My Saucisson sec - no starter culture used - are they ready?

[manfran]

Hey all,

I followed Ruhlman's recipe for the simple french salami 'Saucisson Sec'. The recipe required Cure 2, but no lactic acid fermentation starter.
The recipe also stated that they should be ready after about 18 days.

Now, I have been following these sausages pretty carefully. When I weighed them 3 days ago (10 days after they started to hang), we were at 40% weight loss. However I was hesitant about trying them, a) because it hadn't done the 18 days, b) because, although they were fairly dense, there was a slight squidgy give to them.

I went back to weigh them today and we are at something like 44% overall weight loss. They feel a bit firmer now too.

So, what should I do??? What do I have to worry about? Presumably the big worry is botulism, but the curing salts would have taken care of that, right? No fermentation starter means higher risk of other bugs...? Are there any tests I should do/things to look out for?
Should I forget about the prescribed drying times and chop one open, give it a try?

Thanks in advance!

[NCPaul]

They aren't going to eat themselves.

[grisell]

Just to clear out any misunderstandings: It's not the microorganisms themselves that are the major concern, but the toxins they form when they grow and multiply. Toxins are chemical compounds (one can see them as the organisms' garbage) and as such will remain in the substrate long after the bacteria themselves are dead. The amount of toxin in the ready product is therefore totally dependent on how much toxin was produced during the lifespan of the bacteria and has nothing to do with what level of weight loss or maturity the product is at. That's why it's momentous to produce a fast drop in pH and water activity in order to prevent the bacteria from growing.

The issue here is staphylococcus and botulinum infection. Both toxins are dangerous, and poisoning normally requires hospitalisation. Botulinum (the more severe of the two) is prevented by nitrite, but I'm a little more concerned about staphylococcus since manfran didn't use a lactic acid starter and his salami was cured at an elevated temperature.

Personally, I would throw them away without even tasting because of possible staphylococcus toxin. I don't think it's worth the risk.

Before he does anything hasty, it would be nice to hear someone else's opinion.

[BriCan]

Botulinum (the more severe of the two) is prevented by nitrite, but I'm a little more concerned about staphylococcus since manfran didn't use a lactic acid starter and his salami was cured at an elevated temperature.

I do not see any mention in the above of elevated temperature

Personally, I would throw them away without even tasting because of possible staphylococcus toxin. I don't think it's worth the risk.

Before he does anything hasty, it would be nice to hear someone else's opinion.

I myself have never used any type of fermentation starter (except for alcohol) having been taught how to process safely without ---- and yes my products are randomly checked by the health department

As Wheels has pointed out before what I do is a lot different than home (hobbyist) makers if you feel safer using them by all means do ----- and yes I would feel safe eating them.

[grisell]

Botulinum (the more severe of the two) is prevented by nitrite, but I'm a little more concerned about staphylococcus since manfran didn't use a lactic acid starter and his salami was cured at an elevated temperature.

I do not see any mention in the above of elevated temperature
[---]

That's right. The original thread is here http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopi ... highlight=

[NCPaul]

Two other factors weigh against the sausage, the recipe only calls for 2 % salt and their rapid drying has probably case hardened them. Maybe it's better to be safe than sorry.

[grisell]

A third factor is that he didn't provide the proper time and environment for rapid fermentation (too cold and dry).

[---]
Maybe it's better to be safe than sorry.

He would be both safe and sorry! Also, as BriCan pointed out: "I myself have never used any type of fermentation starter (except for alcohol) having been taught how to process safely without ..." This is important. BriCan has decades of experience and does this all the time. It's like when you see those guys jumping off the cliff in Acapulco: They've jumped from cliffs since they were toddlers. It's not a good idea to try it yourself without training...

I'm not intimating that manfran is incautious, but this is his first dry-cured sausage and I'd hate to hear that he got sick from it - that could mean a quick end to a wonderful hobby.

Now, it's just to admit that failures are successes as long as you learn something on the way. Time to start a new batch IMO. That mould looked great anyway!

[manfran]

hey fellas,
So...I went ahead with it and ate one. Call me reckless by all means, but I took it step by step, and had been as careful as possible with my precautions.

So the temp in my cellar had been constant between 15.5 C and 17.2 C. Humidity between 75 and 84....but mainly on the lower end of both those scales.

Although I had expected longer, the sausages arrived at 35% weight loss around 9 or 10 days in to the drying.

I had used all available methods of hygiene (bleaching utensils, keep all material as cold as possible, wearing gloves), and not least, using expensive quality pork from my butcher.

My major concern, as Andre points out, was that I hadn't used a pH lowering agent. But hey...lifes full of risks, and I've learned my lesson for next time.

Here's a picture of my final Saucisson Sec,


What can I say...it was delicious. More than 24 hours later, my parents and my girlfriend are all still alive and kicking, so I guess this time we were fine. In the future I will always use a lactic acid starter. Its easy enough, and just not worth the worry that comes with not using one.

ps. sorry for not being able to take decent photos.

[grisell]

That looks great! Congratulations to the success!

[manfran]

That looks great! Congratulations to the success!

Thank you. And thanks for your advice along the way. I now have some starter cultures in my freezer (both, FLC and TSPX), and I hope that probably in a week or two's time, I will start some Northern Italian Salami, and also some Spanish Chorizo at the same time. Cure2 and Starter culture included!!! The temperature in the SE of England has to drop at some point soon, yesterday I went out without a coat...lovely and warm. A 5-10 degree drop outside should give me the 1-2 degree drop in my cellar that I am after!


Would love to move onto a more substantial sized salami at some point...using ox runners, but I'm in no rush! Maybe in the new year.

[grisell]

You're welcome. I hope you understand that I just wanted to be on the safe side and give rigorous advice since you are a novice. It's probably fine in 99% of the cases, it's the 1% that worries me and I'd hate to hear that gastrointestinal disease would become your first experience of dry sausages...

Good luck with the next batch! Looking forward to reading about it.

[Yannis]

Welldone Francis. they look delicious !!!!

I chose this recipe for my first salami and I hope that in a few days it will be successful too.

[Massimo Maddaloni]

Starters are like car insurance. 99.999% of the time they are a waste of money and yet ...
Regards
Massimo Maddaloni