What is pepperoni?
Pepperoni is an American variety of salami, usually made from cured pork and beef mixed together. Pepperoni can be mild or spicy and is used as the main ingredient in many pizzas. It’s also commonly eaten alone as a snack.
Pepperoni Recipes– Why learn to make it at home?
Of course, you can buy perfectly good pepperoni at the supermarket, but making it yourself means you know what’s gone into your food. You can adjust spiciness, flavorings, and fennel levels to suit your palate; you can tailor the meat mixture to use up any bits of leftovers that are taking up space in your fridge; you can experiment with different combinations of spices; or just impress your friends with a rustic, homemade treat.
How hard is it?
This is about as easy as sausage-making gets! You don’t need any special equipment. The chopping and mixing can be done in minutes by hand, or if you’ve got a food processor to hand, that’ll do it in seconds. There’s no curing process involved, so the mixture will keep for ages in the fridge. Once cooked and dried, pepperoni keeps for months in an airtight container – perfect for having on standby when visitors pop round unexpectedly! How much does it cost? The basic ingredients of this recipe will set you back around $20, depending on where you buy them from and what discounts you’re getting at the time. That might sound like a lot, but as this will make around 2 pounds of pepperoni, you’re looking at paying under 50 cents per pound.
How much meat do I need for pepperoni recipes?
2 pounds ground/minced meat (pork and beef or just pork, or a mix of your favorite meats)
How do I make it?
All the ingredients are mixed together in a big bowl with your hands. The mixture is then divided into “sausages” about an inch thick, eight inches long, and however wide you want it to be. These are then hung up on racks in an airy place for a few hours until they’ve dried out enough that they won’t spoil if left for a day or two before cooking them. You can now eat these as-is – they’re delicious, slightly warm from the drying process, sliced thinly and eaten plain, dipped in tomato sauce, or added to the pizza. If you want to cook them, so they keep longer in storage, dry them for another couple of hours, prick each sausage several times with a fork or skewer.
How do I store my homemade pepperoni?
Once you’ve dried out and sliced your pepperoni, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll last for months – if they last that long!
Leave a Reply