I think my Kabanosy has dried (bloomed) sufficiently and since I started with a very small batch (600g) and have been "testing" it since it came out of the smoker the remainder won't last long. I make a lot of snack sticks and jerky and this recipe will definitely be included in future batches. I have an aversion to Caraway (my mothers favorite ingredient in many recipes when I was a child-kind of burned me out on caraway!) but I enjoyed it's flavor in this product.
This is my first attempt at posting photos-hope it works--
First, my project notes:Notes
Day#1 -I mixed and seasoned the sausages per instructions (22mm Collagen casings). I refrigerated them overnight (about 16 hrs total) and allowed them about an hour at room temperature prior to smoking.
Day #2-Smoking: Preheated the smoker to 106° F and placed the sausage (not cut or linked) on smoking screens and placed in smoker with medium to heavy smoke (mix of Cherry sawdust, cherry wood and cherry/hickory pellets). Smoked at this temp for 1 hr raising I.M.T. to 85° F. Raised smoker temp to 150° and smoked for another 45 min. raising I.M.T. to 130°. I then raised the smoker temp. to 180° and it took another 15 to min to reach 155° I.M.T., I allowed the product to cool in the smoker until temp was down around 100° and brought them in and covered with paper towels and placed on kitchen counter to dry further and "bloom".
Day #3&4- Bloom:Allowed Kabanosy to "Bloom" for 3 days (incl. the smoking day) in cupboard at approx. 70 to 74° F and around 40 to 50% RH. I was unable to record weight change as I failed to weigh the product before smoking and also was unable to avoid sampling throughout the drying period.
Observation: This is a very good snack stick and one that I will make again, I have always had a tendency to avoid caraway but found it a pleasant addition to the flavor of this sausage.
In the Smoker
Day 1 Blooming
Day 4
What is left with a cut and Break-
Thanks CW and all for putting this project together-it is a great resource-
NorthFork