Wrinkles in my summer sausage!
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Need some troubleshooting advice. I’ve been making venison summer sausage with 50/50 pork butts. I’m mixing until I get good protein extraction, adding sodium phosphate, encapsulated citric acid & binders. I’ve got an electronic meat thermometer so I can monitor my temperature which I’m cooking to 155-160 internal temperature. After I reach temp I’m submerging in ice water for about 10 minutes. They taste great and the casing comes off easy but it looks like they are “shrinking” a little and I get a wrinkled final product. Any ideas on where I’m going wrong?
I’ve been cooking in a propane cabinet smoker (I’m thinking this is part of my issue, as I can’t get good humidity from my water pan), I just ordered a new PK 100 smoker today.
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JPAP I’m new to this page and trying to figure it out. I just ground up about 8 1/2 lbs of pork/beef and letting it cure in the fridge for couple of days and going to smoke some summer sausage w/cheese on the 1st. I’ll post pics when it’s done.
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JPAP Did you stuff it before leaving it in your fridge? If not then you might have a really hard time stuffing it into casings as the meat is going to be setting up and will get really firm.
Get more help with your processing questions and learn more about processing meat by subscribing to our waltonsinc.com youtube page at https://wltns.link/waltonstv I am a Gorilla, love yourself
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JPAP Did you stuff it before leaving it in your fridge? If not then you might have a really hard time stuffing it into casings as the meat is going to be setting up and will get really firm.
Jonathon No I did not stuff it, I have it in zip lock bags. I been taking it out and just kinda kneading it 1-2 times a day. I’m going to stuff it tomorrow morning. I have never used a stuffer before my girl just got me one last week. I want to ask any tips but I know you have all the tips. Lol
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JPAP Okay, first don’t hold it overnight before stuffing (too late!) as it is going to set up and could be very difficult to stuff. For this, you might want to add some more water and make sure the meat is very cold.
In general make sure your air release valve is functioning properly, make sure the gasket is on correctly (gap faces down towards the meat) make sure your gasket is lubicated with white oil before use and make sure you are stuffing on the correct gear. You never want to stuff on the top gear, that is just for quickly backing out the piston. If you ever see metal shavings on top of your gear housing you will know it is time for a replacement or at the very least get some food-safe machine grease on it.
Get more help with your processing questions and learn more about processing meat by subscribing to our waltonsinc.com youtube page at https://wltns.link/waltonstv I am a Gorilla, love yourself
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JPAP Okay, first don’t hold it overnight before stuffing (too late!) as it is going to set up and could be very difficult to stuff. For this, you might want to add some more water and make sure the meat is very cold.
In general make sure your air release valve is functioning properly, make sure the gasket is on correctly (gap faces down towards the meat) make sure your gasket is lubicated with white oil before use and make sure you are stuffing on the correct gear. You never want to stuff on the top gear, that is just for quickly backing out the piston. If you ever see metal shavings on top of your gear housing you will know it is time for a replacement or at the very least get some food-safe machine grease on it.
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Jonathon I guess the part I was concerned about was the cheese in the meat curing and setting for couple of days in the fridge. Next batch I’ll grind and stuff in the same day then smoke it later.
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JPAP Glad to be of help, it is literally what I am here for!
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Need little more practice with the vertical stuffer to be “smooth” when using it. Definitely need a C clamp to help hold it onto the counter. I still got good looking chubs tho for first time using it. Into the smoker in the morning.
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100% presentation, send out samples for the real taste test
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JPAP That looks excellent! Its hard to avoid Voids in the meat with a handcrank stuffer but those are minimal, very nicely done!
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JPAP Looks good. You will notice a change in flavor in a few days and also if you vacuum seal and freeze them. I personally like everything I’ve made better after a few weeks.
hotkarl I don’t have a vac sealer yet. Hope I can be getting one this year sometime.
I was going to double wrap in some plastic wrap then put in a zip lock freezer bag and freeze couple of the logs. I thought that would be good enough to store and freeze them. Any tips on freezing with out a vac sealer? -
JPAP Old restaurant trick is to put it in a zip lock bag and put in water to get the air out of the bag. If you want to really keep air off it freeze the bag in a block of water that way no air can get into the bag. Like making big ice cubes.
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JPAP Butchers paper, with a waxed side plus some thick plastic wrap, will help as well!
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hotkarl I don’t have a vac sealer yet. Hope I can be getting one this year sometime.
I was going to double wrap in some plastic wrap then put in a zip lock freezer bag and freeze couple of the logs. I thought that would be good enough to store and freeze them. Any tips on freezing with out a vac sealer? -
Thank you all. That was only the 3rd batch I have done and it’s getting better than the last. Adding the cheese little more seasoning than called for and the flavor is booming. Don’t know how much it helps but I use beer instead of water also.
My girl says it’s good so that’s plus because then she’s more inclined to me experimenting with different things and trying then. She’s only a little (a lot) picky. Lol Will be reading up and trying more new things when work allows me some time off.
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