First an Extract for Hansen who are one of the main producers of dry cured salami molds.
Benefits of Using Molds for Salami
- Drying is improved overall
- Case hardening is improved
- Color is more even
- Texture may become more even
- Drying time is shortened
- Direct inoculation may affect aroma and flavor – balancing
Mold 600
Penicillium nalgiovense
If your building a curing chamber, this is the go to mold, and I quite like a coating on my whole muscle cured meat as well.
This is the mold for either starting a curing environment or chamber or you can wipe it on to protect the outside casing of salami.
It’s that classic ‘penicillin’ style that helps prevent excessive drying on the surface of the salami as well.
Some folks including the producers describe the smell as ‘mushroomy’
Dosage 25 g culture for 10 Liters water.
One pouch of freeze-dried culture, mixed into 1 to 2 litres of tap water at approximately 20°C (68°F)
Left for 2 hours at approx. room temperature. Then the mixture is diluted in 10 litres of tap water and is ready for use.
But if you can use your accurate digital scales to make smaller batches, spraying can also mean less application, compared to dunking each salami.
Clean food grade brush can also be used to wipe over each salami.
Eventually I will do some summary of mold culture, for now – these links to mold culture manufacturer has a full reading rundown and guide.
Meat Manual Vol 1 – Chr. Hansen starter cultures
Meat Manual Vol 2 – Chr. Hansen surface cultures
Meat Manual Vol 3 – Dry-cured meat products with Chr. Hansen
starter cultures