Homemade Sausage Making

Hi All
Looks like the cured sausage experts are are on this site!
I have just made some fast fermented pepperoni from Stanley Marianski's book. Used cure #1, but omitted the starter culture as I didn't have any.
I fermented at 100f for 16 hours and then raised smoker temp to 150f gradually until IT hit 145f.
Stanley says that for a drier sausage to air dry for 2 days at 70-60f at 65% humidity and I am currently doing this.
It seems a bit weird for me to have cooked meat airing for 2 days. Does anyone have experience with this process? Is it safe?
Thanks, John

Note I also posted on Smokingmeatforums.

Hey John

I just made that recipe last week but used the culture. I believe the culture and the resulting Ph drop are a very important part of the process for safety and taste reasons.

Omitting the culture in the fermenting step is not a good idea in that temperature range.

John 128, this is a prime example of someone reading a recipe but not reading the explanation and the science behind. Without the culture you have only the indigenous bacteria to grow in the sausage and what you have at this point is two day old road kill. DON'T EAT IT!!!

ssorllih wrote:John 128, this is a prime example of someone reading a recipe but not reading the explanation and the science behind. Without the culture you have only the indigenous bacteria to grow in the sausage and what you have at this point is two day old road kill. DON'T EAT IT!!!

thanks for the feedback, I have read in many places including this site that fermented sausage can be made with or without starter cultures, just with less consistency.
I have read to start to understand the science regarding PH and AW levels, but like a lot things there never seems a clear answer, with lots of opinions.

But will take your advice.
Rgds, John

John , This is applied microbiology and very little of it is open to opinion. If you take meat with an unknown history and grind it and place it in an environment that supports bacteria growth the odds are completely against you that the bad guys will win. But if you add a culture that is formulated to produce bacteria that will protect the meat and help to destroy the pathogenic and spoilage bacteria you are able to shift the odds in your favor. I understand that the amount seems to be practically insignificant it is probably a million times larger numbers of the good guys than the bad guys that came with the meat.

Hi John,

I really feel an urge to act as a bull in the red lingerie department:

In Poland you will find quite many small butcher shops selling "Polish Raw Sausage" produced with curing salt but without any starter culture, matured at up to 75f for 12 to 24 hours and only exposed to cold smoke - not exceeding 86f.
Such a Raw Polish is great stuff just of the hook -but hang them to dry for some days and you may end up with an even better experience. And this sausage never sent me racing off to the emergency room. I keep on gobbling those raw treats when in Poland though I wastly prefer Raw Polish made with a starter culture added.
I simply feel on safer ground...

The mentioned temperature parametres of the Pepperoni recipe seems to me as being pretty close to that of Cooked Salami European style, except that most recipes for this will call for a core temperature of 155f.

A core temperature of 145f I´ve used myself for some cured whole muscle products where the proteins have to reach the point of being semi-denatured and I NEVER experienced any contamination- or reduced shelf life issues.

OK - 145f won´t kill off all indigenous bacteria that MIGHT be a hazard - but with a minimum of 2% salt plus cure I would say that you are pretty much on the safe side even without a starter culture (and I know this will sound provoking to some Even to myself as I usually strongly advocate the use of starter cultures).

The problem is if there will be a pH drop at all in your culture-free Pepperoni

Among the indigenous bacteria there will for sure be a reasonable amount of our lactic acid producing friends...
But you won´t be able to predict if they are in plenty to provide the wished pH drop.
Or if they will produce a mild pleasent acid - or perhaps a sharp acetic acid
Or if the healthy bacteria will outgrow the possible pathogenic one before they become too many. Usually the healthy will dominate but ... well... usually...

But again being the bull: You might experience that the taste turns out far more agreeable than with the overtly fast and tangy starter cultures that are often used for Pepperoni, and which by fermenting at 100f may produce more acid than what´s actually likable - and (what´s even worse) leave too little time for the staphyloccoci to trigger those enzymatic processes that contribute to the yummy taste of fermented meat. And yes I know: Pepperoni is mostly about Anise, Fennel, Pepper and Paprika - but I guess some meat taste beneath all those spices won´t hurt anybody? Why hide it under a veil of sour notes?? (Read my lips: use a SLOW starter culture for Pepperoni next time you make it).

As for the two days of post-maturing at 70-60f / 65% humidity there´s nothing wierd about that. It could even be longer.
It will reduce both water activity and the risc of a dry rim under the casing. Which may happen if you post-mature at higher temperatures and lower humidity than prescribed.
And with a lower water activity you´ll also reduce the risc of bacteriological hazards.

Thanks Igor,

This might sound a silly question, but should it be safe to slice and cook on the bbq? Will taking IT over 152f kill bad bacteria that may have grown?

Thanks again

A reheating temperature of 162f should bring you on safe ground.

Actually I had expected an uproar after my previous comment on the acceptability of not using starter culture (but expecting the storm to rise any minute now )

I just wanted to point out that there was a time before starter cultures became commonplace and people consumed Pepperoni without popping off in numbers.

Nowadays in the US commercial Pepperoni is usually heated to 130f even if the common pH value of 4,5 (reached by using fast starter cultures) should provide safety enough in itself. Also, the salt level in these products will usually be around 2,5% - and in my oppinion should remain around that because Pepperoni isn´t usually exposed to extended drying out.

What took its toll in the old days was the bacteria Clostridium botulinum.
It can have its way if you don´t add cure and knowing that it has a lethality rate of 60% once you get intoxicated I guess you are now beyond the point where you would consider to skip the cure too Actually "botulinum" comes from the latin word for Sausage.

In Germany where national product safety norms are otherwise top notch it is still very common to use GdL (Glukono-delta-Lacton) as the sole pH lowering ingredient in fermented and semi-fermented products. Not that I recommend it because when used in high dosage (to provide a fast pH drop) GdL may cause a slightly metallical off taste, and it won´t control bacteria as well as a starter culture does. Just stick to culture and enjoy the feeling of playing safe

Hi John, you wrote:

Looks like the cured sausage experts are are on this site!

John, allow me to be a little blunt. Yes, we have many knowledgeable and experienced professionals on this forum who can help YOU. There`s no need to search other sites. However, there a funny quirk in human nature that any NEW member must realize. Allow me to share something with you that I learned many, many, years ago. People are just people, anywhere you go. Just like anywhere else on this ol` planet, these folks would like to know a little more about you and your level of proficiency in sausage making before they deliberately give away their hard-gained knowledge. It`s just human nature. In a separate "welcome letter", new members are asked to squeeze in here and join us in a little chat? Let us get to know you. Most of the old pros on this forum only give up their hard-learned expertise to someone who is not a "hit-n`-run" member.

Many new folks "surf" the net for answers and never learn a thing. They glean information, and then we never hear from them again. Many people move on to another site thinking their answer has either been kept secret, or that the people on this site are "clickish" or unfriendly. Neither could be further from the truth! Many folks don`t get their answer because they don`t settle down long enough for us to get to know them a bit - and you really can`t blame these good learned folks - they are human beings - not walking encyclopedias. I`m sorry if that seems blunt but it`s simply the way folks act in any environment.

The experienced members on our forum are not obligated to give away any information at all. However, I`ve found that if you "set a spell and sip a little brown gargle with them around the ol` campfire", most of these folks will bend over backward to help you! It`s the truth.

Members looking for information about fermented sausages should realize that this is an advanced technique and should only be attempted when all other sausage making skills have been experienced. There is also much study and understanding required in order to effectively and safely craft fermented sausages. A certain amount of knowledge of bacteria is crucial.

Last year, some of the folks at WD undertook "Project A" in which they each made a curing chamber and dried their own Allysandra Salami. The notes and material in Project A are invaluable. I suggest that beginners read the thing from the beginning to the end, including the assigned reading material as part of the lessons. There is no easy way around it. The knowledge comes from study and experience. Only when a person understands why bacteria act the way they do, when they do, and how they do, will a person begin to understand the process of uniform and consistent fermentation. At the end of the next Project B, the same folks participating will be advancing to another "air drying" project where they will make salami and bologna with a curing chamber and a storing chamber.

Is fermented sausage making an "exacting" craft? You bet it is! Are the techniques exigent? Absolutely!
A person just cannot leave out an ingredient or exchange a substitute ingredient. I just won`t work. Anytime you use a bacteriological culture in a meat product, it MUST be given a chance to develop inside an environment of ideal temperature and humidity specifically recommended for the type of culture you are using. Each recipe will specify the length of time as well as the gradual reduction in humidity and temperature from the initial prescribed amount. If these conditions are not met, your sausage will not develop the characteristic "tang" you are looking for. There are no shortcuts. There just isn`t an easy way to bypass a curing chamber.

Because each culture contains varying amounts of beneficial bacteria, each with its own pre-determined requirements, each will display its own characteristic "persona" or individual traits. Each formula will authorize its own length of fermentation time as well as the ideal gradual reduction in humidity and temperature from the initial prescribed amount. If these conditions are not met, your sausage will not develop the exact characteristic qualities you are looking for. It`s as simple as that!

Each bio-culture is unique. Each has its own make up and specifications. Each has been developed to precisely meet the requirements of a specified end result. There are no shortcuts and there are no ways to bypass specific bio-cultures or procedures, along with the prescribed amount of time in a curing chamber.

For instance, where a pronounced sour flavor in a thinner product is desired, LHP may be used with its extra fast acidification (drops under 5.3 in 30 hours or under 5.0 in 48 hours). It differs from other cultures because both pediococcus pentosaceus (optimal growth at 95°F.) and pediococcus acidilactici (optimal growth at 104°F.) are used. Additionally, dextrose is recommended as the nutrient for growth (not table sugar). If you are making pepperoni (or any sausage) less than 1" in diameter, this may be the culture you are looking for. It is ideal for thinner products. This is its "persona" that I`ve previously mentioned. This is the characteristic quality of LHP. This culture is specifically an "extra-fast" culture targeted for fermentation temperatures 90°F-105°F and is used in products requiring less than 2 weeks to completely develop, including drying.

It is important to note that because of the short curing time involved, Cure #1 is used with this culture. In other words, Bactoferm L-HP is so fast, it requires a nitrite cure instead of a nitrate/nitrite cure. It works in far less time than it would take for nitrate (in Cure #2) to break down into nitrite for curing the meat.

It is important to understand that all strains of lactobacillus bacteria (used in cultures) are homo-fermentative. These are the acidifying bacteria. They function best at low oxygen levels with a simple sugar nutrient, in order to produce lactic acid. Conversely, if the hetero-fermentative, endogenous (naturally occurring) lactobacillus bacteria find a nutrient and multiply, other volatile acids, along with carbon dioxide, will result in addition to the lactic acid. Luckily, we have discovered pediococcus - a homo-fermentative bacterium that grows at low oxygen levels. This species will metabolize most any sugar.

Some cultures made with acidifying lactobacilli, also contain any number of the micrococcaceae species of the three staphylococcus bacteria we as sausagemakers are most concerned with. They are staphylococcus xylosus, staphylococcus saprophyticus, and staphylococcus carnosus. These are the color and flavor-forming bacteria. Staphylococci are not added to LHP or faster cultures because they cannot survive the rapid lowering of the pH.

A difference in flavor? A difference in texture? A difference in aromatic quality? Absolutely. With each culture having its own specific makeup of any number of species of acid-forming bacteria as well as flavor-forming bacteria, one may not be substituted for another without having a pronounced effect on the end product.

John, again... Welcome aboard! We`re glad to have you with us. Be patient and allow our members a little time to get to know you. We`ll answer all your questions and help you as much as possible.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

Thanks again, I appreciate the advice and look forward to taking time to read it in more detail.
I have invested in quite a bit of gear including trespade 22 mincer, stuffer, smoker. Also a number of books including those of Marianski and Kutas.

Looks like I need to invest in some form of ph tester and some starter cultures!

Excellent site guys, thanks

John

John128 wrote:

I have invested in quite a bit of gear including trespade 22 mincer, stuffer, smoker. Also a number of books including those of Marianski and Kutas.

John, again... welcome to Wedliny Domowe. We`re glad to have you with us. I hope you have Stan`s book "The Art Of Making Fermented Sausages". Did you know that Stan is a fellow moderator on this site? He is Seminole and he has a section of his publications in the "Books" at the bottom of our Index Page. The cool thing about Stan Marianski is that he shares his knowledge with everyone - free of charge. He has references on this site to all his work. As you learn about how to navigate this site, you'll discover Stan's rare gift to all of us rookies. There's no pressure to buy books or join clubs etc. He simply believes in sharing all his knowledge because in the long run, it is a win-win situation. Navigate our site a little and you'll see what I mean. (see your Personal Messages at the top of the Index Page).

Hey John, there`s really no need to rush out and buy expensive pH or Aw meters. If you simply keep track of the weight of your sausages (and use a few other tricks learned in Projects A and B), you can save yourself a bunch of money.

We`re here in your support John, and you`ll find that your questions will be answered by the pros. All you have to do is ask. You`ll be knockin` out the fermented sausages in no time at all. First, read and study the material - there`s no way around it. Learn all you can about bacteria and their behavior because that`s what this type of sausage is all about. As you read, things will begin to fall in place. In the mean time, ask questions - that`s what we`re here for.

Good luck, pard! We`re with you.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

The tools of the trade only enable you. Education and experience are what make you able to claim a title.. I have a neighbor who has become a master cheese maker and she will tell anyone that will listen that you will make a lot of bad cheese before you start making good cheese. The same is true of sausage.
I have made quite a bit of very forgettable sausage that only the dog really appreciated.
Do the pig a favor and make small batches at the beginning and keep notes. When you make a kilo of good sausage and you know what you did right then you can make a larger batch and be confident that it will come out right.

Ssorllih spelled backward is Ross Hill. Our ol` buddy in Maryland is sort of the "Lieutenant" of this outfit. The ol` salty dog is as crafty as a fox and wise as an owl. His advice is always worth re-reading and I even "track" it. I call Ross "Rongway" because he spells his name in the wrong direction. Besides knowing a heck of a lot about sausage, the man is also a master-baker and has lots of tricks for us in "Ross` Bakery" in the "Other Products" forum at this link: http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?t=6455&start=0
Carry on, good buddy!
Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

Hi All,
Just wanted to report back that the pepperoni was a real hit. Although I did cook it on the bbq as sharing with friends while away camping... It was better than expected. It had a slight tang and had dried nicely. Will definitely make this again, using starter culture nex time

Thanks again for advice