Salchichón (Spanish Dry-Cured Sausage)
Salchichón is a fine-grained Spanish raw sausage with a mild, peppery flavor and a long maturation period. Unlike Chorizo, it contains no paprika but is seasoned primarily with pepper and nutmeg. It is considered one of the noblest Spanish sausages and requires careful temperature and humidity control during maturation.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Meat Preparation
2-3 hoursChill meat and fat separately to 4 °C. Mince meat through 6mm plate, fat through 8mm plate. Add all spices and curing salt and knead thoroughly until the mixture binds and becomes sticky.
Filling & Tying
1-2 hoursFill the mixture very firmly and without air pockets into pork bung casings (caliber 55-65). Wrap in butcher's netting or tie firmly with kitchen twine to maintain the typical round shape.
Initial Drying
2-3 daysAllow sausages to dry at 18-22 °C and 80-85% humidity for 2-3 days so the surface firms up and moisture loss starts evenly.
Fermentation & Long-term Maturation
6-10 weeksMature at 12-16 °C with gradually decreasing humidity (85% → 70%) for 6-10 weeks. White noble mold is desirable. Weight loss should be 30-35% before the product is finished.
Pro Tip
Authentic Salchichón is not smoked – only dry aging at 12-16 °C with gradually decreasing humidity (from 85% to 70%) over the maturation period is key to the typical flavor.
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