Salami ?

[Wingman]

Hello everyone I need some help again. I have a Cabelas Kit to make Beer Salami and it calls for 3# of fresh bacon. No one in my area carries this and I was wondering if I could use slab bacon instead.Thanks

[OU812]

I dont know why you couldnt use slab bacon. I bet the only reason for the bacon is to add some fat to the sausage.

[NePaSmoKer]

Yeah i think OU is right.

And like Popeye says.................SALAMI SALAMI BOLONI  :D  :D  ;D

[OU812]

When grinding the bacon it should be frozen or it will turn into mush when it comes out of the grinder.

[3rensho]

In any context I've seen it used, "fresh bacon" simply refers to pork belly - uncured and not smoked.  That's give you a good fat ratio for a salami.  I've got two salami's made from that curing in my constant humidity cabinet as I type.  Nice white mold growing over them.

[HawkeyeSmokes]

Wouldn't used slab bacon throw of the meat to cure ratio? Seems to me it would as it has cure in it.

[Habanero Smoker]

Wouldn't used slab bacon throw of the meat to cure ratio? Seems to me it would as it has cure in it.

It should not be that much to matter. I once had a chef tell me if you add 1 pound of cured bacon to 4 pounds of meat you don't need to add a cure, but I never tested that. So when I make the hot dogs with the bacon, I also use the proper amount of cure the recipe calls for, because I don't know how much nitrite is still in the bacon that has not converted. I would think the main issue would be the amount of salt. The sausage may come out a little salty.

[HawkeyeSmokes]

Wouldn't used slab bacon throw of the meat to cure ratio? Seems to me it would as it has cure in it.

It should not be that much to matter. I once had a chef tell me if you add 1 pound of cured bacon to 4 pounds of meat you don't need to add a cure, but I never tested that. So when I make the hot dogs with the bacon, I also use the proper amount of cure the recipe calls for, because I don't know how much nitrite is still in the bacon that has not converted. I would think the main issue would be the amount of salt. The sausage may come out a little salty.

Thanks for the answer Hab's. Wasn't sure about that one. One other question, would pork butt work as a substitute for the fresh bacon?

[Tenpoint5]

Pork butt wouldn't be the same. Now Salt Pork or Side Pork is bacon that has not been smoked and I believe hasn't been cured at all.

[Habanero Smoker]

Sometimes terms have different meaning in different regions. In my area fresh bacon, side pork means the same as pork belly; which is uncured. If it calls for fresh bacon, then the salt pork will have the same issue with salt. Also using salted pork can be a pain, because you have to remove the skin, and that can be a pain doing it for 3 pounds. Instead of salted pork you could use natural cured bacon. Natural cured bacon is bacon cured using only salt; no nitrites are used. Most super markets carry sliced natural cured bacon. it usually on the middle self with the most expensive bacons. Again you may have a salt problem, but as 10.5 points out, you don't have to worry about excessive nitrites.


Fat back, with is the same as salted pork, but it is not salted. That will work but that can be as hard to find as fresh bacon, and you will still have the same issue of removing the skin. Maybe pork fat would work, but you may have to ask the meat cutters behind the counter if they have any. Pork fat is the hard fat you find on butts and other muscles.  Our local Shop Rite saves pork fat and freezes it this time of year, because many hunters use it when they make venison sausage.

Take a look at you sausage mix and see if it includes salt. If it does then the label should list the number of servings, the serving size, and the amount of sodium in mg per serving. If you can provide that information along with the total weight of the seasoning, I can give you a close estimate of how much salt is in the seasoning.

[classicrockgriller]

Habs, you are the man!