Homemade Sausage Making

Is 'drying' sausage after stuffing into casings (hanging in open air) a necessary step for all types of sausages or is this just for sausage that is going to be smoked??.

Hi mking5 and welcome to the forum. Sausages will not take on smoke if they are wet to the touch, so indeed it is necessary to dry their casings before they go into a smoker. On the other hand, fresh-type sausages (without cures) do not have to be dried or bloomed (darkened by air-drying) in the open air. They are usually placed in plastic bags, refrigerated, and used within three days. In the case of fermented sausages, air-drying is "what it is all about" and the process is slowed somewhat, by adding humidity its environment inside a "curing chamber" or specially humidified room. Great question mking5. Fire away if you need help. Shucks, I`m no expert, but I do bake a great biscuit!

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

I just finished a batch of Siara's Kielbasa Biala (fresh) and that recipe calls for air drying for 15-30 minutes. I guess I'm wondering why?

Hi Dave,
Our buddy Siara is up to his neck in work right now on a big project. He is super busy and probably won't be able to answer for several days. In the mean time, allow me to take a crack at the answer.

At the top of his recipe, Siara wrote:

Mostly chosen by Polish forum members for grill or BBQ.

It is my guess that he will say air-drying the sausage develops the pellicle and toughens the casing slightly so it keeps the juices inside the sausage as it cooks while being tossed around the grill by big lugs like you and me. Hope this helps until Siara can get back to us with his answer.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

Well, I grilled a few last night and the juices did just that. Stayed in the sausage like none other.Fantastic! Unfortunately I only grilled two and the missus ate all of hers.

Dave

Well... uh... Dave...
Who ate mine?