Homemade Pepperoni
If you love pepperoni as much as we do, try this homemade pepperoni recipe, smoked then dry-aged for incredible flavor and texture. This recipe is perfect for pizza toppings, charcuterie boards, and more.
WHAT IS PEPPERONI?
Pepperoni is a type of cured sausage typically made from a mixture of ground pork and beef. Made with signature spices including garlic, crushed red pepper, black pepper, and paprika. Pepperoni is the spicier cousin of salami. The sausage is typically made with sodium nitrite to cure the meat and maintain its signature vibrant red color. It's then aged to reduce moisture and concentrate the flavors before use.
Fermented & Dry Aged Pepperoni
To set our pepperoni recipe apart, we took it to the next level by adding a fermentation cycle and dry aging cycle. The culture added for fermentation adds a tangy, sweet flavor and lowers the PH level, making our final product a little more acidic to increase shelf stability. To speed up the process, we're also using a quick culture which allows us to build flavors in a couple of hours rather than days.
Dry-aging pepperoni will create an elevated charcuterie aspect to our final product. The dry aging process pulls moisture out of the sausage and concentrates flavors. Left will be a slightly spicy, sweet, and tangy pepperoni that will make any charcuterie board stand out. This sausage is aged at 55 degrees Fahrenheit and 75-85% relative humidity. The final product will be more dense and richer in color and flavor.
3 comments
You might try a mix of either veal and chuck or turkey and chuck. Either one should work. We’ve used beef and venison and it was delicious!
I am kosher. Cannot use pork. Can it be all beef. Where to get casing also needs to be kosher.
I am kosher. Cannot use pork. Can it be all beef. Where to get casing also needs to be kosher.