# Fermenting summer sausage per Marianski question



## seadog92 (Apr 21, 2017)

Greetings everyone.  I'm going to be loading a Qview and my process of making summer sausage in a couple days, but first I have a question that someone may be able to help me with.  In Stanley Marianski's book, The Art of Making Fermented Sausages, in the recipe for Summer Sausage, he gives the fermentation time of 24 hours at 86 F, 85-90% humidity.  Then, he says that if I want a drier sausage, to hang for 3 days at 60-70 degrees and 65 to 75% humidity.  My question is, do I continue to do this in my fermentation fridge, and just lower the temp and humidity accordingly?  What if the temp slips up to 80 degrees again, and the humidity goes higher than 75?  I wanted to pull two of the SS according to the initial recipe and start smoking, but leave the other two for the additional days so that I can see the difference between them.  My concern is that I won't be able to closely monitor the fermentation fridge controls for those three days.  Will the extra heat and humidity adversely affect the outcome or compromise safety?


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## daveomak (Apr 21, 2017)

Can you point me to the full recipe..   .Seems something is missing...

Sounds like cure #2 is used...   In my opinion, the sausage should be refrigerated at 38-40 degrees F for 2-3 days, THEN an elevated temp of 85 deg. F and 90% humidity for a day or 2....  then 50-55 deg. F at 75% humidity...

The refer 2-3 days at 38-40 is to allow for the nitrite in the cure to do it's work BEFORE the bacteria starts to multiply out of control....   Then the elevated temps allows the fermenting bacteria culture to blossom and start it's work......   then the 55-60 deg. temps allows for the nitrATE in the cure to decompose to nitrite with the aid of bacteria inside the meat...     All of this depends on the fermentation culture used...   

I have read many of his methods and some confuse me....

nepas would be the guy to answer this question....   he's soooo smart it's scary...


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## seadog92 (Apr 21, 2017)

Hi Dave, it's page 229 in the art of making fermented sausages, and it's page 438 in home production of Quality Meats and sausages. Both recipes are identical just one copied from the other but he basically says to ferment it for 24 hours at 86 f, 85 to 90% humidity  and then put it in the smoker at 110 degrees and keep it there for 6 hours slowly raise the temperature bit by bit until you hit an internal temperature of 160, then cool it down. the the next step must be optional as he says if you want a dryer sausage let it set at 60-70 degrees and 65 to 75% humidity for three days or until desired weight loss is achieved.


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## seadog92 (Apr 21, 2017)

He uses cure #1 and F-LC starter culture.


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## daveomak (Apr 21, 2017)

and dextrose, which is very important, which acidifies the meat pretty darn fast.......


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## BGKYSmoker (Apr 22, 2017)

The fermentation time is the key. As far as humidity i would not be to concerned with it, just let it ferment. IMHO the rest for the cure to work is a myth, cure starts pretty fast.

This recipe is for a semi dry style SS in where cure 1 is used for normal SS. The fermentation agent gives the sourish tang. Smoke is up to you on the times. I would take the meat IT to 152 with smoke. You can do the rest by putting the finished chubs in a brown paper bag in the fridge for a couple days.

Note: This recipe is not a shelf stable one unlike it would be with the use of cure 2.

Keep your processing area clean.

Your results may vary from mine.


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## seadog92 (Apr 24, 2017)

Oops, I was gone and didn't see this reply, and I pulled the SS at 140 and cooled it.  Any comments about whether I'm looking at good or bad sausage?


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