A sausage dryer is a machine used to dry sausages and other cured meats. It utilizes the reverse Carnot principle to deliver heat to the drying chamber, heating and drying the ingredients to a standard moisture content. To produce high-quality sausages in a sausage dryer, it's important to dry them in stages, carefully controlling temperature, humidity, and drying time. The preheating stage generally takes 5-6 hours, the shaping stage 15-18 hours, and the intensive drying stage 22-24 hours. Let's learn how a sausage dryer produces high-quality sausages.

1. What is a sausage dryer used for?
A sausage dryer, as the name suggests, is a food machine used to dry sausages. Drying sausages is a crucial step in sausage production. It not only removes moisture from the sausages to achieve the standard moisture content, but also maintains a stable appearance, color, and flavor. It also ensures they don't mold, ferment, or deteriorate within their shelf life.

The sausage dryer operates on the reverse Carnot principle. A refrigerant (mostly a mixed refrigerant) is compressed by a compressor, becoming a high-temperature, high-pressure gas. This gas then flows through a pipe into a heat exchanger (condenser). A fan then transfers the heat generated by the heat exchanger to the drying chamber, heating and drying the cured meat and other ingredients, thereby drying the sausages.

II. How Does a Sausage Dryer Produce High-Quality Sausage?

Traditional sausages are sun-dried or air-dried, resulting in inconsistent quality. However, a sausage dryer can produce consistently high-quality sausages. Here's how to use a sausage dryer:

1. Preheating Stage

This is the first stage of sausage drying. After the bundled sausages are loaded into the heat pump drying chamber, the temperature is rapidly raised to 60-65°C within two hours. Dehumidification is not required. This process primarily promotes fermentation, preventing discoloration or flavor changes. After the preheating period, adjust the temperature to 45-50°C and the humidity to 50-55%. 2. Shaping Stage
This is the second stage of sausage drying, during the color development and shrinkage-setting stages. The temperature is maintained at 52-54°C and the humidity at around 45%. The sausage gradually turns from light red to bright red, and the casing begins to shrink. During this period, it is important to watch for the appearance of a hard shell. Alternating hot and cold temperatures can be used for optimal results.
3. Intensive Drying Stage
During this stage, to accelerate drying speed, the temperature is raised to 60-62°C and the relative humidity is maintained at around 38%. The final drying humidity level for the sausage is kept below 17%.
After these three steps, the sausage is baked to a lustrous, natural red color, with snow-white fat and even stripes. The casing adheres tightly, is compact, and has a flexible bend. The cut surface is smooth, free of cavities, impurities, and has a pleasant texture. The meat is fragrant and fragrant. This not only improves the drying quality of the sausage but also increases production. It also saves time and effort and is unaffected by weather.

3. How many hours does a sausage dryer dry?

The drying time in a sausage dryer must be carefully controlled. It's generally divided into three stages, each with varying durations:
1. The preheating stage: This stage involves constant drying and takes approximately 5-6 hours.
2. The setting stage: This stage involves decelerated drying, during which the sausage undergoes two key phases: color development and shrinkage. These two stages combined take 15-18 hours.
3. The intensive drying stage: This stage primarily involves rapid drying, and the drying time should be controlled within 22-24 hours.