sausage curing question

[zoso1900]

Hi. I've been making Italian sausages for several years now and hanging them to cure in the cold room. This year is the second time that my batch of sausages whiled curing the meat turns a brown color,  smell is still ok. I share the cold room with my dad's sopressata and he has opened the window for extended period of time during the day.

I was wondering if it's the air circulation or something else?

Thank you.

[3rensho]

Hi.  What do you mean specifically by Italian sausages.  Fresh?  Or dry cured like salami?  Is there cure in them?  Prague 1 or 2?  Need some details.

[NePaSmoKer]

HUH?

[Habanero Smoker]

To add to 3rensho's questions, is there a lot of light the sausage is exposed to?

You may also want to test the cure you are using to make sure it is still good. Also you shouldn't go by smell.

[zoso1900]

I make Italian sausages using pork meat, salt and spices. I mix the the meat with the salt and spices, place in the fridge over night and stuff the next  day. After the stuffing I hang the sausages in the cold room for 21 days for curing/drying.

[3rensho]

OK, one question answered.  Please answer the remainder and let us know temp and humidity as well.  Thanks.

[NePaSmoKer]

No cure? You go by smell?

If your in another country and thats how they do it great.   Air circulation will affect the sausage in different ways, dry casings, to fast moisture loss just to name a few.

[zoso1900]

I keep the coldroom as close as possible to 11C and humidity over 75%. I live in Montreal, plus made the sausages starting feb 25, 2012. Did I miss anything else?

[Habanero Smoker]

Thanks for answering the questioning; but there is one important question you did not answer, and one minor question.

1- Are you using a cure such as Cure #1 (Instacure #1, Prague Powder #1) or Cure #2(Instacure #2, Prague Powder #2); or maybe saltpeter?

2- Are your sausages exposed to light a good deal of the time?

3- Sorry I just though of another question. How long do you usually hang them to dry?

[zoso1900]

Sorry

1) nothing other then salt
2) minimal light this is a cold room small window very little light
3) usually 21 days

[Habanero Smoker]

Without the cure, at those temperatures, and length of time you are setting up the ideal environment for the growth of Clostridium botulinum; the bacteria that causes botulism. You shouldn't dry cure sausages without using Cure #2 (Instacure #2/Prague Powder #2), when you cure over 14 days, or use Cure #1 (Instacure #1/Prague Powder #1) if less than 14 days. These cure protect the sausage from most harmful food borne bacteria.

Also the reason your sausage is brown is due to the lack of cure. It is the sodium nitrite that not only protect the sausage, but also give it the rosy color.

[zoso1900]

We have discussed the use of sodium nitrite but have never used it in our recipe. This method of curing sausages isn't perfect but it's what we have been doing at home for over 40yrs.  My dad in all his years of making sausages and curing/drying by simple hanging hasn't ever made a batch like I did this year. 

[Habanero Smoker]

I feel you are taking a big risk by not using a cure. If his sausage had a reddish color in the past the only two ingredients that I know can maintain a reddish color are sodium nitrite, and Sodium Ascorbate/Sodium Erythorbate. Other wise the meat will turn brown or grayish.

Are you sure your father didn't use salt peter? That was commonly use in this country up until the mid-1970's.

[zoso1900]

I understand your concern, he has been making sausages the same way since the days back in Italy.

[devo]

I really think you should listen to Habs on this. More than 5,000 Americans painfully suffer the clearly evident indications and symptoms of preventable food contamination, breathe their last breath, and agonizingly die!
I have Italian friends who do it the old way but I would never eat their sausage. It scares the heck out of me.