Southern Indiana Butcher Supply Meat Cutting, Sausage Making, Meat Curing, And Smokehouse Cooking

Summer Sausage is traditionally a cured, fermented sausage seasoned with salt, sugar or dextrose, mustard, black pepper, and garlic with many cultural and geographic variations. Summer sausage is usually made from leftover trimmings, low quality cuts, and organ meat but can be made with higher classes of meat as well.

The fermentation process is facilitated by the addition of lactic acid bacteria starter cultures and the sausage must then be allowed time to ferment. These bacteria feed on the sugars in the meat mix and produce lactic acid as a by product which lowers the pH of the product and creates an environment unfavorable for further bacterial activity. There is usually a drying period and the combination of proper pH coupled with reduced water activity results in a product that is shelf stable and can be stored at room temperature.

Lactic acid also imparts a tangy flavor common to this type of product and can be duplicated by the addition of encapsulated citric acid when the time required for the fermentation process or the availability of starter cultures is a factor.

An excellent product can be made without fermentation, the addition of encapsulated citric acid, or the drying period but this product will be perishable and must be kept refrigerated.

Before starting have everything ready to go. Grinder, stuffer, and all food contact surfaces should be sterilized. Grinder plates and knives should be clean, sharp, and matched. Sharp plates and knives yield a cleaner cut with less smearing as will a matched set.  Have a clean sharp boning knife ready. Meat must be clean and cold, free of bacterial contamination. 32-35 deg F. is a good place to be.
Fat ratio is a matter of preference but should be between 15% – 25% (20lb lean + 5lb fat = 80/20 lean/ fat ratio)

Lets get started.

1. If using fibrous or natural casings put them into some warm water to soak
2. Grind 25lb meat/ fat through a coarse plate once. If you want to grind the lean and the fat separate before mixing, that’s fine too. If you only have one size grinder plate don’t worry about it, it’ll be ok.
3. Dissolve one ounce of pink curing salt in 1 quart of ICE COLD water. Note: 5 level teaspoons will give you about 1 ounce of cure.
4. Add the spice mix and the dissolved cure solution into the ground meat. If you are using a binder add that now too. Mix well. This should take a full 2-3 minutes to mix by hand. Make sure the spice and cure is evenly distributed throughout the mix. If you are using encapsulated citric acid it should be added after the last grind and mixed in thoroughly.
5. Grind again through a small plate, 3/16 or 1/8.
6. If you’re stuffing off the grinder, remove the plate and knife from the grinder head and put the stuffing attachment in place. Stuff the casings as tight as you can without breaking the casing. If you’re using a sausage stuffer, grind the meat one more time. That’s a toal of 3 times through the grinder. The mix is going to get very sticky. This is good, it shows the binding quality of the mix.

7. Pack the mix into the stuffer tight, making sure to get all the air out and stuff the casings as tight as you can without breaking the casing.
8. The sausage should now be returned to a 40 deg F cooler to cure. 4-6 hours should do it but overnight is better. Don’t be in too big of a hurry, if your cooler is 38-40 deg the sausage will hold for a couple of days.
9. Hang the sausage in the smokehouse and let the surface dry for an hour or more before you start the heat. Again, don’t be in a hurry.
10. Using your favorite hardwood (hickory is a good choice) apply a heavy smoke at around 100 deg F for 1-4 hours. This is a matter of personal taste, first time out try 1-2 hours.
11. Kill the smoke and gradually, over the next 4 or so hours, raise the house temperature to around 175-180 deg F and cook until the sausage reaches an internal temperature of 158 deg F. This is going to take some time, let it. Be sure and check temperatures of the sausages around different parts of the smokehouse to manage cool and hot spots.
12. When the sausage reaches 158 deg pull it out of the house and immediately shower with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the sausage. Try to get the internal temperature down to around 120 deg F. You can hang the sausage up outside and spray with the water hose or an ice water bath will work too. When using the ice water bath method, have the tank of cold water ready before the sausage is done.
13. Hang the sausage in the cooler overnight to chill before cutting.

Find all your sausage making supplies at Southern Indiana Butcher Supply

Posted under Home Sausage Making, Sausage Making

Meat Selection And Fat Content

The quality of the finished product can only be as good as the quality of the meat selected for it. The meat needs to be fresh, clean, not contaminated with bacteria, and frosty cold. Start with meat that is between 32 deg and 35 deg F. For food safety the meat should be kept below 40 deg F. through the entire process and one should be aware that meat will warm as it moves through the different stages of grinding, mixing, and stuffing. 

Higher quality classes of meat should be used for fresh sausage. Pork shoulder butts and picnics are good choices as they contain good amounts of fat. Loins and hams can be used to produce a much leaner but drier product.  Whole hog sausage is made with parts from the entire hog, including muscle by-products like tongue and heart, in proportions consistent with the natural animal.

Smoked sausage refers to a number of sausage varieties that are usually made from low quality cuts, organ meats, and left over trim but many of these same sausages can be made with better quality selections as well. With some exceptions, nearly any species will do or even a blend of species can produce a good quality product. Plenty of folks will make a whole deer into summer sausage and I have made fresh and smoked sausage from beef, pork, antelope, elk, bear, venison, goat, turkey, goose, duck, rabbit, along with a few others. The duck and the rabbit were a pleasant surprise but I have to say that Snow Geese are not high on my list of favorite sausage meats. 

Fat content is an important consideration as some fat in the meat mix will aid in binding qualities, moisture retention, and flavor. Legally, fresh pork sausage, country sausage, whole hog sausage, and breakfast sausage can contain up to 50% fat.  Something to remember when you see that 99 cent sausage sale in the store.

The flavor and juiciness of sausages made from lean game meats can be improved with the addition of fat pork trim. As a rule I do not like to use the fat from wild game, especially the heavy external cover fat from the back and rump areas. This fat can be dirty and can have a thick, greasy, sticky, or even gritty mouthfeel. Some creamy white intramuscular fat is ok. This internal fat is generally of higher quality and a creamy white color is a good indicator that the meat is fresh and has been handled properly so it is less likely to contribute to a wild or gamey flavor. Avoid using grey or pink colored fat from your game animal.

Always use good quality pork trimmings, to adjust the lean/ fat ratio. Learn what your preference for fat content is for different varieties of sausage. The finished product should contain somewhere around 15%-25% fat. Fresh sausages can be made leaner if that is your preference but smoked sausages usually need a little higher fat content to keep the sausage from drying out.

To calculate fat/ lean requirements the math goes like this: Lean meat weight divided by desired lean meat percentage = Total weight. Total weight minus lean meat weight = weight of fat trim. Here’s an example where 20 is the weight of our lean and the desired lean percentage is 80%:    20 ÷ .80 = 25,   25-20 = 5, so we’re going to add 5 pounds of fat to 20 pounds of lean for a total of 25 pounds of product with a lean/ fat ratio of 80/20.

Posted under Home Sausage Making, Sausage Making

Deer archery season is right around the corner here in Indiana and every year i hear about all the folks that have a problem with wild or gamey tasting meat.

Part of the problem early in the season can be attributed to the warm weather. If a hunter has to spend much time on a 70-80 degree day searching for a downed animal potential problems with meat quality can certainly arise.

That being said I’ve always held the opinion that gamey meat is, for the most part, the result of poor handling practices. Granted, a large animal downed in the field must be dealt with in the conditions at hand but there are some things we can do to help preserve the quality of the meat.

Once the animal is down deterioration begins right away. Bacteria begin multiplying and the breakdown process is under way. Fortunately this progression can be checked with sanitation and temperature control.

Game meat should be handled like any other animal that is butchered for food. That is, keep it clean and reduce the internal temperature of the carcass as quickly as possible.

Some hunters like to load the fresh kill and head for camp or home right away and field dress in a cleaner more convenient setting. This is probably fine if you’re only a few minutes away but the outdoor temperature relates directly to the amount of time you have. If it’s very warm out or the time/distance is too great you should field dress the animal right away. This allows the majority of the body heat to escape.

When field dressing, try not to bust any guts, watch the bladder. Clean out the anal cavity. Try not to let any fecal matter come into contact with your knife or the meat. It is also my opinion that you should leave the scent glands alone. Cutting around here can contaminate your knife and spread musk all over the place. Keep the body cavity clean.

Next is skinning your animal. The hide is an excellent insulator and unless its single digit weather outside it’s a good idea to get it off.

Start with a clean, sharp knife and clean hands. The hair side of the skin is very dirty and while handling it try not to touch the meat with your hands.

Now that the animal is skinned it’s a good idea to wash it liberally inside and out with cold water. Do a thorough job otherwise you will spread dirt, and bacteria across the entire carcass and end up making matters worse. A clean linen sheet, cotton shroud or game bag put over a wet carcass will help keep it clean and the evaporation will speed up cooling. If you like to age the meat this will help keep the surface from drying out as fast.

Posted under Deer Hunting

For a brine cure use the same 1/2 ounce per pound but weigh and count the water.

Example:

5 pounds water + 2 pounds meat = 7 pounds.

7 pounds x 1/2 ounce = 3.5 ounces cure.

Make sure all the slabs are covered and place in a 38-40 deg cooler. 3 days in the brine will do it.

Take the slabs out, rinse them lightly and hang in the cooler to surface dry for a day or more. I’ve had these cured slabs hang for a week in cold weather or in a cooler with no problem.

The slabs are now ready for the smokehouse. Process through the smokehouse with your favorite hardwood, smoking for from 2-4 hours or whatever your taste prefers. Keep the house temperature low. I prefer not to exceed 120 deg. when doing bacons of any kind. When finished smoking I like to let the bacon hang in the cooler for another 4-5 days before slicing. This period allows the flavor to develop and lets the slab dry further giving a stiffer, easier to slice slab. Slice and enjoy as you would any bacon!

Cut the slab:

Square it up:

Rub with cure:

Allow to cure.
Process through the smokehouse.

The finished product:

Sliced:

Posted under Meat Curing

Pork Shoulder Butts, also known as Boston Butts are one of the most readily available and versatile sub primal cuts of fresh pork. The pork shoulder butt or simply “butt” is the top half, of the pork shoulder primal located between the upper neck and loin. It contains some of the lower neck and the shoulder blade bone. Retail ready pork shoulder butts have the neck and chine bones removed and usually weigh in at 6-9 pounds each, yield over 95% after de-boning and average around 80% lean.

Whole butts can be pot roasted, bone in or boneless, hot smoked, BBQ’d and made into pulled pork in sauce. Cut up sliced into pork steaks, chunked for stews, skewered for kabobs or made into carnitas. Cuts can be fried, broiled, braised, smoked, grilled, or steamed. They can be breaded, encrusted, glazed, or sauced.

Whole boneless butts cured, tied, and cold smoked are a great variation creating a well marbled ham-like product.

Butts can also be ground for pork burgers or seasoned and made into sausage. I use them for country pan sausage, bratwurst, smoked polish sausage, and many more varieties.

One of my favorite products made from butts is Butt Bacon. I will share directions on how to make this delicious bacon in an upcoming post.

De-boning butts is not difficult since the small blade bone, or scapula is all that needs removed. For the benefit of those who may not have the experience I’ll try and walk you through it here.

I start with the fat side down and the cut edge of the bone facing me. This leaves the flat side of the scapula up.

First inspect the surface of the butt for small bone fragments and remove. Then, using the point of your sharp boning knife make your intital cut in this area.

Cut the meat free from the flat side of the scapula shaving as close as possible to the bone.

Cut the meat free from the edge of the bone and work around to the scapula spine going up and over, staying as close to the bone as possible.

Continue around to the curved edge of the bone and cut it free.

Thats about all there is to it!

Posted under Meat Cutting

Manufacturing Process

Fibrous casings are produced by forming a continuous tube from a special type of paper which is impregnated with regenerated cellulose. They are permeable to smoke and used for a wide range of applications including boneless hams and cooked or dried sausages. They are especially well suited to the manufacture of products which are intended for slicing.

Applications

• Regular casings for applications where casing release or adhesion requirements are not critical.
• Meat Cling casings for adherence to products throughout processing. Ideal for products sliced in the casing. Gives an “old world” wrinkled appearance on chub products.

Features

• Excellent for all processed meats.
• Uniform and tight diameter control for increased yields.
• Flexible and strong to handle stress from stuffing, cooking and other processes.
• Smoke transfers well through the casing where in-house application is desired.
• Diameter sizes from 33 mm to 240 mm.
• Kosher certified.

Storage And Handling

Store Fibrous casing in a cool, dry place away from steam pipes or hot storage areas. Casing should remain sealed in original containers until it is ready for use. Keep stock current by using the oldest stock first. To avoid possible damage, do not use knives, sharp instruments and hooks to open cartons.
If the casings are exposed to freezing temperatures during transport or storage, they should be held at temperatures between 55° to 75° F (12° – 24° C) for at least two days before being used. Very cold casing would be likely to break during stuffing

Fibrous Casing Size Spec Sheet

Posted under Sausage Making

Causes And Prevention

Freezer burn is generally the result of non-airtight packaging. Freezer burn is a condition that occurs when ice crystals form in an area of the package where air is present. As water molecules escape to the surface the product underneath is dehydrated and becomes dry and brown or gray with a leathery appearance. Fats will oxidize and have a rancid flavor. This process can take days to weeks depending on the quality of the packaging and the temperature of the freezer.

Freezer burn can be prevented by using proper moisture and vapor proof packaging materials and wrapping tightly to prevent air pockets where water can leach out of the product and collect on the surface.

In addition to proper packaging freezer temperature plays an important part in the prevention of freezer burn. Temperatures of 0 deg F or below are necessary to minimize freezer burn. Fluctuating temperatures can also be a source of problems. As the temperature fluctuates above 0, moisture loss from evaporation can occur.

Food Safety

Food that is freezer burned is not necessarily unsafe. If the product was frozen the entire time until thawing for use it will be safe to use. However, it is likely that there will be an off or rancid flavor so freezer burned areas should be trimmed off and discarded before preparing.

Posted under Food Safety, Meat Packing

F. Dick Knives Are The First Choice Of Professionals Worldwide

F. Dick is a leading brand worldwide in professional areas due to the highest quality and the optimal use in accordance with ergonomic requirements and has been a manufacturer of high quality products in the following areas since 1778:

• Tools and machines for butchers
• Chef’s knives and tools
• Machines for sharpening and grinding technology

The ErgoGrip Line

F. Dick ErgoGrip 5 Inch Curved Boning Knife

The Ergogrip knives are ergonomically designed to reduce hand and arm fatigue. These knives offer superior slip resistance, an extra wide thumb rest and a polished durable stainless steel blade. The Ergogrip knives offer large selection of specialized designs and sizes for specific butchering tasks. No compromise has been made when it comes to function and safety.

The Sanigrip Line

F. Dick SaniGrip Breaking Knife

The Sanigrip knives offer the same ergonomic design as the ErgoGrip line of knives with the addition of antibacterial properties incorporated into the handle.

The advantages of SaniGrip knives

• Permanent, durable antibacterial protection right from the start
• Contributes to hygienic safety in working areas
• Protects on a natural basis, hygienically faultless and durable. Inhibits the growth of bacteria and kills them
• Polished, stable blade, cutting edge checked by laser
• Balanced hardness, significantly less material consumption
• Safety due to finger protection and thumb support as well as rounded knife backs
• Knife lies comfortably in the hand, thus precise handling and improved efficiency
• High quality knife alloy and material compositions

The new SaniGrip knife series is the result of an intensive exchange of information between research and practice. Friedr. Dick uses trendsetting technology for the highest hygiene and strived-for EU standards. These knives are equipped with an antibacterial active ingredient in the knife handle.

As opposed to germ-killing chemical substances (e.g. triclosan), this active ingredient works in a natural way. Precious metals provide safe protection and only work where desired; they are food-safe. This effective prophylaxis guarantees additional safety in the production chain and at the place of work.

The antibacterial active ingredient in the handle material offers additional hygienic protection and prevents cross-contamination and re-infection via the hand. This inhibits bacteria or their breeding on the knife handle, thus leading to the bacterial cultures dying off. The permanent, durable protection is integrated in the knife handle during production.

The Premier Plus Series

The craftmanship, balance and the edge of the Premier Plus Line of professional chef’s knives is unsurpassed. Made in Germany, Premier Plus knives are hand-forged from high-carbon stainless steel and taper ground, resulting in a knife that holds its edge much longer than any other.

Particularly worthy of note is the sophisticated design of the handle. A special manufacturing technique results in the blade and the handle being so tightly linked that not even the finest crack or gap is left. Unlike traditional knives with a handle housing, it is impossible for food residue or liquids to penetrate. As is standard with the Friedrich Dick company, each finished knife of the Premier Plus series is sharpened and honed by hand. Cutting becomes an experience – this is something you can expect from Friedr. Dick.

Premier Plus Chef's Knife

View our line of F. Dick knives at www.butchersupply.net

jes..

• Polished, durable stainless steel blade with laser-tested cutting edge
• Seamless connection of blade and handle
• Extra-wide thumb rest for control, comfort, and safety
• Well-defined finger guard for safety
• Non-slip plastic handle, no abrasion, ergonomic design
• NSF listing for commercial use

Posted under Tools And Equipment

One of our best selling product lines is Legg’s Old Plantation Seasonings. These seasonings are of excellent quality and are easy to use. They are perfect for the home processor or the small producer. Old Plantation seasonings are packaged to correctly season 25 pounds of product.

Old Plantation Seasoning Blends

Blend #10 PORK SAUSAGE
Our most popular sausage seasoning. A true “Southern Style” seasoning. It has relatively high level of sage, red pepper and black pepper. Some red pepper is crushed to be visible in the finished product.

Blend #8 MAPLE FLAVORED BREAKFAST SEASONING
A favorite with all age groups.

Blend #102 MILD ITALIAN SAUSAGE
Contains the spices necessary to produce a mild yet “full-flavored” Italian sausage.

Blend #103 HOT ITALIAN SAUSAGE
Contains some crushed red pepper to give a little extra zing.

Blend #106 SMOKED POLISH KIELBASA
Contains white pepper, coriander and garlic powder in a combination that will give an authentic Polish flavor.

Blend #108 FRESH POLISH KIELBASA
Contains the same spice blend as our Smoked Polish Kielbasa seasoning.

Blend #110 CAJUN STYLE SAUSAGE
Contains red pepper, black pepper, white pepper, onion powder and garlic powder for a spicy, cajun flavor.

Blend #114 SUMMER SAUSAGE
A new favorite with everyone! Our seasoning blend is sure to be a hit.

Blend #125 BOLOGNA/FRANKFURTER
Everyone will love this blend, which produces “old-fashioned” bologna or frankfurters.

Blend #131 JERKY SEASONING
A blend of spices that enhances the natural flavor.

Posted under Sausage Making

The importance of good sanitation in food handling and processing areas can not be over stated. The CDC estimates that 76 million cases of foodborne illness occur annually in the United States with about 5000 cases resulting in death.

Food can become contaminated very easily if we’re not careful. The three general categories of potential hazards are physical, chemical, and biological.

Physical contamination occurs when foreign objects such as dirt, hair, paint chips, rocks, bone, metal or glass come in contact and are mixed with food. Reduce the potential for physical contamination by keeping food contact surfaces clean, washing hands before and after handling foods, and keeping ingredients covered.

Chemical contamination occurs when chemicals like cleaning products, pesticides, naturally occurring toxins, toxic metals, or even additives to which some people are allergic are introduced into the food product. 

Utensils and equipment that contain toxic metals can cause toxic metal poisoning. Examples include the lead in pewter pitchers, the copper in a kettle, or the zinc in a galvanized bucket or tub.  Minimize the potential for chemical contamination by storing and preparing foods using only equipment and utensils made of food grade material.

Biological contamination includes contamination by bacteria, viruses, parasites, yeasts, and molds. The most common hazards that we associate with meat and poultry products are Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli bacteria, and the parasite that causes Trichinosis. 

Salmonella and Campylobacter are thought to be the two most common bacteria that cause illness in foods.  Salmonella is most commonly associated with poultry, eggs, and beef while Campylobacter is associated primarily with poultry and water contaminated with the bacteria.

Campylobacter jejuni

Salmonella

E. coli is a foodborne pathogen that can be found in red meat and red meat products. There are over 700 serotypes of E. coli identified. The E. coli serotypes that are responsible for foodborne illness in humans produce Shiga toxin. E. coli was first recognized in 1982 during an outbreak associated with the consumption of contaminated hamburgers. E. coli O157:H7 is responsible for the majority of human E. coli related illness but there are other Shiga toxin producing serotypes as well.

E. coli 0157:H7

Trichinella spiralis is a parasitic intestinal nematode that infects humans through the consumption of undercooked meat causing trichinosis (or trichinellosis), a potentially life threatening illness. Trichinella spiralis is carried by carnivorous/ omnivorous animals such as rats, pigs, and bears. Trichinella spiralis is killed at 137° F.

Trichinella spiralis

Biological hazards are usually associated with the animal’s intestinal tract and contaminate the food during processing. Biological hazards can be controlled by:

• Monitoring and maintaining proper temperatures in storage and processing environments. The Temperature Danger Zone as defined by the National Restaurant Association is between 41°F. and 135° F. FSIS defines the Danger Zone as between 40° F and 140° F so you can take your pick but foodborne microorganisms favor this temperature range with 80° F to 105° F being optimal. Fresh meats should be held in the cooler at temperatures below 40° F. I like cooler temperatures from 28° F. to 35° F. which will help control bleeding and purge. It is worth noting here that bacteria can double their numbers:
  • Every 20 hours at 32° F
  • Every 6 hours at 40° F
  • Every 2 hours at 60° F
  • Every hour at 70° F
  • Every 1/2 hour at 90° F
  • At human body temperature, 98.6° F, bacteria can double up to 3 times per hour.
• Preventing cross contamination. Cross-contamination is the physical movement or transfer of harmful bacteria from one person, object or place to another. Prevent cross contamination by:
  • Keeping raw foods and processed foods seperated. In the cooler store processed product on upper shelves and raw product on lower shelves.
  • Clean and sanitize knives, utensils, and cutting surfaces between uses.
  • Never move boxes or containers that may have been stored on the floor onto food contact surfaces.
• Always keeping equipment, floors, and food contact surfaces clean and sanitized.

We’ve touched on a few highlights regarding food safety and I hope to have some more in depth articles as we move along.

Constructive comments and questions are welcome!

Jes..

Posted under Food Safety