No difference in taste

[Buzzy]

Made a 16# batch of deer bologna. Wanted to try using fermento in 1 stick to make it have the tang of lebanon bologna. I don't notice any difference in taste. What did I do wrong??



Took 3# of mix. Mixed 6 Tbs of fermento in water to make like a paste. Let sit for 20 minutes then mixed with meat. Stuffed then put in 90 degree oven for 18 hrs. Smoked to IT of 152.

[curious aardvark]

I've spotted the deliberate mistake.

Fermento is a lactic acid replacement used for when YOU DO NOT FERMENT THE SAUSAGE BEFORE COOKING.

As you fermented both sausages they will both contain significant amounts of lactic acid.
And hence won't taste much difference :-)

[Richtee]

As you fermented both sausages they will both contain significant amounts of lactic acid.
And hence won't taste much difference :-)

Well..only if he added a starter culture to the other portion...

[Texas-Hunter]

Fermento is a dairy based product (Cultured Whey Protein and Skim Milk) used to produce a tangy taste in semi dry products.. The recommended level to start with is 3% (about 1 oz. per lb. of meat). You may add up to 6% to produce a more tangy taste, but do not exceed 6% or the sausage will become mushy..

Fermento does not require refrigeration and eliminates the time necessary for the fermentation process to take place when using meat starter cultures.. Instead of several days required for starter cultures to start fermenting; you can now stuff your sausage immediately and proceed to smoking...

So with that said maybe you would need to add a bit more to get that twang or try using encapsulated citric acid..


I use powdered buttermilk.... It's WAY cheaper than Fermento..

[IrishChef]

Fermento is a dairy based product (Cultured Whey Protein and Skim Milk) used to produce a tangy taste in semi dry products.. The recommended level to start with is 3% (about 1 oz. per lb. of meat). You may add up to 6% to produce a more tangy taste, but do not exceed 6% or the sausage will become mushy..

Fermento does not require refrigeration and eliminates the time necessary for the fermentation process to take place when using meat starter cultures.. Instead of several days required for starter cultures to start fermenting; you can now stuff your sausage immediately and proceed to smoking...

So with that said maybe you would need to add a bit more to get that twang or try using encapsulated citric acid..


I use powdered buttermilk.... It's WAY cheaper than Fermento..

I used powdered buttermilk on my last batch of SS. It had some tang, but not that good sour flavor you get from a true cultured sausage. If I get real ambitious, next time I might order up some bactoferm or similar, and give it a whirl.

[Buzzy]

OK My container of fermento says starting point of 1 oz./2# which equals to 4 Tbs/2#. Max 1 oz/1#. I used 6 Tbs for 3# & it didn't make any difference. Maybe next time go with max?? Do u use the buttermilk in the same quanity??

[Texas-Hunter]

OK My container of fermento says starting point of 1 oz./2# which equals to 4 Tbs/2#. Max 1 oz/1#. I used 6 Tbs for 3# & it didn't make any difference. Maybe next time go with max?? Do u use the buttermilk in the same quanity??

Yes I do... I do not look for a heavy twang flavor though..

[Mark R]

I've used both Fermento and Bactofirm. The Fermento was a much milder tang. I prefer the bactofirm. Kingudaroad has a pretty good simple method you can use in the kitchen.
http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11852

I've never been able to get the pronounced "tang" with Fermento. I have the buttermilk, just haven't gotten around to trying it yet.
TH is it pretty similar to the result with Fermento?

[Texas-Hunter]

I've used both Fermento and Bactofirm. The Fermento was a much milder tang. I prefer the bactofirm. Kingudaroad has a pretty good simple method you can use in the kitchen.
http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11852

I've never been able to get the pronounced "tang" with Fermento. I have the buttermilk, just haven't gotten around to trying it yet.
TH is it pretty similar to the result with Fermento?

Yes, To me it is. I feel the heavier it is takes away from the other flavors I like..

[Mark R]

Yes, To me it is. I feel the heavier it is takes away from the other flavors I like..

Cool Thanks. I made a batch like yours with the Japs but used Bacto - was real good. The extra tang and the heat...good for me together. Sometimes it's nice to have a milder tang, like you said,

I feel the heavier it is takes away from the other flavors I like

.

[curious aardvark]

Made a 16# batch of deer bologna. Wanted to try using fermento in 1 stick to make it have the tang of lebanon bologna. I don't notice any difference in taste. What did I do wrong??



Took 3# of mix. Mixed 6 Tbs of fermento in water to make like a paste. Let sit for 20 minutes then mixed with meat. Stuffed then put in 90 degree oven for 18 hrs. Smoked to IT of 152.

Well..only if he added a starter culture to the other portion...

nope. The starter culture is just to make sure and also to out compete with any undesirable bacteria - anerobic bacteria are naturally present anyway.
Ferment any sausage and you will get lactic acid - not as pronounced as with a starter culture - but it will pretty much always ferment naturally.

Cure is added to sausage to repress the naturally present bacteria. However the temperature used to ferment sausage is so idea for bacterial growth that even with cure you won't stop their growth.