Drying cold smoked sausage

[jnorth]

Several of the cold smoked sausages from Ruhlman's Charcuterie book call to hang the sausage to dry after cold smoking for 2-3 days in ~65 degrees, ~60% humidity.  These are cold smoked with cure #1.  They are not dry curing, you still need to cook them afterwards. 

What I am wondering is how close to those temperatures and pressures do you need to be to be safe.  Mostly the humidity, best I can do right now is about 50%.  I plan on making a curing chamber later but that wont be available for a couple months and I wont be able to smoke then.

Since I tend to bring in some of my sausages to work I'd feel rather bad if I got some of the folks there sick or worse.

thanks

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Exactly what Ruhlman/Polcyn sausage formulas do you have in mind?

If the humidity is to low, you risk case hardening, that's where the outer part of the sausage gets over-dried blocking moisture which prevents the rest of the sausage from drying properly.

It's best to wait until you have a curing chamber set-up where you can control the temperature and moisture.

~Martin

 

[jnorth]

It's the cold smoked chorizo and cold smoked andouille.  I'd like to try all the smoked sausages in that book but low humidity here makes it hard when it calls to let it dry out.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

I did the dry cured chorizo.

You will need controlled temps and humidity to do this.

Chorizo is on the dowel

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• BGKYSmoker
• Aug 11, 2012

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• BGKYSmoker
• Aug 11, 2012

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• BGKYSmoker
• Aug 11, 2012

 

[laszlo]

Yep, to make these right the curing chamber is the way to go. Gotta keep the humidity where it needs to be.

All meat in the pic is cured with #2. The bresaolas hanging at the back like it up to 80% in their first two weeks, so this is how it is set now.

Chorizos would be normally at 70%, but the increased humidity doesn't seem to harm them.

The red container contain homemade camembert cheese maturing for couple of weeks.

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• laszlo
• Aug 13, 2012

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• laszlo
• Aug 13, 2012

 

[daveomak]

I keep looking at all the dried / cured sausage you folks make... You are true artisans.....

I have got to quit looking ......  Temp controlled humidity chamber would be the straw that the camel died from... Bride would see to that.....  

Well, maybe I'll peek at the threads just once in awhile.... sure looks good to me......  

 ......    

 

[smokinhusker]

I have to agree with you Dave...they truly are artisans but there's no way I'd try this. I'll just keep looking!

 

[sam3]

I have to agree with you Dave...they truly are artisans but there's no way I'd try this. I'll just keep looking!

X2.

Maybe someday. ..who knows.