American Pepperoni
American pepperoni is a spicy cold-smoked raw sausage made from pork and beef and is an essential pizza topping. It is characterized by a firm texture, a deep red color from paprika and cayenne pepper, and a characteristic slightly acidic taste. The acidification is achieved through the addition of starter cultures or citric acid.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Grinding and mixing the meat
45 minutesChill all meat and fat components to 0 °C and grind together through a 3-4 mm plate. Add curing salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and citric acid. Knead everything thoroughly and evenly until the mixture is sticky and well bound.
Stuffing
20 minutesStuff mixture firmly and bubble-free into sheep casings (caliber 22-26 mm) or pork casings (caliber 30-35 mm). Twist into sausages of 25-35 cm length. Prick the surface multiple times with a needle.
Warming and fermentation
12-24 hoursHang sausages for 12-24 hours at 22-24 °C and 85-90% RH. The citric acid lowers the pH and promotes binding. Then allow the surface to dry until it feels dry and slightly glossy.
Cold smoking and drying
14-21 daysCold smoke sausages daily for 4-6 hours with hickory and cherry wood (max. 24 °C). After the first 3-4 smoking days, transition to the drying phase at 14-16 °C and 70-75% RH. The pepperoni is ready when it has reached approximately 25-30% weight loss and feels firm.
Pro Tip
For the typical dome-shaped curling slices when baking on pizza, do not choose too low a fat content. Use citric acid sparingly – too much destroys the meat binding. Hickory wood provides the typical American smoky flavor.
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