Finishing summer sausage with saus v ide

[Tinner340]

I know this subject has been beat to death on this forum but I have to ask. I'm going to finish my batch of sausage in an S.V. for the first time. Can I just go by the FSIS log tables and finish it at say 152-158*f, in the S.V. and be fine at that?

 

[SmokinEdge]

Yes you can but I wouldn’t go past 151-152*F just because of potential fat out.

 

[DougE]

151 to 152° is where I finish sausages in SV. It's safe, and no worry about fat out.

 

[Tinner340]

Thanks, I usually finish mine, in my smoker, at 155* so once I reach 152-155 I can pull them and give them a bath?

 

[DougE]

Thanks, I usually finish mine, in my smoker, at 155* so once I reach 152-155 I can pull them and give them a bath?

I'd pull at 152° and into the cold water/ice bath to stop cooking.

 

[DougE]

Thanks, I usually finish mine, in my smoker, at 155* so once I reach 152-155 I can pull them and give them a bath?

I've done it both ways, but get the best results by smoking until I get the color I want, then poaching in water using sous vide.

 

[Tinner340]

Sounds good, thanks!! I'll post photos.

 

[SmokinEdge]

When using SV to finish sausages, as Doug has stated above, smoke until desired color or time but you don’t have to hit final IT in the smoker, that’s exactly where the SV comes in to finish the thermal process, pull at around 151* and ice them down for a half hour or so.

 

[Tinner340]

I pulled them out of the SV at 152*f. then outside in the 20* air to cool off for a bit. Then hung at room temp for 1 hr and in the fridge. I'll cut them tomorrow.

 

[tbern]

Look delicious! Great color!

 

[DougE]

Looks great! nice color, but I still would have cooled in cold water or ice water. Water transfers heat much more quickly and efficiently than air.

 

[Tinner340]

Looks great! nice color, but I still would have cooled in cold water or ice water. Water transfers heat much more quickly and efficiently than air.

I agree, if you can get water down to 20*f.

 

[Dave in AZ]

Tinner340 those look fantastic!

 

[SmokinEdge]

I agree, if you can get water down to 20*f.

The ice bath is about cooling the sausage and stopping the cooking process, but it is also about setting or conditioning the casing for bite and snap, stopping that chewy case. This is why the Polish finish in 170* water as a poach. I finish in the SV and it really is a game changer with casing texture. The water is key. Dry cold air is not the same. This actually dries the casing more. The casing dries slightly during smoking, so hydration is a good final step for final sausage quality.

 

[Tinner340]

The ice bath is about cooling the sausage and stopping the cooking process, but it is also about setting or conditioning the casing for bite and snap, stopping that chewy case. This is why the Polish finish in 170* water as a poach. I finish in the SV and it really is a game changer with casing texture. The water is key. Dry cold air is not the same. This actually dries the casing more. The casing dries slightly during smoking, so hydration is a good final step for final sausage quality.

I agree but these are fibrous casings. :)

 

[SmokinEdge]

I agree but these are fibrous casings. :)

Do you peel them or leave them on? Even though non eatable, the process is the same. The setting of the casing eliminates air between the casing and meat, extending the shelf life of the sausage. Process is same. Commercial they do this with steam or heat and high humidity. The final finish needs to hydrate the casing Fresh, collagen or fibrous. Unless cellulose, that doesn’t seem to matter.

 

[Tinner340]

.

 

[Tinner340]

Do you peel them or leave them on? Even though non eatable, the process is the same. The setting of the casing eliminates air between the casing and meat, extending the shelf life of the sausage. Process is same. Commercial they do this with steam or heat and high humidity. The final finish needs to hydrate the casing Fresh, collagen or fibrous. Unless cellulose, that doesn’t seem to matter.

Yes, shriveling can be a problem and water bath is a great answer to that problem but, cooling the sausage down to below the danger zone is my priority. You are right about water bath, in fact a quick dunk in hot water will help shrinkage and clean any residual grease from the casing and just make the sausage look better, then shower in cold water to lower the temp below 80*f.
Below is a photo of one I left in the smoker to finish tonight.(the others I used a SV to finish) when I pulled it, at155*f, the casing was shriveled, I bathed it in hot water then sprayed with cold to reduce temps to below 80*. That removed the shrivel in the casing and helped the look as well. I will cut into both tomorrow and see if there's any difference in appearance and post photos. Thanks for your help!!

 

[Tinner340]

I pulled the sausages from the firdge and taste tested them. I must say they turned out great, thanks all for the tips on the Sous Vide. All but one was finished with the SV.
The sausages finished in the SV were pulled at (152*f) and were wiped down with paper towel and immediately hung outside in 20* air to cool.
the sausage finished in the smoker (at 155*) was dunked in hot tap water, rinsed with cool water then hung outside in 20*f ambiant temp. to reach 80*f.

some differences I noticed
1- It took 3hrs longer to finish the sausages in the smoker.
2- The sausages finished in the SV lost a little color.
3-the SV finished casings came off a little easier.
4-I preferred the bite of the smoker finished sausage as it was a bit more firm.
5- in my opinion, it is easier to finish in the smoker, (i was just sitting on the couch anyway) and in no hurry.

In conclusion, taste of the sausages were very comparable. I guess if you don't have the time to finish sausages in the smoker the Sous Vide is the way to go.

 

[tbern]

Thanks for sharing your experiences with your 2 methods used to make your sausages. They do look very good!!