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salt in fresh sausage

PostPosted: Sat May 17, 2014 10:20 pm
by senorkevin
I can use normal salt in fresh sausage of does it HAVE TO BE a kosher type salt?

Re: salt in fresh sausage

PostPosted: Sat May 17, 2014 11:30 pm
by RodinBangkok
Any salt you want will do fine, be careful of using volume type measurements with different grain sizes. Best to measure by weight and go easy at first if using table salt. We use only sea salt, but that's because we have a cheap local source, and have adjusted our formulas for it, and it does make a difference in salt flavor, seems to us that sea salt has a less distinct more rounded taste, if that makes any sense. The couple times I've made small batches of fresh using table salt when not at home there was a definite different in salt taste intensity, even with the same weights used.

Re: salt in fresh sausage

PostPosted: Sat May 17, 2014 11:32 pm
by senorkevin
I thought I had to use a salt without iodine, or that that only when curing?
I have a salt that contains:
sodium
potassium
potassium iodate
Can I use this or sea salt?
If I do use this salt what would be the consequence?

Re: salt in fresh sausage

PostPosted: Sat May 17, 2014 11:43 pm
by wheels
RodinBangkok's answered your question, but the simple answer is, NO.

Many of us, like Rod, like to use quality ingredients, but we've also had members where cost was the major consideration.

Either way, the advice about using weight rather than volume is excellent.

Phil

Re: salt in fresh sausage

PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 12:51 am
by senorkevin
It's just it is hard to find kosher salt or purified salt here. The best I can do is sea salt.
I have been readings loads to recipes that call for kosher salt and even more so when curing and with brine solutions. I want to give it a go of ham in brine but Im scared because of the salt

Re: salt in fresh sausage

PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 3:23 am
by Thewitt
Finding an inexpensive source of pure salt is really something you should pursue.

One problem with table salt is it often includes anti clumping agents to keep it free flowing in the salt shaker. These inhibit salt's ability to bind moisture, which is important even for fresh sausage.

Re: salt in fresh sausage

PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 4:11 am
by senorkevin
Im going to see a man about a dog on monday!
On monday im going to a company that say they have everything I need so lets wait and see

Re: salt in fresh sausage

PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 5:43 am
by badjak
All the salt I can get is iodized, without exception.
Even the butcher supply stores etc are not carrying non-iodized salt.
Apparently non-iodized salt is not allowed to be imported into the country. As a consequence I have no choice but to work with the iodized stuff and can tell you that you can brine with it, make pickles, sausages etc., so don't worry too much.
I would love to make 2 batches to see if there is a difference, but that ain't possible.

And as the others said: please weigh your salt, don't go by volume!

Re: salt in fresh sausage

PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 5:52 am
by senorkevin
I always weight it. Thanks for the info

Re: salt in fresh sausage

PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 11:37 pm
by vagreys
I avoid iodized salt because I can smell the iodine in food, and in sausagemaking because the iodine interacts with the meat and causes dark spots (rather like it blackens liver). I find this to be more of a problem with darker red meats than with pork, myself. I use sea salt on occasion and do not find the sea salt I have used to contain noticeable quantities of iodine, and it has worked quite well for fresh sausages. Generally, though, I do use kosher salt as my standard.

Re: salt in fresh sausage

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 12:35 am
by senorkevin
In your opinion, what is a acceptable percentage of iodine?

Re: salt in fresh sausage

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 12:36 am
by senorkevin
I remember the smell of iodine from making salt in my chemistry class at school and that was 20 years ago!

Re: salt in fresh sausage

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 5:42 pm
by vagreys
senorkevin wrote:In your opinion, what is a acceptable percentage of iodine?

I have no idea. I just don't like putting it in sausage.

Re: salt in fresh sausage

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 5:56 pm
by senorkevin
Hopefully, I will get some good salt today from a supplier. I think 10kg is the minimum order :(

Re: salt in fresh sausage

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 9:02 pm
by Tasso
I buy salt in 25 pound bags. It's very inexpensive in bulk, and it keeps forever. It'll absorb moisture and clump up in a damp environment though. I keep mine in a sealed food-safe 5 gallon bucket, with a few desiccant packets thrown in to absorb any residual moisture in the air.