Bactoferm F-RM 52 use question

[dfvellone]

I picked up the book Charcuterie and tried out a couple of the dry-cure sausage recipes that call for the starter culture f-rm 52, but I'm a bit confused as far as the quantity to use. There are discrepancies within the book on quantities and also between the book's stated quantities to use and the manufacturer's.
The dry-cure sausage recipes in the book all call for 20 grams of the culture for 5lb of meat. That's just about a whole packet (25g).
The authors Dry-Cure Essentials preceding the recipes explain that "recipes for small batches must contain at least a quarter of the [25g] package to ensure that enough of the live culture gets into the sausage." Now that's just a tad over 6 grams for 5 lbs of meat. I understand that they may want to err on the side of caution, but either the culture works or not.
The Sausage Maker, where I purchased the culture, provides instructions for use that specify 1/2 teaspoon of the culture for every 10 lbs of meat.
Anybody familiar with it's use? Sorry for such a long post.

 

[formerlyfatguy]

Go with the package instructions.
A 25 gram package is enough for about 200 lbs. of meat.

 

[hoser]

I would absolutely go with the package instuctions as opposed to the book. Better safe than sorry.

 

[DanMcG]

I would go by the package directions like formerllyfatguy, and Hoser said. The way I figure it .6 grams is all you need.
The book also mentions "the product is completely safe, adding too much is not harmful in any way", But 10 times the required amount does seem a little high.

 

[dfvellone]

Yeah, it seems high alright. Doesn't give me much faith in the authors especially when one is supposed to be a master at this craft. If the lesser quantity as indicated by the manufacturer is all you need why add such a greater amount? I mentioned in my first post that they preface the recipes with the recommendation to add at least 1/4 a package to small batches, but what exactly do they characterize as a small batch? The culture isn't particularly inexpensive either. If you need just about a whole pack for a 5 lb batch then that's $15 for one small recipe. I'm not making home dry-cured sausage to save money, but I also don't want to needlessly throw away my money either.

 

[jerseyhunter]

Don't forget to store the unused portion in the freezer. Should be with the directions.

 

[al lewis]

I bought the same book and the same culture.  The manufacturer of the culture says to use 1/4 of the packet for anything under 50 lbs. of meat.  I am assuming the author was playing it safe by using 10 grams to do 5 pounds of salami instead of 6 grams, the packet is 25 grams.  I thought he was excessive also but we are curing raw pork here so how much money do you want to save?  I guess the answer is to do larger batches.  I could have done 50 pounds with the same amount I used for 5.  Live and learn.

 

[stiles27]

There is relatively little freeze dried bacteria in each 25 gram pouch of fermentation starter, such as the bactoferm f-rm-52.  Most of the contents are inert.  So you need to use at least a tablespoon, even for small batches, to insure that you have sufficient bacteria introduced and start curing.  It is what it is.  Being at the hobby level 5-10 lbs per batch, it would be nice if they either packaged a larger bag, or increased the bacteria in the bag.  A 25 gram bag, at a rate of 1 tablespoon per batch, only works for 2.5, 5 lb batches.  or make 220 lbs at once, now thats a lot of friends.

 

[atomicsmoke]

Haven't used this culture before but I used other starter cultures. Made smaller batches (5-10lbs) and used small amounts of culture: 1tsp or so. I hydrated well with clean water then added to the meat mixture. It always worked.