dry cure sausage questions...

[indaswamp]

So, as most of y'all know I recently acquired a couple of free refrigerators and I will be turning one into a drying chamber for dry cured meats. I have been researching/reading a lot of stuff on making dry cured meats while I source the equipment for the drying chamber.

A few questions...

I have some odds and ends of beef middle casings left over from making andouille last fall. Can I use them for stuffing Soppressata?

Do the collagen sheets act as the casing? Which is better? pros and cons. I've never fooled with collagen sheets. Does it stay on or get removed when drying is complete?

What molds are recommended for the hot and humid south? I do have a room I could hang the stuffed sausages in to ferment that I can probably get down to 62~64*...is that cool enough? What does the humidity need to be for fermenting? Does it matter?

Best online resources for learning about dry cured meats? I've looked through meatsandsausages which is wednely and domone (sp.?)...any others?

Thanks for the help.

 

[daveomak]

I have the paperback and kindle editions...

 

[Saline_Smoker]

Swamp,

I’ll try to rapid fire a few of your questions here.

• Beef middles for soppressata: They’re going to work great. I use beef middle to dry cure most my salamis. They adhere really well to the meat.

• Collagen sheets: sorry don’t know, never used ‘em. My guess is you’d remove them though.

• Which mold: Mold-600 is the most widely available mold on the market and likely what you’ll end up using if you choose to mold. I’ve actually never seen any other type (though books say there are indeed others out there).

• Fermentation temp: the temp you’ll want to ferment at is dependent on your culture strain, slow low temp ones like T-SPX and B-LC 007, you’ll want ~65-70° F, fast high temp ones like FLC you can ferment at ~85-100°F. I just use whichever one is seasonably appropriate (read temp is easy to achieve), and hold them at the temp/time suggested by the manufacturer.

• Fermentation humidity: yes, it does matter. You want a high humidity, 90% RH, is typically recommended. This is to prevent premature drying of the sausages and to allow the cultures to do their thing completely from the center to the outer surface of the sausages. Because of the high RH needed, I ferment in a jumbo Rubbermaid tub.

• Resources: really, I have to ditto Dave, the Marianski’s book is by far the best investment you can make if you’re getting into making dry cured and fermented sausages. The price is well worth it, I assure you. I have both the Home Production of Quality Meats and Sausages (which should be your first purchase), and their The Art of Making Fermented Sausages. The second having a lot of the same information as the first, but some supplementary info and a lot more recipes specifically geared toward fermented sausages.

 

[indaswamp]

Thanks for posting guys!

 

[daveomak]

If you get the Kindle version, it is updated as the book is updated... That's a really cool feature...

 

[fivetricks]

I bought that same book on Dave's reccommendation and it's def worth the price. It's a very good read.

 

[indaswamp]

If you get the Kindle version, it is updated as the book is updated... That's a really cool feature...

Dave, I'm old school.....I do not own a Kindle. And I don't have a facebook account either.....I'll get the hard copy.

 

[dernektambura]

Colagen sheets work just fine. . I did some filleto baciatto wrapped in collagen sheets and tightly stuffed in butcher net....Colagen sheets are breathable and will shrink to size as sopresatta dries and shrinks...

 

[daveomak]

Dave, I'm old school.....I do not own a Kindle. And I don't have a facebook account either.....I'll get the hard copy.

You can read Kindle books on your desk top... I do....

 

[indaswamp]

You can read Kindle books on your desk top... I do....

Really? I did not know that Dave....

 

[pc farmer]

Swamp,

I’ll try to rapid fire a few of your questions here.

• Beef middles for soppressata: They’re going to work great. I use beef middle to dry cure most my salamis. They adhere really well to the meat.

• Collagen sheets: sorry don’t know, never used ‘em. My guess is you’d remove them though.

• Which mold: Mold-600 is the most widely available mold on the market and likely what you’ll end up using if you choose to mold. I’ve actually never seen any other type (though books say there are indeed others out there).

• Fermentation temp: the temp you’ll want to ferment at is dependent on your culture strain, slow low temp ones like T-SPX and B-LC 007, you’ll want ~65-70° F, fast high temp ones like FLC you can ferment at ~85-100°F. I just use whichever one is seasonably appropriate (read temp is easy to achieve), and hold them at the temp/time suggested by the manufacturer.

• Fermentation humidity: yes, it does matter. You want a high humidity, 90% RH, is typically recommended. This is to prevent premature drying of the sausages and to allow the cultures to do their thing completely from the center to the outer surface of the sausages. Because of the high RH needed, I ferment in a jumbo Rubbermaid tub.

• Resources: really, I have to ditto Dave, the Marianski’s book is by far the best investment you can make if you’re getting into making dry cured and fermented sausages. The price is well worth it, I assure you. I have both the Home Production of Quality Meats and Sausages (which should be your first purchase), and their The Art of Making Fermented Sausages. The second having a lot of the same information as the first, but some supplementary info and a lot more recipes specifically geared toward fermented sausages.

This guy has you covered.

First time using sheets here. We have talked about it. They are to be removed. Any questions I will try to answer them.

 

[indaswamp]

Also-are you guys checking the pH after fermenting? If so, what pH meter are you guys using?

 

[pc farmer]

I dont check ph. Add the culture and the time fermenting. Risky? Maybe. But I am still here.

 

[indaswamp]

I dont check ph. Add the culture and the time fermenting. Risky? Maybe. But I am still here.

See....this is one of the reasons I have hesitated jumping in to making dry cured meats and sausages. From the little I know, you want the pH to drop at or below pH4.8 within 48 hours of fermentation. The bad bugs are growing just like the Lactic acid bacteria, and you want that lactic acid to inhibit/stop the bad bugs growing. Maybe it's just me....but I want to check it prior to drying......Being in the danger zone for that long has it's risks no doubt.

 

[pc farmer]

See....this is one of the reasons I have hesitated jumping in to making dry cured meats and sausages. From the little I know, you want the pH to drop at or below pH4.8 within 48 hours of fermentation. The bad bugs are growing just like the Lactic acid bacteria, and you want that lactic acid to inhibit/stop the bad bugs growing. Maybe it's just me....but I want to check it prior to drying......Being in the danger zone for that long has it's risks no doubt.

Maybe I should get something and check mine. I follow what the package says for temp and time and dont worry about it .

 

[indaswamp]

If your culture is dead, no lactic acid produced......but how will you know unless you check it? You can't visually see it....

 

[pc farmer]

If your culture is dead, no lactic acid produced......but how will you know unless you check it? You can't visually see it....

Culture keeps for a long time in the freezer. I have some a year old.

 

[chopsaw]

Culture keeps for a long time in the freezer. I have some a year old.

I have some dated June 2016 .

 

[daveomak]

Check this out...
pH paper

 

[pc farmer]

As always, everyone has their way of doing things. Your gonna have to read and experiment. My way may not be your way of doing things. This type of making meats you will get all types of answers.