First time making Summer sausage and Mortadella - Result: almost disaster

Post Reply
User avatar
wasuky
User
User
Posts: 62
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2020 23:12
Location: Cumaná
Contact:

First time making Summer sausage and Mortadella - Result: almost disaster

Post by wasuky » Fri Apr 10, 2020 18:06

Hi guys! Hope you're doing well during these crazy times.

So yesterday I attempted to make summer sausage and mortadella with no experience (yes yes! I should have tried something easier but I just love to put myself on the fire trying new things). So I had 1,5kg of pork shoulder in the freezer and I decided to make a 500gr summer sausage and 1kg of mortadella.

I used two recipes I found somewhere on the web and I had to tweak it a bit because where I am from I can't find all the spices like mace and caraway (just to name a couple). I stuffed the sausage in pork middle and the mortadella in pork bung. Both were scalded at 70ºC until 65ºC in the centre.

For the meat I used:

1200gr of lean pork shoulder.
300gr of back fat.

All the meat and fat were parcially frozen (300gr of back fat and 1200gr of lean meat). I ground the meat and fat together and put it back again in the freezer.

I mixed in a cup:

20gr salt
6gr sugar
7,5gr citric acid (5gr/kg according to the manufacturer) - The recipe stated that it would give a nice fermented-like tang.
4,5gr cure #1

I mixed everything with the meat and back to the freezer.

At this point I separated 500gr for the sausage and the rest for the mortadella. I started to work the sausage while the rest of the meat was in the freezer.

For the sausage I used:

20gr crushed ice
10gr of spices (I used garlic, yellow mustard, basil and coriander) - I did not measure how much of each.

I mixed everything by hand. Now, I have to say that I mixed for 5min and the meat didn't get sticky. Yes, I am aware that I should have mixed for a bit longer but the kitchen was very hot (33ºC) and I was having some pain in my leg (I had ankle surgery recently) so I decided to stuff it. After this, back to the freezer.

For the mortadella I used:

40gr crushed ice
20gr of spices (I mainly used nutmeg, yellow mustard and coriander with a bit of clove, cinnamon and cummin).

I mixed the spices with the meat by hand and then put everything in the food processor. It run for approximately 5min until I saw it was like a sticky -homogeneous pink dough. I added the crushed ice in 2 rounds. After the 5min the meat had a temperature of 15ºC. I stuffed it in the bung and then tied it. Then back to the freezer.

I heated up water until it was 75ºC and threw both the sausage and the mortadella. The water was at 68ºC the whole time.

- I took out the sausage after 1hr (it had an internal temp of 66ºC).
- The mortadella was there fo 1hr48min with internal temp of 65ºC).

After I took these out of the hot water I put them in a bowl of tap water (at 25ºC) and after a couple of minutes I threw them in the fridge. I cut them open today.

Now.... I was so happy that I was finally making these (after 3 months of recovery from the surgery). Surprise surprise!!! The sausage didn't look as a summer sausage and the mortadella... well, it looks like anything but a mortadella.

- The sausage has a great flavor... that was 1 point for me. But look pale and it falls apart when I cut it or press it with my fingers. At this point I thought I had it coming because I dind't mix long enough.
SS1.jpeg
SS2.jpeg
- The mortadella... oh boy! It bloody broke my heart. It is pale, falls apart when I cut it or press it. It doesn't taste like mortadella but it's not bad at all. If I think of it as something different than mortadella it's not bad at all. It just ugly!
Mortadella1.jpeg
Mortadella2.jpeg
Mortadella3.jpeg
I don't know what I did wrong (maybe the whole process from thinking of doing them until the end? :roll: ). The good thing is that I still can eat them somehow.

Anyway.... I thank the person who is reading this line because I suppose he/she read the whole thing (I know I write a lot and my english is not the best).

My best wishes to you guys! Cheers!
User avatar
StefanS
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 436
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2015 00:12
Location: Mass

Re: First time making Summer sausage and Mortadella - Result: almost disaster

Post by StefanS » Fri Apr 10, 2020 19:59

wasuky wrote:
Fri Apr 10, 2020 18:06
7,5gr citric acid (5gr/kg according to the manufacturer) - The recipe stated that it would give a nice fermented-like tang.
that is your problem for -
wasuky wrote:
Fri Apr 10, 2020 18:06
look pale and it falls apart when I cut it or press it with my fingers.
-too rapid decline in acidity of mince, interruption of nitrite curing process, changing a water bonding capacity of meat.
here you can find a lot of good recipes - https://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-recipes
User avatar
wasuky
User
User
Posts: 62
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2020 23:12
Location: Cumaná
Contact:

Re: First time making Summer sausage and Mortadella - Result: almost disaster

Post by wasuky » Sun Apr 12, 2020 17:52

StefanS wrote:
Fri Apr 10, 2020 19:59
wasuky wrote:
Fri Apr 10, 2020 18:06
7,5gr citric acid (5gr/kg according to the manufacturer) - The recipe stated that it would give a nice fermented-like tang.
that is your problem for -
wasuky wrote:
Fri Apr 10, 2020 18:06
look pale and it falls apart when I cut it or press it with my fingers.
-too rapid decline in acidity of mince, interruption of nitrite curing process, changing a water bonding capacity of meat.
here you can find a lot of good recipes - https://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-recipes
I don't understand. I have found a couple of sausages recipes in which they use citric acid to add a tang [even thought I still don't know what "tang" means (I suppose is that amazing fermented acid taste of fermented meat)] and they have no problem at all with the result.

In my country almost any kind of sausage (cooked or cured -including mortadella- and some of the fresh ones) are made with something the commercial guys calle "Core" which is nothing more than a mix of spices, odd powders,flours and additives to give the "common" flavor to whatever it is they are making. One of the common additives is citric acid (besides others like sodium erythorbate and sodium tripolyphosphate).

How is it that these commercial guys can do it and I ended up with a product totally different than the one I was aming for (of course, besides the fact that they might know what they're doing and I almost have not a clue :roll: ) ???
User avatar
StefanS
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 436
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2015 00:12
Location: Mass

Re: First time making Summer sausage and Mortadella - Result: almost disaster

Post by StefanS » Sun Apr 12, 2020 20:59

wasuky wrote:
Sun Apr 12, 2020 17:52
of course, besides the fact that they might know what they're doing and I almost have not a clue ) ???
totally agree with you... and by the way - citric acid - 1 g/kg of meat lower pH of mince for 0.2-0.3 rapidly and commercial guys having their own formulas contain almost whole Mendeleev table.
User avatar
wasuky
User
User
Posts: 62
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2020 23:12
Location: Cumaná
Contact:

Re: First time making Summer sausage and Mortadella - Result: almost disaster

Post by wasuky » Mon Apr 13, 2020 23:57

It's not only the commercial producers (small or big) with their formulas. I know people use citric acid just to give a fermented flavor to their sausages just by adding the recommended amount and they have no problems.

Anyway I went to store where I bought the citric acid and I found out that the one I got is pure citric acid (or that's what the bag says) and it's not encapsulated citric acid as the seller told me. So... it seems I used way more than needed.

I guess now I can recognize all the symptoms of citric acid overdose: pale, crumbly and dry meat.

Now, is it possible to use regular citric acid (the one I've got) and have the same results as with ECA (the tang I'm looking for)?
User avatar
Butterbean
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1955
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 04:10
Location: South Georgia

Re: First time making Summer sausage and Mortadella - Result: almost disaster

Post by Butterbean » Tue Apr 14, 2020 15:14

Did you use encapsulated citrus acid or simply citrus acid?
User avatar
StefanS
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 436
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2015 00:12
Location: Mass

Re: First time making Summer sausage and Mortadella - Result: almost disaster

Post by StefanS » Tue Apr 14, 2020 17:45

Butterbean wrote:
Tue Apr 14, 2020 15:14
Did you use encapsulated citrus acid or simply citrus acid?
BB- here is answer IMO -
wasuky wrote:
Mon Apr 13, 2020 23:57
Anyway I went to store where I bought the citric acid and I found out that the one I got is pure citric acid (or that's what the bag says) and it's not encapsulated citric acid as the seller told me. So... it seems I used way more than needed.
User avatar
Butterbean
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1955
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 04:10
Location: South Georgia

Re: First time making Summer sausage and Mortadella - Result: almost disaster

Post by Butterbean » Tue Apr 14, 2020 20:38

StefanS wrote:
Tue Apr 14, 2020 17:45
Butterbean wrote:
Tue Apr 14, 2020 15:14
Did you use encapsulated citrus acid or simply citrus acid?
BB- here is answer IMO -
wasuky wrote:
Mon Apr 13, 2020 23:57
Anyway I went to store where I bought the citric acid and I found out that the one I got is pure citric acid (or that's what the bag says) and it's not encapsulated citric acid as the seller told me. So... it seems I used way more than needed.
Thanks. I missed that. I believe that would explain a lot.
User avatar
wasuky
User
User
Posts: 62
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2020 23:12
Location: Cumaná
Contact:

Re: First time making Summer sausage and Mortadella - Result: almost disaster

Post by wasuky » Tue Apr 14, 2020 21:50

Butterbean wrote:
Tue Apr 14, 2020 20:38
Thanks. I missed that. I believe that would explain a lot.
Yes, I came to realize that when then seller told me "ups... This is regular citric acid. Sorry. My bad. I have no idea what ECA is". This is great.

So... I am obsessed with the tangy flavor and I will get it somehow. I talked to 6 different sellers around the country and they have no clue of what ECA or fermento is. Also tried to find bactoferm but it seems nobody use it. Instead the big producers use a mix of additives to mimic all the flavors (what on earth have we been eating?)

So I guess I will have to improvise with buttermilk or yogurt. From what I've read, I think the buttermilk must be added and mixed before stuffing and I can cook right away and other hand the yogurt must be added as regular culture and the sausage must be left for 24 hrs to ferment. Is that right?

I read somewhere that 3% off buttermilk works great. Would somebody agree? About the yogurt I haven't found a recommended amount.
User avatar
Butterbean
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1955
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 04:10
Location: South Georgia

Re: First time making Summer sausage and Mortadella - Result: almost disaster

Post by Butterbean » Wed Apr 15, 2020 02:43

I rarely use additives like ECA and though buttermilk might work I'd be worried you might get the same outcome due to the acidity of the buttermilk. I've heard of people using yogurt as a starter culture but have never done it and it sounded like mixed review on how it works. One substitute for Fermento is powdered buttermilk which you can find at most grocery stores here in the Hispanic section. However, IMO, if I could not purchase a culture anywhere then I would be more prone to go with a natural fermentation as I prefer to keep the additives to a minimum whenever possible. Just my thoughts.
User avatar
StefanS
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 436
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2015 00:12
Location: Mass

Re: First time making Summer sausage and Mortadella - Result: almost disaster

Post by StefanS » Wed Apr 15, 2020 12:36

wasuky wrote:
Tue Apr 14, 2020 21:50
So... I am obsessed with the tangy flavor and I will get it somehow.
so why not use that citric acid but in less amount (let say 2g/kg) and see effects. Or why not use dry red or white wine (50 ml/kg as starting point.). On small batches of product.
User avatar
wasuky
User
User
Posts: 62
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2020 23:12
Location: Cumaná
Contact:

Re: First time making Summer sausage and Mortadella - Result: almost disaster

Post by wasuky » Thu Apr 16, 2020 02:08

StefanS wrote:
Wed Apr 15, 2020 12:36
so why not use that citric acid but in less amount (let say 2g/kg) and see effects. Or why not use dry red or white wine (50 ml/kg as starting point.)
I got scared of the citric acid so for now I am going to avoid it and the wine is out of discussion since it's quite expensive here. I will try fermenting with buttermilk, yogurt and the natural way with small batches of 100-250gr of each. I think I will keep the buttermil at 3% and the yogurt according to redzed's post (it is somewhere). I still have to read about natural fermentation since I have no clue how long it would take to ferment, for instance, the summer sausage.

Thank you guys! Your answer were quite clarifying.
Post Reply