Salami

Making salami at home takes patience but almost no skill. Five pounds of ground beef get mixed with curing salt, mustard seeds, coarse black pepper, garlic salt, and hickory liquid smoke, then the whole batch rests in the fridge for three days with a daily remix.

That three-day cure is where the flavor develops. The curing salt preserves the meat and gives it that characteristic pink color and tangy salami taste that regular salt can’t produce. Mustard seeds add pops of sharp heat, and the liquid smoke delivers that cured, deli-counter aroma without a smokehouse.

On day three, shape the mixture into rolls and bake on the lowest oven shelf, turning every couple of hours. The long, low bake dries the exterior while keeping the inside tender and sliceable.

Chef Tips

• Use curing salt (like Morton Tender Quick), not regular salt. Curing salt is essential for food safety and flavor in any cured meat
• Mix thoroughly with your hands each day. The curing salt needs full contact with all the meat to work properly
• Keep the rolls around 3 inches in diameter so they cook through evenly during the 8-hour bake
• Turn every 2 hours for even drying and color on all sides

Variations

• Beef and pork blend: Use 3 pounds ground beef and 2 pounds ground pork with fat removed for a more traditional salami flavor
• Spicy salami: Add 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes for a peppered salami with real heat
• Fennel seed: Stir in a tablespoon of fennel seeds for an Italian-style flavor