Rusty Bowers, the owner of Pine Street Market in Avondale Estates, Georgia, gets weekly deliveries of Berkshire pork from rancher Tommy Searcy at Gum Creek Farms. Bowers buys whole pigs which are delivered as primal cuts.
How the sausage gets made —
Rusty Bowers, the owner of Pine Street Market in Avondale Estates, Georgia, gets weekly deliveries of Berkshire pork from rancher Tommy Searcy at Gum Creek Farms. Bowers buys whole pigs which are delivered as primal cuts.
The initial breakdown of the pork involves removing skin, bones and cutting out any large pieces destined to cure whole.
How the sausage gets made —
The initial breakdown of the pork involves removing skin, bones and cutting out any large pieces destined to cure whole.
After the initial breakdown, the meat is separated from the fat.
How the sausage gets made —
After the initial breakdown, the meat is separated from the fat.
For salami, raw meat will have diced fat added back to it. At Pine Street, they chill the fat until it's nearly frozen so it will maintain its integrity through the grinding process. This helps achieve the important "kaleidoscope" look of the final product. Sausage, which is made similarly, doesn't need fat to be chilled because it's texture can be more uniform and the fat can disperse throughout.
How the sausage gets made —
For salami, raw meat will have diced fat added back to it. At Pine Street, they chill the fat until it's nearly frozen so it will maintain its integrity through the grinding process. This helps achieve the important "kaleidoscope" look of the final product. Sausage, which is made similarly, doesn't need fat to be chilled because it's texture can be more uniform and the fat can disperse throughout.
A raw coppa cut from a pork shoulder.
How the sausage gets made —
A raw coppa cut from a pork shoulder.
Salami meat has some of the seasonings and dextrose, a type of sugar, added into the grinder with it. Some seasonings are mixed into the salami meat by hand after the grind. A lactobacillus culture is also added, similar to the culture in yogurt.
How the sausage gets made —
Salami meat has some of the seasonings and dextrose, a type of sugar, added into the grinder with it. Some seasonings are mixed into the salami meat by hand after the grind. A lactobacillus culture is also added, similar to the culture in yogurt.
Salami meat is then stuffed into natural casings. It is pierced to make it a little easier for the meat to "breathe."
How the sausage gets made —
Salami meat is then stuffed into natural casings. It is pierced to make it a little easier for the meat to "breathe."
The salami is tied off with twine.
How the sausage gets made —
The salami is tied off with twine.
The raw salami are then placed in a "greening" or fermenting room. Bowers compares the climate to a rainforest: warm and humid. This is to kickstart the fermentation process. The culture added to the salami will begin to consume the dextrose, which lowers the pH of the salami.
How the sausage gets made —
The raw salami are then placed in a "greening" or fermenting room. Bowers compares the climate to a rainforest: warm and humid. This is to kickstart the fermentation process. The culture added to the salami will begin to consume the dextrose, which lowers the pH of the salami.
Coppa are rubbed with a dry rub and then stored in a container under refrigeration. The meat loses significant moisture so it appears to be marinating in a liquid. After 25 days, it is given a white wine bath and then put in the "cave" to age for six months.
How the sausage gets made —
Coppa are rubbed with a dry rub and then stored in a container under refrigeration. The meat loses significant moisture so it appears to be marinating in a liquid. After 25 days, it is given a white wine bath and then put in the "cave" to age for six months.
Salami will age in the cave for 6 weeks. For curing meat, a "cave" is a room maintained at 55 degrees and 65% humidity. Meats in the cave slowly lose moisture and the salami develops a moldy exterior as a product of the culture. The culture, and the acidity it produces, ensures the salami is free of harmful bacteria.
How the sausage gets made —
Salami will age in the cave for 6 weeks. For curing meat, a "cave" is a room maintained at 55 degrees and 65% humidity. Meats in the cave slowly lose moisture and the salami develops a moldy exterior as a product of the culture. The culture, and the acidity it produces, ensures the salami is free of harmful bacteria.
Coppa will stay in the cave for 6 months. Hams can stay in as long as 18 months.
How the sausage gets made —
Coppa will stay in the cave for 6 months. Hams can stay in as long as 18 months.
Finished salami are tested to make sure they have dropped below the required pH. Bowers says the process of making the salami -- the aging, the culture -- creates a "harmony of flavor. "
How the sausage gets made —
Finished salami are tested to make sure they have dropped below the required pH. Bowers says the process of making the salami -- the aging, the culture -- creates a "harmony of flavor. "