Soppressata is one of the most famous types of traditional Italian sausage. A standard on any respectable Italian sub or hoagie, UMAi Dry makes it easy to craft at home with a 70mm Dry Sausage Kit and Soppressata Spice Blend.
If you want to avoid the need to weight and calculate 3% kosher salt and 0.25% #2 curing salt to weight of meat, just purchase the Premixed Curing Salts Blend for 5#.
Homemade Salami Soppressata
Rated 3.5 stars by 31 users
Category
Salumi
Cook Time
15 minutes
Author:
UMAi Dry
The recipe and video below guide you making soppressata, a classic slow-fermented dry sausage. Traditionally a wide diameter sausage, using the 70mm UMAi Dry Sausage Casing gives it the right size with roughly a two week drying time. The video will show your every step making it easy even for a first time salumi-maker.
Ingredients
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Dry Sausage Kit 50mm
Includes 30 ft of UMAi Dry Salumi Casing, Powdered Dextrose, #2 Curing Salt, and Bactoferm T-SPX Starter Culture (for 300 lbs of meat with 18 month expiration date)
Pork Shoulder 5 lb
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T-SPX Starter Culture 1/4-1/2 tsp (add more as culture approaches expiration)
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Powdered Dextrose 1/2 -1 tsp (feed your starter culture generously
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UMAi Dry Soppressata Spice Blend for 5 lb Recipe
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UMAi Dry Premixed Curing Salts Blend for 5 lb Recipe
Kosher Salt 3% to weight of meat
#2 Curing Salt 0.25% to weight of meat
Black pepper 4g (2 tsp)
Red pepper flakes 2g (1 tsp)
Whole peppercorns 2g (1 tsp)
- Chili powder 1g (½ tsp)
- Garlic powder 1g (½ tsp)
Essential Basic Ingredients
NO MATH Easy Method: UMAi Dry Spice and Salts Blends
MATH Method: Make Your Own Spice Blend
Directions
Prepare Meat
Cut meat to fit grinder.
Start with well chilled meat
Do not allow meat to freeze solid as this can damage grinder
Chill grinder parts before beginning process.
Activate Starter Culture
Prepare 2 tbsp. of de-chlorinated water, either distilled or boiled then cooled.
Remove Bactoferm T-SPX Starter Culture from freezer. Starter culture will ferment the meat, lowering pH to safe levels and developing authentic traditional flavor.
PRO TIP: Frozen culture should remain viable 12-18 months. If T-SPX has been opened and stored, use incrementally more culture and dextrose to ensure robust fermentation.
Measure starter culture for recipe (approximately ¼-½ tsp. per 5 lb / 2 kg of meat) and dissolve in water.
Stir dextrose into starter culture
Weigh Salts and Spices
NOTE: Using a digital scale and calculating in grams makes the process much easier (scale available at umaidry.com)
Weigh meat.
Carefully calculate 3% Kosher or sea salt: meat weight:____ x 0.03
Calculate 0.25% #2 Curing Salt meat weight: ____x 0.0025
Prepare Spices
Prepare your traditional fermented dry sausage recipe or use an UMAi Dry® Spice Blend. See available spice blends at umaidry.com/spices.
Mix salts from Step 3 into spices to ensure even distribution into meat.
Grind Meat
Grind well-marbled pork shoulder. 20% fat is recommended for fermented slow dried Salumi. Add pork back fat for best appearance.
For best "particle definition" use 3/8 or 16 mm plate for best particle definition.
Blend Starter Culture
Spread starter culture over ground meat.
Toss well with paddles or spoons to distribute, keeping meat cold.
Mix in Salt & Spices
Add all dry ingredients to meat in 3-4 batches.
Blend completely into meat mixture.
Stuff Out Sausage
Stuff out into 10 in / 30 cm "chubs" (links)
PRO TIP: Use a dedicated vertical stuffer or piping bag. Mechanical stuffers mash meat which destroys particle definition, impeding the fermentation/drying process
Tie off each casing end with a zip tie. Each end of the chub needs a zip tie, which means you will have two zip ties between each chub.
Cut into pairs for easy hanging
Weigh several chubs and tag with start weights.
Hang to Ferment
Hang to ferment at 65-75°F / 18-22°C for 36-72 hours
Protect from air flow while fermenting.
PRO TIP: An un-used oven with a pan of water is perfect for fermentation. Put a sign on the oven: DO NOT USE!
Watch for color to blush or brighten to indicate fermentation and safe drop in pH to 5. Do not ferment longer than 72 hours.
Dry in Refrigerator
After fermentation, weigh and record several sticks to gauge 35-40% target weight reduction.
Place in fridge on open wire racks.
Dry at 34-38°F / 1-4°C with good air flow.
Use a modern frost free refrigerator IMPORTANT: Do not use mini, wine, garage, or "old beer fridges" as they lack proper air circulation.
Sausage should lose 35-40% of start weight for safe moisture levels. As sausage dries, it will begin to shrink away from UMAi Dry casing. This is normal. Estimated drying time:
32mm: 2-4 weeks -
50mm: 4-6 weeks
70mm: 6-8 weeks