Advice on Making Great Summer Sausage

[nickelmore]

Always good info here and some great sausage view.

I see that some summer sausage receipes call for a fermenting agent and some dont

What are the pros and cons?

 

[kathyj]

We love to make venison summer sausage but, have not been able to get the casing to stay stretched tight like yours shown in this picture. How can we do this?

 

[mkstaton]

I started using encapsulated citric acid in my SS, the directions I have read state that I should stuff and cook immediately.  Can I let the SS set over night with the citric acid, or do I have to smoke immediately?  I have also started getting all my HT cheese from Butcher-Packer and they have great product and prices.

Thanks

 

[daveomak]

mkstaton, morning.....

Below is what Walton's has listed for the "ECA THEY CARRY"... Not all ECA'S may be the same.... Read up on the ECA from the supplier you purchased it from...... Follow the manufacturer's directions on the package.....
As you may have guessed, citric acid is "encapsulated"... the encapsulation medium may be different from manufacturer to manufacturer... There are patents that guard proprietary mixes.....


http://www.waltonsinc.com/p-2458-encapsulated-citric-acid.aspx

ENCAPSULATED CITRIC ACID

Add this to your summer sausage & snack sticks to provide that familiar "tang" you find in summer sausages.

Use: Use 12 to 16 ozs. per 100 lbs. of meat. To achieve about a 4.9 pH, use 12 oz. per 100 lbs. of meat.
DO NOT REGRIND once mixed into product.




We recommend using 4 ounces per 25 lbs if you are trying to make a shelf stable product. While this may not guarantee that you reach shelf stability, it can help lower the pH of the meat product enough to be very close.

Also acts as a nitrite accelerator, so you do NOT have to hold the product in cooler/refrigerator overnight.

 

[mkstaton]

Just cut into my latest batch of SS. The consistency is poor and resembles a potted meat. I stuffed and cooked the same day. Seasoning, HT pepper jack, encapsulated citric acid, venison, pork fat. Followed the cooking recipe on Waltons. Not sure what happened??? Any suggestions? The last batch was perfect, but I sit it in fridge overnight.

 

[mkstaton]

I have reviewed my process a little further and I am concerned that I may have placed the stuffed casings into the smoker too cold.  I'm assuming this can impact the cooking process and the ability for the meat to cook in a good time frame.  Plus I'm concerned that if the meat is partially frozen it may carry too much water into the process.  What should the meat temperature be prior to starting the smoking process?  40F or higher?  Help please.  It pains me to ruin good SS.

 

[daveomak]

I like to get the meat above the ambient temp. so condensation will not happen... OR above the dew point... It's important the meat will not collect condensate... Also, I leave it in the smoker, without smoke, to dry the outer surface.... If I think the IT of the meat is too low, it stays in a "no smoke" condition to warm....

 

[DanMcG]

Yeah What Dave said. he knows his stuff

 

[rsnake69]

I have a question, Can you hang the summer sausage on a drying rack at 10:00pm and let it dry over night and put in the smoker 6:00am the next morning. or is this to much drying time?

 

[Stump24mitch]

Guys I need help. I started smoking my summer sausage this morning and I’m about 7 hours in and my internal temperature isn’t going up at all. Is this normal? I’m wondering if I shouldn’t put them in the oven and finish that way. Any suggestions?

 

[daveomak]

I'm a little late... are you cold smoking it ?? Tell us more... smoker temp... etc..

 

[Stump24mitch]

I'm a little late... are you cold smoking it ?? Tell us more... smoker temp... etc..

I was smoking with a pellet smoker. I started my temp at 140 for an hour and then bumped it up to 165 until the IT reached 152. I ended up changing the temp to 200 and them my IT started climbing. I ended up smoking them for almost 8 hours total.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

I was smoking with a pellet smoker. I started my temp at 140 for an hour and then bumped it up to 165 until the IT reached 152. I ended up changing the temp to 200 and them my IT started climbing. I ended up smoking them for almost 8 hours total.

IT of your chubs at 152? Your done. Any higher and you will fat-out

 

[BGKYSmoker]

I started using encapsulated citric acid in my SS, the directions I have read state that I should stuff and cook immediately. Can I let the SS set over night with the citric acid, or do I have to smoke immediately? I have also started getting all my HT cheese from Butcher-Packer and they have great product and prices.

Thanks

No dont mix the ECA into the meat and fridge over night, your meat will turn white and mushy. Mix ECA in by hand just before stuffing (Do not grind or use a meat mixer, you will rupture the gel casing thats holding the CA)