Cured meats

Italy is well known for its preserved meats. Here, we feature the classics and, in a step-by-step guide, show you how easy it is to make your own sausages!

SALAMI PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR (+ SOAKING & REFRIGERATION) MAKES 1.3KG Make sure all your equipment and utensils are sterile and clean during this process.

1.5 metre length natural sausage

casings (25g) (see tips on page 35) 1kg rindless boneless pork shoulder 300g pork back fat

5 cloves garlic, crushed

½ teaspoon cure number 2

(see tips on page 35)

1 tablespoon table salt

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed 1 teaspoon hot paprika

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar ¼ teaspoon starter fermenting culture

(see tips on page 35)

2 tablespoons warm water

1 Rinse salt from casings. Soak casings in cold water for 1 hour, then drain. Soak casings in lukewarm water for another hour.

Run cold water through casings before use to make them easier to thread onto the machine and check for any holes. Drain.

2 Cut pork and fat each into 5mm pieces. Place in a large bowl over ice as you work. Return immediately to fridge once chopped.

3 Sprinkle garlic, cure number 2, salt, sugar and spices over pork mixture. Wearing clean disposable food handling gloves, massage ingredients into meat. Add vinegar. Combine fermenting culture and the warm water, then add to meat mixture; massage together until thoroughly combined. Cover; refrigerate for 45 minutes.

4 Fit sausage-filler attachment onto mincer. Bunch one casing over the nozzle, leaving 5cm at the end. Feed meat mixture into machine, slowly easing off casing as it fills, laying full sausage into a spiral as you go. (If you don’t have a sausage attachment, use a large piping bag fitted with a long 2cm tube. Slowly pipe the mixture into casing, easing off tip as it fills.)

5 Every 20cm, twist casing and secure with kitchen string. Tie off at both ends. Cut the salami free above the knot at each end. Using a sterile small, sharp knife, prick the casings all over.

6 Hang salami over a bowl in the fridge, ensuring that the air can circulate around salami, for 1 month or until dry.

CALABRIAN PORK TERRINE PREP + COOK TIME 5 HOURS (+ REFRIGERATION & COOLING) SERVES 12

This Italian-inspired terrine is perfect for a picnic or a casual lunch accompanied by a bitter green salad and pickles. The terrine will taste even better if it’s brought to room temperature before eating. You’ll need to start this recipe a day ahead. 850g pork mince

300g pork back fat, chopped finely 200g organic chicken livers,

chopped finely

6 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon smoked paprika 2 teaspoons chilli powder

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

3 teaspoons sea salt flakes

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ cup (60ml) port or tawny

fortified wine

½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf

parsley leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh

oregano leaves

22 slices flat pancetta (360g) (see tips) 1 Place pork mince, pork fat, chicken liver, garlic, spices, salt, pepper and port in a large bowl. Wearing clean disposable food handling gloves, mix well with your hands. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate mixture overnight.

2 Preheat oven to 160°C/140°C fan. Remove pork mixture from the fridge, add herbs; mix well to combine.

3 Line an 11.5cm x 21.5cm (base measurement), 2-litre (8-cup) loaf pan with pancetta slices slightly overlapping (and ends hanging over the sides of the pan). Fill with meat mixture, pressing down firmly with the back of a spoon; fold pancetta ends over to cover.

4 Cover loaf pan with foil and place in a deep roasting pan. Fill the pan with enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. 5 Roast for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 140°C/120°C fan; roast for a further 1½ hours or until cooked through (a metal skewer inserted into the centre should come out hot to the touch).

6 Remove pan from the water; discard foil. Cover with baking paper; weight down with food cans (about 2kg) on top. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight until chilled.

7 To serve, invert terrine onto a chopping board and wipe away excess jelly, then slice.