# Making sausages and bologna



## NEfarmgirl (Jan 27, 2009)

We just had a cow go to freezer camp and I am in the process of making pepperoni, summer sausage and bologna from it. I am wondering if it would be shelf stable for a while or must it remained refrigerated the whole time? Usually when I make it I keep it in the fridge or freezer and it gets eaten right away, but hubby wants to send some sausage to his family and that means it being mailed. I don't think it would be safe to eat, but all the recipes I use does not say how to store it.

Thanks!


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## Ray (Dec 5, 2002)

Hi, I beLieve I'd send it in a styrofoam shipping container packed with some dry ice, rather than take any chances as family are irreplaceable. Then have them refrigerate it also, good luck, ray


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## arrocks (Oct 26, 2011)

How to store? Freeze it, smoke it, or some recipes may be canned.


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## MichaelK! (Oct 22, 2010)

Hi NEFG
Whether or not the sausage is shelf-stable at room temperature will depend on the type of preservatives you add to it, either salt, Prague powder #1 or Prague powder #2. Summer sausages are usually made with PP #1 (salt+ sodium nitrite) but must be smoked to be shelf stable. Dry cured pepperoni needs to be made with PP #2 (salt + Sodium nitrite + Sodium nitrate).

You can only store sausages kept at room temp if made with PP #2. Recipes call for hanging the sausage at room temp for 2 days at relatively high humidity, then slow drying for another 20+ days at 39-40F. Any sausage made only with salt (Sodium chloride) MUST be kept refrigerated.

Good luck!


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

I don't have any answers, but just wanted to say I'd love to have some recipes, if you don't mind sharing! I've been wanting to branch out into this area, but would like to have some tried and true recipes, not just something random off the internet.

If they're a family recipe or you just don't like to share, that's okay, but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask, lol. Pretty please?


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## mousebandit (Feb 14, 2007)

Oh, yes, ditto what Callie said!! With sugar on top!


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

michaelk! said:


> hi nefg
> whether or not the sausage is shelf-stable at room temperature will depend on the type of preservatives you add to it, either salt, prague powder #1 or prague powder #2. Summer sausages are usually made with pp #1 (salt+ sodium nitrite) but must be smoked to be shelf stable. Dry cured pepperoni needs to be made with pp #2 (salt + sodium nitrite + sodium nitrate).
> 
> You can only store sausages kept at room temp if made with pp #2. Recipes call for hanging the sausage at room temp for 2 days at relatively high humidity, then slow drying for another 20+ days at 39-40f. Any sausage made only with salt (sodium chloride) must be kept refrigerated.
> ...


this!


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## NEfarmgirl (Jan 27, 2009)

Thanks for the responses. I will not try to send the meat and just keep it to give to close friends instead. I figured it had to stay cold which makes sense, but was crossing my fingers there was a chance I could send it and have them refrigerate it once it got there. I am very new at this so it has been an experiment of sorts and so far we like what I have been making. My mom in law was interested too so I gave her the recipes and she was excited--she will make her own now! Here are some sites with recipes I have used; I do tweak the seasonings for our tastes and the easiest way is let the meat rest, then cook a small patty of it. Taste it and either stuff the casings or add more seasonings if needed.



http://thespicysausage.com/sausagemakingrecipes.htm


You can divide the recipes to make smaller amounts
http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/foods/he176w.htm

This is the recipe I use for pepperoni
http://tammysrecipes.com/tammys_spicy_pepperoni

Here is the recipe for lunchmeat. It is like cotto salami and my hubby loves it. I am in the process of making cotton sleeves to put the meat in so it will be more like a casing. I tried rolling it and wrapping it in aluminum foil but it turned out more square shaped. oh well.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/real-homemade-bologna/Detail.aspx


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

Thank you for coming back and filling us in!  It's so nice to use recipes that you know someone liked rather than just taking a stab in the dark, lol. That pepperoni looks pretty good, and I saved all your links for later.

What a good idea for the casings, I never even though of that, doh! :bash: I have a whole bolt of muslin I bought for quilting, and according to this site, that's a good alternative to natural casings and should be way cheaper and easier to get, yay! 

http://www.oscarenterprises.f2s.com/sausage_makeing.html

I like the looks of this recipe for ring bologna (love it when they include pictures, lol), think I might try this soon.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/104243/pa-amish-ring-bologna


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/lit_rev/cure_smoke_pres.html



> *Nitrate*. Use cure mixtures that contain nitrate (e.g., Prague Powder 2, Insta-Cure 2) for *dry-cured products that are not to be cooked, smoked, or refrigerated* (PHS/FDA 2001). Dry cure using 3.5 oz. nitrate per 100 lbs. meat maximum or wet cure at a maximum of 700 ppm nitrates (9 CFR Cpt 3. 318.7(c)(4), 381.147(d)(4)).
> 
> *Nitrite*. Use cure mixtures that contain nitrite (e.g., Prague Powder 1, Insta-Cure 1) for all meats that require *cooking, smoking, or canning* (PHS/FDA 2001). Dry cure using 1 oz. nitrite per 100 lbs. meat maximum. For sausages use Â¼ oz. per 100 lbs. (Reynolds and Schuler 1982). A 120 ppm concentration is usually sufficient and is the maximum allowed in bacon (PHS/FDA 2001).


I had some success with adding PP2 (per package instructions) to this Chorizo Recipe, then smoking it and drying it (instead of cooking it). I leave it hanging in my pantry in a cotton bag and cut off a chunk when I need it much like Italian Salame.

Now, for your bologna... if you do want to send it, freeze it first, pack it in styrofoam with a few cold packs (blue ice blocks work fine). Dry ice isn't really necessary unless you're extremely concerned that it will take more than a week to reach it's destination. But if you send it overnight or 2-day regular cold packs will keep frozen food frozen, and refrigerator cool for a week or so after that just in case. It will probably still be frozen when it gets there unless it's the dead of summer in the desert and is left on the doorstep in the full sun. 

We're in the bush and get frozen goods delivered to us this way all the time (sometimes not even in the styrofoam), despite having absolutely no delivery time guarantees (sometimes a week or more). The only thawing mishap we ever had was with an improperly packed and labeled box that sat for 4 days in the post office... the steak was still cold(ish), but I didn't trust it so the pooch got a special treat for dinner.

I use these insulated shippers and cold packs to send moose, bear and caribou meat and sausages to my folks in the Lower 48 and we haven't had any problems. (ETA: And then they re-use them to send us stuff they DON'T want to freeze on the mail plane in the winter LOL).


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