Search Results for 'old fashion italian dry sausage'

[Mark D’Ambrosio]

I have such interest in such topics as I am Italian myself, and have a lifelong affinity for the old fashioned home made dry Italian Sausage that the old timers used to commonly make during the winter months in the Chicago Area.

Theirs typically was basically nothing more than a fresh Italian Sausage, and contained Fennel Seed, but one thing I recall, I never remember them ever using any fancy Cures, only salt, and probably a slightly higher percentage to aid drying. I imagine that could be dangerous, but never got sick.

I tried such myself a few times years ago, but it was hit and miss, finding the outside drying too fast perhaps, getting “Hollow Sausage Links” at times. Yes, I stuffed into natural Casings like they did, prick with a toothpick, hang, good ventilation, cool temps, etc.

My question would be pertaining to your questions in your post, you related that you dried for a period of 5 weeks time.

Now my question would be, what if you yanked the Sausage-Salami at say a shorter period, let’s say 4 weeks? What would the end results then be? Yes, a more tender product I’ll guess, but will there be any dangers in eating it would be my question? Or what other downsides to such would there be?

I can recall an old friend making this Sausage on the slightly soft side a couple times, and to tell the truth, it was the best I ever ate in my life.

I know an old trick that he did, was with the Sausage Sticks, he’d pack them in Jars of Olive Oil for long term storage. Not as good but of course still quite edible.

[Joe]

Your recipe is spot on! I removed the Hot pepper flakes because that was never in grandma’s but you got it perfect. The taste traveled me back 45 years ago. A second batch is hanging now and will be placed in oil for nostalgia sake. Thank you for sharing.

[Bob]

Grandma was making dried Italian sausage! There are as many recipes as there are grandmas and they usually contained a handfull of this and a little of that.

Here’s a good starting point

Meat (Pork) 100.00%
Ground or cracked Fennel seeds 0.20%
Cure #2` 0.25%
Salt 2.50%
Dextrose 0.60%
Crushed Black Pepper 0.20%
Red Pepper Flakes .30%
Culture was not used but is a good idea
Usually stuffed in regular hog casings 30-40mm

Or if using UMAI the smallest ones

[Joe]

Thanks Jim. I have made umia soppressatta both with your spice pack and from the other recipe on the umai site . Both are very good, but alas, not grandma’s dry sausage 🙁

From what I remember it was just pork butt, fat,salt and pepper with whole fennel seed no starter culture. The casings are small, maybe 1 1/2 inches wide. Maybe I will just give that a try and modern it up just a bit with cure #2.

[Jim]

I may be wrong, but I am guessing it was Soppressatta (“supra-sot”), it was often stored in a bucket of oil before the days of refrigeration. We have two videos of making it.
There are lots of different recipes including in Marianski’s and Ruhlman’s book, others are locked up in thick vaults with armed guards outside though 🙂
https://youtu.be/jdUYA_FKTnI

[Jim]

I may be wrong, but I am guessing it was Soppressatta (“supra-sot”), it was often stored in a bucket of oil before the days of refrigeration. We have two videos of making it.
There are lots of different recipes including in Marianski’s and Ruhlman’s book, others are locked up in thick vaults with armed guards outside though 🙂
https://youtu.be/jdUYA_FKTnI