Pepperonis mushy

[lorneparker1]

What causes this? Sometimes i get batch of pepperonis where the outside casing looks perfect(as well as the inside temp), but the inside is like soft cat food. Even with the great flavour the texture makes it almost not edible.

THe problem is i dont know what i do differently to cause it.

any ideas?

Lorne

[pikeman_95]

how about a sliced picture? It might help.

[lorneparker1]

I cant take a pic and wont be making some fora while. BUt just imagine eating soft cat food. that is the texture.

[pikeman_95]

Did you use meat cure and did you reach a IT of 150-155. Also did you use a binder of one sort of another.

[viper125]

Got the recipe and you smoking program. Sure some one here can help


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[lorneparker1]

lbs very well trimmed venison

•1 lb pork fat or fatty pork trimmings

•3 tablespoons kosher salt

•2 tablespoons paprika

•2 tablespoons sugar

•1 tablespoon fine ground black pepper

•1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

•1 teaspoon crushed anise seed

•1 teaspoon ground cumin seed

•1 teaspoon dried oregano

•1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup non-fat dry milk powder
•1 teaspoon #1 cure (prague powder or Instacure)

•1/4 cup ice water


I stuff them and let them hang over night. Shove them in the bradley at around 120 no smoke for an hour. Damper wide open. add smoke and slowly bring up to 150ish internal temp with damper 1/4 closed. usually around 6-8 hours. let them hang over night. cut em up and eat or vac seal.

Lorne

[NePaSmoKer]

Well there is your mushy problem......you shoved them in your smoker   :o....JK

How many times did you grind the meat?
Pounds of venison to fat for a 5 lb batch?


This is your own recipe (which I'm sure its good) I haven't seen many pepperoni recipes with cumin, oregano, thyme and the absence of fennel? (which would make it mushy)

Normally mushy is from some of the following.

Not enough time (at heat temp) to get the meat to the proper IT
To much culture like ECA, CA, Fermento or a Bactoferm product.

ECA= Encapsulated Citric Acid
CA= Citric Acid (powder)

Try to start at 130* (no smoke) then bump in 10* every 2-3 hours with a final temp of 175* Temps being smoker IT  (how much smoke is up to you)