“J” asks:
- “In the recipe archive for capicola, the recipe asks for 6 tbsps of salt for 4 1/2 pounds of meat, but on the video the lady only uses 3 tbsps. of salt for 4 1/2 pounds of meat. Could you please verify which of the recipes is correct?”
“J,” Good catch! A bit more salt is better than a bit too little, but what you want is that critical 3% salt to weight of meat.
To do this you need a good kitchen scale!!
The TYPE and BRAND of salt make a huge difference in “How much” salt you get when you simply measure with teaspoons. You must use non-iodized salt in charcuterie and fermented sausage. It is also important to use kosher salt–though not all kosher salt is alike.
Here’s the thing, typical American volume measurements are terrible for measuring salt accurately. In fact, Mortons Kosher Salt is almost double the weight of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt! You really need a scale to weigh the salt and make sure it is that safe 2.5-3% of the weight of the meat.
For safety, we have adjusted all the volume measurements in our recipes for Diamond Crystal Kosher salt. It is the “lightest” and “fluffiest” of the common salts. If you don’t have a scale and you use a more dense salt, you will get a saltier recipe.
Check out this article to really understand salt: http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/28/warning-measure-your-salt/?_r=0
AND PLEASE get a good kitchen scale!! You will need it to weigh your start and finish weight, too. Remember: Dry until you achieve 35-40% weight loss.
TARGET = start weight x 0.65
Hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Maureen
Customer Support
Always best to check with the community at the UMAi Dry® Forum