Hi everyone and best wishes for 2022.
I’m making a batch of venison/pork summer sausage. I use ECA and HT cheddar cheese.
I normally grind, season and mix the meat one day 1, let it sit in the fridge overnight.
On day two I mix in the ECA and cheese, stuff and smoke.
Since it would be easiest to process all on day one and smoke it on day 2, here’s my question. If I did all of the processing (including inclusion of ECA and cheese and stuffing) on day one and put in the fridge overnight, will the ECA and cheese have any negative affect on the finished product.
I realize I could process and smoke the same day due to the ECA and I have done that. However with processing and clean up and smoking and blooming etc it makes for a long day and sometimes I’m about out of energy and rush things.
Doing it in a 2 day process has helped me make better product.
Thanks!
Cooper1 I just did 25 pounds that way and it turned out fine. Just make sure you mix in the ECA last so you dont break the capsules
Kyle, did u also use HT cheese and did that stay intact sitting overnight or did it start to break down/get mushy?
Thanks for your help!
Cooper1 yes it had ht cheese and it was fine. Most of the time I mix and stuff one day and smoke the next. Never had a problem
Excellent Kyle, I’m going to do that also.
Thanks again!
You should not add ECA until ready to smoke. it will dissolve in the moist meat and give you a mushy product. Sometimes a pain in the butt but if you are after a top notch quality product it’s best to mix spices and cure day 1 and then add the ECA and Cheese just before stuffing. I also keep HT Cheese frozen until it’s mixed in. Helps keep the mix cold with less smearing going through the stuffing horn.
That was my concern with adding the ECA a day ahead of time. I had been doing exactly what you described and perfect summer sausage. Well I’m done with clean up so I might as well fire it up! Thanks for your input
ECA should be added just before stuffing AND smoking/cooking.
If you add it the day before you will have a soft, mushy texture.
It’s up to you however, if you like mushy then add it the day before.
Cooper1 if you need to let it set overnight and don’t need the tang of the ECA, then don’t add the ECA with the cure and smoke it the next day.
Cooper1 sorry if you feel I gave you bad info. I just did 25 pounds that way and it’s not mushy. I dont like the tang of ECA so I dont use it most of the time, but my bro does so I used it this time. It was my understanding that the meat temp has to be 130 before the ECA coating to melt. Good luck and sorry again
hey vegetarians, my food poops on your food!
Hey Kyle no worries whatsoever. My guts told me it was probably not the best way, I was hoping it would work. Its on the smoker now.
Thank you for answering the questions.
After stuffing I have stored overnight with ECA a few times, never a problem.
No cheese so I can’t address that
kyle yes typically it does have to be heated to 130* for the capsules to dissolve but there is that chance that they could rupture before hand if left over night. It’s a risk that one has to decide on. If it does rupture it will denature the proteins holding it all together. It won’t be wasted just not as good of a final product
I should add to my post that overnight is not my usual procedure and I wouldn’t overnight it before final mixing and stuffing
Also there are multiple brands of ECA and what I have is possibly less volatile than some others
Hey everyone thanks for the responses. I do have mine in the smoker now. In hindsight I wish I kept 2 sticks back, let them sit in the fridge overnight and smoke tomorrow just for a test.
Thanks again
Cooper1 Add the ECA in the last minute of mixing and don’t overmix to where the capsules will break and you should be fine.
Thanks John, I smoked them last night and they came out perfect as usual. So with that I’m not going to mess around with a good thing!
Cooper1 said in Summer sausage question:
Thanks John, I smoked them last night and they came out perfect as usual. So with that I’m not going to mess around with a good thing!
Wisdom incarnate. Congrats
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