How to choose a good meat for your sausage?

To produce a good sausage, such as salami, copa, sausages, hams, etc., we must choose good meat, which will be responsible for around 80% of the success and quality of the final product.

We must give preference to fresh meat more than 72 hours after slaughter, without any increase in temperature in the animals or bruising, with the meat always refrigerated. All meat must be in good microbiological condition, since, although we can use preservatives, these only work well if the initial contamination is within the appropriate conditions.

This way, if the entire process and storage of the meat is in order, there will be a correct decrease in pH, which will remain uniform between 5.3 and 6.2, which is obtained during the 72 hours the meat rests.

Defects in meat

• Low pH: there is a tendency for poor consistency and color in meats with pH > 5.8;
• Oxidation (rancidity): meat or fats stored for a long time or exposed to light;
• Soft consistency when cut: meat with damaged connective tissue due to, for example, inadequate freezing;
• Fat separation: use of soft adipose material (fat) and due to inadequate thawing.

Temperature and freezing of meat

When using frozen meats, we should preferably use those that have been frozen at -40°C and kept at -20°C. When using frozen meat, the ideal is to cut it without the meat having been defrosted, that is, the ideal is to process the meat while it is still frozen.

When adding seasonings and additives, depending on the product, it is not recommended to mix frozen meat with fresh meat. The absorption of ingredients in fresh meat is much faster than in frozen meat, consequently absorbing a greater amount of ingredients and colorings, resulting in a product that is not uniform and has a short shelf life, as frozen meat would contain much less preservatives compared to meat. fresh.

Fats such as bacon, pork jowl or loin bacon must be at temperatures between -2°C and 0°C, with a pH of 5.3 to 5.9, without soft fats, which will easily melt, causing defects in our product .