Download (14Mb) - VUIR - Victoria University

A huge lump of sausage mixture would be dropped into the machine, a 'mnner'
fed to the spout, the handle tumed and the sausage would take on the form of a long,
wet snake. Made into various sizes, some would be small (salametti), others about
thirteen centimetres in circumference and the largest holding up to seven kilogrammes
of meat and taking six months to mature. As the meat had to be uniformly and firmly
packed into the skin, everyone would poke and prod it until iX was the right shape. It
was important to avoid air pockets as these could spoil the whole batch, A third
person would expertly string the sausages, looping the twine and pulling iX tightly
every 30 centimetres or so along. The sausages would then be cut into strings about
two metres long and temporarily hung on hooks from rafters which eventually became
covered in sausages. Up to 90 per cent of the batch would be hung for maturing,
during the process losing about one third or its weight. The meat had at first to be
monitored but after a few days could be removed to the cellar where the air had free
circulation. This stage was also important since meat which did not set properly could
go mouldy. If, on the other hand, it set too quickly, it could become tough and
inedible. Sometimes the Rodonis would remove and retum the sausages ~ the whole
quarter tonne ~ to the cellar a dozen times before the right setting action had begun.
This was indicated by the skins losing their moisture, the meat remaining soft but firm,
with the salt beginning to emerge in a fine white encmstation. Once the 'set' had taken
place, the sausages would be left in the dark cellar, needing no further attention. In
some cases, the sausages would hang for up to three years before they were eaten.'*
From the time the meat had been laid on the table until it was hanging from the
rafters, several hours would have elapsed ~ hours which served to cement family and
418