My turn at Low Sodium Smoke Sausage

[indaswamp]

I have been asked to make a batch of the Cajun Smoke Sasuage but low sodium. Baby sister has been diagnosed with meniere's disease and is on a very sodium restrictive diet as part of her treatment. Well, she loves the family recipe, but asked if I could modify it for her.....sure thing baby sis! So here is my go at it...

Gonna make these along with the 50# of goose smoke sausage and smoke it all at once on Sunday. First, I deboned a double pack of boston butts. then removed the fat caps along with any large chunks of fat from the lean and set that aside. then I chunked the butts into 1/2" x 1/2" x 3" strips and put that in a meat tote on one side, fat on the other. Weighed the tote to figure spices and salt.

Removed the fat to a separate pan and in the fridge overnight.

Had 8260 kg. lean and fat so I weighed out:

0.25% table salt
0.25% cure #1
0.25% KCl
and 0.25% TSPP

Added the TSPP to 1c. 100-115*F water and stir to dissolve. then added ice to 1 3/4c., stir to cool...

Sprinkled the salts over the meat then poured the TSPP water over top, mixed well, in the refrigerator overnight to cure.
I added the salt to only the lean for better salt soluble protein extraction with the low percentage of salts. Also added the KCl and TSPP as they will extract proteins as well. Grinding after salt uptake will really help denature protiens with low salt is what I'm thinking....
Will grind mix in spices and case tomorrow afternoon....

 

[Cajun Smokes]

I'm watching to see how this does. I have been making lower sodium ham and sausage for my mom, that is on dialysis. This is actually what got me on the forum (after 3-4 years of researching the site before finally becoming a member). She was unable to enjoy holiday ham and sausage dishes due to sodium. In her sausage I stopped at .0.7% in fear that less salt may not be safe. If this works, it will be a wonderful change.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Looks good.
Watching.

 

[DRKsmoking]

Sounds good, and in for the mix , stuff, smoke and slice ride.

David

 

[Nefarious]

Ok, I'm in. But, what is KCI and TSPP?

 

[indaswamp]

KCl- Potassium Chloride
And I should have typed STPP; sodium tripolyphosphate:

Polyphosphates are commonly used additives in meat processing. The addition of STPP to meat improves texture & color, reduces cooking loss, and increases product yield. Such a mechanism is believed through increasing pH, strengthening ionic power, and chelating metal ions.


STPP interacts with amino acids or hydroxyl groups in proteins, thus improving the water retention and gel strength of meat.


Meanwhile, its combination with sodium chloride can reduce the sodium content in meat compared with using sodium chloride only. NaCl contains 39.3% sodium, while in sodium tripolyphosphate (anhydrous) the sodium content is only 31.3%.

https://foodadditives.net/phosphates/sodium-tripolyphosphate/

 

[indaswamp]

The verdict after grinding and stuffing...
Salting only the lean did a great job of protein extraction with the low amount of salt used to cure the meat overnight. The addition of sodium phosphates with half the added water for the recipe helped too. the added sodium helped the salt raise the salt concentration slightly, but the phosphates really helped the meat suck up the water.Here it is after 24 hour rest in refrigerator..

I mixed the meat once more, then added the fat back in prior to grinding through the 6mm plate....

The grind...it was very sticky after grinding so this is good protein extraction..

I did add 1/2 tsp of citric acid which is a very fast cure accelerator, but this is being added 24 hours after the cure so the cure has had a chance to diffuse into the meat before the accelerator hits it..

All mixed up...

Good bind....it'll stick to my hand and not move...

And the test patty...hard to see with the picture, but it was pink from the cure.

It is good. I really wanted to check the flavor with the added KCl; just to make sure the flavor is not bitter. I did double the brown sugar for just a touch more sweetness to balance out the bitter that the KCl brings. Little more browning when frying from the sugar, but not bad. All stuffed into 32-35mm hog casings on ice. they hit the smokehouse in the morning. Will smoke about 70# sausage tomorrow.... more pics. to come.

 

[indaswamp]

I expect the bind to tighten up some with the overnight rest, then smoking tomorrow....

 

[indaswamp]

Sodium total from-

NaCl - 0.0975%
KCl - 0
STPP - 0.0775%
Cure #1 = 0.0975%
MSG = 0.0165%

Add that all up and it is 0.289% sodium. So for every 100grams; you consume 28.9mg. of sodium. 1/4# (one link) is about 114 grams so that is about 32.8mg sodium. Not bad at all... and a much better bind so far than I thought possible. Little sister should be happy!

 

[indaswamp]

I could not even taste the KCl so I may try and double that to 0.5% and back off the NaCl 0.25%. That would drop the sodium even more, yet still give good bind about like where it is now. The added sugar helps I think.

 

[indaswamp]

So by removing the fat and just applying the salts to the lean, I was able to increase the salt concentration by 0.25%. This helped a lot with protein extraction. And once extracted, those proteins stay extracted when the fat is blended back in.

 

[Fueling Around]

Great write up.

Why citric acid? Nitrite depletion?

I expect the bind to tighten up some with the overnight rest, then smoking tomorrow....

I make low sodium (1/2%) raw sausage all the time. The longer it rests in the fridge, the better the protein extraction.

 

[Fueling Around]

I'm watching to see how this does. I have been making lower sodium ham and sausage for my mom, that is on dialysis. This is actually what got me on the forum (after 3-4 years of researching the site before finally becoming a member). She was unable to enjoy holiday ham and sausage dishes due to sodium. In her sausage I stopped at .0.7% in fear that less salt may not be safe. If this works, it will be a wonderful change.

I would not use potassium chloride as a salt (sodium chloride) substitute if your mother is on dialysis. Consult with her dietitian about restricting both sodium and potassium intake.

 

[indaswamp]

Great write up.

Why citric acid? Nitrite depletion?

Everyone knows that sodium erythorbate is a cure accelerator. Well, it is a salt of ascorbic acid (which is vitamin C). Citric acid can act as a cure accelerator, but it is extremely fast so best to add after the meat has been cured. not recommended to add at the same time with the cure as you can with sodium erythorbate.
Also, no sodium in citric acid....perfect for low sodium sausage.

 

[Fueling Around]

Everyone knows that sodium erythorbate is a cure accelerator. Well, it is a salt of ascorbic acid (which is vitamin C). Citric acid can act as a cure accelerator, but it is extremely fast so best to add after the meat has been cured. not recommended to add at the same time with the cure as you can with sodium erythorbate.
Also, no sodium in citric acid....perfect for low sodium sausage.

Great explanation.
So, long story short, nitrite depletion?

 

[indaswamp]

So, long story short, nitrite depletion?

I don't look at it that way, but yes. Main reason for cure accelerator is preventing nitrosamine formation...and nitrates are necessary for that to happen. funny thing is, even adding sodium nitrite and no sodium nitrate; nitrates will still form with nitrite present. But I forget what the equilibrium percentages are.....

Nitrates will be immediately reduced in the presence of a cure acceleraator so no nitrosamine formation...

 

[indaswamp]

Smoked 'em today so here are the results...

In the smokehouse @110-120*F to dry the casings for an hour...

Lets roll some smoke!

8 hours later, done...Goose/pork on top rows, low sodium on second rows...

cool in cold water to drop temp. below 100*F...

Then bloom for an hour and on ice. Will package tomorrow.
Here is the cross cut on the low sodium sausage...

Verdict- the bind is really good considering this is a low sodium sausage. Flavor is great. Tastes just like the family recipe, but low salt. The extra sugar definitely helped balance the potassium addition. I think little sis will love it.

 

[Cajun Smokes]

I would not use potassium chloride as a salt (sodium chloride) substitute if your mother is on dialysis. Consult with her dietitian about restricting both sodium and potassium intake.

Thank you bringing up this vital information and you are 100% correct. We learned this early in her diagnosis but still great information for anyone else that may be in the same situation.

Smoked 'em today so here are the results...

In the smokehouse @110-120*F to dry the casings for an hour...
View attachment 681458

Lets roll some smoke!
View attachment 681459

8 hours later, done...Goose/pork on top rows, low sodium on second rows...
View attachment 681460

cool in cold water to drop temp. below 100*F...
View attachment 681461

Then bloom for an hour and on ice. Will package tomorrow.
Here is the cross cut on the low sodium sausage...
View attachment 681462

Verdict- the bind is really good considering this is a low sodium sausage. Flavor is great. Tastes just like the family recipe, but low salt. The extra sugar definitely helped balance the potassium addition. I think little sis will love it.

Thank you walking through this process, very informative.