Really Good Chicken Sausage?

[Emily_R]

Hi all --

Just wondering if anyone a) thinks it is possible to make a really good chicken (or turkey, I suppose) sausage and b) if so, if you have a recipe you'd share. I typically have shied away from poultry sausage, figuring it just couldn't be as good as luscious fatty pork... But then I figured, I'd actually wind up eating sausage more often if there was a tasty version that wasn't made with luscious fatty pork...

Thanks in advance!

Emily

[Magictofu]

Hi all --

Just wondering if anyone a) thinks it is possible to make a really good chicken (or turkey, I suppose) sausage and b) if so, if you have a recipe you'd share. I typically have shied away from poultry sausage, figuring it just couldn't be as good as luscious fatty pork... But then I figured, I'd actually wind up eating sausage more often if there was a tasty version that wasn't made with luscious fatty pork...

Thanks in advance!

Emily

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Most sausages are great because of their fat content but I assume one could make a decent chicken sausage by adding pork fat to it... or by encasing a chicken paté preparation (think about mortadella or baloney). I remember eating great smoked trout sausages a few years ago but I don't recall how they were made. This is an interesting thread and I can't wait to read other people's suggestions.

[Pam R]

Last year I made my first-ever batch of sausages - and they were chicken. They were fanfreakintastic.

I basically followed Doc-G's helpful instructions/recipe here.

This post has my final recipe and pictorial.

It's time to order more casings . . . thanks for reminding me.

[Rebecca263]

Pam's basic recipe is the right way to get an awesome sausage. You need to go heavy on the chicken skin and fat. I, however, do a completely different seasoning. Because my Kiddle really likes Italian sausage, I use fennel seeds, garlic, salt, parsley and a spoonful of sugar. I like it with cracked peppercorns, but Kiddle doesn't care for pepper, so usually I will split mine and broil them with the peppercorns atop. I've never used casings, I'm too cheap to bother with the equipment I would need for that. So, my sausage is not as wonderful as it could be. But, it tastes GREAT. And, I've bought kosher chicken sausages many times, it is very rare that I have gotten a product as luscious as a chicken sausage could be, with enough fat.

[qrn]

Hi all --

Just wondering if anyone a) thinks it is possible to make a really good chicken (or turkey, I suppose) sausage and b) if so, if you have a recipe you'd share. I typically have shied away from poultry sausage, figuring it just couldn't be as good as luscious fatty pork... But then I figured, I'd actually wind up eating sausage more often if there was a tasty version that wasn't made with luscious fatty pork...

Thanks in advance!

Emily

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I have had good results using chicken thighs, and leaving the fat that they have. No chicken skin or pork fat...The recipe in Michael Ruhlmans book is very good, but there are "billions and billions " of sausage recipes...

Bud

[Jon Savage]

I have had good results using chicken thighs, and leaving the fat that they have. No chicken skin or pork fat...The recipe in Michael Ruhlmans book is very good, but there are "billions and  billions " of sausage recipes...

Bud

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I used a tweaked version hot Italian sausage recipe from Ruhlman's book substituting skinless thigh meat instead of using pork and it came out really really well. I did tweak the recipe a bit.

--digressions from his recipe are noted as well

5 lbs bonless thigh meat skin off leaving as much fat as you can

3 tbs Kosher salt -mortons

2 tablespoons brown sugar (I substituted for white)

1 tablespoon Coriander toasted (I also cracked these a bit in my morter and pestle)

2 Tablespoons Fennel (had none on hand so omitted)

1.5 Tablespoons Sweet Hungarian Paprika (the book calls for 3 tablespoons)

1.5 Tablespoons Half Sharp Hungarian Paprika (to make up 3 tablespoons paprika)

1 teaspoon Ground Chipoltle/Habanero Mix (subbed for 1/2 teaspoon cayenne)

2 tablespoons each dried basil & Dried Oregano (subbed for 4 tablespoons each fresh, garden not ready yet)

2 Tablespoons hot red pepper flakes

2 Teaspoons Coarsely ground black pepper

scant 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (more on that in a moment)

scant 3/4 cup water (more on that in a sec)

1/8 - 1/16 cup basalmic vinegar to make the ice water and vinegar = 1 cup (No basalmic in the original recipe)

Dice meat, season with all of the non liquid ingredients and chill until almost frozen.

Grind fine or medium to taste.

Add liquid ingredients and mix for a minute or two until well combined.

Stuff into medium hog casings or freeze as bulk.

This turned out really really well. Spicy but not overwhelming, each spice was detectable and we were both happy with the result. I think chicken used this way is wonderful because the chicken meat is fairly neutral and provides an almost blank canvas for the spices and other goodies you add.

Edited May 10, 2007 by 6ppc (log)

[Emily_R]

Thanks all -- Jon, that recipe sounds delish -- I will try it soon and report back!

Emily

[Jon Savage]

Thanks all -- Jon, that recipe sounds delish -- I will try it soon and report back!

Emily

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I hope you enjoy it.