Chapter 8 Sliceable Raw Sausages

Topics Covered Before You Begin Preparation The Raw Materials Forcemeats

Topics Covered (cont’d.) The Maturation Process The Curing Phase The Incubation Phase The Drying/Ripening Phase

Before You Begin Use only the following types of meats in preparation of raw sliceable sausages: –Pork: certified pork butt, pork shoulder, or pork neck –Beef: chuck, clod, or lean beef trimmings –Pork fat: certified fresh fatback, jowls, or fat belly strip –Pork belly: green belly with the skin removed

Before You Begin (cont’d.) Suggestions: –If you don’t have proper facilities to ripen and dry sliceable raw sausages: Prepare during the cooler months of the year –Follow sanitation and proper personal hygiene measures closely

Before You Begin (cont’d.) Suggestions (cont’d.): –Carefully trim meat of all sinews and tough skin: Meat and fats must be cubed and sized to fit grinder opening –For health safety: Keep all raw materials at a temperature of 36°F– 45°F Always semifreeze meats and fat before grinding

Preparation Sliceable raw sausages: –Cured –Must be cubed to fit grinder opening Semifrozen first, then season and mix with binders After grinding slowly mix with paddle/dough hook, ball will form Cure for 24 hours longer Pipe into casings

Raw Materials Meat and fat should be kept at 36°F–45°F –Minimizes buildup of microorganisms Suggestions: –Use pork belly, pork butt, or pork shoulder –For beef, use chuck or clod –For fat, use fatback, pork jowls, or fat belly strip with skin removed –Always use good quality meat

Forcemeats Always use certified pork –Must be trimmed –Sinews and gristle removed –Properly grinded Sometimes meat and fat are ground separately –Kept at proper temperature 36°F–45°F

Forcemeats (cont’d.) Seasonings: –Add kosher salt and seasonings to cubed semifrozen meat –Grind –Mix thoroughly

Forcemeats (cont’d.) TMC (pink curing salt): –Makes proteins in meat soluble, causing a sticky film (myosin) to form –Creates a stable emulsion –Dehydrates –Prevents spoilage

Forcemeats (cont’d.) Starter cultures: –Lactic acids –Control microorganisms Bactoferm LHP: fast acidification Bactoferm F-RM-52: medium fast acidification Bactoferm T-SPX: slow acidification

Forcemeats (cont’d.) Spices: –Impart flavor and aroma –To achieve full flavor use fresh pungent spices Ground should be sealed and stored in a dark area –If not maintained properly, they lose their aroma and flavor through evaporation of volatile oils Life span is six to eight months

The Maturation Process Salami and other raw sliceable sausages mature in three phases: –Curing –Incubation –Drying/ripening Each requires different temperatures and relative humidity conditions Process can take five weeks to one year

The Curing Phase Maturation process begins when curing salts are added –Cure hours Salts cure meat and kill trichinosis organisms When the curing process is complete, forcemeat is piped or stuffed into casings

The Incubation Phase Forcemeat is next incubated in a dark room at 70°F for one to two days (or as directed) Relative humidity should 75%–85%

The Drying/Ripening Phase Sliceable raw sausages are dried in a cool dark room at 50°F–60°F –Reduces moisture and shrinks sausage (may lose half their weight) –Takes up to eight months –Mold may build up on casings (this is natural) –Recommendation: Keep them refrigerated until needed

The Drying/Ripening Phase (cont’d.) Left to right: Properly cured, incubated, and ripened salami, wrongly cured, incubated, and ripened salami

Summary This chapter reviewed: –How to make sliceable raw cured sausages –Curing process, incubation stage, and drying/ripening period –Importance of using TCM to prevent botulism –Good sanitation and personal hygiene procedures to follow