Formulating a pineapple smoke sausage recipe....

[indaswamp]

Found this:
https://meatsci.osu.edu/node/130

"A 7 percent brine solution is ideal for solubilization of myosin. Using meat which contains 65 percent moisture, one would want 4.5 percent salt in contact with the meat for maximum extraction of proteins. This can be accomplished during chopping by adding the salt initially with the meat but with no additional water. This extraction is also enhanced by using ice instead of water to reduce the emulsion temperature to 28 to 30F. Once these proteins are extracted, they remain soluble with the addition of water."

 

[indaswamp]

After thinking on this a little more... I bet this is the route to go, baking soda soak for the pineapple. I'm willing to bet that ECA (encapsulated citric acid) could be used to bring back the 'bite' from the pineapple after the meat paste bind is set from cooking. Gotta love chemistry! LOL! I do not have any ECA on hand so this batch will be made without it. I will need to order some.

 

[DanMcG]

A knowledgeable friend told me to adjust it to pH 6 for maximum water holding. I just ordered an inexpensive ph meter to play around with.

 

[indaswamp]

Dan is this adjusting the pH of the meat paste to pH6 or just the pineapple?

 

[DanMcG]

I assumed it to mean adjust the acidity of the pineapple, since that's what the conversation was about. I'll have to ask again.

 

[indaswamp]

Thanks Dan.

 

[zwiller]

Remind me to ask you guys to help me a hungarian hot dog recipe I want to make.

Been thinking that if you took some of that drained pineapple and coat/dust it with dextrose it would seal up quite well kinda like candied pineapple and proceed to freezer?

Going back to the USDA stuff. If they are using freeze dried pineapple they have to list it as such and not just pineapple? Also, using baking soda would require them to list it as well right?

 

[DanMcG]

Don't really know the answer but technically the baking soda isn't in the sausage, it was just used to soak the pineapple before the sausage was made. I really don't know.

 

[indaswamp]

Well, thanks for asking Dan. That is what I will probably do. I did buy some pH strips and will check the pH of the meat through the process just for the heck of it. If it looks too low, I will add some baking soda to the meat paste and check the bind with a fry test. As long as it's above 5.4, bind should be good with 6.3 being optimum.

I put the meat in cold water overnight to thaw. Doing first grind then protein extraction and cure tonight, I will mix in the soy, maple syrup, and pineapple tomorrow afternoon and stuff into casing. Hope to smoke Thursday.

 

[indaswamp]

Sure wish I had some ECA on hand, Would help give a more true 'pineapple' bite.. Will try on next batch. I expect this one to have good pineapple flavor, but the taste will be flat. If you have ECA Dan and want to give a test batch a go, report your results....

 

[indaswamp]

Remind me to ask you guys to help me a hungarian hot dog recipe I want to make.

Been thinking that if you took some of that drained pineapple and coat/dust it with dextrose it would seal up quite well kinda like candied pineapple and proceed to freezer?

Going back to the USDA stuff. If they are using freeze dried pineapple they have to list it as such and not just pineapple? Also, using baking soda would require them to list it as well right?

Not sure if the soda is just a soak and rinse of the pineapple that it would need to be on the ingredient list. Large processors may be buying neutralized pineapple for sausage making from a distributor.

 

[indaswamp]

Found this..
http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ai407e/AI407E24.htm

pretty interesting...

 

[chef jimmyj]

Baking Soda + Cellulose = Mush. This is why Boston Baked Beans have Baking Soda added to the initial cooking water to make the skins tender. It also turns Red veggies a nasty blue/green color. Not important here but a cool fact. Simmer some Red Cabbage with Baking Soda and tell the kids it's Magic! The pineapple acid may offset the effect so run a test.
Way back when we were working on the recipe, I took the maple water volume into consideration when a I determined the Soy and Pineapple Juice volumes to add. I'm finding mix pH values for Canned Pineapple of 3.5 to 5.5. Go figure. Soy Sauce is 4.4 to 5.4. If your pH is above 5, I don't think there will be bind issuses. I have eaten pounds of Longanisa and Lap Cheong with soy sauce and vinegar, they hold together fine...JJ

 

[indaswamp]

Thanks for the insight jj....
noted-do not use too much baking soda!

 

[indaswamp]

I will test the drained pineapple with a pH strip. Then I will soak the pineapple in water only, drain, and test again to see where I'm at. That should determine how much baking soda is necessary...if any at all...

 

[indaswamp]

jj- I will test the pH of the soy I bought as well....

 

[chef jimmyj]

I looked around, one Longanisa recipe had 1Tbs Soy and 3Tbs Vinegar in 21oz of pork. Another had Vinegar, Soy and Pineapple Juice in a SKINLESS sausage that looked perfect. I think you are worrying a lot about nothing...JJ

 

[indaswamp]

Took 4 cans dole pineapple tidbits and drained them in a colander. I checked the pH of the pineapple (pineapple) with a pH strip and it was off the chart provided with the strips (see pic. below) probably in the 3.5~4 range.

First water soak (1) and rinse and the pH did not change much, maybe 4.5.

Second water soak (2) and rinse and the pH came up to around 5.3ish.

I then prepared my slightly basic solution using 4 qts. of water and 1/4tsp. of baking soda. This solution (soda) registered a pH of about 7.5~8 (the strip got darker upon sitting. The instructions say to read the immediate color change).

I did the third and final soak (soak) in the basic solution, the pH was around pH 6.5~7. Perfect. I drained the pineapple for about 20 minutes.

I then mixed 1/2 TBSP. Pineapple extract with 1/8 cup of water and poured this over the pineapple in a gallon ziplock bag.

The pineapple upon tasting, after rinsing and basic solution, is flat like I expected. Adding the pineapple extract should bring back some flavor. I will get the sweet with the sugar in the meat paste. I put the bag in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to allow the extract time to soak in. I have the pineapple tidbits on the dehydrator to dry them some to lock in the extract and help prevent acid from inside the pineapple pieces from leaking out upon mixing into the meat paste. I'm not drying to rock hard, just semi-soft. I will freeze the pineapple prior to mixing into the meat paste.

 

[indaswamp]

Soy sauce I am using is pH5....

 

[indaswamp]

FWIW, 1/8 tsp. sodium bicarbonate will raise the pH of 1/2 cup dole canned pineapple juice (preserved with citric acid) from pH3.3~3.5 to pH 6.