Anything "Majic" about 135*F ?????

[Old Frenchie]

Many recipes in "Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing" (by Rytek Kutas) state to dry the sausages, apply smoke and "... gradually raise the smokehouse temperature to 165*F and smoke until internal teperature of 135*F is reached. Then transfer to a steam cabinet .... "

When I do bologna or hot dogs I usually dry for an hour, then smoke for an hour or two then go to a "Hot Water Bath" and finish them until an IT of 152-155*F. However, when I go to the Hot Water Bath my IT is only about 105-110*F.  Is this a problem?   What is the significance of the 135*F that Kutas refers to in his instructions (for Bologna and Hot Dogs).

I'm happy with my results but wonder if what I'm doing is wrong ?????

Roger

[pmmpete]

In order to produce safe smoked sausage, you need to get it to a high enough temperature to kill the microorganisms which can cause food poisoning, and you need to include a correct amount of nitrites to kill the Clostridium botulinum spores which can case botulism.  As far as I know, it doesn't matter how much of the temperature is produced in a smoker and how much is produced in a water bath.

A shortcoming of the Rytek Kutas book is that it doesn't include explanations of why the recipes in the book will produce safe sausage, and the science behind producing safe sausage.  Warren Anderson's book "Mastering the Craft of Making Sausage" contains good explanations of these subjects.

The USDA and the Food Safety and Inspection Service recommend that ground beef, pork, and similar ground meat be cooked until its internal temperature reaches a minimum of 160 degrees.  See http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FACTSheets/Safe_Minimum_Internal_Temperature_Chart/index.asp.  Anderson states in his book that the following combinations of time and temperature have been approved by the USDA and the FSIS:

160 degrees F - 1 second
155 degrees F - 23 seconds
150 degrees F - 72 seconds
145 degrees F - 4 minutes
140 degrees F - 12 minutes
135 degrees F - 37 minutes
130 degrees F - 121 minutes

However, I haven't been able to locate this chart in any USDA or FSIS publication.  Does anybody know where this chart can be found?  I'd also like to find a similar internal temperature chart for smoking fish.

[Old Frenchie]

Thanks the reply pmmpete !

....  Anderson states in his book that the following combinations of time and temperature have been approved by the USDA and the FSIS:

160 degrees F - 1 second
155 degrees F - 23 seconds
150 degrees F - 72 seconds
145 degrees F - 4 minutes
140 degrees F - 12 minutes
135 degrees F - 37 minutes
130 degrees F - 121 minutes
... 

Unfortunately I do not have Anderson's book.  Is he saying that cooking to 145 and holding it for 4 minutes is just as "safe" as cooking to 160 for one second ??

[NePaSmoKer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuQfEBHbMMU

[pmmpete]

Old Frenchie asked "Is he [Warren Anderson] saying that cooking to 145 and holding it for 4 minutes is just as "safe" as cooking to 160 for one second ??"  Yes, that's what Anderson says the USDA and the FSIS say.  However, I haven't been able to locate that chart in USDS or FSIS publications or websites.

Because some sausages or parts of sausages in a batch may get heated more slowly than the sausage which contains your temperature probe, it's a good idea to hold your sausages at the target temperature for longer than is suggested by the chart.  For example, you could hold your sausages at 145 degrees for ten minutes, to be safe.  I shoot for 155 degrees for five to ten minutes.

[Habanero Smoker]

I have seen similar charts, but none published by the USDA. You usually find those types of charts on Food Service Professional sites.  Or you can post an inquiry to the USDA. Go to their home page and look to the right. You will see a link "Ask a Food Safety Question". Click on that, sometimes you get someone live, most of the time you have to send an email. Some times they get back to you, most of the time they don't.

Keep in mind food borne bacteria die at different temperature depending on what species of bacteria. I believe most die off around the 125°F, but to be completely save, the USDA recommends that you take it to 140°F to insure all bacteria is killed at 139°F; with the exception of sausage you need to take to 160°F.

[pmmpete]

Last night I sent an e-mail to the USDS food safety people with several questions.  I'm also trying to contact Warren Anderson with the same questions.  I'll let you know what I hear from them.

[NePaSmoKer]

They working on it for y'all