Make your own pepper salami – Delicious cured sausage with a twist
- Type
- Cured sausage
- Level
- Medium
- Rating
- Rate this recipe
In this post, I’ll show you how to make your own pepper salami. It takes some time to prepare, but it’s definitely worth it!
Making salami can be a real challenge, especially for beginners, as certain conditions such as temperature and humidity are required for optimum maturing.
The best way to mature sausage is, of course, in a special maturing cabinet. However, there are also alternative methods that work without this – I will go into this in more detail in this article.
If you are new to the world of salami making, I definitely recommend my detailed article on making salami yourself. There you will find all the important information to help you get started.
Now it’s time to get started..
Here you can find the complete pepper salami recipe as a video or to read through.
Have fun and good luck making it!
Table of Contents
Pepper salami – What do you need to make it?
The perfect ingredients and a little patience are all you need to prepare this tasty treat in no time at all.
Ingredients per 1 kg
| Ingredient | Grams | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Version 1: beef and pork | ||
| pork | 400 g | 40 % |
| lean beef | 300 g | 30 % |
| pork back fat | 300 g | 30 % |
| Version 2: pork only | ||
| lean pork | 700 g | 70 % |
| pork back fat | 300 g | 30 % |
Spices per 1 kg
| Ingredient | Grams |
|---|---|
| salt | 27.5 g |
| black pepper | 4.5 g |
| sugar mixture (50 % dextrose / 50 % sugar) | 3 g |
| Cure #1 | 2.5 g |
| white pepper | 2.5 g |
The equipment to make pepper salami
A meat grinder cuts the meat into small pieces so it can be mixed with the seasoning. Cut the meat into pieces that fit the feed tube before grinding.
Sausage stuffer, grinder attachment or funnel
Use a sausage stuffer to fill the mixture into its casing. A stuffing attachment for your meat grinder or a hand funnel also works when you are starting out.
Place to dry and mature the sausage
To age this raw sausage, you need an environment where both humidity and temperature are relatively constant. There are several possibilities for this. I have already matured cured sausages in the fridge or cellar without any problems.
Optional: If you want to be on the safe side, then a ripening cabinet is the best choice. My recommendation: Dry Ager DX 500
Smokable fibrous casings
For maturing raw-cured sausages, I recommend smokable fibrous casings, caliber 55/25. They support the drying and maturation process.
For readers in the EU: you can buy these casings in my German shop. Smokable fibrous casings, caliber 55/25, 5 pieces.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Cut the meat for grinding
Cut the beef / pork and the pork loin fat into mincer-sized pieces. You can adjust the size depending on how big your grinder is.
Partially freeze the meat
Place the pieces of meat in the freezer for 1-2 hours to freeze. This will help you later when mincing and ensure that the mixture does not get too warm.
Grind the meat
Now you can grind the meat. Depending on how coarse or fine you want your pepper salami, you can use different perforated disks. To be honest, this is completely a matter of taste. I use the medium perforated disk (5 mm) for the pepper salami.
Season and knead thoroughly
Add the spices to the mixture and knead it thoroughly until it reaches a uniform, sticky consistency. This step is important to get a good binding of the sausage meat. You can also do the mixing with a hand mixer. But really make sure that the sausage meat gets a good binding (approx. 3-4 minutes).
Fill the casings
Fill your sausage meat into casings. Whether you use natural or artificial casings is up to you. It is important that the casing is suitable for cured sausages. Make sure that there are no air pockets. If there are, you can pierce them with a needle.
Develop the cured color at high humidity
Hang the salami to redden for 24-48 hours at high humidity (> 90%) and temperature (20-25 degrees Celsius, 68–77 °F). You can spray the pepper salami with water from time to time to keep the humidity as high as possible.
Leave to mature
You can then hang them up in any cool place. The humidity should be around 75 % and the temperature no higher than 15 C° (59.0°F). If you don’t have a ripening cabinet, you can also hang them in the cellar in many cases if the parameters are reasonably suitable. I did this for a long time.
Enjoy your finished pepper salami
After the maturing time, your pepper salami is ready. This varies greatly depending on the caliber you use and your environmental conditions. Important: The maturing process takes time. Be patient until you reach your desired degree of hardness. Have fun making your own!😄
Frequently asked questions
How long does pepper salami keep?
How long does pepper salami keep?
It keeps for several months, longest vacuum-packed in the fridge. Without vacuum packing, it keeps losing moisture and eventually dries out completely. Once cut, use within 2–3 weeks or cover the cut surface with cling film.
Which meat works best?
Which meat works best?
Lean pork, such as shoulder, and pork back fat at a 70:30 ratio work well. Beef gives a stronger flavor. Keep roughly 70 % lean meat and 30 % fat so the salami isn’t too dry or too fatty.
Which pepper should I use?
Which pepper should I use?
Coarsely cracked black pepper gives a strong flavor and looks good in the slices. You can also experiment with white, green or smoked pepper.
Do I need a curing chamber?
Do I need a curing chamber?
A chamber is ideal because it controls temperature and humidity. A cool, well-ventilated cellar can also work. Aim for 12–15 °C (54–59 °F) and about 75 % humidity, kept as stable as possible.
How long does it mature?
How long does it mature?
About 3–6 weeks, depending on caliber and conditions. Thin sausages mature faster. Longer maturation intensifies the flavor; I recommend at least 4 weeks.
How do I know it has matured properly?
How do I know it has matured properly?
It should feel evenly firm, not rock hard, and give only slightly under gentle finger pressure. Unpleasant smells or slimy patches indicate a problem. A little white noble mold on the surface is normal and even desirable.
Can I make a spicier version?
Can I make a spicier version?
Yes. Try chili flakes, hot paprika, mustard seeds or a mix of peppers. Keep the basic recipe and replace part of the pepper with your chosen seasoning.
