Kielbasa start to finish for Chef Jimmy

[shannon127]

This recipe sounds great and something I can do. Question about the cure. Is the cure for ground, cubed, and whole meats the same? In this recipe the rate of cure is below, not by much, the 6.25% I’ve read about. Or am I just being paranoid?

the percentage of cure 1 to meat is 2.25%. The standard is 2.5%, but I cure my meat before I grind. Less surface area for bacterial infection, so less cure needed.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Same cure. I was using Diggindogfarm calculator. I just assumed this was a calculator for figuring out cure %. This is why I asked about the different forms of meat.

Oh, ok. My confussion. There are many recipes. While one may call for X% Cure, by weight. Another may use Y%. As long as the amount of Cure #1 stays between 80 ppm and 200 ppm, you are Safe...JJ

 

[Slow42]

Really don't know anything about cures except what I read as safe. I realize there are many many different recipes that require cures. The only meat I’ve used at this this point have been whole pieces. Shannon127 suggests that there is more surface area in his recipe so less cure is needed. Makes sense but the whole meat I used would have even less surface area and cube more very confusing. So my original question was do different size meat cubed, ground, whole require different cure amounts or just stay within the 80-200 ppm. Seems like quite a range of cure, for safety, so why use more when less will do?

 

[Robert H]

Well played.Looks delish.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Keep it it Simple for yourself. Follow the Recipe and instructions for Sausage since you want to replicate it exactly, Go by Diggy's Calculator for large cuts , like Bacon and Ham. You will NEVER GO WRONG with 156ppm, per the calculator, when you get to the point you are creating recipes.
As far as your question, you need to stay in the safe range. The only difference Size makes, is how long it is going to take to fully cure to the center. Ground meat cures almost instantly, beyond that you can figure 1/4" penetration per Day.
Shannon has Decades of experience and was taught by family members that have used that recipe for Generations! You might want to get several pounds of Sausage, under your belt, before you try to develop a recipe and worry about saving a couple Hundreth of a Percent of Cure based on meat thickness. Especially since it don't matter what the size if you are using 156 ppm Cure #1...JJ

 

[Slow42]

One more dumb question maybe two, how long in the water bath? And after water bath? Thanks

 

[shannon127]

One more dumb question maybe two, how long in the water bath? And after water bath? Thanks

They stay in the water bath until the internal temperature reaches 155 F. Also if you cure before grinding there is less surface area for bacteria to grow. Ground meat has exponentially more surface area. Since bacteria grow on the surface, less cure is needed if you cure before grinding

 

[Slow42]

Thanks I followed your recipe to the letter as best I could. I smoked for three hours with Apple wood pellets, all I have, at temperature 148 +-, into hot water after that got away from me a bit 161 when removed. To long in ice water temperature was down to 59 degrees when I removed them. All in all they look wonderful. Cutting into them when the wife gets home. Many thanks to all for your input.

 

[Slow42]

This is a cross section and I think it’s perfect. The taste is amazing just like the kielbasa from the Pennsylvania farmers market. The wife loved it. The beef casing needs to be replaced with the pork but I was amazed at how tender they were otherwise.

 

[chef jimmyj]

That's it. Simple and comes out perfect, following the recipe and directions...JJ

 

[rockymntnsmoker]

Just made this recipe today, used a mix of butt and picnic cuts. I haven’t smoked them yet, as they’re hanging in out in the fridge until tomorrow, but did a “ fry test “ of what was left in the stuffer and WOW !!!!! Absolutely delicious!!! Can’t wait to see how amazing they turn out after smoking them ! Thanks for a great recipe!! Definitely my fave.