Sanitation vs Sterilization for processing equipment

[1GRINDER]

What are your recommendations?

[Jonathon]

1GRINDER Austin did a video and a post on this a long time ago but the information is still all relevant! You can view the post and the video here https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/173/difference-between-cleaning-sanitizing but if you have other questions lets me know.

[1GRINDER]

Jonathon Thank you so much, I’m looking forward to stuffing my first venison/pork summer sausage & bratwurst this year. Your tutorial videos recommend mixing the meat in both directions. I have a L*M mixer that can be hand cranked or powered via my grinder motor. Would you recommend hand cranking to get to directions or just power it up? Don’t want to over mix if that’s an issue.

[Jonathon]

1GRINDER If your grinder has a reverse function than I would absolutely recommend that you use the grinder motor to do the work for you! It won’t spin it much faster than what you would do by hand so the 8 minute mixing time would still be correct. If your grinder only has one direction, then I might decide to mix it with the hand crank. My reasoning behind this is that it is going to take longer to get all the seasoning properly distributed and for protein extraction to occur if you are mixing in only one direction so it will put more stress on your product and warm it more.

You could try mixing it in only one direction, I’ve never done in though so I wouldn’t have a good recommendation for mixing times. Has anyone else done any sausage where they mix it in one direction only?

[1GRINDER]

Jonathon I think I’ll just opt for the hand crank and stick to the 8 minute mix time for my first run. I only have access to a 5 lb. stuffer at this time. Can I mix 25 lbs and stuff 5 lbs at a time or just season and mix a 5lb batch at a time? Don’t know if the lag time between 1st batch and the last will cause any problems. Thanks again

[Jonathon]

1GRINDER You don’t have to process everything separately, that would take way too long in my opinion. What I would do is process it all together and then put whatever does not fit in the stuffer’s canister in the fridge until you are ready for it. Also, since this will be an extended process once you have stuffed product into the casing I would put that into the fridge until everything is done, that way you can cook/smoke them all at the same time!

[1GRINDER]

Jonathon I was planning on using the encapsulated citric acid and right into the smoker. I just found a flaw in my plan. I won’t have room in my Bradley smoker with adequate spacing for my 12 inch summer sausage casings. I will have to make my batch to fit my smoker. This is why I plan out every step before hand. Have a great day and thanks for the information. Maybe I can talk the warden into a 30 lb electric stuffer for Christmas.

[Jonathon]

1GRINDER I always like adding encapsulated citric acid as well. However, as you said if you don’t have a smoker big enough to do the entire batch at one you can’t process it all at once and add ECA. My suggestion would be to just split it into batches that your smoker can handle! Good job planning everything out, that is an important step that a lot of people miss!