Water to Starter culture ratios

ped · Post by **ped** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 11:18

I am aware that Marianski suggests 2.5gms culture to 150mls of water for 4.5kgms meat but if I reduce the meat weight then the culture weight will drop but does to water amount reduce proportionately as well?

Post by **redzed** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 15:30

Water (distilled) serves a dual purpose: first it activates the culture and helps distributing it in the meat mass. Amount is not that important to the culture itself, but if you are making a dry cured sausage you need to need to use a minimal amount of liquid. And as far as the amount of culture, don't skimp. I would not use less than the 2.5g Marianski suggests in any amount of meat. You cannot overdose with the culture. And if you want, you can skip the water altogether. Mix the culture in with the other spices (other than the salt and nitrite/nitrate) and add to the meat. Just make sure the curing salts are already mixed in well in the meat.

Igor Duńczyk · Post by **Igor Duńczyk** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 22:34

It was all on the tip on my tongue but then came Red

And I´am totally on par with the suggestion; Just mix the culture with the spices.
Why add to the water activity when in fact you want water out of the sausage as (reasonably) quickly as possible?
I have used water dilution some times but don´t really see it as a necessity...

ped · Post by **ped** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 07:20

Thanks guys, can you explain the 'not with the cure though', wouldn't the cure be usually mixed with the spices?

Post by **Bob K** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 17:11

ped wrote:Thanks guys, can you explain the 'not with the cure though', wouldn't the cure be usually mixed with the spices?

Although many cultures are tolerant of salt you don't want to shock them.

If you mix the salt (salt + cure) with the meat you are diluting it.

I usually add the culture and spices before I grind/mince and the salt and cure after.

There is more info in this string: http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?t=6542&start=0