Project "A"

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Dave Zac
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Post by Dave Zac » Fri Sep 16, 2011 00:53

This is the one salami I added herbs to.
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This salami is one of three. I didn't cut the other two.
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And sliced
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The difference in taste between the salami with herbs and one without is actually quite dramatic. I never would have anticipated that. While both are very good, I prefer the plain salami. Both are still a bit softer in texture than I would have expected, especially after 3 months. Weight loss is 35% and current conditions are 55F and 50% RH. Been around 50-55% for the last 3 weeks. I will continue to dry.

Dave
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Post by Chuckwagon » Fri Sep 16, 2011 03:01

Hi Dave,
In sausage making, anything that coagulates surface proteins, retards moisture migration. (Strange as it may seem, this often includes the excessive use of smoke). However, it more likely to be caused by any type of smearing. Not to be critical, but I believe you have a bit too much fat content in the sausage. It`s certainly the upper limit of fat allowed in salami for any successful acidification. The reason I point this out is because the center appears to be a little mushy and a "mushy product" is often due to excessive fat - with or without smearing. Also, unless the fat was frozen while adding it to the casing, it could have possibly "greased" the inside of the casing. This would hinder the diffusion, again possibly causing a mushy center - even though there is no evidence of case hardening. Without excessive evaporation produced by air speed, case hardening would not necessarily be evident. It would also explain the length of time taken to drop 35% of its moisture.

Have you taken a pH reading on the sausage? It would be helpful to know what it is. The pH is ideally the way we should determine when the sausage becomes safely edible.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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Post by uwanna61 » Fri Sep 16, 2011 03:18

Partycook
I have read back on several pages of this project and if you would go back to page 15 and review the 3rd reply that CW posted, there I believe would be the answer to your questions.
oils are visible when sliced and squeezed,
The oil is a sign that would tell me that the fat had broken down early in the process, maybe the meat grinding or fermentation stage.
Maybe the next time you could start with a 5 lb batch on your next go around. Also a smaller batch would be easier to work with. I`m not sure how you mix everything before the stuffing process but I have mentioned this before and say again, mix the batch well. If you think about it, mixing all the seasonings, salt, cure and culture, it needs to be mixed! Adding a ½ tsp of SPX to 10lbs of meat, well that`s a lot of necessary coverage that needs to happen.
I will go out on a limb and say that it sounds like mixing and quick PH drop would be the answer to a couple of your questions. Do you have a copy "The Art Of Making Fermented Sausage"? If not, I would recommend it. The book explains, in slow fermented sausage, the pH drop (5.3 - 5.5) is achieved very slowly, and is not low enough to inhibit the action of curing and flavor developing bacteria. This is important to the texture and flavor.
I would also like to hear more about the fermenting and curing process that you use. Example: Would you ferment in a smoker then in a curing unit, or would the whole process be in one unit? Share your setup with us and on the next run maybe we can help out with a few tips.
Don`t give up, when it goes your way, you will have a major feeling of accomplishment. It is an art and plenty skill that I believe CW mentioned in a past post, most folk would only admire.
Chow
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Post by Chuckwagon » Fri Sep 16, 2011 03:26

Hi Partycook.
John, you said that your project A has no bright color development. Does this also hold true with the soppresatta and the pepperoni? Did you use the same culture in all. (same packet)?
Sorry it`s taking so long to get back to you tonight. The doorbell keeps ringing. The last pair of critters on my porch were two greenhorns that ordered their steaks "well done"! Eeeewwww! We had to take the time to try and convict the guilty sidewinders, then hang `em out back in the peach tree! All in all, it took the better part of fifteen minutes! Anyhow, let me do some thinking about this brown color and some of the other problems you describe. Can you get us a close-up enlarged photo? It would really help. I`ll get back to you soon.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
Last edited by Chuckwagon on Fri Sep 16, 2011 03:44, edited 1 time in total.
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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Post by Chuckwagon » Fri Sep 16, 2011 03:38

Hey Partycook, I think Uwanna and I must have crossed postings at about the same time. Allow me to tell you something I figured out quite a while back... That doggone Uwanna (Wally) is a professional and he KNOWS what he's talking about. He's made some of the nicest lookin' sausage I've ever seen. And judging by what his co-workers have to say, it must be good stuff!
I'd just "ditto" what he mentioned in the above post. The guy really knows what he's talking about. He's had the experience. He was making pretty good salami before he even joined this group of gristle grinders, casing crammers, and meat munchers. :wink:

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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Post by Dave Zac » Fri Sep 16, 2011 12:42

Chuckwagon wrote:Hi Dave,
In sausage making, anything that coagulates surface proteins, retards moisture migration. (Strange as it may seem, this often includes the excessive use of smoke). However, it more likely to be caused by any type of smearing. Not to be critical, but I believe you have a bit too much fat content in the sausage. It`s certainly the upper limit of fat allowed in salami for any successful acidification. The reason I point this out is because the center appears to be a little mushy and a "mushy product" is often due to excessive fat - with or without smearing. Also, unless the fat was frozen while adding it to the casing, it could have possibly "greased" the inside of the casing. This would hinder the diffusion, again possibly causing a mushy center - even though there is no evidence of case hardening. Without excessive evaporation produced by air speed, case hardening would not necessarily be evident. It would also explain the length of time taken to drop 35% of its moisture.

Have you taken a pH reading on the sausage? It would be helpful to know what it is. The pH is ideally the way we should determine when the sausage becomes safely edible.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
I have not measured the PH, however have "snacked" as a test for 3 weeks now. Not sick yet :lol: .

I followed the recipe exactly by weight and fat was frozen. So what's the fix for a mushy salami? Will it it ever dry? I'm thinking I either let it go (I can even hang it outside or in the garage soon) or cut it lengthwise to get it to dry from the inside out. You gotta save me now as I have been concerned about the mushy texture more 3 weeks now.

Dave
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Post by ssorllih » Fri Sep 16, 2011 15:37

I intend to try these fermented sausages again but I think that I will start with summer sausage first and then only in kilogram batches. Meantime I will continue with making the cooked sausage. I saw the Wolfe cubs yesterday and asked them if they were ready for some more sausage and they gave me an enthusiastic yes and giggled when I said I would make some more.
Ross- tightwad home cook
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Post by Chuckwagon » Sat Sep 17, 2011 09:17

Hi Dave,
You wrote:
I followed the recipe exactly by weight and fat was frozen.
Ok Dave, that clears up a couple of things. I see no evidence of dry rim or case hardening so apparently normal equilibrium was achieved. That means the sausage should continue to lose moisture, although it could take a bit longer. Rather than cutting it lengthwise, why not allow it to continue drying a little longer and give it a chance to firm up.

You also wrote:
have "snacked" as a test for 3 weeks now. Not sick yet
I'm sure there has been sufficient acidification to render it safe to consume. This probably occurred some time ago. However, it is the texture at the center with which I am most concerned. I believe the problem lies in excessive fat ratio and content. Initially, did you cut it separately from the lean then weigh it? Here are the specs again:

2.0 kg (4.4 lbs.) pork butt
2.0 kg (4.4 lbs.) beef chuck
1.0 kg (2.2 lbs.) pork back fat (or fat trimmings)

The 2.2 lbs is 20% of the total and with the marbled fat inside the trimmed butt and chuck, the total volume should only work out to be about 25%. If you look at the cross section in your photo, I think you`ll agree there is much more than 25% fat. I believe, somehow you just simply put too much fat into the sausage. Again, a "mushy" sausage is often due to excessive fat, even without smearing - (which I`m sure you did not do... especially after that last batch of hot dogs you made last spring... har har har :lol: :mrgreen: ).

Dave, ol` pard, the reason I asked about the pH is that when it drops relatively slowly, the action of the curing bacteria is unrestrained. (This is a good thing.) In T-SPX this is the very slow-growing staphyloccus bacterium. These bacteria are very sensitive to the acidity produced by lactobacilli or pediococci. In fact, at about 5.4 they become increasingly less active until they become almost dormant. This is the reason sugar is not usually added to the list of ingredients in dry-cured salami. As staphyloccus (or micrococcus [added dependent upon desired fermentation curing temperatures]) grow in numbers, they induce the reduction of nitrate into nitrite. It is the nitrite that brings about the nice red color in the meat. It`s hard to tell from a photo, but it looks like the color may be a little pale in your salami also. This could possibly indicate that there was damage to the staphylocci by the acidity produced by pediococci in the early fermenting stage. So, with increased acidity comes the isoelectric point at about 5.0 pH or less, when the water-holding ability of the meat becomes enervated and the elimination of moisture in the salami actually becomes less difficult. At this "isoelectric" point, the sausage is safe to consume and the texture is much more firm. Although checking the pH is the most reliable source of testing the acidity, we can generally assume that the salami is safe and will last almost indefinitely if we keep it cool and protected from light in 60% humidity or thereabouts. (Note that if the humidity is higher, mold will continue to grow on the surface. If the humidity is too low, the sausage will dry out excessively. My point is that the staphyloccus (acid sensitive) is responsible for flavor and color development by breaking down not only proteins, but fats as well.

Meat contains about 75% water. Fat contains only about 15% water at most. Thus, water activity (Aw) may normally be lowered faster in a fat sausage than a lean one. For this reason, a sausage containing more fat and less meat, contains less water and should dry faster. However, when the fat ratio exceeds 50%, it is my belief that although the meat may continue to dry, some moist fat will always remain in the center for some time. I would suggest simply continuing drying the sausage as usual until it firms up eventually. This should take place in a humidity-controlled atmosphere of at least 60% or preferably 70% if possible. Placing it in your garage will dry it out and harden the casing, thus preventing any additional diffusion and evaporation. If this happens, the moist inside will eventually spoil and render the salami inedible. Why not give it more time to continue drying in a properly regulated chamber. And next time... lean out the mixture pal!

Don`t be upset and don`t have regrets. Look how much you`ve learned about the process. At the beginning of this year, you didn`t even think you could get this far. Now you know many of the little secrets that will allow you to make a better batch next time. Hey, remember the old saying - nothing ventured - nothing gained. You`ve invested in a terrific amount of knowledge by completing this project. You`ve also gained valuable experience! Have no regrets at all my friend.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

PS. The only bad thing about not having it come out perfectly is that you have to take a bit of jibing by "motor mouths" like me. Living down a "fat" sausage just might be hard to do! Whew, I`m glad you never saw my first batch! I still refer to it as a "blooey".
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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Post by Dave Zac » Sat Sep 17, 2011 13:29

Thanks CW. Although I didn't capture it in my meticulous notes, I believe I weighed out the 1 K fat trim and then trimmed the fat from the butt and added that too. Doesn't seem like it would bring me to the near 40% the pictures seem to capture, but pictures don't lie right?

You are correct about the knowledge gained...can't put a price on it. I'll continue to dry and stay positive that this salami will indeed firm up.

Thanks again for the constructive criticism professor :lol:

In the mean time, I think I want to make a pepperoni or two.

Dave
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Post by partycook » Sat Sep 17, 2011 18:16

Fellow sausage makers
Uwanda wrote; early fat breakdown could be caused by improper mixing or fermentation.To answer this I mixed until sticky, in the next batch I will increase my mix time. I admit I may have not mixed long enough as the emphasis seemed to be on keeping the mince as cold as possible. Also when handling meat and mixing I also wear gloves. As for the book on the art of making fermented sausage, yes I have it as well as all of Stan & Adam's books.I am in the process of rereading and also using a highlighter this time through.As I have to start and stop way too often.(part of getting old ? )
CW asked if I had used the same packet of culture on all three projects? yes, Packet was about four months old and had been kept frozen since I had received it. I use a #32 grinder,20#mixer,20# stuffer.I have two fermentation chambers. One is a 22 cu.ft. gutted freezer with auto heat,air,humidity controls, the other one is a converted frig.that allows me to do the same with added cooling, also can be used as a drying chamber.
I don't know if I should ask Ross for his catfish bait recipe just yet.maybe the pepperoni can be used as nightsticks?

John
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Post by uwanna61 » Sun Sep 18, 2011 14:01

Dave
I`m impressed with your comments, don`t get discouraged! As for the fat content, Cw`s comments hold true. With that being said, when I place an order for pork butt from my butcher, usually a 20 - 25lbs order, I will ask the butcher too section the pork, 5lbs per package. This works well for me so that I`m not wrestling with a 10 - 12 lb pork butt. With the smaller 5lbs cut in quarters , this helps with trimming the unwanted stuff and weighing the fat and meat separate.
In the mean time, I think I want to make a pepperoni or two.
Semi fermented Pepperoni? Great idea, check out CW`s "Powder Keg Pepperoni" recipe, you won`t be disappointed. My wife and I had a glass of wine and PKP with cheese last night out on the patio. Had to make a small fire, burrr winter is coming :neutral:
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Post by uwanna61 » Sun Sep 18, 2011 17:47

Party Cook
Don`t get discouraged with any suggestions. Believe me when I say, I have had moments when I just wanted to throw the towel in and say the heck with it :cry: Then afterwards, I found myself back at it again. I decided to work with smaller 5lb batch, easier to work with and on the wallet. I mentioned the mixing step as being a key part of several steps to successful dry curing salami, due to this was an issue that I had experienced more than once. Partycook if I my suggest, I would try a semi cured salami as you`re next batch, maybe like Davezac mentioned, a pepperoni.
Here are a few steps that I follow when preparing a fermented sausage \ salami mix.
1. Review and confirm the recipe, I will read a recipe several times to memorize during the start of the batch. I have had moments when I actually forgot a step just because I was in a rush, for whatever reason.
2. I will prepare the seasonings the evening before I start the new batch, just to be prepared and not to take time away from the actual mix when everything comes together.
3. Grind lean meat and fat separate while extremely cold. I typically will grind the meat partially frozen. Immediately after the grind back to the cooler, keeping lean meat and fat separate. This is the time for me to cleanup my area while the meat is in the cooler.
4. Now the mix, I use a crank style 25lb meat mixer. For years I mixed by hand and always had the feeling that I wasn`t mixing everything thoroughly, and not to mention hard on the hands! So I broke down and bought a mixer, it sure has made mixing easier for me. I will start a 10 lb batch by adding the lean meat to the mixer and gradually mix in the fat for 3 minutes; I set the kitchen timer while doing this. Then it`s time for salt, I mix the salt & cure for another 5 minutes. If the recipe calls for a water mix, I will mix the salt & cure into the water. Sometimes the water to salt ratio will not allow for a fluid mix, so then I will gradually add the salt to the meat while mixing. And of course never use water that has been treated, I use spring bottled water. Now the seasoning, another 3 min with mixer and finally the starter culture for another 4 min, remembering to let the culture wake up with a pinch of dextrose for 30 min before adding to the mix! Note: not all starter cultures require sugar \ dextrose during this wake up process, review and confirm the instruction. The total mix time will average about 15 minutes. Then the mixed meat will go back to the cooler and this is a good time for the cleanup.
5. After the stuffing process is complete I will let the batch hang at room temperature for an hour while my fermenting chamber (usually my smoker) is preheating to the temperature per starter cultures instructions. The sausage maker has great instructions in an adobe print out for each culture used.
6. Fermentation & Curing time: This is when the results of all your work, grinding, mixing and stuffing will be determined of the final product. Keep a close eye on temperatures and humidity for the next several days, making certain that temps and humidity are within specified range. During the curing process, I will double check my curing cabinet (fridge) to make sure the temperature & humidity are set, I rarely trust the temperature or humidity set points of an electronic controller, without a back up instrument inside the cabinet like a thermometer / hygrometer to assure the correct reading are obtained. Commonly both temperature & humidity readings will vary versus what the controllers will read. Keep in mind that if using a refrigerator as a curing cabinet, when the fridge cycles (turns on) this will remove moisture from the fridge dropping the humidity level down, I don`t use any heat (bulb or hot plate) inside the fridge, during summer months, with an average outside temperature. My goal here is to maintain the inside of the fridge, humidity and temperature as stable as possible. The less time the fridge cycles the better, and then I can control the humidity. If there is heat applied inside then the fridge, it will constantly cycle, therefore removing moisture.

If all ground, mixed, stuffed, fermented and cured properly, within a few weeks you should have a curing cabinet with hanging firm salamis, with a mold covering and looking so beautiful it would make a proud grandpa weep :wink:

Just my 2cents.
Chow
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Post by Chuckwagon » Mon Sep 19, 2011 00:01

Sage advice Wally! Explained very well as usual! Thanks for sharing.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
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Post by partycook » Mon Sep 19, 2011 00:57

Image[/img] Here is a picture of my salami di-alessanddra.

John
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Post by crustyo44 » Mon Sep 19, 2011 23:48

Hi Wally,
Thank you for your great advise. I now own a hand cranked meat mixer and your explanations certainly covered all the points I was wondering about.
One thing I have to do here in Brisbane and that is to cool the mixer in the deepfreezer as temperatures here sometimes get out of hand.
Thank you for sharing your know-how.
Best Regards,
Jan.
Brisbane.
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