A Look into Pepperoni

Pepperoni is a popular pizza topping in America.  It is also used in Pepperoni Rolls, and a variety of sandwiches.  This topping makes up 36% of all pizza orders.  Every year, approximately 251,770,000 pounds of pepperoni is eaten in the United States.
The term pepperoni is a corruption of peperoni, the plural of peperone, the Italian word for “bell pepper”.  Pepperoni first originated in Italy in 1889.  It wasn’t until 1919 that the first reference of a pepperoni pizza was made.

History

Italian immigrants brought with them a tradition for curing meats and packing them into natural casings for drying and preservation. These dried and fermented “sausages” could be stored at room temperature for months, which would prove very useful during extended winters with little to no access to fresh meat.

The dry sausage known as pepperoni was not a native Italian recipe, although there are several native salamis and sausages that use similar ingredients. In Italy, pepperoni lovers would have to ask for a spicy salami to come close to the taste of American pepperoni.

What is it made of?

Pepperoni is usually made from curing pork or beef.  Turkey is also a popular ingredient.   Sodium nitrite is used as a modern curing agent.  Paprika or other capsicum provides the orange/red color.

How Pepperoni is Made?

Chunks of meat (pork, beef or turkey) are mixed with seasonings and a sodium nitrate curing agent.  Sugar is commonly added to act as a fermentation agent and  an acid equalizer. Ingredients are then compounded.

After compounding, the pepperoni mix is stuffed into casings, usually using a mechanical stuffer, forming a link which keeps the mix together during the cooking phase.  After the mix is stuffed into the casings, it is sectioned off with a piece of string or rope.

Pepperoni is commonly cooked in smoke houses or in ovens at a low temperature to slowly dry and age the links.  This process may take days.

Once the process is complete, this delicious topping is ready to eat!