Low sodium kielbasa and regular kielbasa

meatnbeer · Feb 18, 2012

Finally picked up some of the seasoning packets from http://wassis.com for the salt free kielbasa, kielbasa, and breakfast sausage. Smoking some butts tonight and would like to give the low sodium to my father-in-law on Sunday when I see him.

The seasoning

Started with 7lbs of venison and 3lbs of pork shoulder

Ran the meat thru my new Gander Mountain 1/4hp grinder using an 1/8 inch plate. Took equal portions of venison and pork and spile it into 2 - 5lb portions. One will get the regular kielbasa seasoning and the other will get the salt free. FIL is on a salt restricted diet, but he can still have some, so I added a little bit of salt to help the flavor along. I didn't want to use table salt, so I am using tender quick as my salt source. I know that I am not adding enough to cure the meat, but it has to be better than using table salt. I calculated out the amount of seasoning I needed for the reduced batch size and added enough TQ to get the sodium level in the low sodium to 335mg of sodium per 1lb kielbasa ring. Well below the stuff that you buy in the store.

The spice on the left above is for the breakfast sausage. I bought a whole but for the pork in the kielbasa, so I might as well grind it up for breakfast!

After the first grind I added the spices to the meat portions and mixed it well with my kitchen aid mixer.

After mixing in the spices I ran the mixtures thru the grinder with a 1/8 plate for a second time. I was considering adding ice chips to the mix, but didn't have any on hand. hope I don't regret it. I really want the sausage to have the emulsified texture.

The regular kielbasa

The low sodim kielbasa

The breakfast sausage (ground once with 1/8 plate)

I have covered all the sausage and placed it in the fridge overnight. I will stuff it in the morning and put it in the smoker when the butts I have going right now are done.

1 question for all the sausage gurus. Do you think I will get the emulsified texture that I want with the 2 grinds thru 1/8 plate that I have already done or do you think I should grind again in the morning with ice chips before I stuff it?

boykjo · Feb 18, 2012

1 question for all the sausage gurus. Do you think I will get the emulsified texture that I want with the 2 grinds thru 1/8 plate that I have already done or do you think I should grind again in the morning with ice chips before I stuff it?

If your looking for an emulsified texture like a hot dog one more time through the grinder.

I prefer my kielbasa ground once through a 7mm or a 5/16 plate

I would not subsitute TQ for tables salt and it is not intended for that purpose. Be careful and make sure you know what your doing when it comes to cure. Are you going to be smoking these sausage?

DanMcG · Feb 18, 2012

I agree with Boykjo, one more time if you want it close to an emulsion. Also get the meat near frozen, and forget the ice.

I'd be interested to know how you came up with the 335mg of salt.

meatnbeer · Feb 18, 2012

Boykjo,

Yes, I will be smoking the sausage. It will be a hot smoke since I did not add enough TQ to the low sodium to correctly cure. Also since I am using a spice package with unkown ingredients for the regular kielbasa, I can't guarantee that the salt they have added is a cure. I will be sending them a follow up email about this later today so I can find out for future batches.

DanMcG,

The level of sodium (not salt) I added was determined by the nutritional information on the TQ package. The package claims 1340mg of sodium per 3/4 teaspoon of cure. I added 1675mg of sodium by adding 1 teaspoon of TQ to my ground meat. Since my batch size is 5lbs, that would give me 335mg of sodium per lb of meat. That being said, I figure my FIL or I would eat say 8oz of sausage for a meal. That would mean ~167mg of sodium per serving. That is well within the range that his doctor has given him.

big casino · Feb 18, 2012

meatnbeer said:
Boykjo,

Yes, I will be smoking the sausage. It will be a hot smoke since I did not add enough TQ to the low sodium to correctly cure. Also since I am using a spice package with unkown ingredients for the regular kielbasa, I can't guarantee that the salt they have added is a cure. I will be sending them a follow up email about this later today so I can find out for future batches.

If your concerened about the Cure definitely check with the spice co. who made them, but

I would think that if the spice packs had cure in it, it would have come in a separate package, and also would be listed on the package. but you never know unless you ask

meatnbeer · Feb 19, 2012

I took your advise and froze (not solid) the meat then ran it thru the 1/8 grinder again.

The meat after time in the freezer

The meat after the THIRD grind

(oh yeah and my new grinder hehehehe)

Used my 5lb vertical stuffer to stuff the meat into natural casings. The low sodium are on the right side.

Allowed them to sit in the refridgerator for 4 hours and then:

Into the smoker they go!

Smoked them with hickory at 200 until an internal temp of 160 was reached.

I would have supplied a picture of it cut, but I just can't get a clear shot with the camera I was using.

Gave it a try right after it came out of the smoker. My opinion is that it has good flavor, but I still can't get the texture right. It is still grainy, not the hot dog/emulsified consistance that I was looking for. Maybe next time after the initial grind I might consider putting it in the food processor. It's just really frustrating that I spend all of this time on making the stuff and it still doesn't turn out. Also the fat content was either wong from the mixture, or it ended up melting out. Any suggestions on how wait I might be doing wrong and not getting the right texture is welcomed.

BGKYSmoker · Feb 19, 2012

The amount of MTQ for a 5 lb batch should be measured at 7.5 tsp

Here is a tip with your KA mixer.

After you have done a fine grind 2x, ditch the KA paddle and use the dough hook. You will get a better mix instead of the meat bunching in the middle of the paddle of your KA.

boykjo · Feb 20, 2012

I would suggest you ditch the emulsification. I think your mis understanding the concept here. Try using smaller batches to test..... like 1 small pork shoulder and grind once through a 1/4 plate then add spices then some cure as per the directions stated per lb of meat. If you are doing fresh sausages 1/8 imch plate would be the smallest I would go but I use a 7mm for all my sausages and the texture is perfect. I think your grainy problem is from the triple grind.

Heres a pic of some sausage. My 7mm plate was used

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110662/doing-a-test-run-on-some-chorizo-completed

Great color on the sausages...........

Joe

africanmeat · Feb 20, 2012

The guys got you covered

pops6927 · Feb 20, 2012

If you are looking for an emulsified consistency like a hot dog, you need to do a couple things; one is to increase your fat-to-lean ratio to at least 30% or greater; second increase your water level and add a binder and a brine phosphate to hold more water in the mix. Then, process like a frankfurter and parboil and smoke up to 155° internal temp. I haven't attempted franks since my last two strokes and cannot remember the exact processes, but check with Dan McG and others for the details; it is something I am going to try and relearn again this summer hopefully, I have it listed in my LT goal section in my Memory Notebook (more than 30 day).

jimmyh · Feb 20, 2012

Smoked them with hickory at 200 until an internal temp of 160 was reached.

I would have supplied a picture of it cut, but I just can't get a clear shot with the camera I was using.

Gave it a try right after it came out of the smoker. My opinion is that it has good flavor, but I still can't get the texture right. It is still grainy, not the hot dog/emulsified consistance that I was looking for. Maybe next time after the initial grind I might consider putting it in the food processor. It's just really frustrating that I spend all of this time on making the stuff and it still doesn't turn out. Also the fat content was either wong from the mixture, or it ended up melting out. Any suggestions on how wait I might be doing wrong and not getting the right texture is welcomed.

I agree with what some others have said about using a binder and more water in the mix to achive a different texture. I would also suggest making sure that the mix has been mixed enough. The massaging action of mixing activates some of the protiens found in the meat and causes them to bind to each other as well as the fat and water, tying it up into a nice slicable texture. Mix the meat until is a nice sticky mess. Be sure to keep the temperature as low as possible or you will get fat smearing instead. Your second grind will have done a lot of the mixing that you need, but you might want to try mixing it even more. It does make for a difficult mixture to stuff sometimes! I used to do all of this by hand in a tub or a pail. I would have all of my meat as near freezing as possbile and sometimes grind it with a little frost still in it. This made for some very painfull mixing!

As far as the fat (and also texture) goes there are a few possibilities. I personally would have smoked at a lower temperature. I usually dry my sausage at about 120-130. Once it is only tacky to the touch I add smoke at the same temperature or a little hotter. For cooking I will only go up to between 176 and 185. I go for an internal of 160 as well but there is chance that you might have overcooked your sausage or cooked it a little too fast. The protien bind that I spoke of earlier begins to denature and let go when it is heated too high. If you are seeing fat pockets beneath the casings then you have cooked the fat out. If all you are seeing is some fat beading on the surface then all is normal. Happens all the time to me. In the mixture you have described you should not be seeing any particles of fat. If that is the look you are going for I would recomend a fine grind on your lean meat and a coarser grind for your fatty meat then mix these two components very well.

I am certain that your texture could be improved with some extra mixing. When I look at your pictures all looks really good. There is something that looks somewhat like a fat pocket on the top right sausage but overall they have a really impresive colour and make me want to make a little kielbasa myself!

sprky · Feb 20, 2012

Your sausage

However you are off in you sodium calculation.

meatnbeer said:
DanMcG,

The level of sodium (not salt) I added was determined by the nutritional information on the TQ package. The package claims 1340mg of sodium per 3/4 teaspoon of cure. I added 1675mg of sodium by adding 1 teaspoon of TQ to my ground meat. Since my batch size is 5lbs, that would give me 335mg of sodium per lb of meat. That being said, I figure my FIL or I would eat say 8oz of sausage for a meal. That would mean ~167mg of sodium per serving. That is well within the range that his doctor has given him.

Your calculation on sodium is off by my math. It didn't look right so I redid it.

1340mg in 3/4tsp = 446.6667mg in 1/4tsp (1340 / 3)

446.6667 X 4 = 1786.6668mg sodium in 1tsp

1786.6668 / 5 = 357.3336mg sodium per pound

357.336 / 2 = 178.66668mg sodium in 8oz

I double check my calculation by taking the 1786.6668mg sodium in 1tsp and X .75 to give me the original 3/4tsp

1786.6668 X .75 = 1340.0001 the .0001 is due to rounding to 4 decimal places

jalan43 · Feb 20, 2012

In order to bind it I use 1 lb of water to 49 lbs of meat. This serves two purposes, it adds moisture during smoking and helps bind it together.

jalan43 · Feb 20, 2012

You might want to try lowering your temp a little. I keep my temp under 185 degrees until internal temp reaches 160 degrees. Don't forget to give it an ice bath when you take it out of the smoker so the skins don't get tough. This will also suck up a little water and make the kielbasa more moist.

DanMcG · Feb 20, 2012

Pops and Jimmyh (welcome Jimmy) have given ya some great advice. To get a true emulsion is more of a science then most think, and really not for the novice home sausage maker...I'm sorry if I didn't elude to that in my first post, but most of use are happy with a triple grind.

Here's a link to an article by the FAO or The UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

dang that link won't work .....brb.....Try this;

http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/x6556e/X6556E07.htm

sprky · Feb 20, 2012

DanMcG said:
Pops and Jimmyh (welcome Jimmy) have given ya some great advice. To get a true emulsion is more of a science then most think, and really not for the novice home sausage maker...I'm sorry if I didn't elude to that in my first post, but most of use are happy with a triple grind.

Here's a link to an article by the FAO or The UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

dang that link won't work .....brb.....Try this;

http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/x6556e/X6556E07.htm

Lot's of good info there thanks for posting dan

ben62670 · Mar 8, 2013

Thanks so much for the link. I will be a new customer of theirs for sure!

ben62670 · Mar 8, 2013

http://api.viglink.com/api/click?fo...//wassis.com&jsonp=vglnk_jsonp_13628038630324
I am one of those low sodium guys...

shannon127 · Mar 9, 2013

nepas said:
The amount of MTQ for a 5 lb batch should be measured at 7.5 tsp

Here is a tip with your KA mixer.

After you have done a fine grind 2x, ditch the KA paddle and use the dough hook. You will get a better mix instead of the meat bunching in the middle of the paddle of your KA.

Dough hook works really well, just make sure to push down the sides from time to time.

wassis meats · Mar 10, 2013

we do not put any cure in the seasoning package. These are intended to be made into a "fresh" product. It yu want to smoke them, then you need to add cure to the mix. All of our salt-free seasonings have no salt of any kind in them. To add cure would be adding salt and many of our customers are on dialysis and can't have any salt at all.

Low sodium kielbasa and regular kielbasa

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