that low. My first two batches of salami were below pH 5.2 after 48 hours at 70F and near 100% RH. Though my book readings state that the slow ferment can proceed up to 72 hours in these conditions, it seemed more appropriate to stop the ferment at 48 hours and move into the curing chamber.


Sanitation and good safe handling practices is your first hurdle. This keeps the initial bacterial load low. The salt and cure are the second hurdle and these two are the only hurdles keeping the meat safe during the start of fermentation until acid drop occurs. Once acid drop occurs, another barrier is in place and all the hurdles work in a synergistic manor enhancing one another. This is why fast ferment salamis can use only 2.5% salt and end with a higher Aw yet still be safe. The lower acceptable salt level is because acid production is fast. The salt only need to slow the bacteria until the acid is produced. And that low pH speeds drying dramatically by lowering the ability of meat to hold onto water. Yet just 2.5% salt in conjunction with the acid wreck havoc on the ability of bad bugs to perform vital functions by inhibiting the osmotic pressure of the bad bugs. It becomes increasingly harder for them to absorb necessary water. The drying is the 4th hurdle and as more water leaves the salami, both the salt and acid become more concentrated and there is even less free water available for the microbes. It finally reaches a point where they can not take in water...the osmotic pressure is now reversed and the bacteria start drying out. This is when they start to die and/or become inactivated.

Drying actually starts once salt is applied to the meat...dropping Aw to about 0.97. It intensifies once the meat is stuffed into casing and pricked as the salami goes through the dripping stage. It is paramount to keep RH% high because if Aw drops below 0.95 then acid production will slow to a crawl. Roughly 3% weight loss is equal to 0.1Aw so if you lose around 6% during fermentation then there is a chance that fermentation can stop prematurely.

Slow fermented salamis main safety hurdle against spoilage is salt, cure, and drying to Aw below 0.85 which is around 35-38% weight loss. Even though the pH stays above 5.3, there is enough acid created to affect spoilage bacteria and slow them down until drying stops their growth. This higher pH is necessary for the Staphylococcus strains Carnosus and Xylosus to do their job creating flavor compounds.

The flavor of a slow fermented product is more complex than a fast fermented one.


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## indaswamp (Mar 15, 2021)

Mmmm Meat said:


> RE: pH meter - I happened upon a vid by Two Guys and a Cooler today that discussed pH meters in a bit of detail. I was dismayed to hear that the speaker suggested that a pH meter is only good for a year to a year-and-a-half, after which time it will need to be replaced. He discussed the concept of Slope of the meter and how it changes and becomes less reliable over time. You've probably seen this vid. My Apera meter apparently will display the current slope, though I've yet to see that reading. Hanna instruments lower end meters don't provide the information to compute it. Anyways, some variability and difficulty in calibration might suggest that the unit is nearing the end of it's useful life (my understanding of what I heard).


Yes, I watched that youtube. I actually went back and retested the pH on some of my finished salamis for a mental note. The unit calibrated nicely and after checking 3-4 salamis, I put the probe in new cal. solution and  it was only off by +0.02 at both the 7.01 and 4.01 spots. So technically, the slope is perfect @100... (7.03-4.03)/(7.0-4.0) = 3/3 = 1.00 X 100 = 100

I like the Apera. Might get one at some point. But the Milwaukee has a plug in probe that is replaceable...no need to buy a new unit, just replace the probe. The Hanna, there is no way to change the slope so cajuneric would have had to buy a new unit. I can send the Milwaulkee back to the manufacturer to recalibrate the slope if it gets out of whack.


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## Mmmm Meat (Mar 15, 2021)

indaswamp said:


> The wine will add some acid because the wine is acidic, but the dextrose/sucrose will not. It is food for the bacteria which will convert it to lactic acid.
> 
> As far as fermentation time, it is recommended to follow the degree hour formulas. This will limit the growth of Staph. Aureus and other spoilage bacteria.



That is what I was referring to regarding adding sugar/dextrose.  .1% addition can be expected to reduce pH by .1   Adding sugar results in a reduction in pH (because of the lactic acid produced.)  

As far as fermentation time, I'm not sure I buy the argument that we should stick to the minimum degree/hour recommendations.  The reason there is a maximum allowable time above 60 degrees is that spoilage/pathogenic bacteria are multiplying in the mix along with the lactic acid and flavor producing bacteria.  The way I see it, the sooner the meat reaches a desired pH ( below 5.3) and is then put in a lower temperature environment, the less time bad bugs have to multiply.  At that point, the meat has the salt, pH values, and lower temperature all working to keep bad bugs at bay.  All that is left it to get the product dry/reduced water activity to make it stable.  If the pH doesn't get down to the magic 5.3, then leaving it at root temperature for the full 72 hours seems more reasonable.  

Fermentation doesn't stop once placed in the 55 - 60 degrees in the curing chamber, but it is likely slowed to a crawl.  The only reason I can see to extend the fermentation time at 68 - 70 degrees once a pH of 5.3 or less has been achieved might go along the lines of giving the starter culture more time for curing/coloring/flavoring bacteria more time to do their work at an optimal temperature.  Whether that is the case (or whether there is some other reason to pick a target pH in advance of the ferment) or not brings me back to where I started.  

Great responses though.  Thanks for taking the time to elucidate.


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## indaswamp (Mar 15, 2021)

Mmmm Meat said:


> That is what I was referring to regarding adding sugar/dextrose.  .1% addition can be expected to reduce pH by .1   Adding sugar results in a reduction in pH (because of the lactic acid produced.)
> 
> As far as fermentation time, I'm not sure I buy the argument that we should stick to the minimum degree/hour recommendations.  The reason there is a maximum allowable time above 60 degrees is that spoilage/pathogenic bacteria are multiplying in the mix along with the lactic acid and flavor producing bacteria.  The way I see it, the sooner the meat reaches a desired pH ( below 5.3) and is then put in a lower temperature environment, the less time bad bugs have to multiply.  At that point, the meat has the salt, pH values, and lower temperature all working to keep bad bugs at bay.  All that is left it to get the product dry/reduced water activity to make it stable.  If the pH doesn't get down to the magic 5.3, then leaving it at root temperature for the full 72 hours seems more reasonable.



       That is what the degree hour tables are for-limiting the amount of time fermenting above 60*F...to control Staph Aureus growth....



> Fermentation doesn't stop once placed in the 55 - 60 degrees in the curing chamber, but it is likely slowed to a crawl.  The only reason I can see to extend the fermentation time at 68 - 70 degrees once a pH of 5.3 or less has been achieved might go along the lines of giving the starter culture more time for curing/coloring/flavoring bacteria more time to do their work at an optimal temperature.  Whether that is the case (or whether there is some other reason to pick a target pH in advance of the ferment) or not brings me back to where I started.
> 
> Great responses though.  Thanks for taking the time to elucidate.


Correct...unless you use GLD acidifier, which commercial producers will do, then fermentation will continue at those temps, albeit at a much slower rate. Fermentation can be practically stopped if the chamber temp, is pushed below 53*F. But acid production is also influenced by drying. Below 0.95 Aw, little acid production will occur....which is around 5-6 days into drying. So I guess if you want a hard stop end to fermentation, that would be it....when Aw drops below 0.95.

The good Staph. strains will continue flavor development down to Aw 0.86 as they are more resistant to low moisture.


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## indaswamp (Mar 15, 2021)

When you start fermentation, salamis larger than 55mm will have a longer lag time...takes longer for them to warm up to fermentation temps. You can bump the temp. up 5*F at the start for the first 8-10 hours of fermentation to kick start acid production.

Form your sample pH test piece into the same dia. of your largest salami fermenting. And hang it down halfway the length of your salamis....I use cling film. This will insure that the test sample warms at the same rate as your salami.


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## indaswamp (Mar 15, 2021)

Mmmm Meat said:


> The way I see it, the sooner the meat reaches a desired pH ( below 5.3) and is then put in a lower temperature environment, the less time bad bugs have to multiply.


True, but flavor creation will be optimum in slow fermented salami which usually never reach 5.3.

It is best to use a combination of sugars when making slow fermented salami. The dextrose (glucose) will give a quick small pH drop, say below 5.5, then the sucrose or other complex fermentable sugar will take the microbes some time to break down. This will slow the acid drop and allow the good Staph bacteria time to do their work.

Say 1/3 dextrose, 2/3 sucrose of the total sugar....flavor will be much improved using this ratio.

As long as the culture you are using can process both dextrose and other complex sugars like sucrose.



Mmmm Meat said:


> .1% addition can be expected to reduce pH by .1



This is only true for fast fermented products. For slow fermented products a more accurate rule of thumb is 0.62g (0.062%) of sugar will drop the pH 0.1.....according to the experts (Ockerman, Felder ?).

Flavor of Italy is a unique culture. You get the fast acid drop for a strong safety hurdle, but the subspecies of staphylococcus carnosus utilus is said to be able to work below pH 5 down to 4.7 range. So even though it is a fast/medium culture, it mimics that of a slow culture by allowing flavor development below pH5. This is a new culture and appeared on the scene after the book The Art of Making Fermented Sausages was in print....


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## indaswamp (Mar 15, 2021)

Mmmm Meat said:


> I may be incorrect, but it seems that once a ferment has reached a pH of 5.2 or less, the meat can be moved to the curing chamber to dry.


Correct....


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## Mmmm Meat (Mar 15, 2021)

indaswamp said:


> That is what the degree hour tables are for-limiting the amount of time fermenting above 60*F...to control Staph Aureus growth....
> 
> 
> Correct...unless you use GLD acidifier, which commercial producers will do, then fermentation will continue at those temps, albeit at a much slower rate. Fermentation can be practically stopped if the chamber temp, is pushed below 53*F. But acid production is also influenced by drying. Below 0.95 Aw, little acid production will occur....which is around 5-6 days into drying. So I guess if you want a hard stop end to fermentation, that would be it....when Aw drops below 0.95.
> ...



I don't have a way to measure free water - I doubt most home-based enthusiasts even consider ever measuring that value.  The equipment/devices necessary to do so are prohibitively expensive for anyone outside the commercial production so this number is essentially meaningless to us without a way to measure it.  I'm really looking for real-world ways to decide when it's time to stop one process and begin another, or perhaps how to  attempt to try adjusting one variable while staying within the known safety ranges . 

I've read enough books and articles to make me feel familiar with the numbers proposed in those discussions.  As I said previously, I was majoring in microbiology in college prior to being accepted into dental school (way back when).  I spent the next 27 years dealing with disease processes that were primarily bacterial in origin (outside genetics and trauma).  I don't need to understand the meat curing numbers at the level professionals do, but I do understand their importance.  This material is not taxing my mind trying to comprehend the issues at hand, but I see that every variable in the mix has ranges that are acceptable.   I presume that is also the case with the endpoint pH of the fermentation process.  Perhaps each cured meat product has it's own method of production and expected progression to a safe conclusion.  There may just be an acceptable range of numbers for each product and there is no point questioning the standards -  that's just how it has all shaken out.  I don't know. (?).

Back to the original question - whether it is OK or not advisable to stop fermentation in a T-SPX based ferment earlier than the 72 hours recommended  (and once the pH has dropped below a safe 5.26 or so) and what effect that might have on taste, color, aroma, etc.   I'm okay with the answer " 'leave it for 72 hours at 68 - 72 degrees,  cause that's the way it's always been done".  I understand these processes were developed over hundreds of years and refined again with new bacterial cultures in the last one hundred.   Commercial producers have their processes down to a science but home gamers are relegated to a 'best practices" approach, which is fine too, but it leaves some wiggle room in the mix.  I wasn't looking for a complex answer,  just a workable one.  I hit up the "2 guys and a Cooler" with the same question.  It seems they/he likes the 5.0/4.9 pH level because it brings the right amount of acidity to the mix (that gives and "old world taste").   I responded by asking what difference (taste, color, aroma) they might expect if the ferment was stopped at a pH 5.26 or so - perhaps a response is forthcoming.  

Aside from all of that, my curing chamber seems to be running like a champion.  Your suggestion of a second pH controller was a great idea - I have very few problems keeping my RH within recommended parameters - I have to tweak the numbers a bit when I introduce new meats into the curing chamber, but I expect that a week from now, I'll be on the downhill slide as the meats coast into their final (and hopefully) yummy endpoints.


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## indaswamp (Mar 16, 2021)

Mmmm Meat said:


> I don't have a way to measure free water - I doubt most home-based enthusiasts even consider ever measuring that value. The equipment/devices necessary to do so are prohibitively expensive for anyone outside the commercial production so this number is essentially meaningless to us without a way to measure it. I'm really looking for real-world ways to decide when it's time to stop one process and begin another, or perhaps how to attempt to try adjusting one variable while staying within the known safety ranges .
> 
> I've read enough books and articles to make me feel familiar with the numbers proposed in those discussions. As I said previously, I was majoring in microbiology in college prior to being accepted into dental school (way back when). I spent the next 27 years dealing with disease processes that were primarily bacterial in origin (outside genetics and trauma). I don't need to understand the meat curing numbers at the level professionals do, but I do understand their importance. This material is not taxing my mind trying to comprehend the issues at hand, but I see that every variable in the mix has ranges that are acceptable. I presume that is also the case with the endpoint pH of the fermentation process. Perhaps each cured meat product has it's own method of production and expected progression to a safe conclusion. There may just be an acceptable range of numbers for each product and there is no point questioning the standards - that's just how it has all shaken out. I don't know. (?).



Fermentation, at the right temperature with high humidity, is limited only by the amount of sugars you add...even with tspx, if you add 1.5% dextrose, your pH will drop to 4.5; it will just take a while because the culture is slow acting. You can push the pH as low as you want it to go-even with a slow fermenting culture just by adding more sugar. But generally speaking slow ferment products don't use acid drop as a significant safety hurdle...they depend more on drying which is why they are dried to 35-40% weight loss to ensure safety.

You have a 0.2 Aw window for effective fermentation, between 0.97 and 0.95.

Though not exact, because there are a lot of variables in play to determine Aw, generally at 30% weight loss, Aw is between 0.90 and 0.86. So if you take the middle of the road the value would be 0.88Aw @ 30% weight loss. That is a delta of 0.9Aw. So 30% divided by 9 is 3.33%. So for every 3.33% weight loss, you drop 0.1 Aw.

This is not exact math, only a guide. Once the salami has lost roughly6.5-7% weight, the Aw is roughly 0.95....and fermentation stops....even if sugar is still present. This can be seen where humidity was not maintained at a high level during fermentation where the casing and outer edge of the salami dries too fast and the salami will have a grey ring.



Mmmm Meat said:


> Back to the original question - whether it is OK or not advisable to stop fermentation in a T-SPX based ferment earlier than the 72 hours recommended (and once the pH has dropped below a safe 5.26 or so) and what effect that might have on taste, color, aroma, etc. I'm okay with the answer " 'leave it for 72 hours at 68 - 72 degrees, cause that's the way it's always been done". I understand these processes were developed over hundreds of years and refined again with new bacterial cultures in the last one hundred. Commercial producers have their processes down to a science but home gamers are relegated to a 'best practices" approach, which is fine too, but it leaves some wiggle room in the mix. I wasn't looking for a complex answer, just a workable one. I hit up the "2 guys and a Cooler" with the same question. It seems they/he likes the 5.0/4.9 pH level because it brings the right amount of acidity to the mix (that gives and "old world taste"). I responded by asking what difference (taste, color, aroma) they might expect if the ferment was stopped at a pH 5.26 or so - perhaps a response is forthcoming.



The lower the pH drops, the stronger the safety hurdle.
If using tspx, what combination of sugars are you using? If you use more dextrose than sucrose, say 2/3 dextrose and 1/3 sucrose; the pH will drop lower and faster than if you were to use say 1/3 dextrose and 2/3 sucrose-which is recommended. A fast pH drop is not advisable using tspx as the staph. strains in that culture perform better above pH 5.5 so the longer you can hold off the pH drop the better. But you do want some pH drop, and this is the reason for the use of the dextrose, to give a small pH drop to about 5.5 for at least some safety from acid creation while letting the staph strains perform with the best possible conditions for flavor development.

Cajuneric loves Flavor of Italy because it gives a fast pH drop to 4.9-5.0; yet with the staph. carnosus utilus strain, it can still perform with those acidic conditions.

As far as a difference from pH5 to pH 5.2, I doubt there would be much using tspx...but I don't know for certain.


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## indaswamp (Mar 16, 2021)

Mmmm Meat said:


> I'm really looking for real-world ways to decide when it's time to stop one process and begin another, or perhaps how to attempt to try adjusting one variable while staying within the known safety ranges .


Generally, the longer you hold tspx in fermentation, the more flavor develops as long as pH stays above 5.5... once pH starts dropping, the staph bacteria slow down. 
The hard stop as mentioned are the degree hours for control of Staph. Aureus and 6.5-7% weight loss to ensure enough free water for the acid producing bacteria to function.
You can drop the pH to 5.2 in say 48 hours, but flavor creation will suffer using tspx......
You will have to play with parameters to see the flavor profile you like.

But to answer you question-no, there is no set time when fermentation ends and drying starts. The two overlap. Drying is happening even during fermentation in the dripping phase where the salami will lose 3-4% weight just from dripping. Fermentation will still happen if you pull them early and move to drying...at a slower pace...until either all sugars are consumed or Aw reaches 0.95 which is about 6.5-7% weight loss.


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## indaswamp (Mar 16, 2021)

indaswamp said:


> You can push the pH as low as you want it to go-even with a slow fermenting culture just by adding more sugar.


Technical note:  you can push the pH anywhere on the spectrum below the pH of the meat and down to pH of 4.5, which will be to lowest you can achieve with the lacto bacteria. They stop performing when the pH gets that low......


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## Mmmm Meat (Mar 16, 2021)

indaswamp said:


> Technical note:  you can push the pH anywhere on the spectrum below the pH of the meat and down to pH of 4.5, which will be to lowest you can achieve with the lacto bacteria. They stop performing when the pH gets that low......


Good discussion.  I'm going to try Taste of Italy culture once I feel like I got my money's worth out of the T-SPX.  I've got a lot of eating to do before then....


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## indaswamp (Mar 22, 2021)

Don't forget to prick your salami after trussing and weighing! I forgot to do this one time...luckily I caught it only 4 hours into fermentation and went back and pricked them.

If using a coarse sugar like turbinado, it is best to grind it into a fine powder for a more even distribution into the meat....more even acid production for safety.

The Italian Norcini Institute has a lot of instructional youtubes posted. Most are in Italian, but you can use the auto translate feature to get an idea of the thrust of the instruction....it is not perfect, but good enough. I have learned a ton watching those...especially on the trussing. Wow they are masters at that craft!

When using fruit and fruit peel, it is best to dry it before hand.


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## indaswamp (Mar 24, 2021)

Lactic acid production during fermentation follows a logarithmic scale, it is not linear. Yes, 1% dextrose will drop the pH from 5.9 to 4.9; but 1g will not drop the pH 0.1.....2g. will not drop pH 0.2....
It takes less than 0.5% (5g./Kg.) dextrose to go from 5.9 to 5.2-5.3...closer to 2-3 grams. And if you add things like wine, hot red pepper powders, or pepper pastes then you will need even less...maybe no dextrose at all as these additives will have significant amounts of simple sugars.

When using dried citrus peel, the peel will swell a little when stuffed into the casing, expanding to it's original size by absorbing moisture from the meat. This will plump up the salami and give a very firmly stuffed link.

If you are buying pepper pastes-some of them contain acids for shelf stability. Be certain you are buying pepper pastes intended for use in salami! There only a few brands and they only contain peppers and a little salt. These pastes are pasteurized after canning for shelf stability. The Craft Butchers Pantry is a great source for pepper pastes....both hot and sweet.


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## indaswamp (Mar 25, 2021)

When trussing a whole muscle like a culatello the traditional way with twine, use a butter knife to slide under the vertical wraps when lacing the horizontal wraps. This will protect the casing from the twine and help protect it from rope burn when pulling the twine through which can create holes. This is especially critical when using collagen sheets for your casing.

And I dunno why I never thought of this before....got this tip watching a Glen and friends youtube...when you have plowed through all of your meat through the grinder, just grab a handful of the grind and pass that back through the grinder to push the un-ground meat still in the auger through the grinder. you can salvage what you added when you break the grinder head down to soak in the sink and add that back in to your meat tote after removing the sinew. Just use what is in the auger as the sinew will be around the knife and auger tip.


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## SCBBQ (Apr 2, 2021)

thanks for  taking the time to post so much info!

is it possible to use a blend of cultures in a batch to cover all the bases?


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## Mmmm Meat (Apr 3, 2021)

indaswamp said:


> And I dunno why I never thought of this before....got this tip watching a Glen and friends youtube...when you have plowed through all of your meat through the grinder, just grab a handful of the grind and pass that back through the grinder to push the un-ground meat still in the auger through the grinder. you can salvage what you added when you break the grinder head down to soak in the sink and add that back in to your meat tote after removing the sinew. Just use what is in the auger as the sinew will be around the knife and auger tip.



I think it was a Two Guys and a Cooler vid where he suggested using bread (preferably stale bread) to push the unground remaining meats through the knife and plate.  I used a hard crusted dinner role today, ripped into three parts, and threw that into the grinder.  That method worked very well.  Once the bread starts exiting the plate, the grind turns white.  Just shut down the grinder, cut the good meat away from the ground white bread, then move on to the next process.


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## indaswamp (Apr 3, 2021)

I have been using cheap frozen hot dog buns for years when making fresh and smoke sausages... but I like not having to add bread when making salami.


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## indaswamp (Apr 3, 2021)

depends on which cultures you blend...there are only a handful of bacteria used in the cultures and you may add too much of one strain if you mix and match. B- LC-007 has 5-6 strains in it....

One combo I know works is 4 parts tspx and 1 part FLC...


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## indaswamp (Oct 17, 2021)

Tip I learned recently...

If your chamber is fairly bare and you only have a little bit of product hanging, it helps to hang 8-10 12-16oz. water bottles from string around the neck of the bottle on hooks in your chamber. Take the labels off and clean with sanitizer first though. Then dry. This will add thermal mass (weight of the water) in your chamber and it will hold temps. longer and more evenly. Your compressor system will not cycle as often, and the temp. will rise slower after your dehumidifier kicks on.






My chamber is empty except for my culatello and fiocco. I plan on purchasing a whole leg from my butcher and doing another culatello. I plan on making some salami with the trim meat. I am out of calabrese and finocchiona salami.


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## indaswamp (Nov 1, 2021)

Here is a great resource for authentic Italian salami recipes adhering to strict P.D.O. regulations.
https://www.topfooditaly.net/prodotto/soppressata-abruzzese/

Scroll down and you will see the description of this salame, which is in depth.

I have learned A LOT about the different techniques through reading these P.D.O. regulations. Within that particular one is a detailed schedule for fermentation and pressing....which is very useful!

Oh- and be sure to click the translator for English!


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## indaswamp (Nov 4, 2021)

More...

I have learned to trim the lean meat very, very well to remove all tough connective tissue, sinew, and tendons. Since there is no cooking process to tenderize this tough tissue, it will remain tough after the salami is dried. 
Trussing- a very important step. You want it tight to prevent voids and to help fuse the protien structure together. This also speeds the drying through the dripping stage by helping squeezing out water as the pH drops.


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## pushok2018 (Nov 4, 2021)

Nicely put, Sir! Thank you for sharing your experience with us.... I appreciate that.


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## indaswamp (Nov 6, 2021)

I recently watched an Italian Consortium video on salami Piacentino at a Salumificio in Emilia Romagna Providence, Italy. The drying room temperature parameters were kept in a 3-4*C range. That is 5.4-7.2*F. So keeping your chamber between 53*F-59*F is sufficient to produce good results.


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## BGKYSmoker (Nov 7, 2021)

inda....great info.

Im really old school and not up on the new salumi ways.


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## indaswamp (Nov 7, 2021)

SWFLsmkr1 said:


> inda....great info.
> 
> Im really old school and not up on the new salumi ways.


Thanks Rick. I'm a technical kind of guy and like to understand how things work....this has driven my dive into the science behind the drying.


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## indaswamp (Nov 7, 2021)

...It is better to run a home drying chamber so as to err on the side of a little too much humidity rather than too low. A little more humidity will slow drying down slightly, but will go a long way towards preventing case hardening which is the #1 problem when dry curing meats. Between 80-85% is good. Home curing chambers- the frost free units- tend towards a little too much air flow and if humidity is too low can tend toward case hardening your charcuterie. Running a little higher RH% will help...


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## indaswamp (Nov 25, 2021)

Salame di Varzi P.D.O regulations from the consortium:

https://www.consorziovarzi.it/il-disciplinare/?lang=en

every detail necessary to make this salame is included.


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## indaswamp (Nov 25, 2021)

P.D.O. recipe:
https://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-recipes/fermented/italian/salame-varzi


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## indaswamp (Dec 21, 2021)

Here is a description of Bergamo Salami from the Consortium which regulates it's production:
https://www.visitbergamo.net/en/object-details/6944-salami-bergamasco/

It uses 20% pancetta or cheek/throat fat. Thus, it stays softer than most salamis upon drying. the soft fat should never be ground in a grinder or it will smear...and you can not make salami with smeared fat. It must be cut by hand. You can get away with grinding soft fat for smoke sausages and fresh sausages because if it melts out, it will not hurt the product like it will in a salami.


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## indaswamp (Dec 21, 2021)

It is best to run your humidifier at around 15% of power...especially at the start of drying when the product will be wet and evaporate a lot of water. It is easy to put moisture in your chamber, more difficult to remove...


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## indaswamp (Jan 9, 2022)

Best to calibrate your humidity controller every 6 months. I use Boveda:

Boveda 75% humidity calibration 10 pack

Buy the 10 pack and it's $1.21 per calibration....


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## indaswamp (Jan 9, 2022)

Tip: I make salami alone most of the time. I use a clothes pin to hold the casing closed tight after twisting it so I can have two hands free to tie the end....works awesome.


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## indaswamp (Jan 18, 2022)

So, after using the Flora Italia LC starter culture for a while, one thing I can say is that this culture is fast. Usually hit pH target under 5.0 in 24-30hours of fermentation. I had trouble at the start figuring out how much sugar to use for this culture. After many salamis, and some failures where I overshot my target pH and ended up with a pH around 4.5, I did some R&D and made a thread on it.
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/the-great-fermentation-trials-2021.306700/#post-2210429

Best estimate I have as of now is it takes 0.25-0.33g/Kg. dextrose to drop the pH 0.1 point. So if you start at pH5.75, it will only take 1.875-2.475g/kg. dextrose to drop the pH to 4.9-5

If you use more than 5-6g of Calabrian pepper powder/kg. in your recipe then best to use a slow culture like T-SPX and ferment around 68*F to slow acid formation way down.


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## indaswamp (Jan 18, 2022)

So glad I re-calibrated my Humidity controllers. One was off by +5.9, the other was off by +6.7....so the humidity in my chamber was 5-6%RH lower than it should have been. Now It is all dialed back in where it should be. So note to everyone....check the calibration on your controllers every 6 months!


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## indaswamp (Jan 21, 2022)

Tip: 
When weighing out salt, cure and spices, I use coffee filters on my spice scale. They are cheap and sturdy enough for the task.


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## indaswamp (Jan 23, 2022)

There is a reason why Italians use the softer pork belly and cheek/throat fat. It has a different structure and will break down easier which creates more flavor compounds in a salami. But extra care must be taken to preserve fat integrity...preferably hand cutting.


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## indaswamp (Jan 30, 2022)

For Salami larger than 4" diameter, it takes less sugars to achieve final pH drop because the center of the salami stays wetter longer and the lacto bacteria have a longer time to work to keep producing lactic acid.


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## indaswamp (Feb 2, 2022)

My old pH meter meat probe is 2 years old. I had begun to question if it needed to be replaced because of the wild readings I was getting when I checked the pH of vinegar. It was running about +- 0.1 with each reading. So I bought a new one from Milwaukee for $103 to my door. The Apera, while a nice contained hand held unit with no wires to tangle, the replacement probe for it is $175 and it will need to be replaced eventually. 
My new meat probe is registers readings fast and has no float in the reading. So check your pH probe if it is over a year old...


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## indaswamp (Feb 8, 2022)

Some notes on salumi (whole cuts)...

I have recently discovered that an intensive drying schedule after salting and before maturing in the chamber is  preferred for whole cuts. Prosciutto is hung @20*C for one month, then 15*C for one month, finally @10*C until mature. Coppas go through an even more intensive drying cycle, starting with higher temp around 68*F with low 60%RH with a few hours in the 40's for a week. then moved to 62*F with 70%RH with a few hours in the 50's for a week, and finally moved to 52*F with 85-90%RH to mature for 4-5 months. Extremely even drying.


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## indaswamp (Feb 17, 2022)

Commercially, pork fat for salami is frozen @-2*C with air flow over the fat for about a week to reduce the water content from around 15% to 5%. This stiffens the fat for cutting in the grinder or bowl chopper. It reduces fat rancidity and upon salting, the fat is softer which contributes to flavor development.


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## indaswamp (Mar 3, 2022)

"Feodor Toldra, probably the best authority of fermented meats, wrote that for every 1 gram of dextrose, the pH will drop by .3 of a point. " -Redzed @Marianski's Forum (Thanks Red!)

I have independently confirmed this through my trial and errors. Especially when using pediococcus acidilactici (bacteria in Flavor of Italy)- a very strong fermentation strain!

I need to buy Toldra's book!!!!! Man knows his stuff!


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## indaswamp (Mar 3, 2022)

I recently lost two batches of salami from continued fermentation in my drying chamber. It is my fault really....I have been so focused on my whole muscles, especially the culatello, that I neglected the correct temperature parameters to stop fermentation in a salami; below 53*F. I had bumped up the temp. slightly to increase the protein breakdown in the culatello to intensify the flavor. Never occurred to me  when I hung the salamis.....well now I know....


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## indaswamp (Mar 3, 2022)

I have recently learned that Aw correlation to weight loss is not linear, it is logarithmic. For the first 10% or so of weight loss, every 6% is about 0.01 Aw.; down to 20%, every 4.5% is roughly equal to 0.01Aw; and down to 30%, every 3.3% is 0.01Aw.

This ratio is only used to estimate the Aw of the piece drying in order to adjust the RH% so that it is roughly 5-10% lower for salami and small diameter whole muscles; 2-3% lower for large diameter and bone in whole cuts.


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## indaswamp (Mar 3, 2022)

And I have just ordered Fidel Toldra's Book: Dry Cured Meat Products. I found one for $109...the book is regularly around $250...so I jumped on it.


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## indaswamp (Mar 7, 2022)

FYI, don't stick the temp. probe for a milwaukee pH meter in the sample peice and then try to calibrate the unit...you will get an error. I learned that today......then you will have to warm the temp. probe back up to within calibration range.... I used a small fan.


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## indaswamp (Apr 11, 2022)

Add the salt and cure last when mixing the mince. The mince will be easier to mix doing this because as soon as the salts are applied, they start extracting salt soluble proteins and the meat will tighten up making mixing more difficult. This will also cause more fat smear-especially with a fine grain mince.

If you are going to grind the lean and fat thru two different sized plates, it is best to take ~20% of the ground lean and mix that in with the fat prior to grinding the fat to make it easier on the grinder. This will also lessen the degree of fat smear. Also, the fat will more easily be dispersed and spread easier through the mince when mixing.


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## indaswamp (Aug 4, 2022)

When using paprika powders to make Chorizo, in most cases added sugars are not needed because of the amounts of paprika powders used. Most paprika powders contain 10% simple sugars by weight; and you only need 2-2.5g simple sugars/kg. mince for adequate acid production from fermentation to drop the pH into the safe zone.

I no longer use added sugars when making Calabrese for the same reason.


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## indaswamp (Aug 4, 2022)

I recalibrated my RH% units in July when I got the new chamber up and running. Only 1 was still accurate; the rest were off +2.7,-3.9, +5.2....

I will do this every January and July from now on.....


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## indaswamp (Oct 24, 2022)

So, I just peeled the casings off the goose pepperoni. It has finished drying; let it go to 37% weight loss. These were stuffed in natural casings....45-55mm beef middles. Remember to invert the casing and put the fat that is stuck to the casing on the outside of the salami. Also, when you go to peel the casings off, it is much easier to peel around the circumference than to try and peel lengthwise. The fibers of the casings run lengthwise and it'll just tear to shreds if you pull it off lengthwise. Food for though.


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## Dave in AZ (Oct 24, 2022)

What a great treasure trove of knowledge!  Saved to phone files AND bookmarked!  Thx so much for sharing your hard earned knowledge!


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## indaswamp (Oct 24, 2022)

10g./kg. of finely minced orange zest has enough citric acid to drop the pH of pork meat by about 0.2 points. This acid will leach out slowly over time and will not show on a pH meter when you take your pH measurement to determine how much sugars to add. This needs to be taken into account before adding sugars.


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## indaswamp (Oct 24, 2022)

Most salami recipes use 25-30% fat. If you stray to fall outside of that range, it will affect your final fermentation pH. This is because Lean meat is around 75% water and fat is around 15% water so you have less water in the salami with higher fat blends and vice versa.
You will need slightly less dextrose with higher fat and slightly higher dextrose with lower fat ratios.


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