Online Workshop: Project B (August 2012)

Locked
User avatar
jbk101
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 208
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 16:49
Location: Versailles, Indiana

Post by jbk101 » Wed Sep 19, 2012 06:51

Hey CW and all Project B members,

Had a opportunity to grill up some of the Italian Sausages I made for Project. They Grilled up real nicely. The taste and texture were good and will be making them again :smile: Here are some photos, Served them up with some Bell Peppers and Onions we picked from the Garden!

Image Image

Image

John
User avatar
Chuckwagon
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4494
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 04:51
Location: Rocky Mountains

Post by Chuckwagon » Wed Sep 19, 2012 07:05

John, those are outstanding! I can smell them from here and it's driving me crazy. Do you realize how far you've come in just a year and a half? Those are very professional sausages and I'm sure they are much, much, better than you could buy at your neighborhood grocery. Congrats Big John.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

P.S. How is the referee business going? Are you still making a little pierogi?
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
User avatar
jbk101
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 208
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 16:49
Location: Versailles, Indiana

Post by jbk101 » Wed Sep 19, 2012 07:26

Hello all,
I also started a batch of the Juniper Berry Extract for the Mettwurst - Braunschweiger part of Project B. I know it's a little ahead of the game but I was making some Pear Vodka so while I had the Vodka out I decided to get the extract started.

Image Image

Image
John
User avatar
jbk101
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 208
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 16:49
Location: Versailles, Indiana

Post by jbk101 » Wed Sep 19, 2012 07:43

Chuckwagon,
Thanks, and Your absolutely correct they were better than any that I have bought! At least that's what the better half said :mrgreen: I have to admit I was very proud of them. I do need to work on getting them all the same size when I am linking them though! But that will come with Practice :grin:

Soccer season is in full swing and keeping me busy, Me and the wife have had a set back though :sad: as we are now both unemployed - the casino we both worked for downsized and we both were part of the 160 people they let go. The sad part is the replaced most of the people let go with part time employees so they don't have to pay benefits, Vacations etc....

And yes I still make my Pierogi's, In fact my daughter asked me to make some for her to have after she gives birth to our Grand Daughter in about 2 weeks.

Best Wishes to you also my Friend
Thanks for all your Help and Guidance
John
User avatar
Chuckwagon
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4494
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 04:51
Location: Rocky Mountains

Post by Chuckwagon » Wed Sep 19, 2012 08:11

John, that's a real bummer about your jobs. Maybe you need to move to Vegas and work in a big casino. Hey, it's closer to your wife's folks too and I'm right in between Vegas and Colorado Springs. You could stop at my place for my notorious rotten rubber ribs! :roll: I just fixed some for the neighbors and they are back leading normal lives! :shock:
Hang in there big guy. Something will turn up. You folks will be in our thoughts and prayers.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
User avatar
Chuckwagon
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4494
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 04:51
Location: Rocky Mountains

Post by Chuckwagon » Wed Sep 19, 2012 09:31

Self Checkup :cool:

Circle Y or N (yes or no)
Y N 1. Is there such a thing as a "universal brine"?
Y N 2. Seawater averages 3.5% salt. When evaporated, would it yield about 5 pounds of salt?
Y N 3. Does increased salinity develop increased buoyancy?
Y N 4. In Europe and especially in Poland, the mixing of the primary bind for kabanosy is very light. Is this to discourage the development of the proteins actin and myosin?
Y N 5. Are all four of the following statements correct? Collagen casings cannot be linked by twisting. They also must be stuffed while dry. They will accept smoke very well. Collagen is synthetic.

Supply the correct word or words:
6. Because kabanosy is so thin, it cooks ________ than larger sausages.
7. Spinach, lettuce, and beets contain more _______ than sausages.
8. Sodium nitrate must be reduced by________to become _________.
9. Nitrite breaks down into _________- the substance that actually cures meat.
10. Sodium nitrate is put into Cure #2 and is slowly breaks down. Potassium nitrate is called ________.
11. When you mix charcoal and sulfur together with potassium nitrate, you get _________.
12. It is your responsibility to mix exactly four ounces of Prague Powder with _________ pounds of meat.
13. Two level teaspoons of Cure #1 will cure _________ pounds of meat.
14. Cure #________ is used to cure all meats that require cooking, smoking, and canning.
15. In the United States, Cure #1 is manufactured using one ounce of sodium_______ added to each one pound of salt.
16. Cure #_______ does NOT contain sodium nitrate.
17. Cure #_______ contains both sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite.
18. Sodium nitrate is still used by many dry-cured (air-dried) sausage manufacturers because sodium nitrate (NaNO3) serves as a long time _________ of sodium nitrite (NaNO2).
19. Potassium ________ is thought to produce cancer-causing nitrosamines when cooked at higher temperatures.
20. Purified salt is simply salt that has been processed to have all _________removed.

True or False
T F 21. The letters Aw is an abbreviation for water activity. This is a measure of acidity.
T F 22. Colored mold on the surface of a sausage should be boiled off.
T T 23. El Ducko is nuts!
T F 24. Salt forces water to evaporate
T F 25. Salt destroys bacteria.
T F 26. Kabanosy is a "dry-cured" product
T F 27. Two level teaspoons of Cure #1 will produce a "pickup" of 156 parts per million in ten pounds of comminuted sausage.
T F 28. When stuffing sausages, air bubbles should be lanced with a needle to prevent the possibility of mold forming.
T F 29. Collagen casings are made from the hides of cattle and need no lubrication to be placed on a stuffing horn.
T F 30. There is an old conventional and generally accepted rule that recommends using enough brine water to equal fifty percent of the meat`s weight. In other words, for a 12 pound ham, six pounds of brine water will suffice.
T F 31. Nitrite simply breaks down too quickly to be of value over an extended period of time. In other words, in salamis requiring three or more months to cure, a certain amount of sodium nitrate must be added to break down into yet more nitrite over time. This is the reason Cure #2 contains both nitrate and nitrite.

Answers:
1.N 2.N 3.Y 4.Y 5.N 6. Faster 7. Nitrates 8. Lactic acid bacteria / nitrite 9. Nitric oxide 10. Saltpeter 11. Gunpowder 12 one hundred.
13. Ten 14. One 15. Nitrite 16. One 17. Two 18. "reservoir" 19. Nitrate 20. trace elements or impurities 21.F 22.F 23.T 24.F 25.F 26.F 27.T 28.T 30.T 31.T
Last edited by Chuckwagon on Wed Sep 19, 2012 09:37, edited 2 times in total.
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
User avatar
Chuckwagon
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4494
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 04:51
Location: Rocky Mountains

Post by Chuckwagon » Wed Sep 19, 2012 09:32

Sausage Maker`s "Rule Of Thumb" Temperature Terms

Trichinella spiralis is yet present in some pork or wild game, although it is not nearly as common as it was just a few short years ago. Don`t confuse it with bacteria. This is a nematode worm microorganism that when ingested, travels through the gut and embeds itself into muscle. Trichinosis is a very painful disorder and it may be treated with the medications mebendazole or albendazole for infection in the intestines, although once the larvae have invaded the muscles, there is no specific treatment for trichinosis and the cysts remain viable for years.

Although the FSIS has done much to eradicate the disease by enforcing modified laws, especially after the mid 1970`s, There yet remain about 40 cases of trichinosis each year in the U.S. alone. Complications of the disease include encephalitis, heart arrhythmias, myocarditis, (inflammation), and complete heart failure. Pneumonia is also a common complication.

Every mother in every kitchen has been taught since their childhood that the best way to eradicate the dangers of the trinchinella spiralis larva is to simply cook meat thoroughly. Mention that statement to legendary craftsmen of jamon Serrano or jamon Iberico in Spain, or those making Parma or San Daniele in Italy, and you`ll probably be lynched somewhere "out back of the ol` ranch house"! The French making Bayonne may even place you in a guillotine! These pork products are NOT cooked and not smoked. Yet, they are safely consumed, the ham being sliced thinly and eaten having been preserved with salt - no cooking involved. Why?

In some cultures (the U.S.A. included), hogs have historically been fed the entrails of previously slaughtered hogs. This practice heightens the possibility of trichinae contamination and the cycle continues as the microscopic worm re-infects the stock. Because of this practice, the governments of America and many other countries, have taken steps to eliminate the threat of trichinella spiralis. New rules regarding the feeding of hogs were enforced beginning in the early 1980`s continuing until the present time. Today, in the USA, the reported cases of trichinosis have been drastically reduced. Thus, the handling of all raw meat generally falls under government regulations of some type... and rightly so, if the general population is to be protected from diseases of this type. The FSIS rules regarding pork are not harsh, nor are they unreasonable. These rules simply guarantee our food safety.

Trichinella spiralis in meat is destroyed at the temperature of 137°F. With "fresh" sausage, simply cooking pork to a temperature of 138°F (59°C) and beyond, is a simple step. But what about sausages made to be stored temporarily then grilled or cooked later - sausages like brats or frankfurters? How do we keep them safe? How is it that we can bite into a "raw" frankfurter and not worry about trichinella spiralis? (*see caution below). Could we get rid of the threat of clostridium botulinum with sodium nitrite (Cure #1), then eliminate the possibility of trichinella spiralis by "par-cooking" or "prep-cooking" a sausage until the IMT reaches 148°F (65°C), then store the sausage temporarily before finally cooking it on the grill where it would be "finished" at a temperature over 155°F as recommended by the FSIS? Absolutely.

Pork that is "prep-cooked" has been heated enough so that an internal temperature of 137°F (58°C.) is reached, but remains less than 148°F. (64°C.) to destroy any possibility of trichinella spiralis. Later, when the pork product is heated to a "finishing temperature" above 155°F. (68°C.), it becomes "fully-cooked" and "ready to eat" whether it is served hot or cold.

Meat Prep - Cooking Temperatures

Not cooked Below 137°F. (58°C.)
Par - cooked 137°F. (58°C.) to 148°F. (64°C.)
Fully Cooked 148°F. (64°C.) to 155°F. (68°C.)

Steaming And Water Cooking Cured Sausage

Want to save time? Simply prep-cook linked sausage, in steam or 170°F hot water until the internal meat temperature of the sausage reaches 155°F. (68°C.). For small batches, try using stackable, large Chinese bamboo steamers. In some stainless steel-lined smokehouses, folks have boiled water, turning their smoker into some sort of steam cabinet. A large, water-filled, turkey roaster-type utensil is convenient also. Make sure sausages are submerged and keep the water temperature at 170°F. Simply cook them to an internal meat temperature above 138°F but below 148°F to prep-cook them. Use a probe type thermometer and when the alarm sounds, imediately rinse the sausages in cold water, pat them dry, then hang them half an hour to bloom (change color and develop a pellicle). Smoke the links using a smokehouse temperature no higher than 115°F. (46°C.) in light hickory smudge for an hour. Although cured and cooked, this type of sausage remains perishable and should be refrigerated as quickly as possible.

Why go to all this trouble preparing cured, cooked, smoked sausage? If you are going to smoke any sausage, you must. Otherwise, you may injure someone - perhaps fatally! Remember the toxic spores of clostridium botulinum are the deadliest poison known to man - a killer that thrives in warm, moist, meat enclosed in a casing, cutting off the oxygen. Measuring and mixing nitrites, stuffing the casings, cooking the sausages, hanging them in the smokehouse, and monitoring the temperatures, are all part of the process of creating and crafting a product you may be proud of.

_________Note__________

*Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that has been involved in several outbreaks of listeriosis traced to ready-to-eat (RTE) meats including frankfurters. The assessment of relative risk to public health from foodborne listeriosis among selected categories of RTE foods, frankfurters consumed without reheating, were classified as a high risk items. (FDA, FSIS, 2003). Pregnant women especially, should never consume meat items that have not been fully cooked.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
User avatar
jbk101
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 208
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 16:49
Location: Versailles, Indiana

Post by jbk101 » Wed Sep 19, 2012 18:08

Chuckwagon,
We both agree with you, but not much Loyalty with Corporate America these days its all about the Dollar and Profit Margins etc... We will survive and move on to bigger and better things. Right now we have not talked about a move to a different location (Like Vegas or Colorado Springs) but it not out of picture. Right now we are weighing or options and want to stay close to our kids and our new grand daughter due any day now :grin:
We would be honored to sit down and break bread with you and you wife when we make it your way (We Both Love the Mountains) and you bringing up the Notorious Rotten Rubber Ribs is getting my mouth watering and now I am going to have to make some. :lol:

Thanks for you thoughts and prayers, we are definitely keeping the faith,
John
channan7
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 09:32
Location: GA

Post by channan7 » Wed Sep 19, 2012 23:53

Behind again in my posting..

Two weekends ago I made the kabanosy. Where I wasn`t a big fan of sage in the breakfast sausage, I became a big fan of caraway with this recipe.

I made 5 lbs of the kabanosy using the clear collagen casings. This was the first time I used the clear type as I have used the mahogany colored kind many times. When I was stuffing the casings I used a sausage pricker to remove the air pockets. This resulted in an unintended consequence later on. As the sausage was smoking the fat from the meat mix melted and dripped from the sausage sticks onto the heating element in the smoker. This produced more undesirable smoke than the hickory smoke I was using. This smoke was absorbed by the meat sticks and the smell/taste was also impacted by the grease smoke. I`ll try not to use the pricker for this type of sausage in the future.

After the sausage was smoked, I let it air dry to "bloom" as you put it. But after a few days the casings became kind of smily moist. I put them in my food dehydrator for a few hours at 95 degrees and they looked and tasted better. When I put them in the fridge in a plastic bag, the same thing happened, only quicker. Not sure why this happened. Maybe it was due to the earlier pricking...

I saved some in a Foodsaver bag to try later on.

I would have never tried this recipe if not for this project. Thanks for opening that door.
Jja
Beginner
Beginner
Posts: 22
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 02:54
Location: Missouri

Post by Jja » Thu Sep 20, 2012 00:00

I picked up the "cold" smoker for my MBS. Got quite a deal at BPS outlet store. I'm using it to supplement the smoke on my kabanosy. The MBS wont stay on enough at lower temps. The add on has been keeping the smoke level much higher than without it.
If science can explain it, you may have to change what you believe is true.
Jja
Beginner
Beginner
Posts: 22
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 02:54
Location: Missouri

Post by Jja » Thu Sep 20, 2012 00:04

Image
If science can explain it, you may have to change what you believe is true.
User avatar
Chuckwagon
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4494
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 04:51
Location: Rocky Mountains

Post by Chuckwagon » Thu Sep 20, 2012 00:13

Part (B.) Continued - "Cured & Cooked" type sausages
Sausage #2 - Hungarian Csabai by Snagman

Okay folks! It`s just about time to mosey (or "amble") on down to the ol` "crick" (creek) where our buddy Gus K. is catchin` fish left and right. What are they bitin` on Gus... the end of your line? :roll:

Gus lives in Sydney, Australia although his roots are in Hungary where he has just spent the past two months. He is known as "Snagman" on our forum and is a colorful character who loves to help other people. He also makes legendary Hungarian Casabai sausage and it even won the monthly contest we used to have on this forum. I`ve tried it and would like to recommend it to you as part of our project. The success or failure of this sausage depends upon the use of genuine (and fresh) Hungarian paprika.

Snagman has posted his recipe at this link: http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?t=5245) with photos.
I`ve asked Gus to lead the way on this sausage and give us his tips and recommendations. He`ll be checking on us and making judgments and suggestions as we begin to post photos and comments. So, let`s get ready to make one more "cured-cooked-smoked" type sausage.

Here is a quick reference for the ingredients:
The Recipe;
1 kg Pork - 80/20 meat/fat
14g Salt
25g Garlic - fresh, pressed and covered with water for 2 hrs
16g Sweet Hungarian Paprika
5 g Hot Hungarian Paprika
2.5g Whole Caraway
5g Icing sugar
2.5g (1/2 tspn) Prague Cure # 1 - if smoking

Freeze the fat. Cube the meat and spread a single layer on the bench. Spread all ingredients on top, covering the whole surface. Mix together until the red colour develops. Cover in a bowl and refrigerate overnight. Grind together all ingredients with coarse plate, mix well and stuff into hog casing, 350mm/14" double links for smoking, 150mm/6" for fresh. Both should be hung in fridge for three days before freezing/smoking.
It is suggested that a patty is fried prior to stuffing to correct/modify for personal preference, bearing in mind that the original taste is a combination mainly of garlic, paprika and caraway. The hot version will require more of the hot paprika, should not be overbearing, but have a "bite".

I think you`ll be genuinely surprised as you were with kabanosy. Right now, let`s see what Snagman has to say about Hungarian Casabai. Take it away Gus!

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
User avatar
Dave Zac
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 335
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2010 11:39
Location: Bristol, NY

Post by Dave Zac » Thu Sep 20, 2012 00:33

Mmmmm...Snagman's Csabai (fresh) has become my favorite sausages. Just had some the other day. You folks are gonna love it when you make it. CW is indeed correct, as the Hungarian Paprika is key to your success.
crustyo44
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 1089
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2011 06:21
Location: Brisbane

Post by crustyo44 » Thu Sep 20, 2012 01:31

Hi CW,
Poor Gus is still suffering from jetlag, he has just returned from a long holiday in Hungary. No doubt he will take charge of the Csabai making by all members.
I have been making his csabai recipe for a long time now and the only difference I make is simple: more fresh garlic( simmered in 1 cup of water for 1 hr, more mild and hot paprika and chilli flakes.
Blitz all ingredients including the garlic and water in a food processor and mix by hand with meat chunks and backfat, leave in fridge for 48 hours and stuff.
I've eaten them fresh, smoked, smoked and dried and I cannot eat enough of them, same with my kids and grandkids.
Gus send me some real good sweet Hungarian paprika he brought back from the old country.(Thanks again Mate)
I am getting ready to make at least 10 kilo, it never lasts long here.
Regards,
Jan.
Jja
Beginner
Beginner
Posts: 22
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 02:54
Location: Missouri

Post by Jja » Thu Sep 20, 2012 02:20

1kg kabanosy after smoking/cooking.

Image[/URL][/img]
If science can explain it, you may have to change what you believe is true.
Locked