Process and apparatus for rapid preparation of dry sausage

A process for preparing dry sausage, the process comprising:

• (a) preparing a dry sausage meat mixture;
• (b) stuffing the mixture into a casing or mould;
• (c) fermenting the mixture;
• (d) heat treating the mixture;
• (e) cooling the mixture to a temperature sufficiently low to permit slicing;
• (f) cutting the mixture to form sausage pieces;
• (g) placing the sausage pieces onto a conveyor;
• (h) passing the conveyor with the sausage pieces thereon through a chamber;
• (i) introducing into the chamber a supply of conditioned air having a relative humidity below about 60% and a temperature in the range of at least about 40° F. to 130° F.;
• and
• (j) introducing into the chamber a supply of microwaves;
• (k) wherein the supply of conditioned air and the supply of microwaves are selected to reduce the moisture content of the sausage pieces to a predetermined moisture to protein ratio.