Made Dry Italian Sausage...with pics

[FrontSight]

First timer...I spent my Sunday doing it, with regular pork, but I would think wild boar works just as well...

Also, I tried making it the "recommended" way, with starter culture & potassium...it's not hard once you gather all the info, but it is a lot of digging and asking questions to get the info. Humidity, temperature, which culture to use & how to deploy it, how much of each ingredient, etc. etc...also can be a lot of equipment such as a humidity and refridgerator temperature controller...

Anyone else make these & have any tips?

I move these to the fridge tomorrow & I'll know in about 2 months if this worked ok, but so far they look good, wish me luck!

Grinding

Stuffing

Poking holes to let air out

Fridge rack for drying...notice the 550 Cord!

View of total set up, with humidifier, fan, ice water, thermometer, humidity reader, blanket, box to keep the humidity locked in

After only 24 hours...I think I'm doing ok so far!

 

[simonkenton]

That is pretty cool!
I have made lots of sausage, and it is delicious, but I just make patties.
You really know what your are doing.

 

[FrontSight]

simonkenton: Thanks, but I really don't! lolol, this is my first time trying...

Well, not counting once as a kd with my dad; we had NO CLUE what we were doing and 80% of it spoiled...

If it works out ok then I'll send the instructions to anyone who wants them...

 

[Doyle]

I'd love to try that. The problem down here in FL is too much heat and humidity.

 

[FrontSight]

Doyle, for the slow cure, the first 2 days need about 68 - 72 degrees and 80% humidity, so you should be good to go with that?

For the next 2 months you just need an extra fridge, a humidifier, and a humidity and temp controller to keep it at about 46 - 50 degrees and about 65% humidity.

If you do a medium speed cure, then the first 2 days are at 90 degrees and 90% humidity, followed by the 50 degrees and 65% humidity (something like that)...

So I think you are good to go in Florida

 

[bswiv]

If effort and planning justify rewards in life then the end result will be great!

One question...........is there a ingredient/step that controls for tricanosis?

We've made a lot of sausage from the hogs we shoot but it's always been the style that gets cooked which kills any bad things.

We dry/jerk venison but worry about pork.......... What did you find out on this?

 

[FrontSight]

bswiv: YES, you can freeze it for a certain number of days, dependant on the temperature, to kill any trichinosis worms.

Here's some info on it from Wiki (you may want to therefore verify it somewhere, since we know how reliable Wiki is. I froze mine for a year at -10 degrees, only because I kept putting it off for a couple of months & then tax season hit & I have zero time for anything else then):

Wikipedia

Freezing Time for Cured dry sausages

Cured dry sausages are prepared in a similar fashion to cured cooked sausages. The major difference is that Prague powder #2 will be used in place of Prague powder #1.

In addition certified meats must be used. Since these products are never heated to a temperature that can kill trichinosis it is necessary to accomplish this by other methods.

The usual method is via freezing. Pork may be rendered acceptable for use in dry sausages by freezing it using the following guidelines:

-5 °F 20-30 days
-10 °F 10-20 days
-20 °F 6-12 days


The specific regulations are quite complex and are beyond the scope of this article. They depend on the thickness of the cuts of meat, the packaging method, and other factors. In addition there are very specific requirements as to the times in the drying rooms and the temperatures in the smoke rooms.

While it is quite feasible for the small sausage kitchen or hobbyist to produce excellent cured dry sausages, a great deal of technical information is required. Alternatively certified pork can be simply purchased.

 

[FrontSight]

moved them to the fridge...

I moved them to the fridge tonight..still mussing around with the humidity controls...I have 4 (FOUR!) hygrometers, and they are all singing a different tune..pretty damn annoying.

Anyways, here's the pics of them in an extra fridge in my garage that I got for my sis a few years ago (and that's why the outside is not the prettiest), which will hopefully be their happy home for the next 2 months...

Rack moved to the fridge, humidifier goes in the fridge as well

Humidity Controller & a BUIS of sorts, ha..notice the vastly different readings

Wires for the electrical to the humidifier & the thermometer probe...weather stripping added but surprisingly not needed

Temperature controller; turns the fridge on & off so it stays around 46 - 50..the orange light tells you the fridge is on, to cool down

I'll be adding a digital hygrometer that allows me to read it without having to open the door, supposedly it has an optional salt kit tha allows it to be very precise...wh th heck even knew such things existed??