Sausage, Salt and Freezing

[DanMcG]

I'd like to get a few opinions if I could on this subject.

I'm sort of salt sensitive, which  to me means,  I taste salt when others don't, or I just notice it more and is more objectionable to me then it is to others.

When I make sausage I go with alittle less salt then average and it tastes good and I'm happy with it, but when I pull some out freezer storage and cook it up it seems more saltier to me. I was just wondering if it's me or does anyone else notice an increase in saltiness after its been frozen?

I've been thinking of trying something low salt again and this issue I got, got me wondering.

 

[Bearcarver]

I'd like to get a few opinions if I could on this subject.

I'm sort of salt sensitive, which  to me means,  I taste salt when others don't, or I just notice it more and is more objectionable to me then it is to others.

When I make sausage I go with alittle less salt then average and it tastes good and I'm happy with it, but when I pull some out freezer storage and cook it up it seems more saltier to me. I was just wondering if it's me or does anyone else notice an increase in saltiness after its been frozen?

I've been thinking of trying something low salt again and this issue I got, got me wondering.

Dan, I can only give you my opinion on this, but when I thaw things out, after being vacuum packed, many things seem to be more moist than they were when they went in, and some of the salt seems to come to the surface.

Maybe that's why it seems saltier to you???

Bear

 

[solaryellow]

I can't say that I have noticed although I haven't paid it much attention.

 

[pops6927]

What kind of sausage are you freezing?  Breakfast?

 

[DanMcG]

I freeze it all Pops, fresh, fresh cooked and cured, you name it.

But it does seem to be the fresh and fresh cooked that i notice it most in.

 

[venture]

I guess I am off my rocker here, but my experience is that my sausages seem to get milder in the freezer even when vacu packed?

Having said that, I am not talking so much about salt, but the other spices I put in the sausage.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[DanMcG]

I guess I am off my rocker here, but my experience is that my sausages seem to get milder in the freezer even when vacu packed?

Having said that, I am not talking so much about salt, but the other spices I put in the sausage.

Good luck and good smoking.

Yeah Merv, I've noticed that too. Some mellow out more then others.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Dan

Add some dextrose.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Dan, Do you dissolve your salt in water before you add it to the meat, or use it in it's crystalline form? The Bear's theory would hold for sausage made with Crystalline Salt,that was previously mixed in to the meat yet undissolved, now, dissolving in the liquid formed as the meat defrosts...JJ

 

[venture]

This would be a great one for our specialized groups here.

When making sausage I grind almost all my spices down to a powder and add liquid (usually water or wine) before mixing with the meat.

A couple of exceptions would be dried pepper flakes or encapsulated citric acid.

Do others have thoughts along these lines?

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[pops6927]

During freezing, it is well documented on breakfast sausage that sage, either rubbed or ground, will lose a good portion of its flavor once thawed; this would make any salt in the mix stand out more; one ingredient reduces the other(s) dominate.  That's the reason I asked; and in many cases this holds true with other seasonings too.

For example, a snippit from eHow on freezing casseroles:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4424301_freeze-casseroles-.html

 

[venture]

Thanks Pops, as always.

Being a dummy and doing things the hard way, I have left the salt and pepper in the standard way.  But I do kick up other herbs and spices because all my sausage gets frozen.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Dan

Besides the dextrose add some Trehalose.

 

[DanMcG]

Thanks for the replies everyone.
 

Dan, Do you dissolve your salt in water before you add it to the meat, or use it in it's crystalline form? The Bear's theory would hold for sausage made with Crystalline Salt,that was previously mixed in to the meat yet undissolved now, dissolving in the liquid formed as the meat defrosts...JJ

Good theory JJ but I mix everything in the liquid before adding to the meat.

During freezing, it is well documented on breakfast sausage that sage, either rubbed or ground, will lose a good portion of its flavor once thawed; this would make any salt in the mix stand out more; one ingredient reduces the other(s) dominate.  That's the reason I asked; and in many cases this holds true with other seasonings too.

For example, a snippit from eHow on freezing casseroles:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4424301_freeze-casseroles-.html

Thanks for the link Pop's . You might be on to something there. it might be a lose of other flavors making the salt more dominate.
 

Dan

Besides the dextrose add some Trehalose.

Interesting, I just did a brief search on this Rick. I need to look into it some more.

 

[DanMcG]

Dan, I can only give you my opinion on this, but when I thaw things out, after being vacuum packed, many things seem to be more moist than they were when they went in, and some of the salt seems to come to the surface.

Maybe that's why it seems saltier to you???

Bear

I know what you;re saying about seeming moister.  might have to dissect one and do some taste tests

 

[SmokinAl]

Have you tried mixing all the ingredients in a blender for a couple of minutes? They really dissolve quickly.

 

[daveomak]

Have you tried different salts  ??   They all have different flavors to me... Some don't even taste like salt... Dave

 

[shaker56]

I was told,and also think some of the the salt taste depends depends on the amount of cure you use,it does affect the taste and try to go by the amount that they call for but check it out,hope it helps