Sausage IT and texture

[zwiller]

Last round of sausage turned out tasty but sorta weak in terms of texture compared to what I am used to. Seems a little loose whereas store bought is tighter or more firm. I had issues with falling IT and only got up to 135F or so and wonder if getting into the typical final temps say 150F or so will help this. Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[chopsaw]

If it's loose , I would think it's fat content . Maybe salt reaction to the fat / mixed til sticky . To much liquid can cause this also . If I finish in the smoker I go to 150 ish . I only go lower temps and use the charts if I finish SV .
Did you use a binder ?

 

[indaswamp]

How long did you mix the meat paste? Did it get tacky?

I find sausages cooked to 135-136*F in the smokehouse will not be as firm as those cooked to 150ish.

 

[zwiller]

Thanks.

Wonder about the fat. Tempted to try SV. Yes binder, STPP.

Yes, got it tacky. Sounds like I am heading in the right direction going higher IT.

What is weird to me is store bought also seems more moist but yet firmer, whereas mine is drier but looser. By the way, talking a summer sausage type here.

 

[indaswamp]

what is the pH of the summer sausage? If it gets too low, you will get a bad bind....if semi-dry.

 

[zwiller]

Good question however not doing a real SS so no ferment on this one. I am doing side by side with store bought and something is off. However, totally stoked the flavor is there. Rich thinks I might need some pork and/or fat and he is probably right but I have had a Kroger all beef garlic sausage and it's nice and firm compared to mine.

 

[indaswamp]

Did you add fermento, buttermilk or any other lactic acid fermentation replacement? These can also lower the pH of the meat paste.

 

[chopsaw]

Is this beef sausage ?

 

[tallbm]

Last round of sausage turned out tasty but sorta weak in terms of texture compared to what I am used to. Seems a little loose whereas store bought is tighter or more firm. I had issues with falling IT and only got up to 135F or so and wonder if getting into the typical final temps say 150F or so will help this. Any thoughts appreciated.

I'm like 99% sure you just didnt cook it to a high enough IT. Try going to like 153-155F IT and I bet it helps u out big time.

 

[zwiller]

I did intend to go to 150Fish IT and had smoker set at 170F but it never made it up that high and just stalled for 12hrs at 135Fish. I need to play around and fix this. Close/block the vent, overnight room temp rest, smoke and SV, etc.

@indaswamp I did add 1% lemon juice so there was some acidity. Not measuring for pH yet... Does the decrease in pH have an affect of texture?

@chopsaw Yes Rich all beef and your point is well taken to add some pork. On the to do list but Krogers all beef SS is pretty good.

@tallbm I hope you are right on higher IT (I am member of 1% club)

Honestly, I am floored I am now working on texture. Figured I'd be tweaking the recipe a lot more. Flavor wise this recipe is done.

 

[chopsaw]

Flavor wise this recipe is done.

Then you're there .

working on texture.

Sam , just my opinion . I would leave the STPP out and sub in NFDM .

 

[tallbm]

I did intend to go to 150Fish IT and had smoker set at 170F but it never made it up that high and just stalled for 12hrs at 135Fish. I need to play around and fix this. Close/block the vent, overnight room temp rest, smoke and SV, etc.

@indaswamp I did add 1% lemon juice so there was some acidity. Not measuring for pH yet... Does the decrease in pH have an affect of texture?

@chopsaw Yes Rich all beef and your point is well taken to add some pork. On the to do list but Krogers all beef SS is pretty good.

@tallbm I hope you are right on higher IT (I am member of 1% club)

Honestly, I am floored I am now working on texture. Figured I'd be tweaking the recipe a lot more. Flavor wise this recipe is done.

If you had it at 170F I'm guessing there is a chance you weren't actually hitting 170F if using an MES. Did you have a 2nd trusty thermometer testing smoker temp?

I've read and also found that when doing sausage IT of the meat doesn't like to really go more than 15F below your set temp.
So if you set your smoker to 170F then the meat really doesn't want to go beyond 155F IT.

I think given a ton of time it may raise to meet the smoker temp but you also have the issue that in an MES that you don't have a steady temp in the smoker. The smoker temp really rocks up and down (150-180F???) and is letting air out of the vent so I'm sure this also makes for the behavior of the meat not wanting to go more than 15F below smoker set temp.

I didn't do sausage or bacon in my MES until I rewired and put a PID on it. I wanted steady temps for sausage and bacon to avoid fat out. Also I do a bunch of wild hog sausage when I shoot them so I have to get those sausages to an IT of 165F meaning a smoker temp of 180F which is about as high as you want to work up to for sausage making to avoid fat out.

I'm really confident that your texture issues fix up if you can manage to get your sausage IT up to the low to med 150's. I've even read articles on texture showing differences in texture based on IT of the sausage.

I hope this info helps, and if u wanna come over to the dark side of with the PID let me know. I'm a believer that if you have an electric smoker then it should smoke anything you want to smoke :)

 

[zwiller]

I value your opinion Rich. Have not used NFDM before but planned to try some on weisswurst. Will give it a shot. Is this for all you sausage or ?

OK, now that's 2 guys telling me to PID. Someday. I need to read your thread, as I am a big DIY guy and into RasPi.

 

[chopsaw]

Sam , thanks for that comment . The reason I joined here was because I was doing my own deer sausage with bad results . I choked it all down too , because I harvested an animal and refuse to waste it .
After reading up on here I added it to the next batch . I was amazed how good the texture was . I think I may have cried a little . I don't do summer sausage without it .
I do use it in my brats and polish . Both smoked and fresh .
I don't add it to Italian or breakfast . Just what I like to use . Other ways to do it though .
Also , since I went to the PID , cook times are shorter . No forward , then back up .
Even constant temp .
Sam , I'll send you a PM later after I check some notes .

 

[Winterrider]

PID is a great bonus in the MES for temp control. I'm actually glad my original controller went to hell. Much nicer now for sausages, jerky, fish, etc

 

[indaswamp]

I'll second NFDM... It really helps with the bind. STPP helps some but is really there as a pH adjuster (raises pH of paste which increases the bind) and as a moisture retainer...it really grabs onto the water in the mix. At least this is my understanding of phosphates in sausages.