Air in bags while dry aging salami

[Steve]

This is the first time I have used the dry age system. I am using the salami kit and bags. The salami has been in the fridge on racks for about one week, and now it seems most of the salamis have air in the bags and are beginning to separate from the meat. Should I be concerned about this? Will mold begin to form in these air pockets? I really don’t want to ruin them because I have about 22 pounds worth. Any thoughts?

[Rick]

quote SDfarms ” post=6440:

This is the first time I have used the dry age system. I am using the salami kit and bags. The salami has been in the fridge on racks for about one week, and now it seems most of the salamis have air in the bags and are beginning to separate from the meat. Should I be concerned about this? Will mold begin to form in these air pockets? I really don’t want to ruin them because I have about 22 pounds worth. Any thoughts?

This is normal. When the meat shrinks and starts to dry it will pull away in places, sorta like the air pockets your seeing. If you cured and fermented the salami properly you will have no problems. I would give the salami’s another week and check again.

However if you start to see green, blackish or bluegreen type of mold in the air pockets i would toss it. Also your nose will let you know of any spoilage.

Dry cure is a waiting game, even with the UMAi bags.

Below is some info on Cure #2. AKA Prague Powder #2

Used to dry-cure products. Prague powder #2 is a mixture of 1 part sodium nitrite, .64 parts sodium nitrate and 16 parts salt. (1 oz. of sodium nitrite with .64 oz. of sodium nitrate to each lb. of salt.) It is primarily used in dry-curing Use with products that do not require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration. This cure, which is sodium nitrate, acts like a time release, slowly breaking down into sodium nitrite, then into nitric oxide. This allows you to dry cure products that take much longer to cure. A cure with sodium nitrite would dissipate too quickly. Use 1 oz. of cure for 25 lbs. of meat or 1 level teaspoon of cure for 5 lbs. of meat when mixing with meat. When using a cure in a brine solution, follow a recipe.

[Jim]

I second Rick here, the casing can separate from the sausage and that is not a problem. UMAi Dry casing is not vacuum bag, so it is supposed to let oxygen in and keep contamination out. We have not seen or heard of any mold form in the air pockets of salami. By this time the surface of the salami is very dry, so not much can grow on it. It sounds like your salami is drying properly.

[Rick]

I took this pic of my fireball in the UMAi bag. See how there are small pockets and wrinkles in the bag. This does not harm the meat.
Note the date on the bag. I’m leaving the fireball in the bag to see how hard it gets, right now its pretty firm. The other fireball i sliced up was firm and didnt last long once my friend got to it.

[Steve]

Thanks for the advice. I’ll let it ride and see where it goes from here.

Steve

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