it amazes how the first people started making salami. like we all know mold on meat is always a no no, but when making salami obviously it's a yes yes. I understand it has to be the white mold tho, not the black mold. but it's still crazy how the first people figured it out. I'm sure there was deaths a long the way, but that's how the world becomes a better place. lol
Thank you for this video. Your solution to humidity is simple, and the tips on reducing humidity over time erysipelas valuable. I've cured cuts of meats before, but am.only just starting with salami. So this tutorial was incredibly valuable. Q: What was the recipie for the very dark salami? It looked so good!
Hi! Yes you can cure smaller whole muscles like coppa, bresaola and lomo in the wine fridge , larger pieces like prosciutto I wouldn’t recommend unless you have a large refrigerator , hope that helps !
Hi Matt. One thing I have found help resolve if I get case hardening is to strip off the casing and vac seal in a bag. The moisture in the salami evens out fairly well after a little time. Not perfect, but a lot better.
Hi Matt. The wine cooler setup seems very doable. My sister has one she is looking to give me. I think I’ll give it a shot following your instructions. I subscribed! Thank you for posting.
Whoa so cool! Yeah, I’ve helped set up in many wine fridges the same way as the video. You’ll be just fine! And it’s a lot of fun too. Please let me know if you have any questions I’m glad to help! 🙏❤️🥩
Great stuff. A couple things I do might help. 1) A humidifier along with inkbird humidistat, total cost about $60-70, it'll cut your fluctuations way down. 2) I loosely wrap an extra layer of cellulose sheeting around the salamis for the first couple weeks to slow dry times, which were topping 17% per week. The cellulose i get from Sausage Maker and its permeable and reusable. Why do you dry it out so much? A 30% weight loss is sufficient to stop water activity, and it's far less chewy and case hardened, but to each his own...thanks for the info.
Hey Mike, Thanks for watching and commenting! 1.) I’ve definitely thought about it believe or not but I gave it a go without inkbird at first and produced really good stuff for years! If I get a bigger set up I’ll most likely go with an inkbird set up. 👍 2.) very cool never tried this method ! Will definitely give it a go. Thanks 3.) so two reasons I dropped the weight so low was I was traveling with all this salami across country and a person that was going to be enjoying the bounty was seriously immune compromised. Also this is a basic video and set up. I didn’t want someone less experienced copying the semi soft method and not do it right 😅 I’ve brought salami to .90 Aw and 5.3ph a few times and eatin just fine. I actually enjoy a dryer salami personally though… Anyway thanks for checking in cheers!
@@MatttheButcher LOL! .9aw is dicey, as for ph, I use ph strips, and they won't change color any further down than about 5.5 for some unknown reason (2 guys/cooler had the same issue), but it's a breeze because it gets to 5.5, then the sour smell starts and its time to chill. Never had a problem, never had sour salami. Just get the sugar right, once they eat it fermentation is over. Know your yeast time and temp parameters. Saves a fortune on ph meter. Unless you're eating whale blubber in Alaska...per the CDC... "Foodborne botulism cases were reported from California (n=15) and Alaska (n=4). Among the 15 toxin type A foodborne botulism cases in California, 10 were from an outbreak linked to nacho cheese at a convenience store, two were from an outbreak linked to an herbal deer antler tea, one was from a suspected soup with bulging lid but was not available testing, and two were not linked to a known food source. (1) Among the four toxin type E foodborne botulism cases in Alaska, three were from an outbreak linked to seal blubber with seal oil, and one was linked to dried herring in seal oil (Table 2a). The median age of patients was 42 years (range: 14-85 years); 11 were men. Three deaths were reported." Hey, I watched your injected chicken vid, you got chops, keep it up.
NUMBER ONE QUESTION I GET ON THIS VIDEO IS ANSWERED HERE: The wine cooler I use is a Haier model hvd036E. Got it off craigslist 5 years ago for about 150$. It has a white wine setting 38deg f and a red wine setting 45deg f. Depending on what’s going on in the fridge I switch between these two temps. Hope that helps 🙏🙏
@@MatttheButcher I am currently curing some Pancetta for 3 weeks now could take another 3 weeks to get the weight down an using a dry aged bag that maybe didn't seal that goog the first time. but looks Ok.
Just came a cross your video tonight. And new to your channel. On dry curing and i much say great video on your curing process. And the salami look great. I do have a quick question what type of wine cooler you are using because it's the first time I've seen it's . And I really like the concept. Like and subscribe
Hey tim! Thanks for checking it out , it’s a Haier model hvd036E .. it’s always good for wine storage too when it’s not drying meat 😏 hope that helps 🙌
Great video! I just got a 4.4 cubic foot beverage fridge, very similar to your wine fridge. Question, where do to run the fan cord out of the fridge? I was thinking through to opening when the door is open.
Hey thanks so much! It’s so much fun I’m glad you got one and going to try it. Yeah the fan cord just runs between the frame and door seal no problem. 🙏❤️🥩 thanks for watching and commenting
That fridge is pretty small. About 24btl size. Correct? I’m just beginning to research equipment needs. Thanks, I enjoyed your vdo and agree about record keeping.
Yes that’s right! It’s a great unit, I’ve cured meats in smaller and larger set ups. You just need to adjust how much meat you put in there. Start with a 2 lbs batch in any set up if it’s your first go. Email me with any questions or just comment back on this section. Cheers !!
I have a question. I was making coppa and the humidity was too high (it fluctuates between 96% to 50%). Unfortunately, the blue mold was developing. I read somewhere that the blue mold was due to the high humidity. Does a fan help to reduce the humidity? Or, do I need to use desiccant to lower the humidity?
i holp my luck will hold up i just picked up a used wine c0oler & its same as yours probably the same brand & by luck i find youre video too im making soujuk its a turkish dry beef sausage im mixing it now tomorrow i will case the sausages then in the fridge with youre help here i holp my luck will hold up all the rest of you people used wine coolers are 50 to 100 on facebook good luck to all
Yes i think you'll do very well with your soujuk ! i love soujuk and make it at my work. all beef with fenugreek lief and seed and Aleppo pepper and a few other spices. i typically ferment it to 5.3 ph at room temp and dry it in the fridge with high humidity until 35-40% weight loss is reached. good luck and thanks for the comment, let me know any other questions!
Time Stamps: Intro to Curing Meats at home : 0:00 Preparing your Cured Meat Chamber: 0:29 Keeping Organized: 1:00 Fermenting Salami 2:08 Controlling Humidity for Salami 2:46 10 days in drying salami: 3:48 20 days in drying salami: 6:29 30 days in drying salami: 6:42 40 days in drying salami: 8:40 Cleaning and Packaging Salami: 9:10 Outro: 10:10 Learn to make more Salami and Sausage Recipes by watching my playlist: czcams.com/play/PL6e6pk_rNQiZ-d5UQ7EMUs_Ry-lG_2f7w.html
Hi Matt Great Information I do Have a Question I Built and Meat curing Box out of a refrigerator and I have controllers to manage the humidity 80 and temp 50F I started with 3 Pork loins and a pancetta I have a small fan also I seem to have a lot of white with Dark Green Mold growing all over everything that's in the Chamber mor then I would expect I guess is my concern. There are no bad smells, I did take them out washed them with white Vinegar and I am just don't know if there's an issue Boy any Thoughts would be very much appreciated! Really enjoy your Video's Thanks for all that you do Truly John
Hi John, I’d say try to lower the humidity to 70-75. If you don’t have a hydrometer I’d recommend getting one too. That will help understand the ups and downs of the humidity throughout the day. Make sure you have decent air flow whether it’s consistent during the day or a bit stronger for a few hours at a time. This will help with stagnant air and removing purge coming to the surface of the meat. Let me know if that helps, thanks!
I’m just getting my wine fridge to do this to make guanciale. Have any tips? Is it ok to just use water and a fan? I found a hygrometer but your solution seems way cheaper
Very cool!!! Yes I’ve done pretty much any thing that can fit in this chamber. I’m sure it will work very well for you. Let me know if you have questions, thanks for watching. 🙏🙏🙏
I have a curing chamber that every day kicks the humidity up or 97% and within an hour it then goes back to 72-77 for the other 23 hours of the day. It does it daily on purpose in this ok?
Yeah that’s normal for these units , I wouldn’t worry , just don’t over crowd your salumi and make sure you rotate them from back to front and inside to outside , hope that helps 🙌
Do you think a line voltage thermostat could help with your temperature fluctuation? I have not started yet. Still researching and trying to learn as much as I can before I give it a go. Great videos.
yeah, I'm sure it probably would help a little, although the wine fridge does regulate temp by its self. The bigger issue (which is not that big) is the humidity fluctuation, which can be controlled by an Inkbird humidity controller not very expensive too. I just have never had the humidity get away from me where I cant bring it back. Hope this helps! thanks so much for checking it out and the comment.
HI GREAT CONTENT I READ SOME WHERE THAT I COULD USE BOVEDA PACKS 2WAY I DECIDED TO MAY MY OWN OR BUY AND RECHARGE THEM WHAT DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS MEDTHOD NEW SUB
Great question! It plugged into the wall outlet right next to the cooler. The fan wire went right in between the door seal and the fridge frame no problem. This is a low budget set up and it works well!! Check out my other salami videos I go into more detail, Thanks for watching! ❤️🙏
Mold is a crazy topic in the cured meat world. I have eatin every kind and color and never got sick. A clean healthy room will produce white and maybe green molds which everyone seems to think is fine to eat. Orange and purple and black is were eyebrows start to raise . If seen , wipe it off and finish drying it. You should be fine. I’ve never heard anyone get sick from salami mold unless they’re allergic. But it’s hard to find black and white information on it.
@@MatttheButcher thank you so much! In fact in our country we dont have that much of dry aged knowledge,so I can only trying to figure out on youtube, appreciate! subscribed!
Yo i hope u see this!!! If used for salami with mold culture, is the cabinet fine to use for other meat that doesnt need mold? Can one sterilize the cabinet ?
Hi there, Natural mold will occur without inoculation anyway. It’s in the air naturally. Inoculating the meat will just give a thicker more consistent layer. I wouldn’t stress to hard about the recipes without mold , some may grow but you can wipe off with vinegar and water solution (50/50) hope that helps
You could if you like, tap water typically has antibacterial chemicals in it where distilled doesn’t. I have used both in the Tupperware and both have worked. Hope that helps 🙌
I dry cured a lozino and copa. Both weighted about 2lbs. 51 degrees and 73 humidity pretty consistent. They dried in 5 weeks . 35% weight loss. 5 weeks seems fast think something went wrong?
Hey there great question! I answer this in my newest video on “top 5 questions answered on dry curing meats at home” it’s on my home page, check it out ! 🙏❤️
Hey there thanks for commenting. With any meat being hung there is going to be a certain amount of water purge that gets pushed to the service of the meat. If you don’t have adequate airflow and high humidity it will rot. I turn my fan on for about 4-6 hours a day for the first week to help it remove this water in such a small chamber. Whole muscle cure like guanciale is not to concerning , just open the door and check on it that no slime is forming. If so spray down with vinegar. Hope this helps. Thank you 🙏
Thanks for checking it out!! Great question, the wine cooler has the sudden drop of humidity due to the cold plate in the back a few times a day. This helps keep stagnant humid air away from the salami surface. Between that and 6-10 hours of low air flow from the fan, this seems to dry the salami out real nice. Any more air flow and I've experienced case hardening on the salami and the cold plate tends to freeze up more than usual. Again, its all about learning your environment and hopefully you can pull from my experience. Hope that helps thanks so much!
@@MatttheButcher Thank you for the detailed explanation! I built a dry aging chamber a few years ago and last week I bought a wine fridge that looks very similar to yours to start some salumi projects in which I am now running tests for temps and humidity levels. From my experience in my dry aging cabinet, the sudden drop of humidity happens during the defrost cycle. Is that what happens in the wine charcuterie chamber as well? Do you have any timer to turn the fan on/off? At what times do you keep the fan on? Really appreciate your help! Cheers.
No problem! Yes this is what happens in the charcuterie cabinet as well. I don’t have a timer it’s all about getting familiar with your own curing program, it takes time to learn. But I usually leave the fan on at night when I’m sleeping and check it in the morning (6-10hrs on) . The initial purge of water with a new batch of salami should keep the humidity up high. Then you’ll need to fool around with water containers to maintain humidity like I showed in the video. I try to go minimally as possibly with all the gadgets because it will increase your personal awareness much quicker. Old school Europeans had no technology and produced incredible Salumi ! Hit me up any time for questions 👍❤️🥩
Indeed I do! Check out my published videos, I have three salami recipes and 1 solid bratwurst recipe 👍👍 hope that helps, let me know if you have any more questions 🥩❤️
I have the same fridge, with cooling panel at the back and it's the worst thing ever.. always gives me a hard case because it sucks the moisture to much and my fan is tinny little thing, only turns on, when fridge turns on, so definitely not a fan issue. Really hard to control mlisture with this fridge
A big thing I recommend is not putting water pans in the beginning. Let the first purge of moisture leave the salami, Maybe about a week. From there add one or two pans at a time. You may have to wipe down the back to rid extra moister. With this chamber and method you definitely have to go through a time or two to get things right and to feel it out. Hope that helps 🙏
Buy humidifier and dehumidifier along with inkbird humidity controller, its fairly easy to set up, and very handy, if humidity drops to low of your preset it will automatically turn it on to your set level, if it overshoot to your set max level it will turn on dehumidifier.
@@Krahamus yeah that’s definitely an option! A lot of people ask if they “need” these things to get started. I typically say no especially if they’re worried about a large investment (more than couple hundred bucks). So much of it is about feel and tuning your senses to the correct environment. Minor fluctuations won’t destroy the product either. But some fridges are more difficult then others and the ink bird addition would help a lot ! Thanks for the comment and checking the video out 👍👍👍
Hello Matt, do you ferment your meat on the first day or so outside the wine cooler? Or do you put the newly Salamis in the chamber immediately. Thank you in advance. Love your page...
Thanks so much for checking out my channel. I ferment outside of the wine fridge, Immediately after stuffing. They will either hang in a brine bag or I will lay them on the counter in a brine bag but both at room temp. Check this video out czcams.com/video/vI98kOQyXVY/video.html to see more details. I hope that helps! Thanks for the comment.
Greenish or gray mold in the salami (at 9:20). You did not discard those sausages for safety reason? How do you know what the molds are as you did not use food grade accepted Penicilium nalgiavense mold
Hi there! Thanks for watching, I wiped everything down with vinegar solution which typically kills the mold off. The thing is I will use all types of fresh meats from wild to pastured. This in itself brings in different kinds of bacteria’s, yeast and molds. In a Usda facility this is not acceptable, home production there’s more leeway. But ive been following Francois Vecchio and others alike who constantly will say “don’t be scared of molds”. You might like to buy his books to get a better explanation. As far as identifying them, I never have. Would be interesting to send a fully bloomed link to a food scientist to get a profile though. Hope that helps 🙏
@@MatttheButcher Thanks for your reply. I use Bactoferm Mold 600 preparation (Penicillium nalgiavense, easily available here in Europe)) to get a white velvet-like growth. Just in case as I cannot differentiate fungi and molds even I have study microbiology. In your case you might a broader flavour profile when having a combination of several microbes. Keep on as I really appreciate your videos. Best wishes (from Finland)
Great video! When you you add in the bowls of water, how much salt do you add to the water? ~1tbs per cup, more? less? Also is it normal table salt or curing salt?
Hey Vinny, no I don’t measure the salt. I just add a lot in. High enough salinity to prevent anything from even thinking about growing in there! Hope this helps, thanks for checking it out! 🙏🙏
@@MatttheButcher Great, thanks for the answers and the helpful videos! I'm starting my very first salami this weekend and I might just be overthinking these details =)
Hey there thanks for watching and commenting! 🙏 The wine cooler I use is a Haier model hvd036E. Got it off craigslist 5 years ago for about 150$. It has a white wine setting 38deg f and a red wine setting 50deg f. Depending on what’s going on in the fridge I switch between these two temps. Hope that helps 🙏🙏
The model I use is a Haier HVD036E with 4.2 cubic feet. Could hold around 25 wine bottles. It is a great chamber to start curing in! I've set up many of my friends wine chambers just like this and came out great. You can email me with any questions too! Mattthebutcherdmv @gmail.com
It works great for this set up honestly, directing it at the water pans really slows down the airflow anyway. I also use it only when needed at the beginning, maybe around 4-6hrs a day and less as time goes on. If the humidity is high (85-90%) it’s not going to dry the surface out as much as you’d think. It just helps keep air/purge/humidity moving so a yeast film doesn’t form. Hope that helps 🙌
@@MatttheButcher Yes, but a smaller one that runs longer is better than a large one that runs less often. I have a CPU fan with speed control and it's perfect. Keep up the good work thx.
Not being funny but the glove box trick seems to be a fail. So the mail system is the only way. Okay I've think I've got this one figured... Put it in a box then, close the box. Then open and close the box 67 times. Now concentrate, and think of a road that was once lined with cherry trees, the name of the road should appear on the box. This road is in England in a town twinned with Ohio, It's North of hants. Now utter the phrase November November 16 times, then play 9 LP's backwards. Wizardry shall prevail 🤣😂🤣😂👍🏻🤭
Hey there thanks for watching and commenting! The wine cooler I use is a Haier model hvd036E. Got it off craigslist 5 years ago for about 150$. It has a white wine setting 38deg f and a red wine setting 45deg f. Depending on what’s going on in the fridge I switch between these two temps. Hope that helps 🙏🙏
it amazes how the first people started making salami. like we all know mold on meat is always a no no, but when making salami obviously it's a yes yes. I understand it has to be the white mold tho, not the black mold. but it's still crazy how the first people figured it out. I'm sure there was deaths a long the way, but that's how the world becomes a better place. lol
😂 indeed salami makes the world a better place!!
Thank you for this video. Your solution to humidity is simple, and the tips on reducing humidity over time erysipelas valuable. I've cured cuts of meats before, but am.only just starting with salami. So this tutorial was incredibly valuable.
Q: What was the recipie for the very dark salami? It looked so good!
Thank you so much! I actually have a video dedicated to the dark night salami in my long format videos. Recipe is in the description 🙏
I ASKED CHADGPT TO GIVE ME A RECIPE OF A 2 WAY PACK BOVEDA DIY FOR MY SIZE WINE COOLER I CANT WAIT TO TRY IT
Hi Matt
Great video. Can you make the longer drying meats in the wine fridge, like prosciutto
Hi! Yes you can cure smaller whole muscles like coppa, bresaola and lomo in the wine fridge , larger pieces like prosciutto I wouldn’t recommend unless you have a large refrigerator , hope that helps !
Hi Matt. One thing I have found help resolve if I get case hardening is to strip off the casing and vac seal in a bag. The moisture in the salami evens out fairly well after a little time. Not perfect, but a lot better.
ah yes great idea! this method has helped me in the past too! thanks for checking it out, happy curing!
Thank you
Of course 🙌🙌
Hi Matt. The wine cooler setup seems very doable. My sister has one she is looking to give me. I think I’ll give it a shot following your instructions. I subscribed! Thank you for posting.
Whoa so cool! Yeah, I’ve helped set up in many wine fridges the same way as the video. You’ll be just fine! And it’s a lot of fun too. Please let me know if you have any questions I’m glad to help! 🙏❤️🥩
Matt the butcher and the chamber of salumi 😂
Eeey that’s a good one! Haven’t heard it before 😅😅
Need you to taste your products so we can see your honest opinion. Thank you
😂 well I can tell you they were incredible!! I’ve made them for years, check salami recipe playlist for recipes 🙏❤️
Great stuff. A couple things I do might help.
1) A humidifier along with inkbird humidistat, total cost about $60-70, it'll cut your fluctuations way down.
2) I loosely wrap an extra layer of cellulose sheeting around the salamis for the first couple weeks to slow dry times, which were topping 17% per week. The cellulose i get from Sausage Maker and its permeable and reusable.
Why do you dry it out so much? A 30% weight loss is sufficient to stop water activity, and it's far less chewy and case hardened, but to each his own...thanks for the info.
Hey Mike, Thanks for watching and commenting!
1.) I’ve definitely thought about it believe or not but I gave it a go without inkbird at first and produced really good stuff for years! If I get a bigger set up I’ll most likely go with an inkbird set up. 👍
2.) very cool never tried this method ! Will definitely give it a go. Thanks
3.) so two reasons I dropped the weight so low was I was traveling with all this salami across country and a person that was going to be enjoying the bounty was seriously immune compromised. Also this is a basic video and set up. I didn’t want someone less experienced copying the semi soft method and not do it right 😅
I’ve brought salami to .90 Aw and 5.3ph a few times and eatin just fine. I actually enjoy a dryer salami personally though…
Anyway thanks for checking in cheers!
@@MatttheButcher LOL! .9aw is dicey, as for ph, I use ph strips, and they won't change color any further down than about 5.5 for some unknown reason (2 guys/cooler had the same issue), but it's a breeze because it gets to 5.5, then the sour smell starts and its time to chill.
Never had a problem, never had sour salami. Just get the sugar right, once they eat it fermentation is over. Know your yeast time and temp parameters. Saves a fortune on ph meter.
Unless you're eating whale blubber in Alaska...per the CDC...
"Foodborne botulism cases were reported from California (n=15) and Alaska (n=4). Among the 15 toxin type A foodborne botulism cases in California, 10 were from an outbreak linked to nacho cheese at a convenience store, two were from an outbreak linked to an herbal deer antler tea, one was from a suspected soup with bulging lid but was not available testing, and two were not linked to a known food source. (1) Among the four toxin type E foodborne botulism cases in Alaska, three were from an outbreak linked to seal blubber with seal oil, and one was linked to dried herring in seal oil (Table 2a). The median age of patients was 42 years (range: 14-85 years); 11 were men. Three deaths were reported."
Hey, I watched your injected chicken vid, you got chops, keep it up.
Hey Mike, can I ask how the humidistat works in a wine fridge set up? Thanks!
@@tomsrodzinski3826 when humidity falls below desired % it clicks on. Humidifier is plugged into it.
WOW if anyone is immune compromised they should NOT be eating this!!!!!@@MatttheButcher
NUMBER ONE QUESTION I GET ON THIS VIDEO IS ANSWERED HERE: The wine cooler I use is a Haier model hvd036E. Got it off craigslist 5 years ago for about 150$. It has a white wine setting 38deg f and a red wine setting 45deg f. Depending on what’s going on in the fridge I switch between these two temps. Hope that helps 🙏🙏
wow mat i have the very same cooler red wine for me i think oh boy i cant wait i will use it tomorrow
good stuff! thank you for taking the time to share
Of course ! Thanks for checking it out 🙌
Seriously so brilliant!! I want to do this like today.
Thank you so much!! hopefully I didn't make it too hard to approach ! :)
Good work Matt, looks delicious!
Thanks so much 🙌
You saved me a ton of time. Cheers
Glad to hear it, thanks! 🙏
Thank you so much for sharing this.
Thanks for taking time and watching , happy curing :)
Thank you I am about to embark on this
It’s a beautiful journey !! Let me know if you have any questions 🙏🙏🙏
@@MatttheButcher I am currently curing some Pancetta for 3 weeks now could take another 3 weeks to get the weight down an using a dry aged bag that maybe didn't seal that goog the first time. but looks Ok.
Thanks you for the information 🤗🤗
Sure thing, got more coming too! thanks for checking it out.
Just came a cross your video tonight. And new to your channel. On dry curing and i much say great video on your curing process. And the salami look great. I do have a quick question what type of wine cooler you are using because it's the first time I've seen it's . And I really like the concept. Like and subscribe
Hey tim! Thanks for checking it out , it’s a Haier model hvd036E .. it’s always good for wine storage too when it’s not drying meat 😏 hope that helps 🙌
Thanks.
🙌🙌
Great video! I just got a 4.4 cubic foot beverage fridge, very similar to your wine fridge. Question, where do to run the fan cord out of the fridge? I was thinking through to opening when the door is open.
Hey thanks so much! It’s so much fun I’m glad you got one and going to try it. Yeah the fan cord just runs between the frame and door seal no problem. 🙏❤️🥩 thanks for watching and commenting
That fridge is pretty small. About 24btl size. Correct? I’m just beginning to research equipment needs. Thanks, I enjoyed your vdo and agree about record keeping.
Yes that’s right! It’s a great unit, I’ve cured meats in smaller and larger set ups. You just need to adjust how much meat you put in there. Start with a 2 lbs batch in any set up if it’s your first go. Email me with any questions or just comment back on this section. Cheers !!
Great video. Do you have a link for the wine fridge?
Hi there, I got this off Craigslist. I’d recommend a second hand fridge if you’re just starting out. Around $150-200 should be fine
I have a question. I was making coppa and the humidity was too high (it fluctuates between 96% to 50%). Unfortunately, the blue mold was developing. I read somewhere that the blue mold was due to the high humidity. Does a fan help to reduce the humidity? Or, do I need to use desiccant to lower the humidity?
i holp my luck will hold up i just picked up a used wine c0oler & its same as yours probably the same brand & by luck i find youre video too im making soujuk its a turkish dry beef sausage im mixing it now tomorrow i will case the sausages then in the fridge with youre help here i holp my luck will hold up all the rest of you people used wine coolers are 50 to 100 on facebook good luck to all
Yes i think you'll do very well with your soujuk ! i love soujuk and make it at my work. all beef with fenugreek lief and seed and Aleppo pepper and a few other spices. i typically ferment it to 5.3 ph at room temp and dry it in the fridge with high humidity until 35-40% weight loss is reached. good luck and thanks for the comment, let me know any other questions!
keep doing videos!
Thank you for the encouragement ! :) I few good one coming down the line ❤️🙏🥩
Time Stamps:
Intro to Curing Meats at home : 0:00
Preparing your Cured Meat Chamber: 0:29
Keeping Organized: 1:00
Fermenting Salami 2:08
Controlling Humidity for Salami 2:46
10 days in drying salami: 3:48
20 days in drying salami: 6:29
30 days in drying salami: 6:42
40 days in drying salami: 8:40
Cleaning and Packaging Salami: 9:10
Outro: 10:10
Learn to make more Salami and Sausage Recipes by watching my playlist: czcams.com/play/PL6e6pk_rNQiZ-d5UQ7EMUs_Ry-lG_2f7w.html
Hi Matt Great Information I do Have a Question I Built and Meat curing Box out of a refrigerator and I have controllers to manage the humidity 80 and temp 50F I started with 3 Pork loins and a pancetta I have a small fan also I seem to have a lot of white with Dark Green Mold growing all over everything that's in the Chamber mor then I would expect I guess is my concern. There are no bad smells, I did take them out washed them with white Vinegar and I am just don't know if there's an issue
Boy any Thoughts would be very much appreciated! Really enjoy your Video's Thanks for all that you do Truly John
Hi John, I’d say try to lower the humidity to 70-75. If you don’t have a hydrometer I’d recommend getting one too. That will help understand the ups and downs of the humidity throughout the day. Make sure you have decent air flow whether it’s consistent during the day or a bit stronger for a few hours at a time. This will help with stagnant air and removing purge coming to the surface of the meat. Let me know if that helps, thanks!
@@MatttheButcher Thanks Matt for taking the time, I will try that Truly John G
I’m just getting my wine fridge to do this to make guanciale. Have any tips? Is it ok to just use water and a fan? I found a hygrometer but your solution seems way cheaper
Yes! Guanciale cures up great like that 🙏
Amazing..
Thank you! :)
I'm thinking of doing the same setup you have but will be doing a small front shoulder leg for prosciutto. Have you tried in your wine cooler before?
Very cool!!! Yes I’ve done pretty much any thing that can fit in this chamber. I’m sure it will work very well for you. Let me know if you have questions, thanks for watching. 🙏🙏🙏
I have a curing chamber that every day kicks the humidity up or 97% and within an hour it then goes back to 72-77 for the other 23 hours of the day. It does it daily on purpose in this ok?
Yeah that’s normal for these units , I wouldn’t worry , just don’t over crowd your salumi and make sure you rotate them from back to front and inside to outside , hope that helps 🙌
Do you think a line voltage thermostat could help with your temperature fluctuation? I have not started yet. Still researching and trying to learn as much as I can before I give it a go. Great videos.
yeah, I'm sure it probably would help a little, although the wine fridge does regulate temp by its self. The bigger issue (which is not that big) is the humidity fluctuation, which can be controlled by an Inkbird humidity controller not very expensive too. I just have never had the humidity get away from me where I cant bring it back. Hope this helps! thanks so much for checking it out and the comment.
HI GREAT CONTENT I READ SOME WHERE THAT I COULD USE BOVEDA PACKS 2WAY I DECIDED TO MAY MY OWN OR BUY AND RECHARGE THEM WHAT DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS MEDTHOD
NEW SUB
Oh very cool! I’ve never tried it out, let me know how the bóveda works 🙏 thanks for checking it out and leaving a comment ❤️
Great vid!!! How do you power the fan? It looked like it had a cord - but you have to close the fridge door???
Great question! It plugged into the wall outlet right next to the cooler. The fan wire went right in between the door seal and the fridge frame no problem. This is a low budget set up and it works well!! Check out my other salami videos I go into more detail, Thanks for watching! ❤️🙏
thanks for sharing
but how can you tell the mold is safe to eat or not? despite you mop them off
Mold is a crazy topic in the cured meat world. I have eatin every kind and color and never got sick. A clean healthy room will produce white and maybe green molds which everyone seems to think is fine to eat. Orange and purple and black is were eyebrows start to raise . If seen , wipe it off and finish drying it. You should be fine. I’ve never heard anyone get sick from salami mold unless they’re allergic. But it’s hard to find black and white information on it.
@@MatttheButcher thank you so much!
In fact in our country we dont have that much of dry aged knowledge,so I can only trying to figure out on youtube, appreciate! subscribed!
@@Damienwu awesome! I’m glad you’re getting into it 🙏
Yo i hope u see this!!! If used for salami with mold culture, is the cabinet fine to use for other meat that doesnt need mold? Can one sterilize the cabinet ?
Hi there, Natural mold will occur without inoculation anyway. It’s in the air naturally. Inoculating the meat will just give a thicker more consistent layer. I wouldn’t stress to hard about the recipes without mold , some may grow but you can wipe off with vinegar and water solution (50/50) hope that helps
Could you also use distilled water in the plastic tubes with salt to also help with any no wanted mold,etc. issues in the water?
You could if you like, tap water typically has antibacterial chemicals in it where distilled doesn’t. I have used both in the Tupperware and both have worked. Hope that helps 🙌
@@MatttheButcher I just ask because distilled water is what is preferred and recommended for cigar humidors to keep mold and what not at bay.
@@CH-ec5onoh I see! I like cigars but never had stored them before, interesting!
I dry cured a lozino and copa. Both weighted about 2lbs. 51 degrees and 73 humidity pretty consistent. They dried in 5 weeks . 35% weight loss. 5 weeks seems fast think something went wrong?
That is pretty quick, what did you wrap the loin meat in?
Collagen sheets.
@@pdc9313 maybe try beef bung next time and lower fan activity
so you put salt in the water how much salt per 1 liter
Hey there great question! I answer this in my newest video on “top 5 questions answered on dry curing meats at home” it’s on my home page, check it out ! 🙏❤️
I'm dry curing guanciale. What is the purpose of the fan? Dry, even out temps? Is it used during the whole curing process?
Hey there thanks for commenting. With any meat being hung there is going to be a certain amount of water purge that gets pushed to the service of the meat. If you don’t have adequate airflow and high humidity it will rot. I turn my fan on for about 4-6 hours a day for the first week to help it remove this water in such a small chamber. Whole muscle cure like guanciale is not to concerning , just open the door and check on it that no slime is forming. If so spray down with vinegar. Hope this helps. Thank you 🙏
Great video! Why you keep the fan on only for 6-10h a day??
Thanks for checking it out!! Great question, the wine cooler has the sudden drop of humidity due to the cold plate in the back a few times a day. This helps keep stagnant humid air away from the salami surface. Between that and 6-10 hours of low air flow from the fan, this seems to dry the salami out real nice. Any more air flow and I've experienced case hardening on the salami and the cold plate tends to freeze up more than usual. Again, its all about learning your environment and hopefully you can pull from my experience. Hope that helps thanks so much!
@@MatttheButcher Thank you for the detailed explanation! I built a dry aging chamber a few years ago and last week I bought a wine fridge that looks very similar to yours to start some salumi projects in which I am now running tests for temps and humidity levels.
From my experience in my dry aging cabinet, the sudden drop of humidity happens during the defrost cycle. Is that what happens in the wine charcuterie chamber as well?
Do you have any timer to turn the fan on/off? At what times do you keep the fan on?
Really appreciate your help!
Cheers.
No problem! Yes this is what happens in the charcuterie cabinet as well. I don’t have a timer it’s all about getting familiar with your own curing program, it takes time to learn. But I usually leave the fan on at night when I’m sleeping and check it in the morning (6-10hrs on) . The initial purge of water with a new batch of salami should keep the humidity up high. Then you’ll need to fool around with water containers to maintain humidity like I showed in the video. I try to go minimally as possibly with all the gadgets because it will increase your personal awareness much quicker. Old school Europeans had no technology and produced incredible Salumi ! Hit me up any time for questions 👍❤️🥩
Is your fan plugged in. I have a rechargeable one with a mister that looks just like yours.
That’s pretty cool! Yes, it plugs in goes right in between the door frame and seal. Hope that helps
Do you have a recipe for basic salami or sausage ?
Indeed I do! Check out my published videos, I have three salami recipes and 1 solid bratwurst recipe 👍👍 hope that helps, let me know if you have any more questions 🥩❤️
I have the same fridge, with cooling panel at the back and it's the worst thing ever.. always gives me a hard case because it sucks the moisture to much and my fan is tinny little thing, only turns on, when fridge turns on, so definitely not a fan issue. Really hard to control mlisture with this fridge
A big thing I recommend is not putting water pans in the beginning. Let the first purge of moisture leave the salami, Maybe about a week. From there add one or two pans at a time. You may have to wipe down the back to rid extra moister. With this chamber and method you definitely have to go through a time or two to get things right and to feel it out. Hope that helps 🙏
Buy humidifier and dehumidifier along with inkbird humidity controller, its fairly easy to set up, and very handy, if humidity drops to low of your preset it will automatically turn it on to your set level, if it overshoot to your set max level it will turn on dehumidifier.
@@Krahamus yeah that’s definitely an option! A lot of people ask if they “need” these things to get started. I typically say no especially if they’re worried about a large investment (more than couple hundred bucks). So much of it is about feel and tuning your senses to the correct environment. Minor fluctuations won’t destroy the product either. But some fridges are more difficult then others and the ink bird addition would help a lot ! Thanks for the comment and checking the video out 👍👍👍
Hello Matt, do you ferment your meat on the first day or so outside the wine cooler? Or do you put the newly Salamis in the chamber immediately. Thank you in advance. Love your page...
Thanks so much for checking out my channel. I ferment outside of the wine fridge, Immediately after stuffing. They will either hang in a brine bag or I will lay them on the counter in a brine bag but both at room temp. Check this video out czcams.com/video/vI98kOQyXVY/video.html to see more details. I hope that helps! Thanks for the comment.
@@MatttheButcher thank you so much sir, I greatly appreciate it.
How much salt to how much water in Your tupperware dishes?
More the better ! Like a cup of salt to a quart of water will be great
@MatttheButcher thank You!
Greenish or gray mold in the salami (at 9:20). You did not discard those sausages for safety reason? How do you know what the molds are as you did not use food grade accepted Penicilium nalgiavense mold
Hi there! Thanks for watching, I wiped everything down with vinegar solution which typically kills the mold off. The thing is I will use all types of fresh meats from wild to pastured. This in itself brings in different kinds of bacteria’s, yeast and molds. In a Usda facility this is not acceptable, home production there’s more leeway. But ive been following Francois Vecchio and others alike who constantly will say “don’t be scared of molds”. You might like to buy his books to get a better explanation. As far as identifying them, I never have. Would be interesting to send a fully bloomed link to a food scientist to get a profile though. Hope that helps 🙏
@@MatttheButcher Thanks for your reply. I use Bactoferm Mold 600 preparation (Penicillium nalgiavense, easily available here in Europe)) to get a white velvet-like growth. Just in case as I cannot differentiate fungi and molds even I have study microbiology. In your case you might a broader flavour profile when having a combination of several microbes.
Keep on as I really appreciate your videos. Best wishes (from Finland)
@@velimattiollilainen thank you for the nice words 🙏🙏I’d love to visit Finland one day! 🇫🇮
Great video! When you you add in the bowls of water, how much salt do you add to the water? ~1tbs per cup, more? less? Also is it normal table salt or curing salt?
Hey Vinny, no I don’t measure the salt. I just add a lot in. High enough salinity to prevent anything from even thinking about growing in there! Hope this helps, thanks for checking it out! 🙏🙏
@@MatttheButcher cool, thanks! that's helpful. Can I use just normal table salt here?
@@vinnyfratto1863 yes table salt is just fine 👍👍
@@MatttheButcher Great, thanks for the answers and the helpful videos! I'm starting my very first salami this weekend and I might just be overthinking these details =)
@@vinnyfratto1863 hey that’s awesome!! Hit me up with any questions if need be @mattthebutcherdmv@gmail.com … good luck! ❤️🥩
Are the Tupperware where bowls with saut in a wine-cooler sufficient for the proper amount of humidity? Thank you much...
yes they are, also the initial purge of water from the salami keep the humidity up high too at the beginning. hope that helps.
@@MatttheButcher thank you so much, that is very helpful...
@@josephsantus881 of course! Hit me up with any questions
when you clean them with the vinegar, don't they smell of him
Nope the final product will not smell or taste sour ! 🙏❤️
@@MatttheButcher when I clean them with the vinegar, how much time should I wait, before I vacuum it
@@Tashyncho-Sapa great question, let it dry a few days before vacuum packing. 🙏
What brand and model wine cooler is that?
Hey there thanks for watching and commenting! 🙏 The wine cooler I use is a Haier model hvd036E. Got it off craigslist 5 years ago for about 150$. It has a white wine setting 38deg f and a red wine setting 50deg f. Depending on what’s going on in the fridge I switch between these two temps. Hope that helps 🙏🙏
Hi Matt what size is your wine cooler? thank you
The model I use is a Haier HVD036E with 4.2 cubic feet. Could hold around 25 wine bottles. It is a great chamber to start curing in! I've set up many of my friends wine chambers just like this and came out great. You can email me with any questions too! Mattthebutcherdmv @gmail.com
AIR SPEED in chamber must be 0,1-0,5 m/s ! This FAN is absolutely crazy crime.
It works great for this set up honestly, directing it at the water pans really slows down the airflow anyway. I also use it only when needed at the beginning, maybe around 4-6hrs a day and less as time goes on. If the humidity is high (85-90%) it’s not going to dry the surface out as much as you’d think. It just helps keep air/purge/humidity moving so a yeast film doesn’t form. Hope that helps 🙌
@@MatttheButcher Yes, but a smaller one that runs longer is better than a large one that runs less often. I have a CPU fan with speed control and it's perfect. Keep up the good work thx.
@@Honzik_S very nice! Can you put type the brand and model of it so we can check it out 🙌
@@MatttheButcher Search on google for some "PC FAN controller" and any classic 120x120mm fan for the PC case.
Not being funny but the glove box trick seems to be a fail.
So the mail system is the only way.
Okay I've think I've got this one figured...
Put it in a box then, close the box.
Then open and close the box 67 times.
Now concentrate, and think of a road that was once lined with cherry trees, the name of the road should appear on the box.
This road is in England in a town twinned with Ohio,
It's North of hants.
Now utter the phrase November November 16 times, then play 9 LP's backwards.
Wizardry shall prevail 🤣😂🤣😂👍🏻🤭
HAHA! oh man this is advanced wizardry, i'm just a freshman still. Ill need some time to get this spell down!
what is the dimensions of ur wine fridge or what model is it?
Hey there thanks for watching and commenting! The wine cooler I use is a Haier model hvd036E. Got it off craigslist 5 years ago for about 150$. It has a white wine setting 38deg f and a red wine setting 45deg f. Depending on what’s going on in the fridge I switch between these two temps. Hope that helps 🙏🙏
@@MatttheButcher thanks so much
OR A TOOTHBRUSH THEN STORE YOUR TOOTHBRUSH IN A ZIPLOCK BAG WITH A LITTLE VINGER AND RUBBERBAND ARROUND THE BAG THATS WHAT IVE DONE
great vid! I sent you a DM on IG. Got a view questions if you got some time. I am in DC. Lived in rockville for a bit too!
Excellent , thanks for watching ❤️🥩