Snack sticks

[Blackdogbbq21]

My usual method of making snack sticks has been to make them with Fermento, and smoke to 150 degrees. I want to try a different process where my finished product has the more dry firm texture. I don't have a curing chamber (yet anyway) so I've been doing a little research on how i can get the end result i'm after safely without a curing chamber.

I've seen people outline a process of fermenting the sticks, smoking them and then drying in a normal fridge till the sticks loose 40% moisture. It's my understanding this is safe because of the smaller diameter of a snack stick.

I've also seen some methods that people don't ferment the sticks and just use cure #1 in the mix. In this method they cycle the sticks between hanging at room temp 70ish degrees and cold smoking until dry to their liking. This just feels wrong but i've seen a few people talk about it that it caught my curiosity.

I guess my questions are how much does the fermenting and reducing the PH help keep things safe versus just using curing salt and fermento for the tang. Is a PH meter totally necessary for staring out? That seems like the biggest cost of trying to ferment the sticks.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Sounds like a good place for indaswamp to chime in! He knows a thing or two about it

Ryan

 

[indaswamp]

I guess my questions are how much does the fermenting and reducing the PH help keep things safe versus just using curing salt and fermento for the tang. Is a PH meter totally necessary for staring out? That seems like the biggest cost of trying to ferment the sticks.

Lets start with the accepted safety levels:

If you achieve a pH below 4.6, this is enough to inhibit bacterial growth.
If you dry to 0.85Aw, that is enough to inhibit bacterial growth.

What we are doing when we ferment snack sticks is use strong elements of the safety hurdle technology. Use cure#1 and minimum 2% salt; ferment to 4.75-4.6; Dry slowly while smoking to 20% weight loss; cook the product to INT of 136 and hold for minimum 45 minutes while smoking to achieve a log7 reduction in pathogens.

You do this, then the sticks will be close to shelf stable. A little further drying will push them there. I would try to dry in an environment below 60*F and at least 40% RH. You can dry the sticks fast because they are so thin that case hardening will not lock in moisture deep within the sausage. I go to 45% or more weight loss. At that point the Aw will be at or below 0.85 for another strong safety hurdle for long storage.

 

[indaswamp]

Good read:
https://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-types/fermented-sausage/safety-hurdles

 

[Blackdogbbq21]

thank you indaswamp that helps alot!