Question about eca vs fermento

[dbondy]

 I just wanted to know if eca gives more tang than fermento. Also I have found citric acid at a bulk food store close buy, but wasn,t sure if it was the same as eca they just call citric acid, it looks like it has a powdery texture. I,v been using fermento in my snack sticks and summer sausage with good results but wouldn,t mind a little more tang to it. Do you guys prefer eca over fermento or the other way around.
Thanks for any help db. :)

[NePaSmoKer]

The ECA will have more tang than the fermento. If you look at the ECA it looks like little caplets, the outter dissolves in the meat, sorta like time released. The regular powder CA you can use but in smaller amounts. To much of the powder CA and not being fast with the stuffing can turn your finished sausage into dry brittle yuck.

ECA is 1.80 oz per 5 pounds of meat

Powdered CA is 0.40 oz per 5 pounds of meat

Fermento is used at 1oz per pound of meat. Try not to exceed 6oz of fermento. IE 10 pounds of meat has 6 oz of fermento

Hope this helps some.

[dbondy]

Thanks NEPAS, it sure does help. I might give ECA or the CA a try soon. ;D

[NePaSmoKer]

Thanks NEPAS, it sure does help. I might give ECA or the CA a try soon. ;D

I have seen that Cabelas online is carrying the eca, binders, additives and high temp cheese now.

[dbondy]

Thanks NEPAS, I look it up. :)

[JF7FSU]

Question:  I am going to make Pens spicy sticks and the recipe calls for 1 TB of ECA.   According to NePAs I should use almost 4 TB.   Any comments on this?

[BigJohnT]

We just made a batch of Greg's Spicy Snack Sticks and it called for 2Tbs of ECA for 10lbs of meat and we used 1 cup of cultured buttermilk (you can find it in the grocery store) instead and man they are good.

http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1007#post1007

JF7FSU, do you have a link to Pen's recipe?

Thanks
John

[NePaSmoKer]

Here is a chart to help you out.

http://www.deejayssmokepit.net/SausageDownloads_files/SausageCharts.pdf

When it comes right down to it add what you like for the tang.

[pensrock]

Big John, glad you liked the sticks.
NEPAS, thats a cool chart, thanks for posting it. Actually I think it would be a good idea to put it on the recipe site. It seems like everyday someone is asking a question about something on that chart.

[anderson5420]

Yes, GREAT chart, thanks, I am printing that one out and putting in my charcuterie logbook.  A sort of "must have" and it would be great to have it permanently available on the recipe site.

[NePaSmoKer]

You can make your own adjustments to the chart. I like just a tad more ECA when i do sticks that call for it.

[JF7FSU]

Thanks guys, I was making a 5 lb batch.  The recipe calls for 1 TB ECA and I was reading that i should put in 2T for 5 lbs of meat.  I like mine tangy.  So, is 1T too little for me?

[BigJohnT]

Big John, glad you liked the sticks.
NEPAS, thats a cool chart, thanks for posting it. Actually I think it would be a good idea to put it on the recipe site. It seems like everyday someone is asking a question about something on that chart.

I just read the recipe again and now have a firm connection in my brain between Greg and Pensrock!

Yes, Greg the sticks were wonderful. I think the only thing my other brother John left out was the pepper flakes just because he didn't have a spice grinder...

Thanks
John

[KevinG]

A hammer works just as good. Just put em in a ziploc and beat the $%#@ out of em. It'll work just fine.