MORTADELLA
[COLOR=“Blue”][SIZE=“4”][B]The meat formulations for mortadellas vary widely. Often commercial mortadella sausages are formulated with a lean mix of not less than 65 percent of beef and 33 percent of pork.
The seasoning used in mortadellas plays a very important role in the final product quality. The high quality mortadellas are usually flavoured, among other spices, with coriander seeds, allspice and pistachios; white wines are also often added in the mixture prior to stuffing.
FORMULATIONS
Basic ingredients for 100 kg
40 kg lean pork
30 kg pork bellies
15 kg pork jowls
10 kg backfat cubes immersed in hot water
5 kg crushed ice
32 kg lean beef
25 kg pork belly
15 kg tripe, weasand and giblet meats
10 kg pork jowls
10 kg protein extended fat batters
5 kg crushed ice
3 kg protein binder
Characteristic seasoning formula per 1 kg
20.00 g curing nitrite salt
2.0 g red pepper, sweet
0.6 g nutmeg
0.4 g ginger
0.3 g cardamom
0.2 g glutamate
0.4 g coriander
0.2 g sodium ascorbate
Casings
Wide beef bungs or bladders or artificially made casings in corresponding sizes.
Processing and handling
The lean mixture is produced in the manner described in the previous instructions. The point which should be noted is that protein extended fat batter cubes are added in the cutter, when the chopped mixture is nearly fine. The same is done if diced pork backfat is used and the composite is then mixed by hand or in a mixer.
After stuffing, sausages are smoked for 6–8 hours, first in hot smoke between 40 and 50°C and then in a dense smoke until a golden yellow colour develops on the surface of the product. Mortadellas are then cooked at 80–84° or until an internal product temperature of 69°C is reached. After removal from the smokehouse, mortadellas are cold-showered for not less than 30 minutes and chilled overnight in a 0–4°C chiller.[/b][/size][/color]