<![CDATA[Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help)]]>I made a small batch of sausage and I used the recommended amount of Bactoferm F-RM-52 and 0.8% dextrose. The sausage is hanging in a controlled environment: 67 - 73 F and 85% humidity. The initial pH was 5.8. After 10 hours, the pH is still at 5.8. How long should it take for the pH to drop to 5.0 or lower?

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/topic/4946/starter-culture-bactotoferm-fr-m-52-need-helpRSS for NodeThu, 10 Sep 2026 20:53:39 GMTTue, 25 Jan 2022 12:57:28 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Sun, 20 Mar 2022 05:20:48 GMT]]>mrobisr what are the thin sausages hanging to right in your pic?

I’m prepping for making semi dry pepperoni…

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/73372https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/73372Sun, 20 Mar 2022 05:20:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Mon, 07 Feb 2022 15:23:54 GMT]]>mrobisr thanks for the info.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68368https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68368Mon, 07 Feb 2022 15:23:54 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Mon, 07 Feb 2022 15:05:00 GMT]]>mrobisr Both great books. And thanks for those links, great info.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68364https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68364Mon, 07 Feb 2022 15:05:00 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Mon, 07 Feb 2022 05:02:58 GMT]]>Jonathon I have read a lot of different materials from the USDA, .edu’s, and lots of ytube, but the best knowledge is in the book of
“THE ART OF MAKING FERMENTED SAUSAGES” by the Marianski’s
and second “Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing” by Rytek Kutas.

The same rules apply to all foods cased or not cased as far as safe pathogen levels…
acid, water, sugar, salt, preservatives, temperature, and humidity.

These references are other resources that I have read that have influenced my safe food production.

https://kb.osu.edu/handle/1811/45275?show=full
https://virginia-beach.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/virginia-beach_ext_vt_edu/files/4-h/20120223-AGR-EXT-DryCuringVirginiaStyleHam.pdf
http://www.cold.org.gr/library/downloads/Docs/Handbook of Food Preservation.PDF

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68341https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68341Mon, 07 Feb 2022 05:02:58 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Sun, 06 Feb 2022 22:56:25 GMT]]>mrobisr I assume you heard us talking about not knowing if that was right or not on the podcast or livestream? Like I said, dry-cured is going to be a learning curve for me. In April I am going to Iowa State to take a dry-cured short course, so that should help!

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68280https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/68280Sun, 06 Feb 2022 22:56:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Fri, 04 Feb 2022 18:42:27 GMT]]>20220109_222728.jpg
First pic shows the meat in my red neck fermentation cooler wrapped in plastic wrap to maintain a very high humidity. Second picture is the same cased sausage with wrap removed because it reached 4.9ph and I placed it in the drying chamber.
20220110_212938.jpg

Notice the little one is not hanging because it was wrapped only in saran wrap for PH testing. Once my PH level is reached the little one goes to my trusted side kick for taste approval and for the record she loves it.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/67849https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/67849Fri, 04 Feb 2022 18:42:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Fri, 04 Feb 2022 18:30:46 GMT]]>When doing dry sausage there are two totally different steps that make the meat safe and flavorful. Don’t confuse the fermentation process with the drying process they are completely different and have different goals.

You have to maintain 90% or higher RH for proper fermentation verses 80% RH in a drying chamber. Since fermentation lasts typically ❤ days at a set temp it just easier and just as effective to wrap for high humidity then place the “cased” meat in and actual chamber for the months of drying.

Ultimately if a person had unlimited space and money a separate fermentation chamber and drying chamber would be perfect, but for the home charcuterie maker I have found that keeping the fermentation process simplified is just as effective. If my sausage reaches the 4.9-5.2ph then I have achieved my goal of a safe product. PH keeps the meat safe, the high humidity allows for the fermentation to accomplish the lower PH, and the casings simply hold the meat together no more or no less.

Casings are not a barrier to pathogens in dried sausage products, with or without a casing the process still remains the same for a safe product.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/67839https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/67839Fri, 04 Feb 2022 18:30:46 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Fri, 04 Feb 2022 17:40:49 GMT]]>Jonathon Austin
The dry sausage is in a collagen casing and then wrapped in saran wrap for the fermentation phase only, to maintain the very high humidity necessary for fermentation. The little mini one to the side is to measure the ph of meat so I don’t have to puncture the cased sausage. Once fermentation is complete the wrap is removed and the meat is put into a drying chamber.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/67836https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/67836Fri, 04 Feb 2022 17:40:49 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Fri, 28 Jan 2022 01:48:54 GMT]]>mrobisr thanks, I’ll check it out

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66926https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66926Fri, 28 Jan 2022 01:48:54 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Thu, 27 Jan 2022 03:08:36 GMT]]>Ronald Dore
Understood, here’s that other conversation.
https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/4948/drying-semi-dry-sausage-questions-help?_=1643251046967

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66752https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66752Thu, 27 Jan 2022 03:08:36 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Wed, 26 Jan 2022 21:02:06 GMT]]>mrobisr Agreed. Didn’t realize there was another post on this topic. Thought he was going for a fully dry cured product.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66638https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66638Wed, 26 Jan 2022 21:02:06 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Wed, 26 Jan 2022 15:43:47 GMT]]>Sorry I missed this conversation. The pH will dip faster in slightly higher temps and humidity. I normally try to keep my humidity at 90% and temps 75F. To achieve the 90% I just wrap each sausage in plastic wrap and put it in my warmest room in the house

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66582https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66582Wed, 26 Jan 2022 15:43:47 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Wed, 26 Jan 2022 14:08:08 GMT]]>Ronald Dore if it’s a short cure <30 days or cooked as Robin mentioned in another post then cure #1 is the right cure.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66538https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66538Wed, 26 Jan 2022 14:08:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Wed, 26 Jan 2022 13:10:08 GMT]]>Robin05 the recipe you have calls for cure #1? We’ve (my brother and I) always used cure #2 for all our dry cured products.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66537https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66537Wed, 26 Jan 2022 13:10:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Wed, 26 Jan 2022 01:55:34 GMT]]>Robin05 thank you everyone. After 22 hrs in the fermentation chamber 68-76 F and 65- 80% humidity, the sausage pH is 4.9. Thank you all for your quick responses.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66480https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66480Wed, 26 Jan 2022 01:55:34 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Tue, 25 Jan 2022 23:56:31 GMT]]>mrobisr Great idea, thanks

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66467https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66467Tue, 25 Jan 2022 23:56:31 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Tue, 25 Jan 2022 23:48:26 GMT]]>Jonathon 20220109_220003.jpg

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66465https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66465Tue, 25 Jan 2022 23:48:26 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Tue, 25 Jan 2022 23:19:10 GMT]]>Jonathon yes sir plastic wrap or as a brand Saran wrap

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66461https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66461Tue, 25 Jan 2022 23:19:10 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Tue, 25 Jan 2022 19:23:43 GMT]]>mrobisr Cling film? Are you talking about a plastic wrap or is this something I am unaware of? Remember I’ve only made 3 batches of cured sausage. Was planning on using 2021 to work on it but then everything kept going insane! Hopefully, 2022-23 will allow me the time to learn the process better.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66408https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66408Tue, 25 Jan 2022 19:23:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Tue, 25 Jan 2022 18:20:53 GMT]]>mrobisr thank you

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66404https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66404Tue, 25 Jan 2022 18:20:53 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Tue, 25 Jan 2022 18:20:12 GMT]]>Great idea. Thank you.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66403https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66403Tue, 25 Jan 2022 18:20:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Tue, 25 Jan 2022 17:43:16 GMT]]>Robin05 to avoid humidity issues simply wrap the sausage in cling film and the sausage will not dry out thus no case hardening. Once fermentation is complete remove film and process as desired.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66395https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66395Tue, 25 Jan 2022 17:43:16 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Tue, 25 Jan 2022 17:19:02 GMT]]>Robin05 it can take 2-4 days to reach the lower ph. Naturally the lower the temperature the slower the fermentation, but with 52 it will produce a better product at the lower end of the temperature range. I would not go below 70f as that is really below the value of the culture.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66385https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66385Tue, 25 Jan 2022 17:19:02 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Starter Culture Bactotoferm- FR M-52 (need help) on Tue, 25 Jan 2022 15:55:46 GMT]]>Lance thank you that is comforting.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66377https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/66377Tue, 25 Jan 2022 15:55:46 GMT