Effects Of Added Alcohol In Sausage

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Alcohol in Sausage

Post by story28 » Wed May 18, 2011 04:13

Why is it that in sausage recipes containing alcohol, whether it be wine or fortified wine, the alcohol is never first cooked out of the wine before adding it to the sausage mix? I have found recipes that call for adding the alcohol along with the spices and even going as far as allowing the mix to marinate overnight. How does this not "burn the meat" by denaturing proteins or give the final product a harsh alcohol flavor?
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Post by JerBear » Wed May 18, 2011 05:44

I think that the quantity of alcohol when compared to the total volume of product is negligible. My math may be way off but if we're assuming a wine with a 10% ABV (alcohol by volume) then 2 cups of wine is in actuality about 1.6 oz of alcohol. Being that many recipes call for 2 cups of liquid to 10 lbs of meat the end result is about .01% ABV for the sausage.

If you're talking about an alcoholic product with a higher ABV then you would normally not use as much because the flavor would likely be too strong.
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Post by story28 » Wed May 18, 2011 06:13

That should be considered but the fact that the alcohol will still be present and when it can simply be eliminated (mostly) should still warrant another reason if the step is not taken by professionals. Also, I have seen recipes that contain substantial amounts of alcohol for limited amounts of meat. One recipe called for 3 T brandy for 2.5# which is hardly negligible.
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Post by JerBear » Wed May 18, 2011 06:43

A good search provided very little information but these are my thoughts. I wouldn't want to heat the alcohol because of potential flavor loss, and without flavor, there's a lot less reason to even use an alcoholic beverage in the first place. I also think that any potential denaturation of the protein strands would be overcome with proper communition and myosin development of the meat mixture.

If there's a concern with alcohol consumption and not a big concern about flavor loss I say go for it, it's just not a step I want to bother with. It may be worth it for products with a heavier ABV such as your brandy but may not be worth it for the wine/beer ABV levels.
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Post by Chuckwagon » Wed May 18, 2011 10:00

Hi Guys,
Denaturation occurs when proteins are exposed to disruptive physical forces such as heat in cooking, or "kneading" a sausage mixture, or by the introduction of chemicals such as alcohol. A common example of a denatured protein is the albumin in an egg as it becomes hard-boiled with the introduction of heat. The gelatinous egg albumin becomes solid.

Proteins are large molecules composed of amino acids, which are arranged in a variety of complex structures. The "primary protein structure" is the simple linear sequence of amino acids within the protein. The "secondary protein structure" is divided into subgroups identified by three shapes. The "alpha helix" looks like a spiral staircase and is a structural protein. The "beta-pleated sheet" looks just like its name implies. The "random coil" does not have a specifically defined shape and this is the one found in collagen although it may link together alpha helices and beta sheets so that proteins may contain all three secondary structures.

Proteins also adopt a tertiary (third in order or formation) structure that is achieved by looping and folding the chain over itself. This folded structure occurs because certain portions of the molecules have an affinity for water. From here, the explanation gets overly scientific for us sausagemakin` wranglers. Suffice it to say, when a protein is denatured, the molecule's tertiary structure is corrupted, and this disruption affects the molecule's secondary (helical) structure without altering its primary structure. In other words, denaturation does not break any of the primary chemical bonds that link one amino acid to another but it changes the way the protein folds in upon itself. Denaturation occurs when proteins are exposed to strong acids or bases, high concentrations of inorganic salts, or organic solvents such as alcohol. In addition, heat or even irradiation can cause denaturation.

Now, here`s the kicker! Whenever the three-dimensional structure of the protein is disrupted, the molecule's biological activity is affected and sometimes the effects may even be detrimental with side effects. Some denatured proteins can result in illness or even death. An example would be denatured alcohol - a deadly poison to the human body. However, not all denaturing processes are harmful. Certain denaturing processes are beneficial. Remember the "boiled egg"? And what about the sticky meat mass so vital to good texture in sausage? Without the development of actomyocin by the proteins actin and myocin, our sausage would literally fall apart.

So, the question remains. Does alcohol denature the proteins in meat? The answer is unquestionably yes. To see for yourself, try making a burger from meat that has had alcohol added to it. It just won`t bind together. On the other hand, does it leave flavor behind. Again, yes it does. My favorite breakfast sausage is Italian Red Wine Sausage made with Spanish Sangria. What a flavor! Yes, somewhere there is a proper balance. Somewhere there is a suitable tradeoff. There must be prudence and good judgment with the addition of alcohol to our sausage.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
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Post by ssorllih » Wed May 18, 2011 13:47

I like to read dictionaries and encyclopedias because one answer always leads to another question. In this case, "can you over mix the sausage" ? Mixing will make the mix sticky, but when is it sticky enough? Is it better to err on the side of too much?
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Post by Chuckwagon » Wed May 18, 2011 22:12

Yes sir! It is easy to over mix the meat paste. Mix and knead the meat until "soft peaks" develop when it is pulled apart with your hands. Also, there are a few types of sausage in which the development of actomyocin is not recommended. I've found that overmixing makes a product rubbery and effects a strange "chew" especially in semi-dry cured products. In Poland, most sausagemakers don't develop the sticky protein paste in the comminuted meat of kabanosy. There is a bulletin board discussion on this matter in the early posts of this forum. I'll find it and post it later. Be sure to check each recipe closely for instructions.

Best Wishes,
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Post by JerBear » Wed May 18, 2011 22:23

I think that proper mixing is the biggest challenge to learning how to make good sausage. Both under and over mixing causes texture problems...I found the middle road a bit difficult to put my hand on but I tend to lean towards under mixing so as not to go overboard.
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Post by story28 » Thu May 19, 2011 01:38

There are quite a few recipes about rubbing wine over whole muscles in salumi preparation. I have seen a few for guanciale, but they never say exactly how long that wine should be in contact with the meat.

???
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Post by Chuckwagon » Wed Nov 16, 2011 08:43

OleBull wrote:
Have you used this technique yourself?
Can you point us to Mr. Knipe's article?
Of course I have. For years. If you want another opinion, ask Uwanna. He just made a huge batch of sausage with "sprayed wine" and is very happy with it. Commercial sausage makers nearly always spray any added wine into the mixture. As for the articles, I've already sent them to you by email.

Doesn't anyone believe me anymore? :roll:
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Post by Bubba » Wed Nov 16, 2011 10:35

Chuckwagon,
I tried a 2 lb Lamb sausage recipe sample a while back, one of the ingredients was a sweet wine. The taste I was hoping to achieve never was quite the one, and I have now realized why. It makes perfect sense to atomize the wine a little at a time.
Knowing this I will try the recipe again with the method.
Ron
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Post by story28 » Thu Nov 17, 2011 15:38

I use the spray technique. When cooking in general, when necessary, the idea is to achieve the most even infusion possible. For me, there is no reason not to spray the wine.

In almost every cooking recipe, alcohol is "cooked out". Reputable chefs like Thomas Keller & Jean Georges scoff at professionals who skip this step. For whatever reason, almost all sausage recipes don't call for cooking out the alcohol. For that reason, I think it is important to take every measure possible to ensure the alcohol does more good than harm to the product. Spraying it evenly and gently as CW prescribes is the way to go.
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Post by ssorllih » Thu Nov 17, 2011 15:50

Since alcohol (ethanol) boils at about 175 degrees f would it be worthwhile to simply gently heat the wine and cook of the alcohol before it is applied to the meat?
Ross- tightwad home cook
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Post by story28 » Thu Nov 17, 2011 16:45

ssorllih wrote:Since alcohol (ethanol) boils at about 175 degrees f would it be worthwhile to simply gently heat the wine and cook of the alcohol before it is applied to the meat?
Hey Ross. I think the idea is sound. But, I have a few pros and cons I think about. Cooking the alcohol down will lower added water to quicken drying and it will also increase the acidity. Seems to me that would be two reasons why this would be a good technique for dry aged sausages. It may be marginal but I still think it's butter to care about the little things :wink:

On the other hand that increased acidity might gain the potency to ceviche the meat :shock: maybe CW might know about that aspect better than myself.
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Post by ssorllih » Thu Nov 17, 2011 16:54

Chuckwagon is going to split this thread soon but I think that the wine is about flavor not about a beverage. If we could spray dry the wine in a vacuum chamber and just add wne powder, we could get the essential taste of the wine and avoid the adverse effects of alcohol on the meat proteins.
This brings about another question could we add jelly instead of water, sugar and flavor?
Jelly is about 45% fruit juice and 55 % sugar.
Wine is fruit juice preserved with alcohol and jelly is fruit juice preserved with sugar.
Ross- tightwad home cook
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