Make Pepperoni Sausages at home


Ingredients

55 %  lean pork
25 %  lean beef
20 %  pork back fat
2.30 %  kosher salt
0.25 %  insta cure #1
0.60 %  dextrose
0.20 %  table sugar
0.30 %  black pepper
0.10 %  white pepper
0.80 %  smoked paprika
0.30 %  fennel seed crushed
0.20 %  anise seed crushed
0.20 %  cayenne pepper powder

Method

  • Clean, rinse, and rehydrate your casings
  • Clean your meat of any silver skin, sinew, arteries and cut into small cubes.  Place the meat and fat in the freezer for an hour
  • Grind chilled pork, fat, and beef through 4.5mm plate.
  • Mix all ingredients with cold meat till very tacky
  • Stuff firmly into 40mm-43mm beef rounds
  • Ferment at 26C (80F) for 18 hours, 90-85% humidity till pH reads 4.6 - 4.8 (the lower it goes the tangier your pepperoni will taste).
  • OPTIONAL: After fermentation lightly cold smoke the pepperoni for 2 hours
  • Place pepperoni in a drying chamber set to 12C - 13C (55F) and 80% humidity. Dry for 4-10 days. (You are looking for a 20% weight loss)
  • Once dried slowly cook your pepperoni till the internal temp reaches 57C - 63C (135-145F).  you can either do this by smoking or sous vide. For sous vide Cook at 60C (140F) for 2 hours