{"product_id":"dry-cured-soppressata-starter-kit","title":"Dry Cured Soppressata Starter Kit","description":"\u003cp\u003eSoppressata is southern Italy's great dry cured sausage — coarse-ground, generous with crushed red pepper and chili, pressed flat in the old style and hung until it slices like velvet. It is also the kind of project that stalls at the shopping list, because nothing about curing is obvious until you've done it once. Which cure, which culture, where the white bloom comes from. This kit settles all of it in one box.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAdd pork and a place to hang it. Eight to ten weeks later you cut into something you made.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat You'll Need Besides the Kit\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDry curing is the one kind of sausage making you can't do on a countertop, and we'd rather say so now than have you discover it in week four. You need a space you can hold at roughly \u003cstrong\u003e55°F and 70–80% humidity\u003c\/strong\u003e for the whole aging period — a curing chamber, or a spare refrigerator fitted with a temperature controller and a humidifier. A kitchen fridge is far too dry. A basement works only if it happens to stay in that range year round.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYou'll also want a scale accurate to a tenth of a gram for the cure, and a way to record each chub's starting weight. Soppressata is finished when it has lost about 30% of that weight, and weight is the only reliable way to know. Browse our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sausagemaker.com\/collections\/curing-ingredients\"\u003ecuring ingredients and supplies\u003c\/a\u003e if you're setting up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat's in the Kit\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoppressata Seasoning, 3 lbs.\u003c\/strong\u003e — crushed red pepper, Italian chili, fennel and aromatic herbs over a salt and dextrose base, built for the robust southern Italian profile rather than a mild deli salami. Blended in Buffalo without silicon dioxide, so if it cakes in the bag it hasn't spoiled — crush it loose and carry on. Seasons approximately 50 lbs. at 9 1\/2 oz. per 10 lbs., so there's plenty left for the batches after this one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInsta Cure #2, 1 lb.\u003c\/strong\u003e — the cure for anything that air-dries rather than cooks. Unlike Insta Cure #1, it carries sodium nitrate alongside the nitrite, converting slowly across weeks so the meat stays protected through a long hang. \u003cstrong\u003eUsing #1 here would leave the soppressata unprotected partway through drying.\u003c\/strong\u003e It is the single most important item in the box.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBactoferm T-SPX\u003c\/strong\u003e — the fermentation culture, and the reason this tastes like soppressata rather than summer sausage. \u003cem\u003ePediococcus pentosaceus\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eStaphylococcus xylosus\u003c\/em\u003e drive a deliberately mild, slow acidification between 64 and 75°F. That restraint is the point: it builds colour and a classic cured aroma without the sharp tang a faster culture produces. It's the culture used for traditional Mediterranean sausage — French saucisson, Italian salami, and this.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBactoferm Mold-600\u003c\/strong\u003e — \u003cem\u003ePenicillium nalgiovense\u003c\/em\u003e, the white bloom on the outside of a properly aged chub. It isn't decoration: the mold layer regulates how fast moisture leaves the casing, contributes a mushroomy aroma, and crowds out the wild molds and yeasts that would otherwise take hold. Grows dense, short and even.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDeer Head Print Collagen Casings, 65mm — 10 per pack\u003c\/strong\u003e — 2 1\/2\" across and 18\" long, holding about 2.5 lbs. each, so the pack covers roughly 25 lbs. Non-edible collagen middles made from processed beef hide; peel before eating. 65mm is the size we'd put a first-timer on: wide enough to behave like real soppressata, narrow enough that a batch that goes wrong costs a few pounds rather than fifteen. Three printed lines on each casing let you label the batch and the date.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1\/2\" Hog Rings and Manual Pliers\u003c\/strong\u003e — the reason these are in the kit instead of a length of twine. A chub hangs for two months under its own weight, and a hand-tied knot that slips puts the whole thing on the floor. Rings clip the ends shut and stay shut.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeatures\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEverything but the meat for dry cured soppressata\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInsta Cure #2 — the correct cure for long air-drying, not the #1 used in smoked sausage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBoth cultures included: fermentation and surface mold\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eT-SPX gives the mild, traditional southern Italian profile rather than a tangy one\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCasings for approximately 25 lbs.; seasoning for approximately 50 lbs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e65mm chubs — a forgiving size for a first batch\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHog rings and pliers to secure the ends for a two-month hang\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrintable casings for labelling batch and date\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSeasoning blended and packed by The Sausage Maker in Buffalo, New York\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e10 lb. Soppressata Recipe\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e8 lbs. lean pork and 2 lbs. pork back fat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e9 1\/2 oz. Soppressata Seasoning\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2 level tsp. Insta Cure #2\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBactoferm T-SPX, measured per the rate on the packet\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDistilled or non-chlorinated water for the cultures\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethod\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChill the lean pork and back fat to 32–34°F. Cold fat cuts cleanly; warm fat smears and ruins the texture.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrind all the meat and fat through a 3\/8\" plate.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMix in the seasoning and the cure, weighed on a gram scale, along with the T-SPX. Mix until evenly distributed.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePack the mixture tightly into a tub no more than 6 to 7 inches deep and refrigerate \u003cstrong\u003e48 hours\u003c\/strong\u003e so the cure penetrates.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrind a second time through a 1\/4\" plate.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoak the casings in warm water 3 to 5 minutes. Clip one end with a hog ring, stuff firmly leaving no air pockets and about 2 inches unfilled, then clip the second end.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrick the casings all over with a sausage pricker to release trapped air. Air pockets are where spoilage starts.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeigh each chub and write the weight on the casing.\u003c\/strong\u003e This number is how you'll know when it's done.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHold at about 55°F for 48 hours to ferment.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eOptional, traditional:\u003c\/em\u003e apply cold smoke for up to 48 hours until the colour develops. Plenty of soppressata is made unsmoked — skip this and go straight to aging if you prefer.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrepare the Mold-600: one pouch into 1–2 litres of non-chlorinated water at about 68°F, left to equilibrate two hours, then diluted to working strength. Dip or spray the chubs, stirring the suspension as you go so the spores stay in solution. Use it the same day you mix it.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAge at 50–60°F and 70–80% humidity for \u003cstrong\u003e8 to 10 weeks\u003c\/strong\u003e. White mold should appear within the first week or so.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeigh weekly. It's ready when it has lost \u003cstrong\u003eabout 30% of its starting weight\u003c\/strong\u003e. Slice and keep refrigerated.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrefer a milder salami?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sausagemaker.com\/products\/dry-cured-salami-starter-kit\"\u003eDry Cured Salami Starter Kit\u003c\/a\u003e is the same setup with our salami seasoning and the F-LC culture — less heat, a slightly tangier finish, and ready in four to eight weeks rather than eight to ten.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStorage\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePut both Bactoferm cultures in the freezer the day they arrive.\u003c\/strong\u003e Below 1°F. Their shelf life outside a freezer is short.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTo check a culture is still alive, shake the packet. Loose, like sand, means the bacteria are viable. Clumped and silent means it has died and shouldn't be used.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStore the seasoning and cure in a cool, dry place.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCollagen casings are shelf stable and need no refrigeration.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShipping\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis kit contains Bactoferm cultures, which \u003cstrong\u003ecannot be shipped outside of North America\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAllergens\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e[CONFIRM against the label — the seasoning page declares MSG, but MSG does not appear in its ingredient panel.]\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNew to curing?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse all \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sausagemaker.com\/collections\/curing-ingredients\"\u003ecuring ingredients\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sausagemaker.com\/collections\/collagen-casings\"\u003ecollagen casings\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sausagemaker.com\/collections\/sausage-making-kits\"\u003esausage making kits\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Sausage Maker","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51047950745739,"sku":null,"price":119.64,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0685\/7444\/5707\/files\/dry-cured-soppressata-starter-kit.jpg?v=1793766685","url":"https:\/\/sausagemaker.com\/products\/dry-cured-soppressata-starter-kit","provider":"The Sausage Maker","version":"1.0","type":"link"}