sour smell in curing chamber

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kristje
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sour smell in curing chamber

Post by kristje » Fri Mar 23, 2012 03:02

This is my first attempt at with my curing chamber, I made 25 pounds of spanish chirizo and during the fermenting prosses the is a strong sour smell coming from my curing chamber temp was at 68 and humidity was 85% neither went one point off the set temp and humidity. is the sour smell normal or did something go wrong
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Post by Keymaster » Fri Mar 23, 2012 03:18

Hi Kristie,Welcome to the Forum, Glad to have you here.
I am not the one to ask these technical questions but I know the experts will want to know your recipe, what type of culture and cure you used and the time it has been in your drying chamber. Pictures are always welcome. Look forward to seeing your progress.

Aaron
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Post by kristje » Fri Mar 23, 2012 03:34

I used the recipe from the art of making fermented sauasages book. temp was 68 and humdity was 85 for 72 hours. i am on day four now and some white mold is starting to appear. I will try to post some photos when i get it figured out
Meats Metric US
lean pork, ham or butt (<20% fat) 1000 g 2.20 lb.
Ingredients per 1000g (1 kg) of meat
salt 28 g 5 tsp.
Cure #2 5.0 g 1 tsp.
dextrose (glucose), 0.2% 2.0 g 1/3 tsp.
sugar, 0.2% 2.0 g 1/3 tsp.
pepper 6.0 g 3 tsp.
Spanish smoked paprika (pimentón) 20 g 10 tsp.
oregano 2.0 g 1 tsp.
garlic powder 2.0 g 1 tsp.
T-SPX culture 0.12 g use scale
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Post by Keymaster » Fri Mar 23, 2012 03:56

That looks good KrisJe, Someone will be here soon to help you. Photobucket is a good way to post pictures, just upload to photobucket and copy and paste the URL to the forum.
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Post by el Ducko » Fri Mar 23, 2012 16:48

I'll be following your adventure with interest. I, too, would like a good Spanish-style chorizo, but have been reluctant to take the plunge what with all the equipment and technique required to control humidity and temperature.

Would you mind describing your equipment and techniques?

...wish I could drop by and sample your results! (It's a bit of a drive, though.)
Experience - the ability to instantly recognize a mistake when you make it again.
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Post by kristje » Sat Mar 24, 2012 00:08

first of i found myself an old pepsi cooler that was in good shape, paid $150 for it. then to control the temperature and humidity i bought an al in one controller for $215, you can order one here http://www.dwyer-inst.com/Product/Humid ... C/Ordering. for the humidity i use a reptifogger $70 the fridge for cooling and for heat i used a heat gun for my heating the covering for model airplanes (free, just laying around the house)i believe it is 500w and 1000w. i have it on the low setting. for too much humidity i just put a hole in the side with a small computer fan $15. there was about $70 for the temperature and humidity probe. Maybe $40 for wire and other stuff. a weekend of wiring cutting drilling mounting moving and dreaming of the yummy sausage to come. so for around 5 bill i got my baby running. it works very well i can hold temp within a half a degree and humidity within .3 percent and it takes just a push of a button to change all for setting and the inside of the camber is nice and clead ( no wires or ugly boxes hanging all over). I will try to post some pics soon as my wife is back from belize with the camera
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Post by Keymaster » Sat Mar 24, 2012 02:31

WOW, sounds like y0u have a excellent, well thought out curing chamber. The smells I had when I did Genoa Salami were kind of a Musky smell that followed with a slight amonia smell.This I was told is the bacteria doing its job. Sounds like you are doing a good job!!
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Post by Chuckwagon » Sat Mar 24, 2012 03:44

Kristje wrote:
a strong sour smell coming from my curing chamber temp was at 68 and humidity was 85%
Hi Kristje. How about letting me chime in with my 2 cents worth here? Don't fret. All is well. That's just the aroma of natural fermentation. This is the lactobacilli or pediococci doing their job. In the case of T-SPX it is pediococcus pentosaceus and Staphyloccus xylosus going to work. The speed of fermentation is directly attributed to the temperature inside the fermentation chamber. Up to a point, the higher the temperature, the faster the fermentation. Generally, right after the lag phase you`ll really notice the sour odor. Shucks pard, that`s just proof of the growth of the culture and the process is also destroying unwanted bacteria. You may even notice a whiff or two of ammonia. Don`t panic - endure. It will go away as the sausage matures. Fermentation ceases when there is no longer "free water" or more sugar available to the lactobacilli or pediococci in a sausage, or the temperature falls below 50°F. (10°C.). All bacteria require some amount of "free water". Acidification should not dip below pH 4.8 at any time.

T-SPX is a slow culture typical of northern European countries chosen in this particular sausage for maximum nitrate reductase as well as its flavor-forming qualities. I like to keep chorizo mold-free by wiping them with a little salty vinegar solution on a dampened cloth as they become "greasy". Near the end of the cycle, they are cold-smoked off and on for days. The smoke generally keeps the mold away and provides sensational flavor.

Note that sugar is not normally added to this type of sausage because the more sugar that is metabolized by added lactobacillus or pediococcus, the higher the acidity in the meat, often giving sausage too much "tang" or sour taste. High-quality European salamis have a mild taste, as they contain no added sugar.

Your curing chamber should really contain some type of small fan producing slow-moving (only a couple of MPH) air to inhibit the growth of slime on the surface of sausages. Not too much air speed though, as it might possibly dry the surface too quickly, not allowing the proper amount of moisture to leave the interior of each sausage. This condition is called "dry rim" or "case hardening".

Good luck and check in often. Post some pics if you are able.

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
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