Frequently Asked Questions
Only the Best Dried Sausages Have a Moldy Casing!
Our standards for Molinari dried sausage products are very high. Every dried sausage we produce at Molinari is authentic to how it was made back in Italy. In fact, we use most of the same methods today that we did when we were founded in 1896.
Authentic Italian dry salame and pepperoni are fermented products, meaning that within a week of production, the product’s pH has dropped, making it shelf stable. Once this drop has occurred, we spend roughly a month dry ageing and seasoning this intensely flavorful staple of the Italian table. During this curing process mold slowly grows along the exterior of the casing to create the beautiful white/grey/green marbling you see encasing all of our dried sausage products. This mold serves several vital purposes: it protects the meat against external bacteria by preventing light and oxygen exposure, it reduces discoloration, and it regulates moisture loss. This means that the moldy white/grey/green you see on the exterior of your dried sausage is a large contributor to its taste, texture, and purity. Most importantly, this mold helps to create the characteristic flavor you’ve come to expect from Molinari.
Take a minute to peel back the wrapper from a log of Molinari salame and expose the deep color and rich flavor unique to our dried sausage products*. Savor this flavor and give thanks for the age old Italian tradition that employs beneficial bacteria to create such a heavenly bite.
Visit our website at molinarisalame.com for more information on how we make our salame andall of the other Molinari meat products.
* Only peel back as much of that important mold wrapper as you plan to eat. Leave the rest in place to protect your salame.
Molinari Dry Fermented Sausages SO COOL, they don’t require refrigeration
Fermented meat products, such as Molinari salame and pepperoni, are naturally low in moisture and pH, which makes them shelf stable. In fact, you can store them in a cool, dry, and dark place such as a cupboard or pantry. While the USDA recommends that you refrigerate dry sausages after opening them, there is no need to do so prior to taking your first bite. That gorgeous white/grey/green mold marbled to the outside along with our premier casings keep your sausages safe, as long as they remain intact.
So, don’t throw away our dry sausages because they arrived in a box without ice. No ice was needed. (Any references to “keep refrigerated” on the box’s exterior are intended for shipping our unfermented products, such as our mild and hot Italian sausages, that are uncooked and do require refrigeration.)
Simply cut open one end of the product and peel back the moldy casing to slice off a piece of heaven*. You can thank us later.
Visit our website at molinarisalame.com for more information about our dry sausages and all of our authentic Italian meat products.
* Only peel back as much of that important mold wrapper as you plan to eat. Leave the rest in place to protect your salame.
Still have a question?
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.