📝 About This Recipe
Experience the rugged elegance of the Italian wilderness with this artisanal Wild Boar Salami. This recipe marries the lean, nutty complexity of wild game with creamy heritage pork fat and a sophisticated blend of juniper, black pepper, and Sangiovese wine. Fermented and dry-cured to perfection, it offers a deep umami profile that far surpasses any store-bought charcuterie.
🥗 Ingredients
The Meat and Fat
- 2250 grams Wild Boar Shoulder (trimmed of silver skin and chilled to 32°F)
- 750 grams Pork Back Fat (Fatback) (chilled and cut into small cubes)
Curing Salts and Starters
- 75 grams Kosher Salt (2.5% of total meat weight)
- 7.5 grams Cure #2 (Prague Powder #2) (essential for long-term dry curing)
- 12 grams Dextrose (provides food for the starter culture)
- 1/2 teaspoon Bactoferm F-RM-52 (starter culture; dissolve in 2 tbsp distilled water)
Seasonings and Aromatics
- 15 grams Black Peppercorns (toasted and coarsely cracked)
- 5 grams Dried Juniper Berries (crushed)
- 3 pieces Garlic Cloves (minced into a paste with a little salt)
- 60 ml Dry Red Wine (Sangiovese) (chilled)
- 1 tablespoon Fennel Pollen or Ground Fennel (for authentic Tuscan flavor)
Casings
- 10 feet Hog Casings (32-35mm diameter, rinsed and soaked)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Ensure all meat and fat are extremely cold (near freezing). Place your grinder throat and plates in the freezer for 30 minutes before starting.
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2
Grind the wild boar shoulder through a coarse 8mm plate. Grind the pork back fat through a medium 6mm plate for a distinct visual contrast.
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3
In a small sterile bowl, dissolve the Bactoferm starter culture in room temperature distilled water and let sit for 15 minutes to activate.
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4
Combine the ground meat and fat in a large chilled mixing bowl. Add the salt, Cure #2, dextrose, pepper, juniper, garlic, and fennel.
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5
Pour in the activated starter culture and the chilled red wine. Mix vigorously by hand or with a stand mixer for 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes tacky and develops a 'primary bind'.
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6
Load the mixture into a sausage stuffer, pressing down firmly to eliminate air pockets. Flush the hog casings with warm water.
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7
Stuff the mixture into the casings, forming links about 8-10 inches long. Tie the ends securely with butcher's twine.
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8
Use a sterilized sausage pricker or needle to prick any visible air bubbles under the casing to prevent spoilage.
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9
Weigh each salami and record the 'starting weight' on a tag attached to each link. You are aiming for a 35-40% weight loss.
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10
Fermentation Phase: Hang the salami in a humid spot (80-90% humidity) at room temperature (around 70°F) for 24-48 hours to allow the culture to acidify the meat.
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11
Drying Phase: Move the salami to a curing chamber or cool basement kept at 55°F (13°C) and 75% humidity.
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12
Monitor for white mold (Penicillium nalgiovense), which is beneficial. If fuzzy green or black mold appears, wipe it off immediately with a cloth dipped in vinegar.
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13
Wait 6-8 weeks until the salami has lost at least 35% of its original weight and feels firm to the touch.
💡 Chef's Tips
Temperature control is everything; if the fat smears during grinding because it's too warm, the texture will be mealy. Always use distilled water for the starter culture, as chlorine in tap water can kill the beneficial bacteria. If the casing pulls away from the meat during drying, your humidity is likely too low (case hardening). Wild boar is very lean; do not skip the pork back fat or the salami will be unpleasantly dry and hard. Sanitize all equipment with a food-safe sanitizer before starting to ensure a clean fermentation.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Slice paper-thin and serve with aged Pecorino Toscano cheese. Pair with a bold, tannic red wine like a Chianti Classico or Brunello di Montalcino. Serve alongside pickled red onions and salt-cured olives to cut through the richness. Incorporate into a rustic charcuterie board with chestnut honey and crusty sourdough bread.