Help! First summer sausage!

[dan gostisha]

Update on tonight's batch. Placing them on racks seems to be the ticket. Sausages are at it 135 and no fat out so far.

 

[hoity toit]

I sometimes make mine in smaller size chubs so the bottom end is further away from the heat source. It is easy enough to cut the casings in half and make 1-1/2 chubs instead of 3 pounders. They seem to cook evenly since they are all about in the same height in the MES 40 I use.

 

[ab canuck]

Looks good, glad it worked out for you

 

[jimmyinsd]

is there any difference in finished product that was layed on racks vs hanging?

 

[dan gostisha]

Not that I was able to tell.

 

[mickey jay]

I always lay mine on the racks.. so much easier than figuring out how to hang them and don't have to worry about the bottoms getting hotter than the tops. Far as I can tell just very slight grill marks is the only difference (aside from more even cooking).

 

[jimmyinsd]

One more question. I had to abort my cook today mid stream. The SS was only up to about 130 and I pulled it, cooled it, and refrigerated it. Will it hurt anything to finish it tomorrow in a water bath?

 

[indaswamp]

How long were the links @130?
Once the cure#1 gets to 130 it starts to degrade releasing NO2 which binds with the myoglobin in the meat, turning it pink. If you did not hold it @130 long enough to pasteurize the meat to kill the bad bugs, then there is a risk that when you reheat it, they will multiply without enough cure present to prevent it from being tainted.

I'll defer to Chef JJ for a definitive answer, but feel sure he will say pretty much the same thing.

 

[jimmyinsd]

I don't think it was quit to 130. I only probed 1 and it was at 128.. I just rounded up. There were likely some at 130 and some less. It wouldn't have been 130 for long it was about 123 a when I checked it an hour earlier.

 

[jimmyinsd]

Are there any signs that it's not safe? I went ahead and water bathed them to 165 today and after coolinG and blooming they look and smell fine. I had a piece and it tastes ok. Wont be sharing any until I am certain they are safe to eat.

 

[indaswamp]

Only way to know is to know the INT you cooked them to and for how long, then compare that to a pasteurization chart.
Cure #1 is a one shot deal on sausages- unless cold smoking them like bacon where the temp does not get hotter than 90*. With bacon, repeated smoking/refrigeration is normal and safe because you do not get the bacon hot enough to degrade the cure #1.

At least this is what I have learned, others might know more and could help you out better. Maybe JJ will see this, or send him a private message...