Jonathon,
There is not much to the process. After I combine the meat and spices (I have been using about 2% salt with cure # 2 @ 1 teaspoon per 5lbs of meat) then stuff it into natural hog casings, I put it in the basement to hang for abut 6 weeks. The humidity is low, so it dries out about half it s weight by then, maybe a little bit less.
Then we eat it. I have only had one hollow batch so far and i think that may be the stuffing issue or maybe the very low humidity combined with temps of around 42 degrees. The good batches came out when the humidity was a little higher and the temperature stayed around 58 degrees.

I am not a big fan of salt, and would like to keep the amount to a minimum in my next batch of dry cured pepperoni.
If I was not using #2 curing salt, I would use about 2.75% salt . But, since I will be using #2 curing salt, do I still need to add any other salt, or will the curing salt take care of everything without any additional salt?
Thanks.

well, there was only one way to find out so I ate some. Still alive and it tasted great. I too think it was a stuffing issue.

This is one of the sticks cut open into slices. Some were whole throughout, some with small pockets, others with almost nothing inside.

@jonathon Jonathon,
I am going to cut into the rest of them to see what they look like. It seems like this is a combination of issues. The product smells fine, the texture is generally good, but I am going to throw them out anyway, just to be on the safe side.
Thanks

#2 cure, two teaspoons, ten pounds of meat.

I made a batch of dry cured pepperoni in December. Today it was hanging for just over a month so I decided to taste one to see how it was coming along.
The original weight 31 days ago was 10 oz. Today it weighed in at just under 5 oz.
Temperature during that time in the basement was about 42 degrees F.
Humidity was low, not sure how low, but low.
When I cut into a piece, the inside had hollowed itself out. So was it time, temperature, humidity or a combo of all of them that made it dry out this way?
Lane

Here is a link to a website that has a handy Excel spreadsheet. It is, as it says a free non-commercial site.
As for Waltons dropping the ball, I vote they are doing a great job.
I think for all of us there are general guidelines, but unless you have a temperature and humidity controlled environment, both for the preparation, cooking (if you cook them) smoking, hanging etc, the results are bound to vary from batch to batch.
Personally, I am searching how to get my home made smoked and dry cured pepperoni to the exact texture and firmness of Margarita pepperoni from the store.
Through trial and error I have the flavor where I want it, but not the texture or firmness. I know time, temperature and humidity are all crucial, but the best I can do is in the basement and then subject to the environment that is there.
I figure as long as I am not killing anyone or making anyone sick I am making progress. Thanks Waltons for all of the great information so far.
Having said that, it would be nice to have your chart in an Excel spreadsheet.

Thanks, thats what I thought but I wanted a second opinion, like a Doctor of Meat!

When adding backfat, the only kind I can find around these parts has the skin still attached. I have been cutting the skin off, but is it ok to use with the skin on?