Classic Italian Mortadella

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5 from 6 votes

Classic Italian Mortadella

Elegant and delicious

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time2 hours hrs

Total Time2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

How much do you want to make? 1000 grams

Ingredients

Metric – US Customary

• 650 g lean pork
• 200 g back fat
• 150 g blanched cubed back fat
• 18 g kosher salt
• 3 g white pepper
• 3 g coriander
• 5 g garlic powder
• 2 g onion powder
• 3 g nutmeg
• 20 g potato starch – this ingredient is added at the end of the process. Don't mix it with the other spices.
• 45 ml cold red wine – cook out the alcohol first
• 150 ml cold Ice water
• a little potato starch for dusting the back fat
• 100mm casings

Instructions

Prepare the Blanched Back Fat

• Dice backfat into small cubes and blanch for 3 minutes
• Place the blanched back fat on some paper towels to dry off and keep them in your refrigerator to cool down.

Prepare the Sausage

• Clean the meat from any sinew and arteries. Cut the meat and fat into cubes that are small enough to fit into your grinder. Place your meat into the freezer to chill. You want the meat to be below 32f (0c) before you grind.
• Grind the lean pork and the fat separately through a 6 mm plate. Rechill. You want the meat and fat below 32f (0c).
• In a food processor with sharp blades, mix the chilled meat and the spices. Do not add the binder at this step. Chop for 30-45 seconds adding 1/3 of the ice-cold liquid. The temperature needs to be below 45f (7.2c) during this initial chopping stage.
• After the meat has been chopped and looks like a smooth paste add the fat and 1/3 of the ice-cold liquid as well as the binder (potato starch). Chop for another 30 seconds.
• Scrape your bowl down with a spatula, add the rest of the ice-cold water and chop till the mixture looks homogenous (another 30 seconds or so). DURING THIS SECOND CHOPPING STAGE, KEEP THE TEMPERATURE BELOW 55f (13c).
• Lightly dust the blanched back fat with potato starch and add to the meat mixture. Mix till well incorporated. If the mixture seems a little stiff add a little water at a time till it's very sticky.
• Stuff into your casings.
• To poach the mortadella. Place the mortadella in 176F water and cook till the internal temp reaches 155F.
• To cook sous vide. Set the water bath to 145f and cook for 3-4 hours
• After it's cooks cool it down in an ice water bath and refrigerate overnight. Enjoy

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