Simple pepperoni

[Flomaster]

Ricand, where are you photos?

-=jason=-

 

[Ricand]

Grabbed my deli slicer and here's the pic. I'm making a nice sandwich for lunch. Notice the newbie mistake of not compacting the meat enough, leaving a small hole in the middle. Using whole mustard seed didn't seem to hurt the flavor or texture. The only negative comments from anyone have been on the color. Everyone loves the taste.

 

[JohnTheBrewist]

My pepperoni came out delicious. It's nice to know with 95% lean meat and what fat rendered out during the cooking, it's a low fat treat. Thanks for the recipe. My only complaint would be the color. It definitely came out too brown. I bought this INSTACURE #1. Will using it make the pepperoni color more like store bought?

Yes. The curing salt will give it the appropriate color, change the texture slightly, and change flavor slightly. Be sure to use the correct amount of cure for the recipe, and reduce the other salt accordingly.

Moose

 

[Ricand]

Yes. The curing salt will give it the appropriate color, change the texture slightly, and change flavor slightly. Be sure to use the correct amount of cure for the recipe, and reduce the other salt accordingly.

Moose

Thanks Moose, I need to make it again and was hoping it was the right stuff. I did a brunoise of this pepperoni and added it to soft scrambled eggs for breakfast. It was absolutely wonderful. I stepped heavy on the red pepper, so it had a great complimentary bite.

 

[blizzard]

I have a batch of this in the oven right now. It's smells so good the cat is freaking out and wants to be fed.

 

[bierhaus15]

I'll definitely have to try making this! And I don't mind if the pepperoni isn't an unnatural shade of red.

Unrelated, this is a pretty interesting read on the use of nitrates in charcuterie.

http://mattikaarts.com/blog/charcuterie/nitrates-and-nitrites/

 

[ChshreCat]

My grandmother makes something almost exactly like this! More of a smoked sausage and less of a pepperoni. I LOVE the stuff. She used to hand it out as xmas gifts and it was something I looked forward to every year. Been a couple years since she's been able to make it though. I might have to start doing it myself.

 

[humann_brewing]

cooking some of this up while I have some pork shoulder on this weekend. I'll be starting the smoker before bedtime Saturday night.

Is the rotate not necessary if you are using indirect heat on a smoker? Just don't want to have to get up every few hours.

 

[cuinrearview]

Just mixed up two pounds of this and threw it in the fridge. Two substitutions were:

Venison instead of beef
1t ground cayenne for the red pepper. Woulda done more but gotta sell the family on it first.

Will report back on Sat. or Sun.

As an aside, I'd promised SWMBO I'd chill on the brewing so the meat forum has been a nice diversion. Brought back the ECB that I talked my Dad out of last night. Should be easy to talk her into a grinder and stuffer since I'm not brewing:rockin:. Only thing left to decide is if I'd rather build a cure room in our detached garage or a grow room for the MMMP:cross:. I dont' use but damn it's like Amway all over again up here.

 

[bob1852]

Made this last week for a completely homemade pizza (dough, sauce, pepperoni, and cheese). Came out great.

Thanks for the recipe Mike!

 

[chefmike]

I am glad you all are enjoying it.

Humann- I am sure you figured out it does not need to be rotated. It is very forgiving.

 

[viking73]

Just make this this weekend. Came out really dry and flaky. I'll try 80% ground pork next time.

 

[chefmike]

I have never tried it with pork... I bet it will be tasty

 

[mpruett]

Wouldn't some Fermento in the mix give it that characteristic tangy taste?

 

[Yooper]

This makes a very nice pepperoni for cooking or cracker plates. Very lean when finished.

Ingredients:

2 pounds lean ground beef (85% lean or leaner)
2 teaspoons liquid smoke flavoring (omit if smoking)
2 teaspoons ground black pepper (or whole crushed lightly)
2 teaspoons mustard seed (crushed slightly, sorry Ricand!)
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 heaping teaspoons kosher salt

The above seasonings can be varied in many ways. Chipolte powder is a great addition. Smoked paprika can also be used. Excellent in the oven or smoked.


Instructions:

1. Combine seasonings and meat and mix thoroughly, using hands. Form meat into two or more logs or rolls. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24-72 hours.

2. Place a rack (or pan/sheet with drainage) on a cookie sheet and put the logs onto rack. Bake at 200 degrees for 8 hours, rotating logs every 2 hours. Or smoke for some or all of this time. Often I cook in convection ovens at 250 degrees for 5 hours.

3. Wipe off excess grease and allow meat to cool. Chill and then slice thinly. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage. I found one frozen for 9 months. Thawed and ate.

Adapted from this recipe over time.

I just ground up some venison, and I'm looking for sausage recipes that don't use nitrates, or curing. I'm going to make this next week, as soon as I buy some mustard seed. Thanks for the recipe!

 

[skirunnr]

Has anyone done this with ground turkey? I have some "picky eaters" for Thanksgiving and am trying to avoid beef.

 

[dataz722]

Has anyone done this with ground turkey? I have some "picky eaters" for Thanksgiving and am trying to avoid beef.

I would think you would need to get some sort of other fat in there and even then don't know how it would turn out.

 

[Clann]

Very neat. I'll have to try this.

 

[skirunnr]

I would think you would need to get some sort of other fat in there and even then don't know how it would turn out.

I thought that might be the case..... but then again, if it works for 93% lean beef, it might be worth a shot. Maybe, I'll give it a try - go big or go home, right?? (or this case, I guess it'd be go whimpy or go out with a bang?? maybe the brew will compensate)

 

[chefmike]

Post back how it works with Turkey. I have not tried that. Interesting though. I think it would be very crumbly when cooked.

I am making a bunch of this at the inlaws request. I think I am going to use some of it to roll a fatty with mozz, prov, green pepper, onion and garlic.

 

[toolboxdiver]

when I make my Venison Sausage and Kielbasa I go 70% Venison 30% Pork butts and they turn out great. I tried the 100% venison sausage one year and it was too lean and dry, and the 50/50 is too much pork in my opinion

 

[nukinfuts29]

Used this with venison last week, it was really good

 

[skirunnr]

Sorry, forgot to report back about the turkey.... it came OK. It was definitely drier, but I kind of liked that. However, I think the taste wasn't quite there - it wasn't bad, just not quite my expectations. Others said it was great and spot on. I'll make it again, exactly as I did this time..... only no expectations in the future.

FYI - I used 100% ground turkey thighs, no white meat.

 

[toolboxdiver]

I made this and it was really good on Pizza, cold it tasted like a pepperoni flavored meatloaf but it was good. Thanks for the recipe

 

[siobhan]

I have a batch in the refrigerator now. It smells amazing, even before cooking.

 

[bknifefight]

I just made some. I have a convection oven and OP says it works well at 250* for 5 hours. Unfortionately when on convection, the lowest my oven will go is 300*. I decided that 4 hours at 300* would probably come out about the same. After two hours, I went to turn them and cut into one. They were already completely done so I took them out. Is there any advantage to the longer cooking even if they are done?

 

[drez77]

If you were to use something like Prague Powder #1, how much of it would you use? I need to get that for a Canadian bacon recipe I am doing and would rather not have to buy a bag of the Morton's if I can help it.

 

[chefmike]

If you were to use something like Prague Powder #1, how much of it would you use? I need to get that for a Canadian bacon recipe I am doing and would rather not have to buy a bag of the Morton's if I can help it.

I have never used it. a quick search showed me this:

n a recipe with no extra salt that has the effect of replacing
the prague #1 (nitrite content: 6.25%) with TQ (nitrite content:
0.5%), which is a reduction of the sodium nitrite of over 90%.
Using that method, the original recipe would have to have a
huge amount of added salt in order for the nitrite level to
be anything close to the original.

Some recipes can be safely modified this way, others can't. It
depends on how much the nitrite is intended as a preservative.

Better to calculate the amount(s) required to substitute so
you end up with the same level of salt and nitrite. Safer,
certainly, plus the recipe will taste the same.

TQ:
0.5% sodium nitrite
0.5% sodium nitrate

Prague #1:
6.25% sodium nitrite
93.75% salt

Prague #2:
5.67% sodium nitrite
3.63% sodium nitrate
90.70% salt

the recipe was originally done with TQ, but I never stock it. I would not do a straight sub as you end up very high on the nitrites. just my $0.02. I do not play with nitrites much.

 

[chefmike]

I just made some. I have a convection oven and OP says it works well at 250* for 5 hours. Unfortionately when on convection, the lowest my oven will go is 300*. I decided that 4 hours at 300* would probably come out about the same. After two hours, I went to turn them and cut into one. They were already completely done so I took them out. Is there any advantage to the longer cooking even if they are done?

longer cooking = less moisture
faster cooking changes texture.
convection is not necessary with this recipe.
but I bet it was still good. really does not matter.

 

[viking73]

I do mine overnight (8 hrs) at 200. Comes out real nice, with excellent texture.