Here's a go at making a five-pound batch of Mortadella. My wife loves this stuff, and so after recently make 10-pound of bologna, she asked me to try my skills at making some traditional mortadella.
For those unfamiliar with this Italian delicacy, mortadella is a firm, emulsified pork & beef product with visible bits of high-grade white pork fat. Often it also contains black peppercorns and pistachios. Good mortadella is slightly spicy (not hot) with a distinct 'good bologna' aroma, and a pleasantly smooth texture. Unlike it's distant cousin, bologna, mortadella is usually very thinly sliced & served as is—no frying. It makes a great sandwich or simply eaten by itself.
First we need to start with some good meat. — 2 to 1, pork to beef ratio. I'm using a fairly-lean beef chuck and pork loin, with a bit of pork shoulder I had :
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/GuitarPix/Stuffer%20Stuff/Mort_meats_lg.jpg)
Very important to this recipe is the addition of pork back fat. Belly fat is considered not ideal due its softness and ease of rendering, so I was able to pick up a thick slab of the back fat from a local carnicería. I cut a half-pound into ¼" cubes.
Ratio of meat to fat for this mortadella is 80-85% lean/15-20% fat—so in fact the end result will actually be much leaner than the vast majority of store-bought lunchmeats. Traditionally, mortadella is 70/30 lean to fat; so I've trimmed the fat down just a bit.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/GuitarPix/Stuffer%20Stuff/Mort_backfat_lg.jpg)
Here are the list of ingredients I'll be adding to the ground meat. Although this product is not smoked, the cure adds the traditional color & texture to the final results. The whole peppercorns and whole pistachios (locally-grown!) will be added, along with the fat cubes, prior to stuffing.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/GuitarPix/Stuffer%20Stuff/Mort_ingredients_lg.jpg)
Grind Number One: 4.5mm medium grind to start. I'll next add the majority of spices:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/GuitarPix/Stuffer%20Stuff/Mort_1stGrind_lg.jpg)
MIX: Using my Kirby Bucket mixer; meat in and spices added...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/GuitarPix/Stuffer%20Stuff/Mort_preMix_lg.jpg)
Less than a minute later, the meat is well-mixed and ready for a second grind:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/GuitarPix/Stuffer%20Stuff/Mort_postMix_lg.jpg)
2nn GRIND: Using a 3.0mm plate for a fine grind.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/GuitarPix/Stuffer%20Stuff/Mort_2ndGrind_lg.jpg)
Final mix: Adding the last 'whole' ingredients to the meat paste- the whole peppercorns, the pistachios, and the fat. I'll mix this in and let it rest overnight.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/GuitarPix/Stuffer%20Stuff/Mort_fatNNutz_lg.jpg)
Going to do some stuffing next.
More to come....
Kevin
Looks great so far. I love that stuff too. The monsters imported here take two good sized men to carry into the deli.
Heck Yeah!
Looking good Kev!
Nice day outside today so I brought the Kirby cannon outside to make quick work on this single chub.
Meat-cannon loaded & ready to go:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/GuitarPix/Stuffer%20Stuff/Mort_cannonPack_lg.jpg)
Using the largest feed tube (41mm). This particular Kirby cannon will hold about 12 pounds packed, so its only about half-full.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/GuitarPix/Stuffer%20Stuff/Mort_cannon_lg.jpg)
Minutes later, the chub is done.
The "Mini Mort"... ;)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/GuitarPix/Stuffer%20Stuff/Mort_miniMort_lg.jpg)
Next step is to get water up to 165 degrees and add the mini mort.
I expect this slow-poach will probably take a good 3 hours to reach the desired IT of 155 degrees.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/GuitarPix/Stuffer%20Stuff/Mort_poach_lg.jpg)
Once it reaches the IT, next is a quick ice-bath. The chub will then rest for a day or so in the fridge before being sliced.
More to come....
Kevin
Thats nice.
Its like a chubby mort ;D
Kevin
I knew this was going to get good. That chubby looks very interesting. Looking forward to the sliced shots.
Kirby
All I have to say is wow! I look forward to the sliced photos. No smoking though? Sorry, ignorant to what you are making here but it looks awesome.
Kirby, I hope to do some slicing sometime tomorrow. :)
Bears Fan — no smoking on this particular meat product. Just poached the chub until desired temp is reached.
Kevin
I can't wait to see the Money shot and that Chubby Mort all sliced up for sammies!
Looking good Kevin!
Looking very good. Can't wait to see some sliced.
Hog Dang! That looks so good.
Wow... I can't wait to see the end result of this! Somehow I've only recently discovered how amazing Mortadella is! I was always put off by the big chunks of fat in it. But I had some paper thin slices from a local deli last year and fell in love with the stuff. Would love to try making my own!
After resting overnight, the mini mort is ready to be sliced...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/GuitarPix/Stuffer%20Stuff/Mort_finished_lg.jpg)
Upon slicing it, I was pleasantly surprised to find a good distribution of all the whole ingredients in the chub. The flavor and texture were great. Thinly sliced, it has a nice somewhat mild flavor with a kick of heat from the peppercorn. Nice crunch from the pistachios, too. My wife said it was quite delicious, and since she's the 'mortadella connoisseur' around here, I'll take that as a success!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/GuitarPix/Stuffer%20Stuff/Mort_sliced_lg.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/GuitarPix/Stuffer%20Stuff/Mort_sliced2_lg.jpg)
Got a portion put in ziploc bags for the fridge, and the rest I'll keep in foodsaver bags that'll keep for quite some time.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/GuitarPix/Stuffer%20Stuff/Mort_packed_lg.jpg)
Best eaten freshly sliced with some olives, cheese & crusty bread! Good stuff!
- Kevin
Wow Kevin.....that really looks good.
Nice job again Kevin! Your photos are always great too!
I just tried to take a bite of my screen. Nice job.
Thud! that was my jaw hitting the floor!
Kevin, Looks pretty darn tasty!
Niiiiiice!
Wow Kevin!
Nice job!
Man... I always look forward to reading your "well" documented projects and excellent pictures!
Awesome! 8)
Mike
Kevin
Again you knock it out of the park. That sausage looks very interesting. I would love to taste something like that. If retirement ever happens I should find some time to do some of these fun projects. I got your box ready last night but guess what? It was a holiday so it won't go our until tomorrow.
Kirby
Kirby, here's the recipe if you get a hankerin' to try making it sometime.
This recipe makes approx. 5 pounds.
PLEASE NOTE: ***Cure amount is on the low side in this recipe. Cure is added for texture and color ONLY.
This sausage is meant to be cooked thoroughly at a higher temp (165°), NOT smoked.
If one wishes to smoke it, the cure amount needs to be adjusted per meat weight in the proper proportion (1 level teaspoon of cure should be used for every 5 lbs. of meat)
Mortadella
INGREDIENT METRIC U.S.
Pork Butt/Shoulder 1150g 2.5 lbs
Beef 525g 1.25 lbs
Pork Fat 225g 0.5 lbs
Non-Fat Dry Milk 60g 2 Tbls
Corn Syrup solids 47g 2 Tbls
Coriander; ground 5.0g 2.0 tsp
Mace; ground 1.5g 0.5 tsp
White Pepper; ground 4.5g 1.5 tsp
Garlic powder 5.0g 2.0 tsp
Paprika 2.0g 1.0 tsp
Kosher Salt 35g ----
Allspice 1.0g ---
Cure#1 1.8g .25 tsp
Black pepper; whole 4.0g 1.0 tsp
Pistachio Nuts 60g 1/2 cup
• Cut well-chilled pork fat into 1/4" dice.
Chill & set aside for later.
• Grind chilled meat through medium plate.
• Add salt & cure, mix well then refrigerate for several hours to allow meat to cure.
• Add remainder of spices (except whole peppercorns) to meat & blend thoroughly.
• Regrind through smaller plate (3.0mm); adding 1/2 cup of ice water if necessary
• Add in cubed fat, peppercorns and pistachios; mixing well to disperse ingredients
in the meat paste.
• Stuff into fibrous casing.
• Poach in 165° water until IT of 155° is reached.
• Ice-bath to cool down.
Chill very well before slicing thin. Serve.
- Kevin
Im going to make this next week. You think I could use olives instead of pistachios
Quote from: drunknimortal on January 19, 2012, 06:20:58 PM
Im going to make this next week. You think I could use olives instead of pistachios
Absolutely.
In fact olives are pretty common in some morts.
-Kevin
***See my
NEW note in the recipe regarding cure amount & food safety:
Cure amount is on the low side in this recipe. Cure is added for texture and color ONLY.
This sausage is meant to be cooked thoroughly at a higher temp (165°), NOT smoked.
If one wishes to smoke it, the cure amount needs to be adjusted per meat weight in the proper proportion (1 level teaspoon of cure should be used for every 5 lbs. of meat)
Kevin,
I can only dream of that quality; the presentation, the pictures, and the product are absolutely wonderful. Outstanding job!! Thanks for the recipe and all the hard work.
One more to add to the list.
What size an type casing did you use? I ordered 2 different ones, a synthetic 124mm fibrous an one 120mm high barrier casing. Also what type of olive would you use? I have a couple of Italian friends I want to give some to, hope it comes out looking as good as your.
Quote from: drunknimortal on January 20, 2012, 06:23:47 PM
What size an type casing did you use? I ordered 2 different ones, a synthetic 124mm fibrous an one 120mm high barrier casing. Also what type of olive would you use? I have a couple of Italian friends I want to give some to, hope it comes out looking as good as your.
I'd use the 120mm fibrous. I'd find a nice green olive that you enjoy. part of the fun is trying a variety until you find one that everyone likes. No rules against using more than one type. Now if you want to use 'stuffed' olives, that might be interesting. I just had a flashback from my youth of eating olive loaf with pimento-stuffed olives! ;)
Kevin, I really appreciate that you lay it all out so well! Thanks! I might try this, I have some 3" fibrous casings, that would be about 75 mm.
How do you maintain the water temp for the poach?
Quote from: anderson5420 on January 22, 2012, 07:29:45 AM
How do you maintain the water temp for the poach?
I heat the water to temp (165°) and use one of the dual probes from my maverick to monitor the poacher's water temp. The other probe goes into the chub.
My poacher keeps the temp pretty constant (almost 'set & forget') despite being 60+years old, so once it gets to temp, very little adjustment is needed. I wish my smoker required this little attention. ;)
- Kevin
Kevin
Thanks so much for sharing the recipe it is definitely going on my to do list. You are doing such a great job on your sausage and your presentation. I bet your boys have enjoyed your work so much. They will never forget these times. I still think about the times that my dad and I made sausage.
Kirby