ronnie_suburban

I got myself a sweet stuffer and tried the hot Italian sausage recipe this weekend. My plan was to make links and I got there -- neither gracefully nor entirely I adjusted the recipe in a few ways: included 3 cloves of crushed garlic reduced the the fennel seed to 1 T from 2 T added 2 tsp dried oregano to the fresh called for in the recipe cut back slightly on the fresh basil and oregano due to packaging increments and yield The recipe calls for whole fennel and coriander seeds. The fennel seeds are a critical element even though my primary complaint about most Italian sausage that I don't like is that it contains too much fennel seed. That's why I cut the amount in half here. The coriander seeds -- which are important flavor-wise -- didn't all get suitably crushed in the grinder and the few whole seeds which made it into the finished sausage, I found unpleasant. Next time I'll probably pre-grind them a bit after I toast them. As for the stuffing process, the new equipment, and my first shot at handling casings, let's just say that I know it won't hurt as much the next time. You'll notice a gap in the progression of the pictures in this post. That gap is due to the fact that unless you're a well-seasoned sausage maker -- with your stuffer mounted firmly to your work surface -- stuffing is a 2-person operation. As such, my photographer abandonned her camera and came to my rescue. By the end of the run, I had learned a tremendous amount. There's no substitute for experience or, in this case, knowing what to expect. I made a ton of mistakes and still the finished product is a delight to eat. I look forward to going at it again with the knowledge I picked up this time. The pics are in chronological order, and I'll point out the places where that probably should have been changed . . . 11' of 35-38 mm hog casings soaking in water. Filling the canister of the stuffer with the sausage mixture. I should have done this after I'd attached the horn the canister and pulled all the casing onto the horn. Positioning the canister prematurely. Again, the horn is not yet attached and the casing is not yet pulled onto the horn. Since it was my first time at this, it took quite a bit of time to get the casings threaded. During that time, I did return the canister to the fridge to keep the mixture cold, but it began to stiffen up which, I'm guessing, made turning the crank of the stuffer a bit more difficult. As condensation forms on the canister, I attach the horn to the stuffer. It starts out easy enough . . . . . . after what seems like several hours. Perhaps this would have come more naturally if I'd turned the lights out. Proof that it can be done! I so overhandled the casing getting it onto the horn that after making a few links and encountering several breaches, I decided to finish the run with one long coil. I did produce one length of 3 really nice links (before I encountered a burst) but I gave those babies to some friends before I could manage to point the camera at them. I'll probably twist a few links off the coil as needed. The slightly modified recipe produced a supremely delicious sausage. A friend who is a self-proclaimed sausage hater was snarfing it down merrily. The rest of us couldn't believe she was bogarting our sausage. Luckily, the 5# batch goes a long way. =R=

My experiences have only been with sushi and sashimi but I think Katsu offers both types of progressions. The one place in town which was laying out true kaiseki (and developing quite a following), Matsumoto, seems to be no more. =R=

LOL! I do love it but the only worthy dim sum is about 30 miles from my house. That would be a very difficult strike for me during a smoking session; a "looney run" as one of my friends would call it =R= not ruling it out, inc.

Great job, Nathan. That is a really cool old unit -- and I love the fact that you worked a dim sum run into the process. I suddenly feel completely inadequate =R=

just to clarify, ron, in which regard? sushi/sashimi purist omakases? any idea on price point (no info on the kaze website). u.e. ← Sorry u.e., meant to specify omakase. =R=

Kaze Sushi and Katsu (2649 W Peterson Ave Chicago, 773 784-3383) are both great in this regard too. =R=

. . . was going to ask the same thing. And yes, it looks great, Jack. =R=

I ended up getting the one Melkor has. I liked the fact that all its metal parts are stainless steel. I got it from Sausage Maker Inc. (dot com) and they really came through for me. I ordered it on Wednesday evening and it arrived on Friday afternoon. Sometimes places build in an extra day or 2 of processing time -- even when you request next day shipping. At this place, next day air really means next day. I was also able to order casings, gear lubricant and other supplies, so overall, it was a great place to shop. Anyway, I'm about ready to stuff my inaugural run of spicy Italian sausage links with it. I hope to have a report and some pictures soon. =R=

Thanks, prasantrin, for the heads up on this. I ordered a few packs and I'm really looking forward to their arrival. =R=

Cooking is one the last noble crafts we have in the modern world - to eat a fine meal is one of the most satisfying things I can do. To prepare a fine meal is one of the most gratifying things I can do. Bon Apetit ← "While cooking is a brutal business, in which knives cut, whisks whip, forks prick, mortars mash and stoves burn, still it is our most civilized act." -Betty Fussell, My Kitchen Wars

A favorable review of Cocoliquot by Raphael Kadushin appears today at thedailypage.com: High concept =R=

Agreed. I appreciate all the excellent information. It's really helpful. =R=

Exactly - this one is the one I use. ← Melkor, I was looking at that one earlier today. How does that one mount? Do you have to permanently bolt down the base or can you clamp it to the work surface? =R=

Just to emphasize my ignorance, what do you mean by a piston style? I am thinking that the one my dad had was the same screw conveyor type that was also a grinder. Am I remembering this wrong. (Note to self: must go rummaging in my sister's garage.) ← I imagine he means something like this. Thanks, Melkor, for the input. =R=

I own the Kitchen-Aid unit but I'm concerned that, by virtue of its design, it can produce some heat which, I've read, can lead to "breaking" in emulsified sausages. I'm nowhere near that stage at the moment but I anticipate being there before too long. Since I'm looking to buy just one stuffing machine which I can use universally, I hope someone can weigh in with some K-A alternatives. =R=

Hi, I've done a search through several useful threads about sausage making but I haven't been able to find much information about sausage stuffers. I'd like to purchase one but I'm really not sure what to look for. What makes a good one? What kinds of features/attributes should it have? Is there a particular material or construction method which makes for a superior machine? I'm sure there are dozens of other nuances of which I'm not even remotely aware -- but I'd like to be. Can any of you well-seasoned sausage makers walk me through this? I'd appreciate the benefit of any experience you can share. Thanks, =R=

February 1, 2006... From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section: Gold rush...Bill Daley glides easily from grapes to olives as he explores the booming market for California's latest, pourable cash crop. Lessons from the kitchen...in part 1 of this 3-part special to the Tribune, Nancy McDermott explains why the kitchen is an ideal place to begin the celebration of Black History Month. Wild for Walla Walla...Bill Daley reports on the growing demand for Syrah from Washington state's newest "hot" growing region, the Walla Walla Valley. Brewpubs take the challenge at Chicagoland Shootout...Nicholas Day reports from the recently-completed eighth annual Chicagoland Brewpub and Microbrewery Shootout, where the food was as much in focus as the brew. Fennel...Joe Gray with a useful guide. ===== From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section: Super Bowl substenance...Sandy Thorn Clarke explains why, even with the Bears out of the mix, there are plenty of other (edible) reasons to be happy on Super Bowl Sunday. Goss takes meal east for super charity event...Denise I. O'Neal report on Susan Goss' (West Town Tavern) participation in this weekend's 15th edition of the Taste of the NFL, taking place in Detroit. The event ". . . was established to raise funds for hunger-related charities." Also included is news about upcoming events at Harry Caray's, McCormick & Schmick's, O'Donovan's, Rockit Bar & Grill and 10pin. Luau time...Denise I. O'Neal with more information about upcoming events and offerings -- this time at Roy's, The Fairmont Hotel, Viand, Butter and Garrett Popcorn Shops. Tastings around town...Celeste Busk previews upcoming events at Sam's Wines & Spirits, Perimeter Gallery, Tsuki and The Chopping Block. New kid on the block...Denise I. O'Neal files this "glimpse" review of newly-opened Dine in the west Loop. Beer options for before, during and after...Sandy Thorn Clark lays them out there, as they pertain to the Super Bowl. Score a touchdown with these party primers...Sandy Thorn Clark with some tips for throwing a successful Super Bowl party. ===== From today's Daily Herald - Food section: The versatile avocado...food editor Deborah Pankey reports and files this side bar: Here's the scoop on the avocado. ===== In this week's installment of Chicago Magazine's Dish, Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby (along with Deborah Wilk) chat with Jason Miller who will serve as executive chef at David Burke's Primehouse, set to open in the James Hotel on March 17. ===== =R= <><><><><> Media Digest Notes... Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be edited into each week's post as they become available. Please do not reply on this thread. For discussion of any stories which are linked here, please feel free to start a new thread or contact the forum host or digester who will be happy to do it for you. <><><><><>

Nice work, as usual, Michael. Great interview! Thank you for the link =R=

Since this is my initial foray, I can't speak to the differences. In the book, Michael and Brian allude to the fact that bacon is usually cold smoked first, then hot smoked. In my case, it was really hard to keep the temperature up in the smoker because of the winds on the chosen day. As such, on two occasions I returned the belly to the freezer while I rebuilt my fire. Perhaps this helped to approximate cold smoking, or maybe not. In the end, the belly received a lot of smoke while on its way to 150 F -- more than double the 3 hours which the book estimates will be needed. There was a good deal of time when the temperature in the smoker cabinet was hovering right around 100 F. As for the final product, there is almost no difference -- texture-wise -- between it and the Nueske bacon, which I normally purchase. Flavor and aroma-wise, it's its own deal but certainly within that range which makes it instantly recognizable as bacon. I like the cure a lot (yes, I did use some maple syrup) but I plan to adjust it a bit the next time by adding a tiny bit of garlic and maybe, some cracked black pepper. =R=

Hmm . . . dunno, but I'm pretty sure it means I did something wrong In all seriousness, maybe it comes down to some variable in the cure. I used C&H light brown sugar (because it's all I had on-hand) and Grade A Dark Amber Vermont maple syrup. Perhaps it was the cherry wood. Maybe it's temperature-related. I'm really at a loss. Definitely keeping the skin -- it's wrapped in the fridge -- but not sure what I'm going to do with it. One thing I thought of was making stock from it and then using that stock in a batch of jambalaya -- and then including it if ends up being palatable. It's hanging, rather eerily, in my garage. It's about 50 F in there and about 50% RH. Of course, these attributes are merely recorded and not controlled, so I hope the weather stays fairly even for the next 2 weeks. Here are the pics, up to now . . . The prepared rub. Pork belly completely covered in cure. I dumped the cure into a 2-gallon ziploc and "Shake & Baked" it from there. This is the belly after 10 days of curing. It didn't feel very firm after a week and didn't feel much firmer on Day 10. Almost no residual moisture was present in the bag. Perhaps it was reabsorbed into the cure. The aroma coming off this thing was just intoxicating. Detail shot of the cured belly before rinsing. The flesh of the pancetta seems much darker in color than the flesh of the bacon, after curing. Adding the coarsely ground black pepper to the meat side of the belly. Pressing the pepper into the meat. Tightly rolling the pancetta, lengthwise. Tying up the pancetta. The picture doesn't quite reveal the struggle I had with this step. Completely corralled. It was a close battle . . . but I emerged victorious. Hanging in the garage. FYI, the outlet you see in the background is actually on the ceiling. =R=

I'm happy to report that the bacon I made turned out absolutely delicious. The final stages took a bit longer than I anticipated. Between some trouble with the smoker and relatively high winds, I estimate that it smoked for about 7.5 hours over cherry wood. This may not have been a bad thing since it was exposed to smoke for much longer than if things had gone according to schedule. The finished product is great -- it's intensely salty and sweet but it also really tastes like pig, which I don't normally find to be the case with purchased bacon. Even the edge pieces are tender and perfectly chewy. Here are a few pics of the process . . . Raw bellies, skin-side up. Raw bellies, meat-side up. Bacon cure; a viscous and grainy paste. Shmearing the cure over the belly. Detail of cure on surface of pork belly. Pork belly covered with cure. Pork belly in bag after 2 days of curing. Notice that the paste has changed to liquid. Pork belly on day 8, after the cure has been rinsed off. Detail of cured and rinsed belly. Surface has a sheen which was not present on the raw belly. It's officially bacon now. This is the belly after it was smoked over cherry wood to an internal temperature of 150 degrees F. Detail shot of smoked, cured bacon. Removing the skin from the finished bacon. "Raw" bacon slices. The finished product. Absolutely delicious! =R=

Nice job, bigwino! That really looks sensational. I too, would love to know where you decided to stash the pancetta. I've had some trouble with my smoker today because of the wind here but all is well now and the internal temp is up to about 115 F. I didn't realize I was out of apple wood so I'm using cherry instead. Bottom line is that I've hit this belly with a tremendous amount of cherry smoke while the temperature wasn't exactly climbing in the box (I even threw the belly into the freezer at one point while I built my fire back up). Who knows, maybe that will approximate the cold smoking step to which Michael alludes in the book. Congrats again on your results! =R=

I did not add extra fat and I think the fat content was just right. But, when I ordered the meat, I told my butcher that I was going to make sausage and he probably took that into consideration. Also, when I picked it up I asked him again, just to be sure, if he thought it was fatty enough for sausage or if I should buy some extra fat. He told me thought it was fine -- and it was. But, I could see there being cases, especially when making other types of sausage, where you may want a bit more fat than what the butt alone provides. And if you (pre) order the meat from a butcher you trust, it's probably best to let them know what you're going to do with it, or they may try to be "nice" and give you some leaner stuff. Of course, if you buy the butt unbutchered, you can manipulate the ratios fairly easily, since for a 5-pound recipe, you won't have to use the entire butt and you can customize your meat to fat ratio as you cut it. =R=

While my initial efforts at bacon and pancetta are underway, I decided to try my hand at breakfast sausage. I figured this was a good place to start since I like it a lot, the recipe is easy and I'm used to having it without casings . . . Chunks of pork butt which sat, seasoned, for about 24 hours in fridge. Making the sausage in the world's ugliest kitchen . . . Seasoned meat exiting the grider. 2-bowl set-up -- ice in the outer bowl keeps everything on-course. A closer look at the seasoned ground pork. The "primary bind," obtained after the addition of cold water and approximately 1 minute of mixing. This is a 5+ pound batch, so I decide to roll up some logs for later. Wrapping it semi-tightly and trying my best to shape the mass into an actual log. I give myself a B- for rolling Most of the yield. Each log had a net weight of 1 pound, 3 ounces. Later today I'll take one of them out of the freezer and (as soon as it firms up) and throw it on the smoker. The rest of the yield from batch number 1 . . . Getting there . . . Just about done . . . Finally, it's breakfast time! This was an incredibly simple, fun and delicious recipe. At this point, I think it's safe for me to invest in a stuffer and buy some casings. =R=

Paul, we're in the same boat. Like you, I decided my bacon belly had cured as much as it was going to. So, I removed it from the cure yesterday afternoon and let it dry in the fridge overnight. I'm happy to report that when I took it out this morning, after about 20 hours in the fridge, the belly had firmed up noticeably. It's on the smoker now, over some cherry wood, and I hope to have some results soon. As for the pancetta, since no smoking is involved, I'm going to let it go a bit longer in its cure. My plan now is to rinse and dry it tonight, tie it up tomorrow after work and hang it in my garage after that. =R=