Making Cervelat...

[Habanero Smoker]

Hi Mike;

Thanks for the links. Those are the newer editions that Seminole was referring to, but its a good start. Both books have a lot of information, now that the newer editions are indexed it makes them more useful.

[ExpatCanadian]

Ok, smoke/cook all done!  Got home from work around 5 yesterday and got started.  Habs, it turns out I didn't need to dry the casings, as they were fairly tacky already.  The humidity was still pretty high, but I think 24 hours at 30^o still managed to drive off a lot of moisture.  The sausage casings were still fairly white (except near the bottom where they had got a bit more heat), but I could see the meat inside had turned nice and red from the cure and ferment process.

I loaded up 3 hours of Oak (Crown Royal) and programmed the PID as follows:

120^oF - 3 hours - Smoke rolling
130^oF - 1 hour
140^oF - 1 hour
150^oF - 1 hour
160^oF - to IT 152^oF

Babysat it until bedtime around midnight, was at around 107^oF.  Woke up at 5am for a quick check, and the IT was still only at 133^oF.  I wanted them to finish before going to work at 9, so I upped the temperature to 170^oF....  and then thought "What the heck...  I'm here....  let's hit them with some more smoke".  So, I added anther hours worth of Hickory this time...  and went back to bed.

Got up at 8 and the IT was at 151^oF....  JOB DONE says I!  Anyway, enough talk...  pics:

Post-ferment, Pre-smoke:



This morning...  cold shower to prevent shrinkage:



Blooming time.... (Am I supposed to do this? Do fermented sausages bloom the same way? I don't know...  but not taking any chances  ;))



Back into the smoker for the day to dry a little bit more and cool completely to ambient. (Smoker is off)



Taste tests tonight!

[Seminole]

Habanero Smoker
I will pass your request to Bookmagic about indexes. It may take a while
as indexing can be time consuming.

[ExpatCanadian]

Ok, last post on this one I promise....  just got home and eagerly sliced into the smallest of my cervelat/salamis.  All I can say is FANTASTIC  :o :o  I don't think I will be buying commercial salami ever again!  It's perfect!  And all I can think is, "How can it be?"  I used improvised tools and conditions at best... far from a proper controlled setup....  yet it's as good as anything I've tasted from a deli!  I either got very lucky... or I did something right.

Needless to say, I'm very pleased, and would encourage anyone else out there who might be intimidated by the whole fermenting thing to give it a try!  If I can do it, I think anyone can.

Ok, the money shot....  only question is, what the heck do I do with all the rest of it.  Can I freeze these things?  I don't have the conditions for long term storage at cool temperatures.....

[Tenpoint5]

Looks great!!
I would think you could vac seal it and freeze like normal but then I have never done this either

[ArnieM]

Quite an adventure and it looks like it turned out really well.  Send me some if you need a second opinion.  I'll "store" it for ya.  ;D ;D

[Habanero Smoker]

Habanero Smoker
I will pass your request to Bookmagic about indexes. It may take a while
as indexing can be time consuming.

Thanks. I really appreciate it.


ExpatCanadian;
Your semi-dry sausages turned out great. As to your question, when you cook any sausage and you are not planning to eat them immediately you should shower or shock them to stop the cooking process.