How much wine should I use to properly acidify salami?

The microbiological stability of salami is achieved mainly when a low pH level is reached, below 5.3. Other factors are also crucial, such as reducing the moisture content, with water activity below 0.92. However, in this post we will only deal with pH.

What are the problems with incorrect acidification in salami?

A pH that is too high will leave the salami unprotected and more susceptible to contamination, as most microorganisms prefer less acidic environments. A salami with a pH that is too low will result in a salami with an incorrect texture, grainy, with loss of consistency and a very acidic taste. It is crucial to get the acidification right to obtain a good salami.

Salami fermentation

Fermentation is a very important step in the correct processing of salami, as it produces lactic acid and consequently reduces the product's pH. The use of bacterial starter cultures is crucial for correct fermentation, preventing the proliferation of microorganisms in the environment. The added cultures carry a large amount of beneficial bacteria that, through competition, dominate the environment. Therefore, if you are going to ferment salami, it is always best to use a starter culture.

Is it possible to make salami without fermenting?

Yes, but to do this you need to force a reduction in the pH of the salami using some type of acidulant, such as wine.

Use of wine as an acidulant

Many people prefer to skip the fermentation stage and use wine as an acidulant, reaching the pH without having to ferment. A common mistake is not using a starter culture and still fermenting the salami. This is a serious mistake that causes unknown microbiology from the environment to proliferate uncontrollably in the meat. The correct thing to do is to ferment only when a starter culture is added. If you are not going to use a starter culture, you must skip the fermentation stage. But if you skip fermentation, how do you know if the pH will be correct? The ideal is to use a pH meter, but not everyone has this equipment available.

How much wine should I use in salami to achieve the correct pH?

With this in mind, we carried out a test measuring the pH of ground pork to determine the necessary quantities. We carried out the measurement with 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% of wine.

Watch the video to see the full test.

pH meter used: https://bit.ly/medidordeph

Considering the reduction of -0.08 resulting from the difference between the calibration and the test with the pH 4.00 solution, which resulted in 4.08, a salami without fermentation using 10% of wine seems like an acceptable pH, but it is safer to add a little more.