The sausage is made with fine ingredients and processed through a series of techniques including chopping, tumbling and smoking with fruit wood. It has a unique smoked flavor, a pure taste, a strong garlic aroma, a bright color, a fresh and fragrant taste when eaten, a smooth texture, and a special flavor from the spices. The sausage is mainly made by stuffing the meat into natural pork casings and can be eaten directly or sliced.
The sausage is widely accepted by consumers in northern regions and is a great choice for meals, banquets, travel and gifts. Most meat product manufacturers take the sausage as their main product. The author has combined his research with the production situation of the manufacturers and applied the technology of combining chopping and tumbling in the sausage processing, which has increased the product yield, improved the taste and texture, and brought benefits to the enterprises. Now, the sausage processing technology is introduced for the reference and promotion of interested enterprises.
1. Processing equipment
Meat grinder, chopper, vacuum tumbler, vacuum stuffing machine, smoking oven, cooking oven, vacuum packaging machine, etc.
2. Product process flow
Raw meat thawing (fresh meat) - selection - curing, chopping - seasoning - vacuum tumbling - vacuum knotting and stuffing - skewering and hanging - baking - cooking - smoking - cooling - vacuum packaging - secondary sterilization - quality inspection and packaging - hygiene inspection and storage.
3. Ingredients
Lean pork, chicken, starch, salt, sugar, phosphate, plant protein, monosodium glutamate, sodium nitrite, red rice pigment, etc.
(1) Raw material formula
Accurately weigh the required raw materials and auxiliary materials according to the formula.
Raw meat: 80kg of No. 2 and No. 4 pork, 10kg of fat, 10kg of chicken skin, total 100kg.
Auxiliary materials: 2.7kg of salt, 10g of sodium nitrite, 0.6kg of compound phosphate, 0.014kg of red rice pigment (color value 100), 0.3kg of carrageenan, 2kg of white sugar, 0.6kg of monosodium glutamate, 0.1kg of sodium ascorbate, 0.4kg of preservatives, 2.6kg of sodium lactate, 0.25kg of pepper, 0.12kg of nutmeg powder, 0.3kg of pork flavor powder, 15g of smoke liquid, 5kg of fresh garlic paste, 1kg of isolated protein, 8kg of corn starch, 2kg of potato starch, 40kg of ice water.
(2) Brine preparation
Accurately weigh the water and ice for the brine. Put the water into the brine bucket, first add the compound phosphate and stir for 5-10 minutes until fully dissolved. Then add the salt, sugar, monosodium glutamate, spices, seasonings, pigments and other auxiliary materials in sequence, and add an appropriate amount of ice water. Stir thoroughly to make a uniform brine. After the brine is prepared, the temperature of the brine should be controlled below 2℃ by adding ice. Corn starch and potato starch are added during chopping.
4. Key points of sausage processing technology
(1) Selection of raw meat
Choose fresh (frozen) pork leg and shoulder meat (chicken) from non-epidemic areas that have passed veterinary inspection. The meat should be free of pollution and impurities. Fresh meat should be pre-cooled and aged, and frozen meat should be well frozen. Since the fat content of lean pork is low, adding an appropriate amount of fat pork or chicken skin with a higher fat content can improve the taste, aroma and tenderness of the product.
(2) Raw material processing and grinding
Select qualified No. 2 and No. 4 pork, trim, remove tendons and fat, and use a meat grinder to chop the lean pork or chicken into 4cm-sized meat pieces. Use a meat grinder to chop the fat pork or chicken skin into 0.6-0.8cm-sized particles.
(3) Chopping
Pour the chopped meat into the chopper for coarse chopping. In the sausage processing, the chopping by the chopper can achieve the following effects: activation of meat protein; increase the water-holding capacity and yield of the meat paste, reduce greasiness and improve tenderness; improve the structure of the meat, fully mix the lean meat and fat meat, and make them firmly combined; improve the elasticity of the product, and prevent oil from coming out during baking; break the connective tissue film, make the protein molecules in the muscle expand, and increase the adhesion and water-holding capacity of the raw meat paste; fully mix with the auxiliary materials and season. The temperature of the meat will rise rapidly during the chopping process, so there is a limit to dry chopping. Only frozen meat can be chopped before adding water. For sausages, excessive chopping should be avoided. The size of the meat particles should be kept at 1 cm, and the total chopping time should be controlled within 10 minutes.
The processing of this type of sausage involves chopping all raw and auxiliary materials in the chopping machine and then transferring them to the tumbling machine for further processing. Usually, after the chopping is completed, it can be directly sent to the filling process.
(4) Vacuum Tumbling
The chopped filling is placed in the tumbling barrel and tumbled again. The re-tumbling and curing of meat products after chopping in the food processing is a continuation of the curing and color development after chopping. It saves processing time compared to static curing. At the same time, through the vacuum environment and the tumbling technology of beating, it has the following characteristics: The tumbling and curing environment is in a vacuum state, which inhibits the growth and reproduction of microorganisms and reduces the factors of food oxidation or spoilage, but it must be ensured to be at a low temperature. Tumbling the product in a vacuum state will cause the physical volume of the product to expand and become soft, making the texture and taste of the final product better. Tumbling the product in a vacuum state reduces heat generation during friction and beating. The physical structure of the product becomes loose in a vacuum state, which is conducive to the absorption of auxiliary materials, thereby improving the water retention of the product, maintaining the tenderness of the meat, and also increasing the yield. Since the meat filling has already been chopped in the process, the tumbling time should not exceed 1 hour.
(5) Filling
The sausage uses 8 standard natural pork casings. The filling length is about 28 cm, and the weight of each piece is 310 g. The standard weight is 310 g (wet weight). The size of the natural casing filled with the same weight of sausage is related to the filling quality. It is better to use an automatic vacuum filling machine with a twisting function for filling, or it can be done manually.
(6) Hanging
The rods should be evenly and firmly threaded. When hanging the sausages, they should be evenly distributed and not pressed against each other, maintaining a certain distance to ensure good drying and ventilation, preventing the sausages from turning white due to contact.
(7) Baking, Boiling, and Smoking
The baking temperature is 65-70°C, and the time is 90 minutes. Bake until the surface is dry and the color is rosy. The rods should be turned upside down every 30 minutes.
The boiling temperature is 82-83°C, and the time is 90 minutes. The center temperature should reach above 75°C.
After the product comes out of the boiling pot, it is first baked at 60-65°C for about 45 minutes until the surface is dry and the color is rosy. At this time, the charcoal fire is a residual fire. Sprinkle wood powder and bake in a closed environment for more than 120 minutes. During this period, turn the rods two to three times. After coming out of the oven, cool it to room temperature in a well-ventilated area.
(8) Pre-cooling (Cooling)
When the product temperature approaches room temperature, it should be immediately sent to the pre-cooling room for pre-cooling. The pre-cooling temperature should be 0-4°C, and the center temperature of the sausage should be cooled to below 10°C. The air in the pre-cooling room should be forcibly cooled by a clean air machine.
(9) Vacuum Packaging
Use composite vacuum packaging bags. Each sausage is placed in a vacuum bag, with a vacuum degree of -0.08 MPa or lower, and a vacuum time of more than 20 seconds. The seal should be flat and firm.
(10) Secondary Sterilization
The vacuum-packed sausages are sent to the sterilization pot for sterilization at 92-95°C for 45 minutes. After sterilization, they are pre-cooled in flowing water until the center temperature of the sausage drops rapidly to below 30°C and then sent to the pre-cooling room for pre-cooling. The pre-cooling temperature should be 0-4°C, and the center temperature of the sausage should be cooled to below 10°C.
(11) Inspection and Packaging
The weight, shape, color, and taste of the sausages are inspected. After passing the inspection, the qualified products are packed in boxes.
(12) Hygiene Inspection and Refrigeration
The sensory, physical and chemical, and microbial indicators are inspected. If they pass, the products are stored in a cold storage at 0-4°C. Under the condition of 0-4°C, the storage period is about 3 months.
5. Conclusion
(1) Due to the traditional production process, the yield of this product is relatively low. However, the combination of chopping and tumbling processes has significantly increased the yield.
(2) The combined use of these two processes makes the product structure more compact, enhances its elasticity, makes it easier to slice, and improves its taste.
(3) This product is required to have a brownish-red appearance. Thanks to the combined use of the two processes, the structure of the meat particles is less likely to be damaged, and the product is easy to color during baking and smoking.
(4) The shelf life of this product is extended. When sold exposed, the product tastes even better.
The sausage is widely accepted by consumers in northern regions and is a great choice for meals, banquets, travel and gifts. Most meat product manufacturers take the sausage as their main product. The author has combined his research with the production situation of the manufacturers and applied the technology of combining chopping and tumbling in the sausage processing, which has increased the product yield, improved the taste and texture, and brought benefits to the enterprises. Now, the sausage processing technology is introduced for the reference and promotion of interested enterprises.
1. Processing equipment
Meat grinder, chopper, vacuum tumbler, vacuum stuffing machine, smoking oven, cooking oven, vacuum packaging machine, etc.
2. Product process flow
Raw meat thawing (fresh meat) - selection - curing, chopping - seasoning - vacuum tumbling - vacuum knotting and stuffing - skewering and hanging - baking - cooking - smoking - cooling - vacuum packaging - secondary sterilization - quality inspection and packaging - hygiene inspection and storage.
3. Ingredients
Lean pork, chicken, starch, salt, sugar, phosphate, plant protein, monosodium glutamate, sodium nitrite, red rice pigment, etc.
(1) Raw material formula
Accurately weigh the required raw materials and auxiliary materials according to the formula.
Raw meat: 80kg of No. 2 and No. 4 pork, 10kg of fat, 10kg of chicken skin, total 100kg.
Auxiliary materials: 2.7kg of salt, 10g of sodium nitrite, 0.6kg of compound phosphate, 0.014kg of red rice pigment (color value 100), 0.3kg of carrageenan, 2kg of white sugar, 0.6kg of monosodium glutamate, 0.1kg of sodium ascorbate, 0.4kg of preservatives, 2.6kg of sodium lactate, 0.25kg of pepper, 0.12kg of nutmeg powder, 0.3kg of pork flavor powder, 15g of smoke liquid, 5kg of fresh garlic paste, 1kg of isolated protein, 8kg of corn starch, 2kg of potato starch, 40kg of ice water.
(2) Brine preparation
Accurately weigh the water and ice for the brine. Put the water into the brine bucket, first add the compound phosphate and stir for 5-10 minutes until fully dissolved. Then add the salt, sugar, monosodium glutamate, spices, seasonings, pigments and other auxiliary materials in sequence, and add an appropriate amount of ice water. Stir thoroughly to make a uniform brine. After the brine is prepared, the temperature of the brine should be controlled below 2℃ by adding ice. Corn starch and potato starch are added during chopping.
4. Key points of sausage processing technology
(1) Selection of raw meat
Choose fresh (frozen) pork leg and shoulder meat (chicken) from non-epidemic areas that have passed veterinary inspection. The meat should be free of pollution and impurities. Fresh meat should be pre-cooled and aged, and frozen meat should be well frozen. Since the fat content of lean pork is low, adding an appropriate amount of fat pork or chicken skin with a higher fat content can improve the taste, aroma and tenderness of the product.
(2) Raw material processing and grinding
Select qualified No. 2 and No. 4 pork, trim, remove tendons and fat, and use a meat grinder to chop the lean pork or chicken into 4cm-sized meat pieces. Use a meat grinder to chop the fat pork or chicken skin into 0.6-0.8cm-sized particles.
(3) Chopping
Pour the chopped meat into the chopper for coarse chopping. In the sausage processing, the chopping by the chopper can achieve the following effects: activation of meat protein; increase the water-holding capacity and yield of the meat paste, reduce greasiness and improve tenderness; improve the structure of the meat, fully mix the lean meat and fat meat, and make them firmly combined; improve the elasticity of the product, and prevent oil from coming out during baking; break the connective tissue film, make the protein molecules in the muscle expand, and increase the adhesion and water-holding capacity of the raw meat paste; fully mix with the auxiliary materials and season. The temperature of the meat will rise rapidly during the chopping process, so there is a limit to dry chopping. Only frozen meat can be chopped before adding water. For sausages, excessive chopping should be avoided. The size of the meat particles should be kept at 1 cm, and the total chopping time should be controlled within 10 minutes.
The processing of this type of sausage involves chopping all raw and auxiliary materials in the chopping machine and then transferring them to the tumbling machine for further processing. Usually, after the chopping is completed, it can be directly sent to the filling process.
(4) Vacuum Tumbling
The chopped filling is placed in the tumbling barrel and tumbled again. The re-tumbling and curing of meat products after chopping in the food processing is a continuation of the curing and color development after chopping. It saves processing time compared to static curing. At the same time, through the vacuum environment and the tumbling technology of beating, it has the following characteristics: The tumbling and curing environment is in a vacuum state, which inhibits the growth and reproduction of microorganisms and reduces the factors of food oxidation or spoilage, but it must be ensured to be at a low temperature. Tumbling the product in a vacuum state will cause the physical volume of the product to expand and become soft, making the texture and taste of the final product better. Tumbling the product in a vacuum state reduces heat generation during friction and beating. The physical structure of the product becomes loose in a vacuum state, which is conducive to the absorption of auxiliary materials, thereby improving the water retention of the product, maintaining the tenderness of the meat, and also increasing the yield. Since the meat filling has already been chopped in the process, the tumbling time should not exceed 1 hour.
(5) Filling
The sausage uses 8 standard natural pork casings. The filling length is about 28 cm, and the weight of each piece is 310 g. The standard weight is 310 g (wet weight). The size of the natural casing filled with the same weight of sausage is related to the filling quality. It is better to use an automatic vacuum filling machine with a twisting function for filling, or it can be done manually.
(6) Hanging
The rods should be evenly and firmly threaded. When hanging the sausages, they should be evenly distributed and not pressed against each other, maintaining a certain distance to ensure good drying and ventilation, preventing the sausages from turning white due to contact.
(7) Baking, Boiling, and Smoking
The baking temperature is 65-70°C, and the time is 90 minutes. Bake until the surface is dry and the color is rosy. The rods should be turned upside down every 30 minutes.
The boiling temperature is 82-83°C, and the time is 90 minutes. The center temperature should reach above 75°C.
After the product comes out of the boiling pot, it is first baked at 60-65°C for about 45 minutes until the surface is dry and the color is rosy. At this time, the charcoal fire is a residual fire. Sprinkle wood powder and bake in a closed environment for more than 120 minutes. During this period, turn the rods two to three times. After coming out of the oven, cool it to room temperature in a well-ventilated area.
(8) Pre-cooling (Cooling)
When the product temperature approaches room temperature, it should be immediately sent to the pre-cooling room for pre-cooling. The pre-cooling temperature should be 0-4°C, and the center temperature of the sausage should be cooled to below 10°C. The air in the pre-cooling room should be forcibly cooled by a clean air machine.
(9) Vacuum Packaging
Use composite vacuum packaging bags. Each sausage is placed in a vacuum bag, with a vacuum degree of -0.08 MPa or lower, and a vacuum time of more than 20 seconds. The seal should be flat and firm.
(10) Secondary Sterilization
The vacuum-packed sausages are sent to the sterilization pot for sterilization at 92-95°C for 45 minutes. After sterilization, they are pre-cooled in flowing water until the center temperature of the sausage drops rapidly to below 30°C and then sent to the pre-cooling room for pre-cooling. The pre-cooling temperature should be 0-4°C, and the center temperature of the sausage should be cooled to below 10°C.
(11) Inspection and Packaging
The weight, shape, color, and taste of the sausages are inspected. After passing the inspection, the qualified products are packed in boxes.
(12) Hygiene Inspection and Refrigeration
The sensory, physical and chemical, and microbial indicators are inspected. If they pass, the products are stored in a cold storage at 0-4°C. Under the condition of 0-4°C, the storage period is about 3 months.
5. Conclusion
(1) Due to the traditional production process, the yield of this product is relatively low. However, the combination of chopping and tumbling processes has significantly increased the yield.
(2) The combined use of these two processes makes the product structure more compact, enhances its elasticity, makes it easier to slice, and improves its taste.
(3) This product is required to have a brownish-red appearance. Thanks to the combined use of the two processes, the structure of the meat particles is less likely to be damaged, and the product is easy to color during baking and smoking.
(4) The shelf life of this product is extended. When sold exposed, the product tastes even better.
