Home Production of Quality Meats and Sausages

863 Pages·2010·8.07 MB·English

by  Marianski Stanley

Copyright
Copyright © 2010 by Bookmagic, LLC.
All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced in any manner without the
express written consent of the publisher, except of brief quotations in critical
reviews and articles.
Home Production of Quality Meats and Sausages
Stanley Marianski, Adam Marianski
ISBN: 978-0-9836973-6-7
Bookmagic, LLC.
www.bookmagic.com
Introduction
Books about making sausages can be divided into two groups. Books that are
written by professional sausage makers and books that are written by cooking
enthusiasts or restaurant chefs. The second group deals mainly with fresh
sausages which are embarrassingly simple to make. They are loaded with recipes
but do not explain the rules for making successful products. Those are basically
cookbooks where a sausage becomes an ingredient of the meal.
There are just a few books that cover not only the subject of making fresh
sausages, but add information on making smoked products, blood sausages, head
cheeses, liver sausages and even fermented sausages. Not surprisingly, these
books are written by the professional sausage makers or advanced hobbyists who
possess a vast amount of knowledge not only about making sausages, but about
meat science as well.
The purpose of this work is to build the bridge between meat science and a
typical hobbyist. To make those technical terms simple and easy to follow and to
build a solid foundation for making different meat products. Many traditional
recipes are listed but we want the reader to think of them as educational material
to study.
Although recipes play an important role in these products, it is the process that
ultimately affects the sausage quality. Not knowing the basic rules for making
liver sausages makes the reader totally dependent on a particular recipe which in
many cases is of unknown value. This leaves him with little understanding of the
underlying process and in most cases he will be afraid to experiment and
improvise making sausages by introducing his own ideas. He should also realize
that as long as he follows a few basic rules he can come up with dozens of his
own recipes and his sausages will be not only professionally made, but also
custom tailored to his own preferences. Information in the book is based on
American standards for making safe products and they are cited where
applicable.
There is a collection of 172 recipes from all over the world which were chosen
for their originality and historical value. They carry an enormous value as a
study material and as a valuable resource on making meat products and
sausages. It should be stressed here that we don’t want the reader to copy the
recipes only. We want him to understand the sausage making process and we
want him to create his own recipes. We want him to be the sausage maker.
Stanley Marianski
Chapter 2 - Curing And Nitrates
Salting - Brining - Marinating – Sweet Pickle - Curing - What’s
the difference?
All tenderizing methods such as salting, curing, pickling and marinating rely on
breaking down meat protein (denaturing them) to make meat more juicy and
tender. The ingredients that break down those proteins are: salt, vinegar, wine,
and lemon juice, which is why most marinades include them in their formulas.
Salt is the strongest curing agent. Some definitions overlap each other and for
example when we add salt and nitrites to water, we normally say we are
preparing a brine or a pickle although technically speaking it is a curing solution.
Salting is the simplest form of curing and its objective is to tenderize and
preserve meat. Water inside the meat spells trouble, it spoils everything and
eliminating it by salting and drying allows meat to be stored for longer periods
of time. A classical example will be an all American favorite beef jerky. A
thousand years ago there was no refrigeration but the merchants were moving
barrel-packed salted fish from place to place. To preserve fish that way it had to
be heavily salted. Before consumption fish were soaked in water to remove the
excess salt and only then were ready to be cooked. In highly developed countries
refrigeration is taken for granted, but in many areas of the world even today the
meat or fish has to be salted for preservation.
Brining is immersing meat in brine (salt and water) to improve the juiciness
and flavor. Brined meats taste better and all cooks know it. When we cook any
type of meat, there is an unavoidable loss of moisture, up to 30%. But if we soak
the same meat in a brine first, the loss can be limited to as little as 15% because
the meat absorbed some of the brine and it was more juicy at the start of the
cooking. Another benefit we get from brining is that a salt solution dissolves
some of the proteins in the meat, turning them from solid to liquid which in turn
increases the juiciness of the meat. Normally there are very few ingredients in a
brine: salt, water, sugar and sometimes spices.
Pickle is another definition of the brine. When sugar is added to a brine
solution it is often called sweet pickle and it often contains vinegar. Most brines
contain sugar anyhow and both terms describe the same method. If you place
chicken in a brine overnight you will most likely roast it at a high temperature
the next day and no nitrites are necessary. If you place chicken in a curing
solution (salt, water, sugar, sodium nitrite) it can be safely smoked for many
hours at low temperatures. It will have a different color, texture, taste and flavor.
Marinade plays an important part in the barbecuing and grilling processes but
it does not belong in the real world of curing as it does not call for nitrates. It is a
relatively short procedure where the purpose is to soak the meat in marinade
which will tenderize it and add a particular flavor. Meat becomes tender and is
able to hold more water which makes it juicier. A typical marinade contains
ingredients which are known to tenderize meat by swelling meat proteins. There
are no fixed rules for the length of the marinating time but about 2-3 hours for 1”
meat diameter sounds about right. A larger 6” chunk of meat should be
marinating in a refrigerator overnight. Like in any other method a longer
processing time will impart a stronger flavor on the marinated item. The
composition of a marinade is much richer than that of a curing solution.
What is Curing?
In its simplest form the word ‘curing’ means ‘saving’ or ‘preserving’ and the
definition covers preservation processes such as: drying, salting and smoking.
When applied to home made meat products, the term ‘curing’ usually means
‘preserved with salt and nitrite.’ When this term is applied to products made
commercially it will mean that meats are prepared with salt, nitrite, ascorbates,
erythorbates and dozens more chemicals that are pumped into the meat. Meat
cured only with salt, will have a better flavor but will also develop an
objectionable dark color. Factors that influence curing:
The size of the meat - the larger meat the longer curing time.
Temperature - higher temperature, faster curing.
Moisture content of the meat.
Salt concentration of dry mixture or wet curing solution-higher salt
concentration, faster curing.
Amount of fat-more fat in meat, slower curing.
pH - a measure of the acid or alkaline level of the meat. (Lower pH-faster
curing).
The amount of Nitrate and reducing bacteria present in the meat.
Curing Temperatures
The curing temperature should be between 36-40° F (4-10° C) which falls within
the range of a common refrigerator. Lower than 36° F (4° C) temperature may
slow down the curing process or even halt it. Commercial producers can cure at
lower temperatures because they add chemicals for that purpose. There is a
temperature that can not be crossed when curing and this is when meat freezes at
about 28° F (- 4° C). Higher than normal temperatures speed up the curing
process but increase the possibility of spoilage. This is a balancing act where we
walk a line between the cure and the bacteria that want to spoil meat. The
temperature of 50° F (10° C) is the point that separates two forces: below that
temperature we keep bacteria in check, above 50° F (10° C) bacteria forces win
and start spoiling the meat.
Meats were traditionally cured with Nitrates. Before Nitrate can release nitrite
(the real curing agent) it has to react with bacteria that have to be present in the
meat. Putting Nitrate into a refrigerator kept solution (below 40° F) will inhibit
the development of bacteria and they may not be able to react with Nitrate. On
the other hand sodium nitrite does not depend on bacteria and works well at
refrigerator temperatures. When used with Nitrates/nitrites, salt is an incredibly
effective preserving combination. There has not been even one documented
incident of food poisoning of a meat cured with salt and Nitrates.
People in the Far East, Africa, South America and even Europe are still curing
meats at higher than normal temperatures without getting sick. That does not
mean that we recommend it, but if someone in Canada shoots a 1600 lb (726 kg)
Moose or a 1700 lb (780 kg) Kodiak Bear he has to do something with all this
meat. He is not going to spend 5,000 dollars on a walk-in cooler, is he? These
are exceptional cases when curing can be performed at higher temperatures.
After the Second World War, ended most people in Europe neither had
refrigerators nor meat thermometers, but were curing meats with Nitrate and
making hams and sausages all the same.
Because of primitive conditions the curing temperatures were often higher
than those recommended today but any growth of C. botulinum bacteria was
prevented by the use of salt and Nitrates.
They also predominantly used potassium Nitrate which works best at
temperatures of 46-50° F (8-10° C) and those were the temperatures of basement
cellars. There was not much concern about longer shelf life as the product was
consumed as fast as it was made. Salt and nitrite will stop Cl. botulinum spores
from developing into toxins, even at those higher curing temperatures. Due to
increased bacteria growth at those higher curing temperatures the shelf life of a
product would be decreased. Remember when handling meats, the lower the
temperatures the slower the growth of bacteria and the longer life of the product.
Extending the shelf life of the product is crucial for commercial meat plants as
the product can stay on the shelf longer and has better chances of being sold.
Curing is a more complicated process than salting. In addition to physical
reactions like diffusion and water binding, we have additional complex chemical
and biochemical reactions that influence the flavor and color of the meat.
Methods of Curing

Fig. 2.1 Curing methods.
Salt Curing
Meat and salt are like two hands of the same body, they always work together
and we cannot even imagine processing or eating meat without salt. When added
to meat it provides us with the following benefits:
Adds flavor (feels pleasant when applied between 2-3%).
Prevents microbial growth.
Increases water retention, and meat and fat binding.
Salt does not kill bacteria, it simply prevents or slows down their development.
To be effective the salt concentration has to be 10% or higher. Salt concentration
of 6% prevents Clostridium botulinum spores from becoming toxins though they
may become active when smoking at low temperatures. Adding sodium nitrite
(Cure #1) eliminates that danger. The two physical reactions that take place
during salting are diffusion and water binding, but no chemical reactions take
place. Salting is the fastest method of curing as it rapidly removes water from
inside of the meat. The salt migrates inside of the meat and the water travels to
the outside surface of the meat and simply leaks out. This gives us a double
benefit:
Less water in meat.
More salt in meat.
Both factors create less favorable conditions for the development of bacteria.
Today the products that will be salted only are pork back fat and some hams that
will be air-dried for a long time.
Dry Curing
Dry curing has been performed the same way since the 13th century. Before
smoking, the salt with Nitrates had to be rubbed into hams or other meat cuts
which was a tough job because it could only be done by hand. Then pork pieces
were tightly packed in tubs, covered with more salt, and left there up to 6 weeks.
The salt was dehydrating the meat and drawing the moisture out of it. The dry
cure method can be used under wider temperature variations than other curing
methods.
The dry curing method is best used for all types of sausages, bacon, and hams
that will be air-dried. In most cases after curing, meats go for smoking, then for
air drying and there is no cooking involved. In addition to salt and Nitrates, the
ingredients such as sugar, coriander, thyme, and juniper are often added to the
dry mix.
Basic rules for applying dry cure:
When curing times are short, up to 14 days, use Cure #1 according to the
standard limit of: 1 oz. cure for 25 lb of meat. For longer times use Cure #2 that
contains Nitrate which will keep on releasing nitrite for a long time. The amount
of dry mix needed to cure 25 lb of meat by the dry cure method when making
dry (fermented) sausages is:
2 oz. Cure #2
12 oz. canning salt
6 oz. dextrose or brown sugar
seasonings
Dry Curing Times
The length of curing depends very much on the size of the meat and its
composition. Fatty tissues and skin create a significant barrier to a curing
solution. When curing a large meat piece, for example a ham, a curing solution
will start penetrating on the lean side of the meat and then will progress deeper
forward towards the bone and the skin side. There will be very little penetration
on the fatty skin side. It seems logical that removing the fat layer of the skin will
speed up curing. It definitely will, but it is not such a good idea. The fat acts as a
barrier not only to curing but to smoking and removal of moisture as well. After
smoking the ham might be baked or poached in hot water. Here the fat acting as
a barrier will prevent a loss of dissolved protein and meat juices that will try to
migrate into the water. For more uniform curing, meats should be overhauled
(re-arranged) on the third and tenth days of the cure. The curing time will
depend on the size of the meat piece and your own preference for a strong or
lightly salted product.
A basic rule is 2 days per pound for the small cuts and 3 days per pound for
hams and shoulders. For example, a six pound bacon would require about 12
days in cure, while a 12 pound ham would need 36 days. Another formula calls
for 7 days of curing per inch of thickness. A ham weighing 12-14 lb and 5 inches
thick through the thickest part will be cured 5 x 7 = 35 days. Smaller pieces
should end up on top so they can be taken out first allowing larger pieces to
continue curing. Otherwise they may taste too salty. Smaller meat cuts like
bacon, butt, and loins can be cured with a dry mixture based on the following
formula for 100 lb of meat: 4 lbs. salt, 1.5 lb sugar, 2 oz. Saltpeter (1 lb. Cure
#2). Divide the mixture into three equal parts. Apply the first one-third and leave
the meat to cure. After three days overhaul and rub in the second part. After
three more days apply the last third of the mixture and allow to cure for about 12
days. Generally, the addition of spices occurs after the last re-salting has been
completed.
Wet Curing
The wet curing method, sometimes called brine (salt and water), sweet pickle
(sugar added), or immersion curing has been traditionally used for larger cuts of
meat like butts or hams that were smoked. It is accomplished by placing meats in
a wet curing solution (water, salt, nitrites, sometimes sugar). Sugar is added only
when curing at refrigerator temperatures, otherwise it may begin fermentation
and start to spoil the meat.
The wet curing is a traditional, time consuming method, going out of fashion
as the large hams had to be submerged for up to 6 weeks and turned over on a
regular basis. With such a long curing time there is a danger of meat spoiling
from within the center where the bone is located. During that time we have to
scoop up the foam and any slime that might gather on the surface, as that might
be a source of contamination. Most smaller meat cuts require about 3-14 days of
curing time at 40° F (4° C). It is still a fine curing method for smaller cuts of
meat that will have a shorter curing time.
The meats have to be turned over on a daily basis and prevented from
swimming up to the surface. After curing is complete, the meat pieces must be
rinsed in fresh water and placed on wire mesh for draining. We do achieve
certain weight gain when curing meats, even without chemicals, but this is not
the reason why a home sausage maker cures meats. Meats are cured to produce a