For as long as Vincenzo Schirripa can remember he has been making salami and now the whole family comes together to carry on the family recipe.

At one end of the shed was a long table filled with cakes and biscuits and a coffee machine, along with tables and chairs for when people needed a sit down and a cuppa.

At the other end were two tables, each with its own mincer hooked up to a small electric motor. 

With the exception of the electric motors, not much has changed in the process over the years.

Mary Restagno, Vincenzo’s daughter, explained the salami-making process.

“We normally get our meat, cut it all up, take it off the bones, (and) slice it all up,” Mrs Restagno said.

All of the ingredients are then added, such as pepper, chilli, red wine and, most importantly, salt.

If not enough salt gets added, the salami won’t cure properly. On the other hand, too much and the salami is too salty and will go black.

“Many years ago we have some years it wouldn’t come out right, we didn’t weigh it,” Mrs Restagno said.

Now they use a set ratio of salt to meat that gets it right every time.

Each member of the family liked something a little different in their salami. Vincenzo likes his mild with only a little chilli, and aniseed added in. Mary’s husband likes a little more chilli, and doesn’t mind garlic as well. For Vincenzo, who normally likes garlic, that flavour turns him off a salami.

Francesca Schirripa, Vincenzo’s wife, makes up a chilli powder each year, and some were more potent than others.

After the meat went through the mincer a couple of times, it’s time for taste testing.

“You get a little meat and put it in the fire, just to see if you can taste the salt and the ingredients in it, and if it’s hot enough, once we’re happy with the taste of it we’ll start putting it though the skins, tie it up and hang it for about a month or so. And then we bag them in the cryovac bags.”

The salami can be left to cure for up to six weeks.

Weather makes a big difference on the curing time, hotter weather will cure the meat faster.

Vincenzo said his job was to keep an eye on how the salami cured, and make sure they could hang in the right conditions.

Not all of the meat gets made into salami though. Some sausages were made as well using the same meat; they cure quicker but still require cooking, and the end result is a milder flavour that is still delicious with a salad or even on its own on a fresh roll.

Once the salami and sausages were made, it was time for lunch. Francesca had taken all of the pork bones and made them into a delicious pasta sauce, and the family sat down for pasta, salad, bread, and other tasty treats. 

Vincenzo was proud the traditions he brought with him when he left Italy on his 22^nd birthday have been carried on through his children to his grandchildren. And with two-year-old Oscar taking an interest in the process, it won’t be long before he too carries it forward.