Pepperoni

Photo: flickr user callme_crochet

Ingredients

22 pounds lean meat

3 pounds pork fat

1 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons salt

cup + 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon dextrose, (glucose)

2 cups tbl Cure dissolved in 1 water

3/4 cup ground red pepper

3/4 cup ground allspice

1 tablespoon garlic powder

5 tablespoons fennel seed

Preparation

Grind meat and fat through a 1/2-inch plate. Mix meat, fat, and all seasonings. Grind through a 1/8-inch plate and mix 6 minutes. Stuff in hog casings and place in 90 degrees Fahrenheit smokehouse until pH 5 is reached. Store at 50 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 days to produce a dry product, or heat to 142 degrees Fahrenheit after pH 5 is reached to produce a semi-dry product.

NOTE: It is best to use a starter culture with all fermented sausage. If starter cultures are not available let product stand in a 6-inch deep tray at 38 degrees Fahrenheit for 72 hours before it is stuffed or add 8 oz. of GDL per 100 lb. of product and heat to 142 degrees Fahrenheit internally without incubation.