Jalapeno & Cheese Summer Sausage Question

You're right of course.  Obviously the fermentation time would not increase.  In any case I was just fretting about the process since I think the jalapenos will impact it and I have never seen anything that addressed the process with this variable.  I'm thinking if I use the same process it should be fine.  Perhaps a little more sour.  Probably just being paranoid.  Thanks.

Thanks for the responses fellas.  I should have mentioned before that these are fermented but will be smoked.  Like I said, searching recipes they're all over the place.  I had seen everywhere from one jalapeno per pound seeded, to one per 5# seeds and all.  I should have probably gone with a % by weight as CrankyBuzzard does.  Instead, I went with the scientific method of three per 5#, seeds and all.  We'll know soon enough.  Visually the distribution I can see through the casing looks reasonable but I suspect the jalapeno will be a little weak.

Learned something about cheese though.  My experience has been that cheese produced specifically for a high melting point isn't very good cheese.  No offense to anyone who uses it but strictly as cheese goes I don't care for it.  Did some research and found that the sharper the cheddar, the higher the melting point.  I prefer the extra sharp anyway so this was good news.  Again, we'll know soon enough.

I don't have a climate controlled box for fermentation so I decided to just hang it and give it two days at ambient temperature.  At 2200 I was pretty proud.

I was a little apprehensive about hanging them from the flag pole in the back yard.  But I figured my floppy eared dog Blue wouldn't be out there unless he was with me so they might be OK.  At 0600 my concerns were realized.

It appears I got the cheese and jalapeno ratio correct for the local raccoons or possums.  I reckon I'll take validation of my efforts wherever I can find it.

Live and learn.  If I hadn't had a couple cocktails to celebrate this achievement it might have dawned on me to simply hang them in the smoker.  In my recently arrived at sobriety I shall do so today.  Fixin to even put a little heat to it to facilitate the fermentation.  What a concept Einstein.  (head slap)

Thanks for the help fellas.  I'll go ahead and post an update on this adventure when I get to the finish line.

Actually the fermentation goes a step beyond curing salt for preservation.  If you've ever noticed the summer sausages in the store don't need refrigeration, fermentation is the reason.  They can be stored a long time at room temperature.  Most of the recipes I've seen also include the curing salt.  #1 if smoked and #2 if they're cure to eat.  In any case, there is some serious preserving going on with these rascals since curing salt, fermentation and smoking them all work to preserve them.

I've got them in the smoker at 90-100 right now to facilitate the fermentation.  Fixin to smoke them tomorrow.  I'll be able to adjust the recipe from there.  Pretty sure I'm light on jalapenos but think the cheese is pretty close.  Might be light on pepper too.  I'll post up revisions.

I'll post pics of the fight if I have to go to rasslin the raccoons and possums.

Sorry LondonFog, I meant to give you a little more explanation of the fermentation than I did.  The fermentation creates lactic acid which lowers the ph.  The goal is to get the ph around 4.8-5.  This acidic environment is not conducive to bacterial growth.  The tang is a by-product of the acidic ph level.

Yeah Blaise I've read that too. The reality is I'm only willing to get into the microbiology up to a point. My personal tolerance level is that I don't measure the pH. My ss will never be kept at room temperature for extended periods. It will be frozen or refrigerated 99.9% of the time. It'll have the tang I want or it won't. If it was cure to eat I'd get all up in it. But it's not and I won't. I'm going by the instructions that say if you keep it in a fermentation box at 90, that will be good. I'm adjusting from that, not measuring it. Sorry.

No Blaise I wasn't offended. Just read my reply to you again and it did seem a little terse. That was my bad writing, not bad attitude. Sorry. I thought about canned jalapeños because fresh tend to be inconsistent but for me, sausage recipes are more of a journey than a destination. Thanks for the tip on the cheese. If this xsharp doesn't work well ill give the Jarlsberg a try. Just knew I didn't want the high temp. I wouldn't eat the high temp by itself on a cracker so didn't want it in the ss. Hoping to keep the temp down fairly low and hoping it won't be a problem.

We'll know later today. Thanks again.

I'll be curious to see how the ss tastes after about a week.  But for that, my first attempt is in the books and I have to put it in the win column.  The recipe I used was pretty good and I've made note for a couple changes.  Not the least of which came from cranky buzzard on a better ratio for the jalapenos.  Also thanks to blaise for the advice on the canned jalapenos and possible cheese selection.  I'll run down my process, with pictures.  If anyone is interested I can post the recipe too.

I wound up using four jalapenos per pound and that turned out to be too few.  I didn't get the weight on them but will use 10% by weight next time.

As I mentioned earlier I used extra sharp cheddar and crumbled it in the food processor.  It was about 7% by weight but it worked great.  The melting point is high enough that it worked fine.  And of course tastes far better than high temp cheese, which as near as I can tell has only one virtue; it has a high melting temperature.

I didn't hit my ideal target ratios for beef, pork and fat but they were in the neighborhood.  I use a Lem #12 big bite so I am able to start with pretty big chunks.  After mixing all the dry ingredients together I pour all the seasoning except jalapenos, cheese and garlic cloves evenly over the meat chunks prior to the first grind.  Mix by hand of course.  I made the coarse grind and put it back in the freezer.  I mixed the Bactoferm with destrose and water and let it set.  I put the casings in water to soak.

After the ground meat has become partially frozen I pour on the water with the Bactoferm and give it a quick mix by hand and put it through the fine grind.  I chopped the jalapenos and garlic cloves in the food processor and crumbled the xsharp cheddar in the food processor and mixed those three together in a large bowl.  I added them to the mix  after the fine grind and mixed it all together.  Back into the freezer.

Once firm I loaded up the Lem 10# stuffer.  I used the Lem clear casings 2 1/2 x 20 and used hog rings to close them up.

I have no climate controlled box for fermentation for the prescribed 12 hours so I decided to hang them at ambient temperature for two days.  I have nothing to test ph so was hoping I was close.


I had a broken flag pole so lowered it to horizontal to hang the sausages out on the patio.


Turns out that wasn't a great idea.  However it appears the raccoon or possum approved of the recipe.  After the first morning I went ahead and hung them in the smoker for the second day of fermentation.  Much better idea than the first but there were cocktails involved.


Begin smoking.  I had no idea how difficult it is to run a smoker at 100.


Finish smoking.  I was pleased with the color.


Ice bath.


Blooming.  Again, I'm happy with the color.


On the board ready for cutting in halves and into suck bags.


The taste is great and I have no complaints.  Again, I have a couple changes to the recipe but overall I'm very happy with my first attempt.

I hear ya crankybuzzard.  Been smoking meat for years but got bit by the bug for curing meat a couple years ago.  Started with bacon and moved to sausage.  This was my first fermented type though.

I always take meticulous notes on the recipe conversion, the actual recipe used and notes for future changes.  I've got a small journal with all my recipes.  Absolutely the key to repeatable end results we enjoy.