# Summer Sausage. How long to cure, ferment, bloom??



## snorkelinggirl

Hi experts,

I've made fresh linked sausages a few times, but haven't yet tried fermented or smoked sausages. As a beginner project, I'm planning to try a 3 lb beef/pork summer sausage this week. I've looked at many postings and many different recipes, but there seems to be a lot of variation in how long people allow for curing the meat mixture, fermenting the sausage, then allowing the sausage to bloom after smoking is done.

Here is the best I can gather for a generic procedure:

1 - Grind the meat/fat.

2 - Mix the salt and Cure #1 into the ground meat.

3 - Place the meat mixture into the refrigerator. Let cure from 1 hour to 3 days, stirring daily.

4 - Mix in the spices.

5 - Stuff the casing.

6 - Let the cased sausage hang at room temp from 0 to 2 days. At a mininum, it should hang long enough to be dry to the touch.

7 - Smoke slowly, keeping the smoker temp about 25 degrees hotter than the IT of the sausage. Go to IT of 152 to 155 deg.

8 - Cool sausage down rapidly in cool running water.

9 - Hang at room temp for 0 to 4 hours to bloom.

10 - Refrigerate overnight to 1 week for best flavor.

Assuming I've got the basic process covered, I'm uncertain how long to go on steps 3, 6, and 9.  I'm planning to keep this initial sausage attempt refrigerated after completion, and eat it within a week or so. But it would be nice to know how to make it shelf-stable so that it will stay good for a few days without refrigeration if need be.  Also, I wonder how much the texture and flavor are compromised if the curing and fermenting steps are on the short end of the spectrum.

I'd be grateful for any expert advice.

Thanks very much in advance,

Clarissa


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## mike johnson

I usually mix then stuff into casings and then put into fridge over night to cure. DO NOT HANG AT ROOM TEMP!!! # 6 is wrong!!! You need cure 2 for that not 1. You just need to hang long enough for all residual heat to leave so that it doesn't condense moisture when putting into a cold fridge. 2-4 hours is usually plenty.


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## snorkelinggirl

Mike Johnson said:


> I usually mix then stuff into casings and then put into fridge over night to cure. DO NOT HANG AT ROOM TEMP!!! # 6 is wrong!!! You need cure 2 for that not 1. You just need to hang long enough for all residual heat to leave so that it doesn't condense moisture when putting into a cold fridge. 2-4 hours is usually plenty.


Thank you very much, Mike. That is exactly the kind of info I am looking for. It was a Len Poli recipe that called for fermenting the summer sausage at room temp for 48 hours (only using Cure #1), and that gave me the heebie-jeebies. I don't know enough to screw around with fermentation yet.

Thanks again for the info!

Clarissa


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## hanksmeat

I know this is old - but I would like to add to this for the OP or other searchers.  I just finished reading "Charcuterie", _Rulhman _and finished my first batch of about 10 lbs.  (Qview and thread coming soon).  I think I can simplify your method a bit:

Here is the best I can gather for a generic procedure:

1 - Grind the meat/fat.*  ---OKAY, make sure very cold/partially freezing - never let the fat get to room temp for bonding reasons - can use large plate.*

2 - Mix the salt and Cure #1 into the ground meat. *Mix all spices together and run through kitchenaid w/ paddle mixer for 2 minutes.  This makes the primary fat bond that makes it sticky like the sausage your used to handling.*

3 - Place the meat mixture into the refrigerator. *Cover with plastic wrap and push out all air, where as little air as possible touches the meat*. Let cure from 1 hour to 3 days, stirring daily. - *1 to 2 days - I would avoid stirring as this only introduces air.*

4 - *Run through the grinder one more time with smaller holed plate*

5 - Stuff the casing. *Natural hog is preferable (not the mahagony ones people always use)*

6 - Let the cased sausage hang at room temp from 0 to 2 days. At a minimum, it should hang long enough to be dry to the touch.*(1-2 hours for drying - I hung up in the smoker and just let it sit before heating.*

7 - Smoke slowly, keeping the smoker temp about 25 degrees hotter than the IT of the sausage. Go to IT of 152 to 155 deg.*OK taking off at 150 is fine.*

8 - Cool sausage down rapidly in cool running water.

9 - Hang at room temp for 0 to 4 hours to bloom.*Definitely do this step - that's where the Hog casings turn the beautiful pink! Not sure if running under cool water messing up the bloom or not - I do that for smoked sausage but didnt for smoked summer sausage.*

10 - Refrigerate overnight to 1 week for best flavor.


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## Cajuneric

mike johnson said:


> I usually mix then stuff into casings and then put into fridge over night to cure. DO NOT HANG AT ROOM TEMP!!! # 6 is wrong!!! You need cure 2 for that not 1. You just need to hang long enough for all residual heat to leave so that it doesn't condense moisture when putting into a cold fridge. 2-4 hours is usually plenty.



I know this is an old post but I think it is important that the correct information is being explained.  Cure #1 or Cure #2 has nothing to do with how you ferment a sausage.   Almost ALWAYS summer sausage is a fermented sausage that uses Cure #1.  It is hung in a 80-100F temperature for at least 18 hours to 36 hours, smoked, then allowed to dry slightly (3 days to a week) in a 55-60f climate.  By doing this the bacteria in the meat get active, consume the dextrose, and produce lactic acid making the sausage (lower in ph) and safe to consume.

Cure #1 is used if the sausage will be hung outside of refrigeration (32-39F) for less than 1 month and cure #2 is used if the sausage is hung outside of refrigeration (32-39F) for longer than 1 month.


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## bill ace 350

interesting.  if the sausage has been properly cured, I see no reason why the sausage couldn't be kept at cold smoking temperature range and be  allowed to ferment.


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## bill ace 350

Thinking cultured buttermilk possibly would aid in fermentation as opposed to other starter cultures


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## pushok2018

Well... I don't think cultured buttermilk has any effect on fermentation. I agree that it does add a "tang" taste to the sausage... To properly ferment a sausage you DO need to uses cultures plus you have to have a proper conditions for fermentation  like temperature and humidity.

T*-RM-53 Lactobacillus sakei, Staphylococcus carnosus Aromatic cultures with mild acidification 
T-SP Pediococcus pentosaceus, Staphylococcus carnosus 
T-SPX Pediococcus pentosaceus, Staphylococcus xylosus 
T-D-66 Lactobacillus plantarum, Staphylococcus carnosus Aromatic cultures with intermediate acidification 
T-SC-150 Lactobacillus sakei, Staphylococcus carnosus 
T-SL *
https://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-types/fermented-sausage/cultures


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## bill ace 350

pushok2018 said:


> Well... I don't think cultured buttermilk has any effect on fermentation. I agree that it does add a "tang" taste to the sausage... To properly ferment a sausage you DO need to uses cultures plus you have to have a proper conditions for fermentation  like temperature and humidity.
> 
> T*-RM-53 Lactobacillus sakei, Staphylococcus carnosus Aromatic cultures with mild acidification
> T-SP Pediococcus pentosaceus, Staphylococcus carnosus
> T-SPX Pediococcus pentosaceus, Staphylococcus xylosus
> T-D-66 Lactobacillus plantarum, Staphylococcus carnosus Aromatic cultures with intermediate acidification
> T-SC-150 Lactobacillus sakei, Staphylococcus carnosus
> T-SL *
> https://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-types/fermented-sausage/cultures



Cultured buttermilk contains live lactic acid producing bacteria. 
Don't see why it wouldn't continue to do so in a sausage left to ferment.


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## pushok2018

bill ace 350 said:


> Cultured buttermilk contains live lactic acid producing bacteria.


You are correct on that but from my experience I never was able to get that "real" tangy taste in my sausages using dry buttermilk. Twice I tried it to make SS and once - with different kind of sausage. First time I just added dry buttermilk to the grounded meat, mixed, stuffed, left in the fridge overnight and smoked/cooked it next day. I almost did not feel any tang taste.Two times out of those three attempts I tried to ferment my sausages with temp of 85F and humidity at 90 - better but still very light tang taste. On the other hand, fermenting with T-SPX for 72 hours and with F-LC for just 24 hours gave me great result. So, based on my experience, dry buttermilk does not really ferment sausages. I never used liquide buttermilk though...


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## bill ace 350

pushok2018 said:


> You are correct on that but from my experience I never was able to get that "real" tangy taste in my sausages using dry buttermilk. Twice I tried it to make SS and once - with different kind of sausage. First time I just added dry buttermilk to the grounded meat, mixed, stuffed, left in the fridge overnight and smoked/cooked it next day. I almost did not feel any tang taste.Two times out of those three attempts I tried to ferment my sausages with temp of 85F and humidity at 90 - better but still very light tang taste. On the other hand, fermenting with T-SPX for 72 hours and with F-LC for just 24 hours gave me great result. So, based on my experience, dry buttermilk does not really ferment sausages. I never used liquide buttermilk though...



I've used liquid buttermilk in the mix while the meat was curing, but never tried letting it hang for awhile after the cure at higher temperatures. wondering if the fermentation would increase at temperatures within the cold smoking range for cured products.


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## pushok2018

The standard temperatures for cold smoking are 68 to 86 °F (20 to 30 °C).
Per Stanley Marianski, "In order not to unbalance ongoing fermentation,_ the temperature of the smoke should approximate the temperature of the fermentation chamber_ which in raw slow fermented sausages falls into 18-22º C, (66-72º F) range."
When dealing with dry cured sausages (like salami) I introduce cold smoke only for one reason - to prevent growth of mold on already fermented sausages.
In case with SS it's different - hot smoke has to be introduced gradually... starting  120/130F and to 165/170F - so there is no fermentation at this stage.


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## bill ace 350

pushok2018 said:


> The standard temperatures for cold smoking are 68 to 86 °F (20 to 30 °C).
> Per Stanley Marianski, "In order not to unbalance ongoing fermentation,_ the temperature of the smoke should approximate the temperature of the fermentation chamber_ which in raw slow fermented sausages falls into 18-22º C, (66-72º F) range."
> When dealing with dry cured sausages (like salami) I introduce cold smoke only for one reason - to prevent growth of mold on already fermented sausages.
> In case with SS it's different - hot smoke has to be introduced gradually... starting  120/130F and to 165/170F - so there is no fermentation at this stage.



Are you implying summer sausage isn't ever fermented,  or that fermentation won't occur outside of 68 to 72 degrees F?

I'm asking because someone posted never to hang a cured summer sausage at room temperature. what is the difference if I hang a cured sausage at 68 - 72 degrees Fwithout smoke as opposed to hanging a cured sausage with smoke at 68 - 72 degrees F?
Not saying that you don't need to eventually take it to proper internal temperature.


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## pushok2018

bill ace 350 said:


> Are you implying summer sausage isn't ever fermented, or that fermentation won't occur outside of 68 to 72 degrees F?


Bill, I found a "typo" and maybe this cause the confusion:


pushok2018 said:


> I tried to ferment my sausages with temp of 85F


 - this is wrong. It should read "t*ried to ferment my sausages with temp of 75F"*. 85F is way too high for fermentation.
My mistake and I am sorry for that.
In case with SS it's different - hot smoke has to be introduced gradually... starting 120/130F and to 165/170F - so there is no fermentation at this stage.[/QUOTE] - maybe this confused you? What I meant is fermentation stops at higher temperatures.... as much as I know.
Definitely, you can ferment your sausage at temperatures between 68-72 (room temperature).  I usually ferment my dry cured sausages somewhere between 70-75F plus certain humidity level should be achieved for proper fermentation -  85-90%. Personally, I never tried to ferment my sausaged in the room (I use a fermentation chamber), without taking in consideration humidity level.
Once again, individual recipes calls for different temp level but in most cases that level is within 68 - 75F. Hope this helps...


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## bill ace 350

pushok2018 said:


> Bill, I found a "typo" and maybe this cause the confusion:
> - this is wrong. It should read "t*ried to ferment my sausages with temp of 75F"*. 85F is way too high for fermentation.
> My mistake and I am sorry for that.
> In case with SS it's different - hot smoke has to be introduced gradually... starting 120/130F and to 165/170F - so there is no fermentation at this stage.


 - maybe this confused you? What I meant is fermentation stops at higher temperatures.... as much as I know.
Definitely, you can ferment your sausage at temperatures between 68-72 (room temperature).  I usually ferment my dry cured sausages somewhere between 70-75F plus certain humidity level should be achieved for proper fermentation -  85-90%. Personally, I never tried to ferment my sausaged in the room (I use a fermentation chamber), without taking in consideration humidity level.
Once again, individual recipes calls for different temp level but in most cases that level is within 68 - 75F. Hope this helps...[/QUOTE]

No problem!

Just thinking of other methods to get the "tang" without using more expensive starter cultures.

Then the comment of not hanging cured summer sausages at room temperature got me thinking....

Didn't make sense if curing allowed deviation from the standard 40 - 140 in 4 hours rule...

All is good, just need to try it out


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## pushok2018

Good luck on that! I remember my first 3-4 batches came out pretty bad... Eatable but with not exactly with a taste and texture I was expected... It's much better now but I am still learning from this forum and books I am still reading...


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## bill ace 350

pushok2018 said:


> Good luck on that! I remember my first 3-4 batches came out pretty bad... Eatable but with not exactly with a taste and texture I was expected... It's much better now but I am still learning from this forum and books I am still reading...



Thanks. made many pounds of great summer sausage, just experimenting. 

Might come up with something good!


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## Cajuneric

It really depends on what starter culture is used.  If you use something like TSPX then yes.  Ferment at lower temps (68-75f) but typically a fast acidifying culture is used to make summer sausages like FRM-52 or FLC.  This produces that "sour" flavor.  Generally this happens at temps around 90F.  Usually 24-48 hours depending on the sugar you add and the culture you use.  The batch I just finished took 24 hours to get to 4.7pH using flc fermenting at 90F with 90% humidity (.5% dextrose added).  I wouldn't use TSP-x as you lose the benefits of some of the bacteria once you drop below 5.0. and TSP-x is really designed for the "fully dried" styles of Salami not really the semi dried..

But at the end of the day it all comes down to personal preference in taste and what you have on hand :)   

As a side note you can use active liquid buttermilk to ferment your salami.  If all you are looking for is LAB's to lower the Ph then this will certainly work.  Be sure to give them dextrose and they will do their job well.  You can also use sauerkraut juice, yogurt, sourdough starter as well.  The flavor will be unique to what you decide to use as these bacteria thrive in different environments and give off unique flavor profiles but fun to experiment with!!


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## bill ace 350

Thanks Cajuneric


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