Long low temps

[viper125]

Just stumbled over a slim jim recipe i picked up years a go. Got me thinking as they recommend smoking for 22 hours at 90-110 degrees. Seems pointless to me. And maybe unsafe. Does use cure 1 but 22 hours that low? Then it says to raise temp till it 155. Any one know why you would do it that long and low?

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

[Habanero Smoker]

It hard to say why with that amount of information you provided. Smoke house smoking is a lot different from what we call smoking on this forum. Twenty-two hours at that temperature is not an issue if the sausage is cured. A lot of the time smoke is not being applied, but heat is use to help remove moisture from the sausage. For jerky and sausages like slim jims, it is the lack of moisture that extend the shelf life.

[NePaSmoKer]

Sounds like a Poli recipe using fermento. I made this once, should be here somewhere.

[viper125]

Well here is the recipe I had and the link: http://www.nytimes.com/recipes/1884/The-Original-Slim-Jim.html originally published in 1911.

They Claim its the original Slim Jim. With all the grease they could be right! ;) But a very interesting idea. Uses  Cure 1 and a  lactic-acid starter culture. Was going to try before I shared. But maybe some one will before I get the chance and let me know how they are.


The Original Slim Jim

INGREDIENTS

1 lamb intestine casing (4 feet long)
2 1/2 pounds top round chuck, cubed
1 pound beef fat, cubed
3 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
1 teaspoon No. 1 curing salt
4 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
1/3 cup lactic-acid starter culture
PREPARATION

1.
Rinse salt off the sausage casing. Soak in ice water for at least 1 hour.
2.
Combine meat and fat. Run the mixture through a meat grinder into a large bowl, using the finest setting. Add all ingredients, along with one cup of ice water. Knead vigorously until mixture is the consistency of bread dough (about 8 minutes).
3.
Rinse casing one last time. Choose the narrowest gauge tube of your sausage press. Splash the tube with ice water, then pull the casing over it. Transfer the mixture, about two fistfuls at a time, to the sausage press and then pump the meat into the casing, splashing more water on the tubing as needed to stop the casing from tearing.
4.
Preheat an electric smoker to 100 degrees. Hang sausage in the smoker for 22 hours. Temperature should never dip below 90 degrees or go above 110 degrees. After 22 hours, raise the temperature to 150 degrees and cook until the internal temperature reaches 150 to 155 degrees (about 30 minutes).
5.
Remove from smoker and let cool at about 50 degrees in a dry place for 4 hours. Cut sausage into 4-inch lengths.
YIELD 16 servings

[devo]

Viper
To me this is more of semi-dry recipe. It even has starter culture in it which leads me to believe it should be held at 80-90 degrees and RH @80 percent for 10-12hours till the Ph drops below 5.
This is do able with no special equipment.

[viper125]

Ok that makes more sense to me. I have wanted to try a dry sausage. But with no humidity chamber I was told not to. I have a basement that stays 55-60 most all the time not sure the humidity but with the available dampness thought it would work. As I have read it was common practice at one time. Then  I was reminded a lot of meat making in the past wasn't always the safest or best. Maybe if this is safe I'll try this one. Question how does some one check the ph inexpensively? I do have a meter for humidity. Wish we had a section showing people more instructions on dried aged meats. I read the posts but its really hard to understand the systems and correct way some times.

[devo]

Hey Viper after I got home today I realized the  lactic-acid starter culture they are talking about in the recipe is probably Fermento and is just added to give the sticks a bit of a tang to them. I would just follow the recipe as is. The longer low temps might be to make them dryer sticks.

[viper125]

Well from what I'm reading not sure how to go. As it says ECA drops PH too!. I am thinking about changing it out for fermento. Less chance of starting culture to early while mixing. And does about the same as the culture. I do use ECA from time to time and some time fermento.  Any one have any thing to add?  Going to try it when I do my venison sticks I believe.Got this from the alliedkenco site. Most probably know all this but figured some might not.


That "fermented tang" as found in fermented dry cured meat is due to a lactic acid build up (decrease in pH). Fermento duplicates this somewhat, as does Citric Acid, however, Citric Acid is not lactic acid. With the Citric Acid you will get an acidic tang, but not the same as the real thing. Fermentation is the key to making high quality products with the traditional tangy flavors. These tangy flavors are produced by specific bacteria that are added to the meat by chance during the handling of the meat, or by deliberately adding a known Starter Culture as part of the formula. The latter method is more desirable, as we can have controlled fermentation and can produce a consistent product.

FERMENTO: A dairy based product (Cultured Whey Protein and Skim Milk) used to produce a tangy
taste in semi dry products such as Venison Summer Sausage, Cervelat, Goetburg, and any other
Summer Sausage. The recommended level to start with is 3% (about 1 oz. per lb. of meat). You may add
up to 6% to produce a more tangy taste, but do not exceed 6% or the sausage will become mushy. Fermento
does not require refrigeration and eliminates the time necessary for the fermentation process to take place when using meat starter cultures. Instead of several days required for starter cultures to start fermenting; you can now stuff your sausage immediately and proceed to smoking.

MEAT STARTER CULTURES: Live bacteria that are added to the meat mix to lower the pH and are used
in a very specific environment where the humidity and the temperature can be controlled. Different meat
Starter Cultures are available to make products with different levels of "tang". Using meat Starter Cultures
require a fermentation period, which is not necessary when using Citric Acid or Fermento.

ENCAPSULATED CITRIC ACID: Use encapsulated citric acid when making semi-dried (processed using heat) summer sausages or snack sticks when that distinctive "tang", associated with reduce pH, is desired but the lengthy fermentation cycle is not. When used correctly, it is almost impossible to tell if the sausage was manufactured by fermentation or by the use of this product. There is no need to worry about processing under special conditions. You just add the citric acid to the meat at end of the mixing process (making sure that you do not grind meat again), and then blend into the meat by hand or by mixer. If using a meat mixer, mix only until the encapsulated citric acid is blended into the meat mix, usually about one minute is sufficient. Longer mixing can cause the capsules to rupture resulting in the premature release of the citric acid. This can also happen when citric acid is run though the grinder.
Encapsulated Citric Acid is Citric Acid, a naturally occurring acid, that has been encapsulated (coated) with malto dexrine, a hydrogenated vegetable oil, which will melt at 135 degrees F. releasing the Citric Ccid into the meat product. This prevents the Citric Acid from releasing and prematurely lowering the ph of your sausage meat mix. If the meat's ph drops before the protein sets at 105-115 degrees you will get a negative effect on the texture of your finished sausage. It won't bind as well and the texture will be crumbly. Since heat is needed this product is not used for making dry products (processed with no heat). Those products require a starter culture.
Once the capsule has melted, releasing the Citric Acid into the product, a decrease in pH is achieved resulting in the distinctive "tang" or sour taste associated with reduced pH products.
Suggested usage for this purpose is 3 oz. for 25 lb. of meat
Also use to preserve color of fresh sausage during storage. Use 1/2 oz. to 1 oz. per 100 lb. of meat for this purpose.
NOTE: Too much Citric Acid will cause the meat to turn white.

[devo]

Here is a little more info for your brain to think about

What is "Semi-Dry Cured" Sausage?
Depending on the amount of moisture that they contain, sausages are grouped as:
→ moist - 10% weight loss
→ semi-dry - 20% weight loss
→ dry - 30% weight loss
Semi-dry cured sausage may be made with or without cultures and may or may not be pre-cooked. However, due to modern health concerns, it is recommended that all semi-dry cured sausages be par-cooked. Commercially, this application is now required.

Semi-dry cured sausage is usually cured by fermenting the sausage at least 48 hours rendering an acidic content of pH 5.2 or lower, then by drying it to a point below Aw 0.89 or lower. This type of sausage is normally cured using Cure #1 (nitrite) as reservoirs of nitrate are not needed in short-term fermentation.

[viper125]

Ok, and can you use a regular PH meter to test? I have seen people use a string by tying around it. and what would humity run inside a smoker with the water dish Enough to do it.  I would think that's probably what their trying to achieve at 100 degrees for 22 hours dont you? Also 150 should be safe I would think. Or not?


What is "Semi-Dry Cured" Sausage?
Depending on the amount of moisture that they contain, sausages are grouped as:
→ moist - 10% weight loss
→ semi-dry - 20% weight loss
→ dry - 30% weight loss
Semi-dry cured sausage may be made with or without cultures and may or may not be pre-cooked. However, due to modern health concerns, it is recommended that all semi-dry cured sausages be par-cooked. Commercially, this application is now required.

Semi-dry cured sausage is usually cured by fermenting the sausage at least 48 hours rendering an acidic content of pH 5.2 or lower, then by drying it to a point below Aw 0.89 or lower. This type of sausage is normally cured using Cure #1 (nitrite) as reservoirs of nitrate are not needed in short-term fermentation.
[/quote]

[devo]

If you want to use a starter culture Paul on these other than  Fermento such as one of these:
Here is a reference for some other Bactoferm™ cultures:

Cultures for fermentation below 75˚F. (24˚C.)
T-RM-53......Slow (European style)
T-SP
T-SPX
T-D-66.........Intermediate
T-SC-150
T-SL

Cultures for fermentation from 70˚- 90˚F. (22˚- 32˚C.)
F-RM-52........Medium (American style)
F-RM-7
F-SC-111
F-1
LP..................Fast
LL-1
CSL
LL-2
F-2

Culture for fermentation from 80˚- 100˚F. (26˚- 38˚C.)
LHP...............Extra Fast

Culture for fermentation from 86˚- 115˚F. (30˚- 45˚C.)
CSB...............Extra Fast
F-PA

Culture for fermentation from 90˚- 115˚F. (32˚- 45˚C.)
HPS...............Extra Fast

Using your bradley to control the heat and a water pan with salt in it to create RH of about 80% I would do that for 12 hours.
Now to test your PH you need some cheep PH tape. Might as order that the same time you order the culture.

[viper125]

Well the fermento and ECA I already have. Have used fermento in sausage for years. The ECA about one year. Have never used the culture my self.

Oh by the way I am saving this info in a txt as you supply it so i will remember to read more up on it and what your saying.

Will the culture taste different from fermento?

[viper125]

Also Im getting a ph meter for my plants and to test soil. Would that be the same thing?

[devo]

Paul
I really think we are trying to read to much into this. Cure #1 is being used so it is not a fermented type of stick.
They are most likely referring to  Fermento  or something very similar like  Butter Milk Powder. Thats what I would use and just go by the recipe and I am sure it will work out just fine for you.

[devo]

Also Im getting a ph meter for my plants and to test soil. Would that be the same thing?

NO......I made that big and I say it again NO