How to Store Salami (and Can You Freeze It?)
Salami is naturally cured, so a whole one keeps for ages, even at room temperature. Pop it in the fridge in a brown paper bag and it will last longer than you'll ever need it to. You can freeze it, but there's no need. Here's how to store whole, cut and sliced salami so it tastes as good as the day it arrived, plus what that white coating on the casing actually is.
How to Store a Whole Salami
Unopened, whole salami is the easiest thing in your kitchen to look after. Because it's naturally cured, it keeps happily at room temperature in a cool, dry spot out of the sun. For the longest life, take it out of its plastic packaging, pop it in a brown paper bag and keep it in the fridge. Paper lets it breathe, so it doesn't sweat the way it can in plastic. Stored like this, our salami keeps for up to 9 months (it's in our FAQ).
Salami is fermented and slowly dried rather than cooked (the NSW Food Authority lists it alongside chorizo and pepperoni as a fermented meat), which makes it far more forgiving than fresh meat. The fridge simply keeps the texture and flavour at their best for longer.
How to Store Salami Once It's Cut
Once it's opened, take off any and all plastic wrap and store the salami in a brown paper bag only, in the fridge. Plastic traps moisture against the casing, while paper lets the salami breathe so it stays firm and keeps its flavour. For the best flavour, eat it within about three weeks, which matches the USDA storage chart for opened dry sausage.
Sliced salami dries out fastest, so slice only what you'll eat and keep the rest whole in its paper bag.
Paper, not plasticAll plastic off once openedSlice as you goServe at room temperature
Serving tip: take salami out of the fridge 15 to 20 minutes before you eat it. The flavour opens right up. Our charcuterie board guide has more ideas.
Can You Freeze Salami?
You can, but you don't need to. Salt, fermentation and slow drying are what preserve salami, which is why a whole one keeps for ages even at room temperature. In the fridge, it keeps for longer than any sane person needs it to. So if you've stocked up (fair enough: mix any 6 and save 15%), the fridge is all you need.
What's the White Coating on My Salami?
That fine, powdery white coating is a natural mould that grows on the casing while the salami cures (you'll see it on our cacciatore salami too). It's a normal part of the traditional process and it's safe to eat. The USDA notes that a thin white mould is characteristic of Italian-style salamis (USDA on mould).
If you'd rather it wasn't there, wipe the casing with a cloth dampened with diluted vinegar or a splash of good wine. What isn't normal: fuzzy green, blue or black patches, or anything that smells off. If you see that, don't eat it and get in touch.
Does Salami Need to Be Refrigerated?
No. A whole salami is naturally cured and keeps at room temperature, which is why we can send it Australia-wide without cold packs. The fridge just keeps it at its best for longer, and once you've cut into it, the fridge is the place for it.
Quick Questions
How long does salami last once it's opened?
About three weeks in the fridge, out of its plastic and in a paper bag.
Can I keep salami in the pantry?
Yes. A whole, uncut salami keeps for ages in a cool, dry spot out of the sun. The fridge keeps it even longer.
Can you freeze salami?
You can, but there's no need. It's naturally cured to keep without freezing.
Is salami gluten free?
Ours is. Every salami we make is gluten free.
