Another Fermento question

[jimr]

When using Fermento is it ok to mix it into the product (summer sausage & venison snack sticks), 2-3 days before the product is stuffed and smoked. We normally grind and mix our sausage products a couple of days before we stuff them, then smoke them the following day.(grind & mix on Wed.-stuff on Fri-smoke on Sat) Will there be a problem with mixing the Fermento in on Wednesday for a Saturday smoke?

 

[mulepackin]

I don't see a problem with this, as long as your meat is kept at an appropriate temp to begin with which I'm sure you are. You may find a little less would work since you will have a bit more time for fermentation to occur, even at the colder temps. Of course this would depend on the taste you are after. I believe originally, naturally fermented sausages required some time to develop the flavor desired. Fermento just speeds this up, kind of jump starting the process. I can't find any info in Rytek Kutas" book about not doing this.

 

[richtee]

That's my take on it too. Once the good bugs get control, producing lactic acid and other things, the bad bugs are pretty much screwed. Not botulisim tho..that's where the curing comes in. It can't survive in cured meat.
WHICH is why...BTW all cool/cold smoked meat MUST be cured. Getting the meat temp above 140° within 4 hours is considered safe for hot smoking. With poultry, I like to see it up within 3... personal pref.

 

[jerseyhunter]

Personaly I don't think the fermento will do anything more than if you put it in the night before. My thinking is that it doesn't start to do anything till it starts to warm up, hence the long time in the smoker. Let us know how your experiment works out.

 

[pgeobc]

>I believe originally, naturally fermented sausages required some time to develop the flavor desired. Fermento just speeds this up, <

Well, let me cite an example of this effect: When using nitrite and not desiring any fermentation, one can pretty much mix, grind, and stuff--all in 24 hours (or less), if the grind is fine enough on some sausages (not all). All of that can be done at 38 degrees. The conclusion is, that the nitrite cure does not need bacteria to accomplish its work.

I have an old-tyme summer sausage recipe that dates from the 1930s. It calls for adding all the spices, binders, and cures (nitrate and nitrite) and letting it cure and ferment for 5 or 6 days, slightly above 40 degrees. Below 40 degrees, the natural nitrate to nitrite conversion process and the fermentation go too slowly to be practical. I have done this at the proper temperatures and it produces an excellent sausage, with a mild tang. This method uses the sugar that occurs naturally in the muscle tissue.

If you add Fermento ahead of time, you will get extra Lactic Acid. How much depends on many things and you may or may not like the end product. All Fermento does is to supply needed nutrient to the bactieria to get them off to a rip-roaring start and keep them going.

Personally, I'd try adding half of the Fermento, as the fermentation process is a process that is best described as exponential and half of the stuff would probably get you plenty of Lactic Acid in the end, considering the extra time and that exponential function.