On May 20, 2:47*pm, RegForte wrote:
irma wrote:
I made a beef salami, did use a beef salamai recipe but used instead
of lacid starter, fermento, which afterwards was mistake, but anyway.
I cured it, 86 F 2 days in a box, transfered to my special cheese ref,
which is at 53 F 70 % Hum, after 1 week now there is a bit mold
on the ouside of the salami, I looked at some other recipes, and they
told me to dry it in a "normal ref " because the temp is too high
otherwise,
and will give mold, which it did. I guess it is because I did not use
a starter , could this be the problem ? So I whipped the mold clean
with some vinigar,
and put it in my " normal " ref, any suggestions if I am on the right
track, or should I put it back in the 55 F 70%, or keep it in the
"normal ref " ?
I am not sure if the mold ( just a little bit ) is coming back, and is
it givin me a problem later on *( taste or healt )

Fermento is not a starter. You don't want to confuse the two.

The purpose of the 2 days @ 86 F period is to allow the starter
to take hold and multiply. This fermentation period causes the
meat to lower in pH (become more acidic). The acidity acts
both is give it a tangy flavor and to preserve the meat.

Fermento is intended to short circuit the process by directly
acidifying the meat. Sort of like adding vinegar to bread dough
to create a pseudo "sourdough" bread.

You should do a few things:

- Skip the Fermento and use starter. It will result in a much better
product. If you must use fermento DO NOT including a fermentation
period. There is no fermenting actually occurring bacause you've
already acidified the meat and precluded any chance of proper
fermentation.

- MEASURE the pH. It's not a good idea to guess at the resultant pH
because you run the risk of ruining the meat and/or creating a
safety hazard. All time/temp figures are for reference only and
are not a substitute for measuring.

Here is a starter that works very well:

http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&produc....

Here's a pH meter that will give accurate results:

http://secure.sciencecompany.com/Hanna-pH-Meter-pHep5-HI98128-P6262C6...

Here's a book that shows the proper procedure for fermenting meat.
As stated, the key to making fermented meats is MEASURING the pH
and pulling it out of the warm stage at just the right time:

http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Hand-Paul-Bertolli/dp/0609608932/ref=pd....

Another excellent source of information:

http://home.pacbell.net/lpoli/page0002.htm- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks you all for you help, yes I think indeed the problem is that I
used fermento instead of the starter, and had to skip the incubation
period, this coul have caused it, also the recepi called for 3 weeks
in a 55 F 70 ref, this should be right IF i had used the starter ( is
this right ? ), instead I used the fermento, and should have
putting it directly in a " normal " ref. could anyone confirm this ?

I think since it is a little bit mould only, I wiped it of with
vinigar, this should do the job, since I used nitrite and nitrate, the
meat should be okay after those little warmer days.

Thank you for your help
Irma