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Dishwashing issues

Posted: Wed May 29, 2019 07:07
by Agoracritus
Okay, so I didn’t really want to discuss my personal problems on this forum, but my brain is exhausted from trying to find any helpful information on this subject, searching the net.

I love making sausages. Cutting, grinding, measuring, mixing, stuffing, fermenting/curing, smoking, eating, sharing, etc. BUT, I personally loathe washing dishes (especially hand washing).

I know it’s a necessary part of the process, but does anyone have any ideas on making it a bit less laborious?

In particular, it always frustrates me that raw meat (especially with salt and cures added to it) becomes “super glue” with only a short drying/air exposure time.

I’m actually considering adding a large utility sink and sprayer hose to my (small) kitchen, just so I can toss my large cutting boards, mixing bowls, grinder/stuffer parts (etc.) into soapy water right after I use them. (So I don’t have to constantly interrupt the various sausage making steps to prevent “meat glue” on everything during final cleanup.)

Does anyone have any helpful tips or advice to make cleaning easier? (Like a particular dishwashing soap, or dishwasher detergent that can actually break down the meat glue/fat residue I’m referring to). I often find that even after I soak and hand wash my stainless stuffing canister, bowls, etc (with Dawn dish soap), and then wash them again in the dishwasher to sterilize them, that there’s still some meat/fat residue or even little bits of meat that were hard to detect before the parts were dry. (Then I have to soak and scrub them again with more vigor, abrasive pads, and a fair amount of cursing...)

Maybe I’m just tilting at windmills, (being a bit obsessive, expecting squeaky clean), but there has to be a better way, doesn’t there? Or is this just par for the course?

Re: Dishwashing issues

Posted: Wed May 29, 2019 23:26
by Butterbean
Dawn is what I use and its effectiveness improves the hotter the water. I also have a set of bottle brushes of various sizes to run down the horns and such. Also use sanitizer after rinsing. In my view, even if a spot is missed it will be sanitized and if that fails then the water activity in the "stain" will be so low nothing can grow there anyway. Right or wrong, never had a problem and I've made some dicey stuff like steak tartare which requires really sanitary conditions.

Re: Dishwashing issues

Posted: Thu May 30, 2019 00:45
by Agoracritus
Thanks. By “sanitizer”, do you mean like the stuff I’ve used in the past to mix with water and rinse out my hard cider carboys with after brewing? I can’t remember what it’s called, but I’m pretty sure I can put my hands on it, or buy some more from a local brewing supply store.

Re: Dishwashing issues

Posted: Thu May 30, 2019 17:42
by Butterbean
I use several things depending on what I'm doing. I think you are referring to 5 Star PBW. I use that but only for beer and wine since its expensive. You can also use bleach - just be sure to get some test strips and use properly. Also, Sam's has Member's Mark Sanitizer in gallon jugs. I use this a lot along with bleach. Best to get some test strips for the bleach because the tendency is to use too much and you don't want to do that.

Re: Dishwashing issues

Posted: Fri May 31, 2019 03:08
by Agoracritus
Butterbean wrote:
Thu May 30, 2019 17:42
Best to get some test strips for the bleach because the tendency is to use too much and you don't want to do that.
Thanks for the tips. Can you give me an approximate ph? I’m a bit hesitant to use bleach for soaking since I’m on a septic system, but if nothing else, I could rig up a draining system on a utility sink to bypass the septic system.

Re: Dishwashing issues

Posted: Fri May 31, 2019 15:39
by MatterOne
Agoracritus wrote:
Wed May 29, 2019 07:07
I’m actually considering adding a large utility sink and sprayer hose to my (small) kitchen, just so I can toss my large cutting boards, mixing bowls, grinder/stuffer parts (etc.) into soapy water right after I use them.
Switching from a double basin sink to a single basin was one of the best upgrades I've made to my kitchen. Being able to actually fit bigger items into the sink makes washing them so much less of a chore.

Re: Dishwashing issues

Posted: Fri May 31, 2019 16:20
by Butterbean
Agoracritus wrote:
Fri May 31, 2019 03:08
Butterbean wrote:
Thu May 30, 2019 17:42
Best to get some test strips for the bleach because the tendency is to use too much and you don't want to do that.
Thanks for the tips. Can you give me an approximate ph? I’m a bit hesitant to use bleach for soaking since I’m on a septic system, but if nothing else, I could rig up a draining system on a utility sink to bypass the septic system.
Its not pH but PPM of chlorine. To sanitize you need 50 ppm and you are not to exceed 200 ppm. 200 ppm is roughly 1 TBS per gallon. Here, all commercial processors must have a 3 compartment sink and another sink for handwashing. First compartment is for washing, second for rinsing and third for sanitizing. I used Hydrion Chlorine Test strips from MicroEssentialbs.com to be sure my sanitizing sink has the proper amount of chlorine (this is a little less than a tsp per gallon. A full tsp will put it at 65 ppm). Using the strips is easier than measuring your water. I make an estimate on the amount of water in the sink and add the chlorine then mix then dip a test strip in the water to be sure its right. If its too much or too little I simple adjust but after a while you get the knack of it. It doesn't take much at all and the tendency is to use too much. In fact, if you walk in a place and you smell bleach its a pretty safe bet they are using too much. BTW - I'm on a septic system too and haven't had any problems. Key is to use the proper amount which is not much at all.

I use the higher rate in a pump up sprayer which I use to sanitize equipment and tables after the wash down and clean up. I'll spray this on the floors and other critical areas also then let it dry.

BTW - if you don't have a three compartment sink what you can do is use a meat container or buy one of those plastic grey dish containers from Sam's and fill this with your sanitizing solution and place your rinsed equipment in there for the soak time - 10 minutes. I still use these when I'm in a bind for space and they work well.

Re: Dishwashing issues

Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 00:11
by Agoracritus
Thanks again, Bb, for your very helpful and thorough responses!

I don’t have a lot of space in the auxiliary kitchenette that I currently use exclusively for making sausages, but I do have enough space right outside the exterior access door on a covered porch to put a couple/few free standing utility sinks. While I suspect that would raise some eyebrows for “commercial” production, I think it would be a practical solution to my current dishwashing “issues”...

With regard to how much bleach to use, thanks for the clarification. That’s a LOT less than I’ve used in the past to occasionally sanitize things requiring more sterilization than typical hand washing. I’ve definitely been guilty of “the tendency to use too much”.

Re: Dishwashing issues

Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 01:33
by Butterbean
Don't feel like the Lone Ranger because I was guilty of the same. Twice as much is twice as good - right!? :lol:

I attended a course where one of the inspectors joked about the use of bleach and how sometimes if the producer knew inspectors would be on site the place would smell like bleach when they walked in the door.

I think you will find using a meat lug or some similar vessel handy and practical. Probably not a bad idea to condition yourself to use the three phase washing so it will become habit for when you take the next steps toward going commercial.

Personally, I think this would cover any mistakes one might make by missing something during the cleaning of equipment. I'm sure they might freak at this but in my view it seems as though say you missed a spot and it was then sanitized with chlorine then - assuming there was no moisture present - the speck would dry and the water activity would be so low that no pathogen could grow and contaminate the next batch. However, that is me just thinking out loud and I'm sure an inspector would freak at my having this thought.