We are often surprised by the amount of misinformation that abounds regarding salami and salumi or cured meats. This is simply because there is little tradition of curing meats in England - our climate has never dictated it.
One question we are often asked is how long do salamis keep?. Some people make the natural assumption that all meat products have a limited shelf life and are always surprised when we reply in terms of months rather than days or weeks.
Minced or whole pieces of meat have the ability to age without going off if they are treated with salt then air or smoke cured. Salt is not in itself a preservative but a purifying agent which causes the meat to expel the liquid in which harmful microbes could develop. This is why, if aged correctly, a salami will loose at least 35%, and in some cases up to 50%, of its original weight and will keep almost indefinitely.
We are also asked where to keep salami and salumi. The fridge is not ideal as it can lead to excessive mould developing on the rind if the temperature is too low. They should be stored somewhere cool and dry as humid air can also lead to this ammuffimento or mould, and have enough ventilation around them.
If, however, the skin does develop colonies of green-grey or white mould this does not indicate that the meat is bad. Just wipe it off with a dry cloth to ensure that it doesn’t penetrate inside.
The inner meat should be a deep pinky red and the fat a clean white. If you see the fat turning yellow this may mean that the meat is going rancid. It could be that some air has got in through the casing during ageing. This happens very occasionally, mainly in our organic salamis where no preservatives are used. Don’t throw the whole thing out - try discarding the affected part. The rest should be fine.
And finally, do enjoy these meats, they are 100% natural, very good for you (during ageing most of the fat becomes unsaturated), and delicious. So no more bags of crisps, peanuts and biscuits: I make sure I always have a packet of salami in my pocket. That way life looks rosy.
Go to our cured meats section |
