David, summer sausage crumbling

davie · Oct 27, 2015

Hi I own a deer processing shop, I need some help, we are having a issue with our sausage crumbling. If I get a reply, I can share my recipe possibly and maybe get some help advice, something to help me. Thanks

capt7383 · Oct 27, 2015

Are you using encapsulated citric acid

davie · Oct 27, 2015

Capt. I use leggs summer sausage #114, I add some liquid smoke, black pepper, crushed red pepper, mustard seed, white sugar cure and water. I put it in casings, I put 3 small holes on each side of casings and put in a cookie sheet and cook in oven or smoker for 3 hours. Rotating in hour in half. We've always used same stuff in over 30 yrs but last 4-5 been having this issue of crumbling. I've tried everything to fix it too no avail. We are clueless now, that's why I bring it to here to try get some help possibly. Thanks

davie · Oct 27, 2015

Our trail Bologna is also doing the something also, only thing we doing that's new is the cure, I tried even stopping using cure to see if maybe it was breaking it down due to being new kind. But that was no help.

crankybuzzard · Oct 27, 2015

What's the meat to fat ratio? Sounds like it may be drying out

davie · Oct 27, 2015

Cranky, r u meaning. Too much fat or not enough?

crankybuzzard · Oct 27, 2015

Davie said:
Cranky, r u meaning. Too much fat or not enough?

It could be too little fat in the mixture. 90/10 is used quite a bit and I tend to land somewhere between 80/20 and 90/10.

With venison, I usually go with about 75% venison and then either add chuck roast or pork butt for the remaining.

Another question, what temp are you cooking the SS at? You could be getting it too hot and fatting out.

daveomak · Oct 27, 2015

Could it be not mixing the meat long enough to develop the protein glue ??? or what ever it's called...

When I make sticks, this is what the mixed meat looks like.... Mixed until it forms a glue like stuff.....

DSCF2193.JPG

daveomak
Oct 27, 2015

elginplowboy · Oct 27, 2015

Add NFDM( non fat dried milk) as a binder about 1 cup per 10lbs and when mixing mix till tacky like dave says above.

smokin monkey · Oct 27, 2015

I would go with not enough fat content. I made Italian Summer Sausage from Chicken, and this IMHO was dry.

smokin monkey · Oct 27, 2015

Just an after thought, one of my customers has a similar plant and makes venison sausage, will ask him for some advice.

driedstick · Oct 27, 2015

CrankyBuzzard said:
It could be too little fat in the mixture. 90/10 is used quite a bit and I tend to land somewhere between 80/20 and 90/10.

With venison, I usually go with about 75% venison and then either add chuck roast or pork butt for the remaining.

Another question, what temp are you cooking the SS at? You could be getting it too hot and fatting out.

davie · Oct 27, 2015

I cook on 250 for 3 hours in a cookie sheet in water with 3 holes on each side on casing. I rotate it in ahoy in half

davie · Oct 27, 2015

I rotate it every hour in half, I have no clue what it showed I said, lol

driedstick · Oct 27, 2015

Davie said:
I cook on 250 for 3 hours in a cookie sheet in water with 3 holes on each side on casing. I rotate it in ahoy in half

Cooking too hot??? I would take your lowest temp on the oven 170?? and try it then and take temp of sausage up to 152 pull it out of oven then in to a Ice bath to cool back down to 100*

If you have not the right fat then it will be dry and cooking at that temp will dry it out causing it to crumble

DS

davie · Oct 27, 2015

Thanks. We have always cooked on 240 or 250 for many many years, we are going to try more fats first to see if that helps if not we will try something else, thanks everyone for all the feedback, definitely learned a few ideas and things I was unaware of. Thanks greatly

crankybuzzard · Oct 28, 2015

Davie said:
Thanks. We have always cooked on 240 or 250 for many many years, we are going to try more fats first to see if that helps if not we will try something else, thanks everyone for all the feedback, definitely learned a few ideas and things I was unaware of. Thanks greatly

I'm leaning towards it fatting out at those temps, but please let us know how it goes.

davie · Oct 28, 2015

So u believe I need add more fat and what temp. Do u maybe recommend to cook on and how long.

davie · Oct 28, 2015

I cook in stove oven and also in a cabelas smoker

driedstick · Oct 28, 2015

Davie said:
So u believe I need add more fat and what temp. Do u maybe recommend to cook on and how long.

ya more fat and lower temps,,,, we all were telling you this,,,,,sorry but WE have made alot of sausages here 240 - 250 is too hot,,,,ya you have made it before and it was good,,,try doing it our way and I will bet you it will be even better,,,,,if you don't believe me on temps and times just use the search bar above and spend hours doing research and coming out with the same product,,,,,

We can help with times and temp let us know if you want instructions on the oven or cabels smoker,,,,we will help ya ,,,,,,,,,we have done TONS of sausage and snack sticks her on this site

Search peoples profiles, Nepas, boykjo, chef willie, dirt sailor, Cranky buzzard, Gary S, waterin hole brew, ECT,,,All the same

good link with temps and times

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/206601/hot-habanero-summer-sausage-with-lava-jack

Good luck,,,,Hope this helps

A full smoker is a happy smoker

DS

David, summer sausage crumbling

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