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Pfefferbeisser

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If you love pepper, you’ll love this sausage. The name literally translates to “pepper bites” and this German snack stick delivers!!!

Follow basic salami preparation practices when making this sausage.

  1. Clean and sanitize all of your equipment.
  2. Keep your meat and grinder parts super cold (under 34f or 1c) during the grinding process.
  3. Rehydrate your starter culture (in non-chlorinated water) for 30 minutes prior to use.
  4. Mix your very chilled mincemeat (under 34f or 1c), seasonings, and starter culture till the mince becomes very tacky.
  5. Tightly stuff the mince into casings and prick out any air pockets.
  6. Record the starting weight and the target weight of each salami link.
  7. Brush with protective mold culture (unless you plan on cold smoking)
  8. Hang the salami to ferment.
  9. After the pH target has been hit, hang the salami to dry till the weight loss target has been achieved.
  10. Remove from the drying chamber, slice thinly, and enjoy.

Here are a few things you might find useful when making salami.

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5 from 1 vote

Pfefferbeisser

The German "Pepper Bites" Snack Stick
Prep Time2 hours
Drying time60 days
Total Time60 days 2 hours
How much do you want to make? 1000 grams

Ingredients

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

Prepare the casings

  • The night before rinse and flush your sausage casing. Let it soak in water in the refrigerator overnight. I like to add a little baking soda to the soaking water to make it extra slippery. (1 tsp of baking soda for every 4 cups of water)

Prepare the Salami Snack Sticks

  • Clean your meat of any sinew or silver skin and cut the meat and fat into small chunks (small enough to fit into your grinder)
  • Chill your meat to below 34f (1.1c). Grind chilled meat and fat through a fine plate(4.5mm). Rechill after grinding.
  • Rehydrate the starter culture in distilled water for 30 minutes prior to using.
  • Add all of the spices, cure, dextrose, and starter culture to the chilled ground meat. Mix well until everything is thoroughly incorporated. It should feel tacky and stick to your hand if you turn your hand upside down, when finished.
  • Stuff the mince tightly into your casings, prick with a sausage pricker.
  • Ferment your salami by placing them in an environment that between 75F (23.9c) and 85F (29.4c) with high humidity for 18-24 hours. You can achieve high humidity by wrapping your salami in cling film. This locks in the moisture. A good place to ferment is in your oven with the light on but the oven off. (EVERY STARTER CULTURE IS DIFFERENT. THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE FOR THE FLAVOR OF ITALY STARTER CULTURE). The goal of fermentation is to reach a pH between 5.2 and 4.9.

Cold Smoking this snack stick

  • Use your favorite wood when it comes to smoking the "Pepper bites". I like oak, hickory, even cherry is nice. It's your call.
  • I like to cold smoke while I ferment. So, you can either cold smoke for 8-10 hours during the beginning of your ferment or you can do it at the end. Either way works. Just remember that you will need to keep the temperature and humidity parameters the same in your smoker. Keep the cold smoke to under 86f (29.4c) and add a pan of water with a paper towel in it to "wick" the moisture.
  • With the Flavor of Italy starter culture, it normally takes 18-24 hours to hit target. You are looking for a ph of anything between 4.9 pH and 5.2 pH. (I like to target 4.9).

Drying your snack sticks

  • Hang your snack sticks in an area where the temps are around 55F (13c) and 80% humidity. A basement, cellar, or a dedicated drying chamber all work for this.
  • Let your snack sticks dry for 1-2 weeks. At 1 week the snack stick will be ready but a little soft. At 2 weeks it will firm up quite a bit. I like the 2-week mark.
  • Once finished, vac seal and refrigerate what you don't plan on eating. Enjoy.

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2 thoughts on “Pfefferbeisser”

  1. Doru

    5 stars
    Hiw much sheep casings you use for 1kg meat? What about for 30-32 casing? BTW, great recipe that I will definitely try it next week, but with #1 , not #2

    Reply
    1. Eric

      I would use 3 – 4 feet of casing for sheep and for 30-32 you should be ok with 2.5-3 feet of casing. Cure #1 is the way to go for this sausage

      Reply

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