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[Bentley]

Have you made the Genoa before?  What % loss are you looking for?

[02ebz06]

Nope, first time making it.  30-35% loss is what recipe says.

[02ebz06]

Just finished stuffing the pepperoni.
In the curing chamber now.  Ph is 5.75, looking for it to get down to 4-8 4.6.
Then move it to the drying chamber and will be looking for a 20% weight loss.

This one did not turn out as well as first two attempts.
I think it because I had my wife doing the cranking and was going faster than I could keep up.
Had a lot of air bubbles.

[02ebz06]

Pepperoni has joined the salami in the drying chamber.
Ph dropped rather quickly.  Was 5.3 when I went to bed and 4.56 this morning.
Color sure changed is 24 hours.

Now the waiting game...
Pepperoni needs to lose 20% of it's weight and the salami 30-35%.

[Bentley]

Is the lighting anything to do with the process, or simply a blue color?

[02ebz06]

It's a UV light. Supposed to kill bacteria.
I just turn it on cuz it looks cool. Haha

[Bentley]

It is what I thought.

[02ebz06]

Pepperoni had lost it's 20% yesterday afternoon.

Set Smoker to lowest it goes (150F), so it was actually about 35 degrees higher inside in cooking area.
That's the downside of a single-walled smoker in winter with RTD only an inch or so from side wall.
In summer actual cooking temp is very close to set temp.

Put it in the smoker and smoked until IT was 145F.  Immediately put it in an ice bath to stop any further cooking.
Tastes terrific, nice and tangy.  Still looks a little like Bologna though.
I think next time I will add 30% fat instead if 20%.

[Bentley]

You loss 20% in 3 days, Wow!  My  Sopprasota is going faster then I thought, but not that fast!  What temperature do you dry/cure at?  I thought rule of thumb was 1.5%/day.

Yeah, I am finding I just have to find the correct content on fat for each recipe.  Way to much on my 1st 2 salami, not enough on the bologna.  I am hoping this 2nd round on the Sopprasota is right?  You are not a heavy paprika user for the pepperoni color?

[02ebz06]

Yeah, I thought it was pretty fast as well.  Even the Salami is losing weight fast.  15% in a week.   
Curing was 85 degrees, drying chamber is 60 degrees.

[02ebz06]

Sunday was the 3 week mark for the Salami.
Both had just crossed the 30% loss mark.
When they hit the 35% mark, I will take the small one out and see what it looks/tastes like when I cut into it.

[02ebz06]

Week 4, hit the 35% weight loss # exactly, which is what I was going for, but didn't expect the results I got.
Not sure if it was the fan blowing air around in the first week or the fact that I let it go to 35% weight loss, but the outer 1/8" or so is very hard.
Even though it tastes great, I would not serve this to guests.
Eating this is like eating an orange slice. Eat all but the rind, Haha
Tuesday going shopping so will be starting a new batch of this Genoa Salami towards the end of the week.
Probably make more pepperoni since I have that coming out great and will try something new as well.  Not sure what yet.
Will not use the fan in the drying stage, and also will remove one at 30% weight loss to see if the outside is softer.
Eventually I'll get there...

[BigDave83]

Vacuum seal it and leave it age a few weeks to equalize the moisture and the outside should soften up. I usually have to do that with the whole muscle stuff I make because I use the Umai bags.

[02ebz06]

Vacuum seal it and leave it age a few weeks to equalize the moisture and the outside should soften up. I usually have to do that with the whole muscle stuff I make because I use the Umai bags.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[Bentley]

Interesting, as my Sopprasota is at 40%+ and the outside is the texture I like but the inside has that rare beef texture, which I despise in Salami.  So I will shoot for 50% and see where we are.  I bet I would love that stuff!