Home Made Sausage Basics

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Edcculus

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Ok, now that this forum is up and going, lets get some info here.

I've never cured meat or made sausage (aside from fresh sausage) before. What do I need to make some good sausages?

I've been reading a lot at Wedlinydomowe.com. It seems like for some sausage curing, the time, attention to detail and equipment can be almost equal to brewing. I find it really interesting that most sausages that I assumed were just dried, are actually fermented (then dried). It never really entered my thoughts that most varieties aren't cooked either, but rely on specific bacteria, salts and nitrites to break it down, or ferment it so its safe and can be dried for later consumption.

Are there any of the fermented sausages that can be accomplished in a regular refrigerator? My limitations are that I live in an apartment. Therefore, I don't have a room that is a constant 65 degrees with an acceptable level of humidity.

In short - what is the easiest way to make some good cured meat products?
 
The best book that I have found that I highly reccomend is Charcuterie. It covers quite a few things from curing, brining, smoking preserving etc, but about 2/3 of the book is about sausage.

But in all actuality there really isn't any easy way to make cured products especially sausage. Some things like bacon can just be done in a fridge in a bag btu sausages usually need to hang.
 
I think like beer making if you don't have an acceptable space in your normal living quarters you can build something like a ferm chamber, only with slightly different parameters.
 
Good thread starter Ed....I have only made fresh sausage as well.

The whole grinder, fresh case/synthetic casings hurdles are in my way.

I actually have a deal to take my seasonings to a local butcher and he makes the sausages with them, and charges me the same as what he charges for his fresh bratwurst.

Pretty good deal, especially since I have 3 kids, full time work and limited time.

I would love to make my own sausages though, especially pepperoni and salami.
 
I think like beer making if you don't have an acceptable space in your normal living quarters you can build something like a ferm chamber, only with slightly different parameters.

Thats kind of what I'm thinking. I actually think more and more that I'll have to team up with my inlaws for the time being. They have a lot of space, and could dedicate a converted fridge or freezer to do it. I actually gave them my freezer because there was no room for it in my apartment. I still have the temp controller. The only other issue is humidity. I know in the beginning it needs to be near 90% or something like that. I'm assuming it needs to stay high so the outside doesn't dry out too much before the inside has a chance to?
 
Michael Ruhlman is to cured meats as Papazian is to brewing

I have to disagree, Ruhlman differs from Papizan immensely. First, Ruhlman is a great writer. Second, Ruhlman does not have nifty illustrations like Papizan.

:fro:

Maybe Ruhlman:Cured meat as Palmer:brewing would be more fitting?

Great read regardless.
 
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Here is the book I use...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0025668609/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I have a dorm fridge with a LOVE controller I use for starters and random stuff. I plan to use it, along with some humidity beads, to start curing sausages in the new year.

I am especially interested in landjaegers... mmmmmm

Those heartfelt beads are great. I have them in my humidifier. I have been looking for something like them that can do around 50% for dry aging beef.
 
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Every year my brother-in-law makes 50 lbs of Cacciatore salami, it is a relatively simple cured sausage to make, I will get the details from him, maybe see if he has pics from the process.
 
Perhaps a cheapo humidifier and a humidity controller:

http://www.dwyer-inst.com/Product/Humidity/HumiditySwitches/SeriesHS/Specs

Kinda spendy then though... $200 for humidity control? We have to be able to do better than that.

About 6 months or so ago I was really looking hard and planning my meat fridge. I want it to be both temperature and humidity controlled. Everything electronic or automated was going to be really expensive. I did find some passive humity controllers but the only place I found required a pretty large order. I can't remember exactly but it was some sort of dessicant that would do different levels of humidity. Very similar actually to the heartfelt beads.
 
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Could be... but those ultrasonic humidifiers stay pretty wicked clean. I use distilled water in ours and it smells brand new after over a year (we have one for our daughters room).
 
Instead of a dried sausage, why not start with simpler cured meats. Like a nice smoked polish? I usually make the recipe found in Rytek Kutas' book, but I like about twice the amount of garlic.
 
Instead of a dried sausage, why not start with simpler cured meats. Like a nice smoked polish? I usually make the recipe found in Rytek Kutas' book, but I like about twice the amount of garlic.

For me(at least) dried/cured will end up being easier. I could mod a dorm fridge in an apartment. I can't have a smoker, cooker, bbq or any kind of open flame in or near my building. I don't think they would even take too kindly to a cold smoke smoker, since afterall, it will be putting off smoke.
 
Could be... but those ultrasonic humidifiers stay pretty wicked clean. I use distilled water in ours and it smells brand new after over a year (we have one for our daughters room).

I never thought to use distilled water in it, even though thats what I use in my humidor.
 
I think the biggest problem comes in for the fermented sausages which look like they start around 90% humidity for curing and initial drying, then reducing to around 70-80 for the remainder of fermentation. Obviously home practices dont need to be so precisely controlled, but I think the very high humidity is important at least in the initial stages of fermentation so the beneficial lactobacillus can take hold to drop the pH in the meat and stop other bad stuff from growing.
 
in 'Charcuterie', they recommend using a second refrigerator with a pan or pot of salt water in the bottom to keep the humidity levels up. i am skeptical that it will provide enough humidity, but i plan to try it in my fermenting fridge just to see what level of humidity I can get before i actually try to cure sausage in it.
 

There are some interesting designs on there, but I wonder if you couldn't do something similar to the Son-of-Fermenator type of design with a humidistat and separate chamber with water vapor (e.g. aquarium heater or simple wired element) and a fan control to more precisely control the humidity level in the actual chamber?
 
http://www.bestcigarprices.com/ciga...idifier-humidifresh-machine-cigar/30-9707.htm

The place I work part time has these in the cabinets. Now I'm not saying to go out and buy a $350 setup like that but it's merely a computer fan and a humidity controller with a bucket. The things I see people do on here would make this thing a no brainer. The humistat could be adjusted up fairly high to the point it will seriously over humidify cigars. So it should be perfect for keeping 80-90% in a closed cabinet setup. If someone added a small warmer to the water tank it'd be even easier. It's pretty basic the fan pulles air in from the top across the water and through a wick which is made of chamois. Use distilled and you're fine.

Also this is a great website I've been checking out. http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/ It may have been listed already somewhere but if not, enjoy!
 
FYI, i've been running a test in my back up fridge in the basement. earlier today, it was about 52% humidity and 59 degrees after the thermometer/hygrometer had been in there for about 24 hrs. i set the bowl of salt water in there maybe 5 hrs ago and it's already up to 86% humidity. i'll continue to monitor it over the next day or so to see how it fluctuates.
 

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