summer sausage questions - please help

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down lowe

Fire Starter
Original poster
Dec 18, 2010
69
10
Wixom, MI
OK - I am about to venture into the world of summer sausage.  I am really excited, but I am trying to layout all my plans before hand so that I can go into the process without questions and clear idea of the process that I want to follow.  So, below is what I have laid out so far in terms of recipe and instruction.  The recipe is an adaption of Rytek's Cervelat Summer Sausage.  Any assistance with the specific questions below would be very helpful along with any general observations or cautions you may have with the process i am going to follow.  Thanks a ton!!

Ingredients for  10 lbs.

7.5 lbs venison trim

2.5 lbs pork 50/50

1.5 T ground black pepper – medium grind

6 T salt

4 T dextrose

1 T coriander

2 t garlic powder

2 t cure #1

XXX Encapsulated Citric Acid (Rytek calls for fermento, how much should I use as a substitute and for a fairly heavy tang?)

Cube all meat, keeping venison separate from pork.

Grind meat. Venison should be a fine grind and the pork should be a course grind.

Mix dry ingredients with 1 cup of ice cold water.  Mix until dissolved. Pour ½ over ground meat, turn meat over and pour remaining mixture.  Mix very, very well.

Stuff casings ensuring there are no air pockets.  Use zip ties to tie off ends.

Let sit in fridge for two days. 38 – 40 degrees is ideal.

Let dry at room temp for 4-5 hours.

Place into 120 – 130 degree smoker, with heavy smoke, for 4 hours.

Raise temp in smoker to 160 and hold or raise until internal temp of meat reaches 145. Why 145? I thought we had to go to 152????

Place in cool bath until temp is 120 degrees and then hang for 2 hours.

Let sausage rest in refrigerator overnight to achieve full flavor prior to packaging.
 
I'd go to 152F.

My only other suggestion is to cut the meat into strips instead of cubes.  The longer the better, just make sure they are thin enough in diameter to easily fit into the neck of your grinder.  Strips are faster/easier to cut and grind.

I've tried both and I much prefer Encapsulated Citric Acid over Fermento.  Just make sure you mix it in after the meat is ground and do not over-mix after adding or the capsules could rupture.  As far as how much to use, you'd better check with where you got it from.

This is what Butcher-Packer's site says:

ENCAPSULATED CITRIC ACID: The main ingredient used when a person wants a fermented sausage flavor. When used correctly, it is almost impossible to tell if the sausage was manufactured by fermentation or by the use of this product. There is no need to worry about processing under special conditions just add to meat at end of the mixing process (making sure that you do not grind meat again), mix, stuff, and cook. You will make wonderful salami, summer, and snack sausages without the trouble. Use 1.5 oz of our Special Tangy Flavoring per 25 pounds of meat.

eof Product description
 

This is what Allied Kenco's site says:

ENCAPSULATED CITRIC ACID:Use encapsulated citric acid when making summer sausage or snack sticks and that distinctive "tang", associated with reduce pH, is desired but the lengthy fermentation cycle is not.When used correctly, it is almost impossible to tell if the sausage was manufactured by fermentation or by the use of this product. There is no need to worry about processing under special conditions. You just add the citric acid to the meat at end of the mixing process (making sure that you do not grind meat again), and then blend into the meat by hand or by mixer. If using a meat mixer, mix only until the encapsulated citric acid is blended into the meat mix, usually about one minute is sufficient. Longer mixing can cause the capsules to rupture resulting in the premature release of the citric acid.

Encapsulated citric acid is citric acid, anaturally occurring acid, that has been encapsulated (coated) with maltodexrine, a hydrogenated vegetable oil, which will melt at 135 degrees F. releasing the citric acid into the meat product.This prevents the citric acid from releasing and prematurely lowering the ph of your sausage meat mix. If the meatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s ph drops before the protein sets at 105-115 degrees you will get a negative effect on the texture of your finished sausage. It won't bind as well and the texture will be crumbly.

Encapsulated citric acid should be added and mixed in after the grinding is complete as not to rupture the capsules. Since the encapsulation prevents release into the meat until the meatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s internal temperature reaches 135 degrees F. a ruptured or damaged capsule will release the citric acid prematurely causing the undesired affects listed above.

Once the capsule is melted releasing the citric acid into the product decrease in pH is achieved resulting in the distinctive "tang" or sour taste associated with reduced pH products.

Suggested usage for this purpose is 3 oz. for 25 lb. of meat.

Also use to preserve color of fresh sausage during storage. Use 1/2 oz. to 1 oz. per 100 lb. of meat for this purpose.

NOTE: Too much Citric Acid will cause the meat to turn white.
 
I don't know why he recomeds the 145 temp, but I have made 2 big batches, and they come out great.  In my MES there is enough of a temperature difference that some end up slightly over and up to 148 -150 on the top Right as compared to the bottom left.

I would go with Rytek.

I have used the Fermento, and it gives a very mild tang.  Can't comment on the citric acid.
 
good info as i will also be using an MES. . . 
I don't know why he recomeds the 145 temp, but I have made 2 big batches, and they come out great.  In my MES there is enough of a temperature difference that some end up slightly over and up to 148 -150 on the top Right as compared to the bottom left.

I would go with Rytek.

I have used the Fermento, and it gives a very mild tang.  Can't comment on the citric acid.
 
Being almost all beef and taking it to 145 and holding for a few minutes will kill off any chances of salmonella, but if it would give you peace of mind,  I don't think it will adversely effect the sausage if you took it to 152 -154. But then again I've never made it before.
 
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