Author Topic: Still steamed even w jerky drier  (Read 3149 times)

Sarowe

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Still steamed even w jerky drier
« on: November 03, 2016, 10:31:46 PM »
I made some wild hog summer sausage.  Was on smoker for 11 hours.  2 hr at 135 then 2 at 155 then 7 at 195.   Drier on last 9 hours
Internal temp on hottest was 160.  Coldest was 152.   I pulled them. They are quite wet.   They taste great.  I just put them in my oven at 275 with door open to dry them a bit.  But I'd prefer to do whole process in smoker. 
Should I open door and vent  moisture,?   Lower temp for longer?   Any thoughts??

NDKoze

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  • Gregg - Fargo, ND
Re: Still steamed even w jerky drier
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2016, 11:19:42 PM »
That is odd because I run my Snack Sticks with the following schedule:

150 - 1 hour
175 - 1 hour
200 - 5-7 hours

And my sticks are not wet at all. In fact, my collagen casings have a really nice snap to them when I take a bite.

What kind of casings did you use and what size of casing?

How much water did you add to your meat during the mixing phase?

Did you hang your sausage to dry out prior to smoking?

I always hang my sticks/sausages overnight prior to smoking which definitely helps with the drying process. (For food safety reasons, only do this if you are use cure in your meat mixture).

How many pounds of sausage did you smoke?

Did you rotate trays during the smoke?

Did you see steam coming out of the Jerky Dryer? FYI, it is kind or hard to tell the difference between the steam and smoke. This is a video of my Jerky Dryer pumping out the smoke:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BBvKNFo25c
Gregg - Fargo, ND
Smokin-It #3 (purchased in 2014) that replaced a Masterbuilt XL (ugh) and a 10+ Year-Old Big Chief (still used for fish), and few others over the years, along with variety of Weber Gas/Charcoal Grills, Anova Sous Vide, etc. devices.

Greenenvey

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Re: Still steamed even w jerky drier
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2016, 11:28:57 PM »
I just made summer sausage  as well with the dryer and they came out dry!
Laura
Boise idaho/ jamestown N.D.
si.#3 standard
Si.#3D
Weber Genesis E310.

Sarowe

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Re: Still steamed even w jerky drier
« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2016, 12:25:12 AM »
I used a fibrous casing.   No added water.  No hanging.   I made 20 lbs.   I've made these a bunch when I had a Bradley.   Never this wet.  I'll check the dryer when I do my next batch next week.

NDKoze

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Re: Still steamed even w jerky drier
« Reply #4 on: November 04, 2016, 02:30:31 AM »
I'm surprised that you did not add any water. Adding 1 Quart of water for every 10-15lbs of meat is pretty standard. This helps the seasoning and cure fully mix and makes the stuffing a lot easier. I usually make 25 pound batches and use 2 Quarts of water.

Did you use any type of meat binder?

Using a meat binder such as Sure Gel or Soy Protein Blend will increase the protein, which helps to bind the fat and meat, increases moisture, and makes a smoother final product with a better texture and mouth feel.

I have just recently started using Sure Gel or Soy Protein and it really makes a big difference. I will not make any type of sausage without a meat binder anymore. I prefer the Sure Gel, but the Soy Protein works too if that is all you have access to.

This may also help with your wet sausage as well. Although I have not had any problems with wet sausage since purchasing my Jerky Dryer.

Since you are making summer sausage, I am assuming that you are using cure product like Sure Cure #1 or Tender Quick? If so, I would strongly recommend hanging your sausages in a cool dry place overnight and then smoke the next day.

I have a few rack systems that I have made for the garages at my house and my parents house where we process a lot of our sausage (pics attached). If you live where it has not started getting cold overnight yet, you can EST in your fridge for several days before smoking. I sometimes let my cured bacon dry for up to 5 days in my fridge uncovered before I cold smoke it.
Gregg - Fargo, ND
Smokin-It #3 (purchased in 2014) that replaced a Masterbuilt XL (ugh) and a 10+ Year-Old Big Chief (still used for fish), and few others over the years, along with variety of Weber Gas/Charcoal Grills, Anova Sous Vide, etc. devices.