Summer Sausage with ECA in water bath

[jaxon2]

I usually make summer sausage by drying the casing for an hour then applying smoke for a few hours before finishing it off in a warm water bath. Looking at trying a new recipe that uses ECA. My question is would there be any problems using a warm water bath to finish the Summer Sausage using the ECA? Seems like I read where the ECA releases when meat is around 140 degrees, but I didn't know if using a warm water bath would mess up the process. Thanks

 

[Smoke4320]

in most cases the critic acid is added to the last minute of meat mixing and before stuffing casings .. not sure it would have any effect in a water bath after smoking

 

[DIYerDave]

I would smoke till IT hits 140, then finish in the water bath.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Take your SS to an IT of 145, then finish in the hot water. Keep the water moving either with a sous vide circulater or a wooden spoon. Keep water temp at 160-165*

 

[dward51]

X2

ECA is citric acid that is encapsulated inside a little fat droplet. The fat protects it from interacting with the meat until the cooking process heats the ECA to that 140'ish mark and the fat coating melts. By then the meat is set and the ECA will give the desired twang instead of what happens if you break open the fat droplets by over mixing the meat when the ECA is added (or letting it sit too long before smoking/cooking). Premature CA release can make the meat greyish in color and give it a mealy texture (both not good).

Taking SS with ECA to 152-154 internal temp in a water bath or smoker will not be a problem. Too much heat is a problem with general "fat out" as in any other sausage. With ECA once the CA is released from the fat coating, it's all good and heat does not really affect the final cooking as far as the ECA is concerned.

SS is basically a bigger and thicker snack stick as far as the cooking process goes. You can get it to 152-154 internal in a smoker or finish in a water bath, then chill, bloom, etc....