Sausage Making

[fiftydollars]

You should also take a sharp, sterile needle and pop any air pockets you see. As kelautz said, you do not want any air pockets in your sausage.

The casings, which I assume are packed in salt, will last you a long, long time.

P.S.

In his Complete Techniques Jaques Pepin says the casings preserved in salt can be kept "almost indefinitely, packed in salt in a cool place."

Edited June 24, 2005 by fiftydollars (log)

[Mottmott]

Thanks for the suggestions. The recipe is Lamb with Garlic and White Beans from The Cooking of SW France. The Toulouse Sausage is from the same book. Paula gives the option of commercial chorizo, kielbasa, or cotechino, but I thought it would be fun to make my own.

I already did test up a little patty for flavor. The texture was okay, but perhaps I will give some of it another grind and mix it all together so it's not uniformly gritty, but still has a distinctive texture.

[Mottmott]

Final report. I wish I had a digi-cam so I could post the result. They're beautiful. In fact, they look just like sausages.

Thanks for the help.

[Mottmott]

Another related query: I have a bunch of leftover casings. If I pack them in salt, how long can I keep them in the fridge - or should I freeze them?

Oh, and, yeah, my lamb stew is simmering nicely....

[Mottmott]

Final report on Lamb with Garlic and Beans. Everyone enjoyed this dish.

That said, because I decided to make the recipe as written, I don’t feel the result justified the time. It required running about the city to an ethnic butcher in one neighborhood and specialty shop for dried cepes in another. Nor was this an inexpensive dish. As I try to use organic foods and grass fed meats as far as possible, the dish was nearly as expensive as a nice lamb roast or chops and a lot more work.

Of course if you can find the ingredients in your neighborhood and don’t care about using organic materials, my remarks don’t apply, particularly if you use ready-made sausage.

I would add a note to the recipe. Given the effect of the salt pork in both the braised lamb and the sausage, I would probably not add most of the additional salt in the dish. And I might use even more garlic, perhaps adding some when browning the salt pork and onions.

On the plus side, I'm glad I've learned to make sausage which I will do again. Especially since I now have hog casings on hand without a trip across the city. I even have a few extra Toulouse sausages tucked away in the freezer for a future meal. I thought this way of making the beans was very successful (even without the final baking) and the leftover bean juice was a wonderful base for a couple bowls of soup with some fridgy bits and a handful of orrechette.

[FoodMan]

My first ever homemade sausages! I followed Len Poli’s recipe for Sonoma Brats. Since I own no meat grinder or sausage stuffer I had to use my food processor and a funnel. It took me one or two tries to get the hang of it but in the end, while not the most efficient method, funnel stuffing worked. I see two problems with it though. First, the meat mixture spends more time at room temperature than it would if I had a stuffer. I made sure that the mixture was ice cold and used a little at a time from the fridge though. Besides these will be fully cooked. The second issue is the presence of more air pockets than I would like. I also did not want to mess with natural casings, so I used collagen.

Unfortunately, I have not tasted the sausages yet since we had dinner plans . So, they are resting in the freezer to be tried out sometime this week hopefully.

Elie

[jmolinari]

They look nice Elie. Let us know how they taste! the biggest pain with using collagen for me is making the links, since collagen won't stay twisted you have to use string.

[FoodMan]

They look nice Elie. Let us know how they taste! the biggest pain with using collagen for me is making the links, since collagen won't stay twisted you have to use string.

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I guess if you are making a whole bunch it could be a pain, for a couple of pounds it was no big deal. I do love how easy to use collagen is though and clean and fool (read: amateur) proof. How about it's taste/texture, is it noticably different? I sure hope not.

Elie

[jmolinari]

Don't know. I've also only used collagen so far. It is much more convenient.

[polack]

I didn't read all the posts to see if Rytek Kutek's sauasge making book is a point of reference. I have found it to be a very good starter book for making all types of sausage, fresh, smoked, semi-cured and cured. I used quite a few pointers and of course doctored or made my own recipes for the sausage making. As far as dry curing I waited for cool weather to come before I dry cured, and in a pinch I've used an old non frost free frig. to do some dry curing.

Polack

[polack]

Forgot to ask, anyone with opinions on use of dextrose in dry-cured sausage? What does it do, how does it help (ie. role in curing process rather than flavour)? Cheers,

Tom

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The dextrose provides an energy source for the bacteria that do the actual curing. Their action turns the dextrose into lactic acid which subsequently raises the acid level (lowering the pH).

So you need the dextrose both as a fuel for them, and as a raw material for the manufacture of the acid that actually does the curing.

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Also, the nice thing about dextrose is that it doesn't make the end product as sweet as sugar would, while providing the same properties, as jsolomon points out.

Dextrose is 70% sugar and will also add the tang to the dry cured product

Polack

Ian

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[jsolomon]

Also, the nice thing about dextrose is that it doesn't make the end product as sweet as sugar would, while providing the same properties, as jsolomon points out.

Dextrose is 70% sugar and will also add the tang to the dry cured product

Polack

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Not to pick a nit, but dextrose is 100% sugar, is it just slightly less sweet than some other sugars. Fructose, Dextrose (d-glucose or invert sugar), glucose (l-glucose), and sucrose all have different sweetnesses, but are all 100% sugar.

An equal weight of each will add an equal tang to the dry-cured product.

[polack]

My ten year old supply of saltpeter is finally finished, and I can't find a store that sells it. The original came from a drug store, but they don't bother with it now.

Is there a type of store I should go to, or gostraight to the online sources?

←

[

/quote]

Right there in Bufallo is Sausage Making' s store, I believe the site is www.sausagemaking.com. They have all the needs for sausage making. I'm pretty sure that salt peter and I know instacure 1 and 2 loses it's potentcy after a period of time.

Polack

[polack]

I hung the salami in one of what was meant to be a garage, but is now mostly full of junk, while the cars sit outside, for 5 days. They are more brown than red. Is that right?

They are in the smoker now. I intend to mature them for about a month after smoking.

I think you are right, and the flies got to the bacon before smoking.  Next time I'll cover in muslin, or dry in the fridge. The bits I rescued were excellent and made a wonderful quiche.

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Jackal,

When I make sopresatta, I stuf them into beef bungs that I turn inside out and let the fat from the casing dry from the outside air. If you stuff the bung with the fat against the meet there's a chance of your product spoiling. Now when these are cured after about 2 months, they to look brown on the outside but once you slice it you will find a darl mahogany color on the inside.

Polack

[polack]

Also, the nice thing about dextrose is that it doesn't make the end product as sweet as sugar would, while providing the same properties, as jsolomon points out.

Dextrose is 70% sugar and will also add the tang to the dry cured product

Polack

←

Not to pick a nit, but dextrose is 100% sugar, is it just slightly less sweet than some other sugars. Fructose, Dextrose (d-glucose or invert sugar), glucose (l-glucose), and sucrose all have different sweetnesses, but are all 100% sugar.

An equal weight of each will add an equal tang to the dry-cured product.

←

You are right, it should have read 70% as sweet as sugar.

Polack

[polack]

Yes its smoking in my outdoor pizza/bread brick oven. The trick is to put a line of sawdust down and light it with a cook's blowtorch so it just smolders, and doesn't heat the oven. I use cherry and oak sawdust from a local joinery shop. A heap of sawdust around the inside edge about 3 inches wide smolders for about 24 hours - you can see it int he first smoking picture.

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Jackal,

I'm also envious of the oven but for bread making. I have a smoker that will do about 120 rings of sausage but i'm going to have to build the oven.

Polack

[Ore]

Elie,

Nice sausages!! I spoke to my chef recently and he agrees that once the restaurant becomes more efficient (think: machine) - we will start curing some meats.

I can't wait!

Ore

[ryanpropst]

Does anyone have any alternative Bresaola recipes? I currently live in Sydney, Australia and will be attending Le Cordon Bleu in Oct. I've never cured meat but and keen on taking a raw material and turning it into a finished product. I've read widely on the subject of curing meats, sausages and Charcuterie but the 2 recipes I've found are from the guy on pacbell and the same recipe that is a variation on a theme in 4 books all from the main recipe in Leaves from the Walnut tree, I got in London. I've made Bresaola once along with Tesa (flat pancetta) and they both turned out superb. I just made on Monday 2 more Bresaola, a collar of pork to be rolled into prosciutto, another porkbelly into Tesa and a whole ham salt/sugar curing. I am a total beginner and have lots of questions and am learning. I have even asked around at many small goods producers here in Sydney to see if anyone would let me work with them a few days just to learn from experience, not to steal anyones recipes, but to just learn, and NO ONE is willing to help me, even though I am looking for only personal home cured preparation for myself. It is amazing.......one day I may just teach this stuff, as there seems to be a huge need in the market place. Anyway, if anyone has any recipes for Bresaola or prosciutto, I'd be appreciative and am willing to share what I know, any recipes I have or information. Below are listed a few books I have if anyone needs me to research something:

Cooking By Hand - Paul Bertolli

Preserved - Nick Sandler and Johnny Acton

The River Cottage Meat Book - Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall

Professional Charcuterie

The Whole Beast - Fergus Henderson

Leaves from the Walnut Tree - Ann and Franco Taruschio

Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing - Rytek Kutas

The Soho Charcuterie Cook Book - Francine Scherer and Madeline Poley

Home Sausage Making - Peery & Reavis

Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery - Jane Grigson

Bruce Aidells Complete Book of Pork

All about Meat

How to cook Meat - Schlesinger & Willoughby

The Real Meat Cookbook - Bissell

Did I mention I collect cookbooks..smile....

Cheers,

Ryan

[coquus]

Bruce Aidells Complete Book of Pork

Did I mention I collect cookbooks..smile....

Cheers,

Ryan

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Ryan, could you look for me in the sausage making section of this book, and find the name of the book he references on sausage making, somewhere in the text of the descriptions, please, it would save me a trip to the library.

I really enjoyed his book, in particular the second half, and have made york ham, smoked canadian bacon, smoked ham shoulder, and blood puddings. Unfortunately it was march when I read this book, so I haven't made any of the salami, lomo, etc. because of a lack of a low temp. drying chamber. I probably will try this sometime in the fall when the weather allows though so it would be nice to see what this other book is all about beforehand.

Also, It's been touched on, but does anyone have any definitive answers as to if or how prosciutto, etc. stays pink in the center without the use of sodium nitrate/nitrite, potassium nitrate, etc?

[coquus]

My ten year old supply of saltpeter is finally finished, and I can't find a store that sells it. The original came from a drug store, but they don't bother with it now.

Is there a type of store I should go to, or gostraight to the online sources?

←

[

/quote]

Right there in Bufallo is Sausage Making' s store, I believe the site is www.sausagem*king.com. They have all the needs for sausage making. I'm pretty sure that salt peter and I know instacure 1 and 2 loses it's potentcy after a period of time.

Polack

←

Back in March/April I looked everywhere in Buffalo without any luck, but then found Morton's Tender Cure/Sugar Cure at Agway in Allegany, it's probably where you least expect it, also at Reid's Food Barn in Olean. You can order insta cure #1 online, but I found the amount of instacure I would have to buy was excessive, it's probably a more economical way however. Also, do not click on the above link, popups, and no sight to be found except eBay pointer, Polack, check your link.

Edited July 13, 2005 by coquus (log)

[Ore]

Ciao,

Welcome Ryan...just to keep everyone up on LINGO...Bresaola is a term used to describe a cured product most commonly know as Air-Dried Beef. YES, YES - it can be almost anything else as well - but the TRUE Bresaola is more a verb then a noun - AIR DRIED is key...donkey or ass meat is very well in this method, as is horse and tuna.

Best of luck...and share the photos of your results

[ryanpropst]

[ryanpropst]

Bruce Aidells Complete Book of Pork

Did I mention I collect cookbooks..smile....

Cheers,

Ryan

←

Ryan, could you look for me in the sausage making section of this book, and find the name of the book he references on sausage making, somewhere in the text of the descriptions, please, it would save me a trip to the library.

I really enjoyed his book, in particular the second half, and have made york ham, smoked canadian bacon, smoked ham shoulder, and blood puddings. Unfortunately it was march when I read this book, so I haven't made any of the salami, lomo, etc. because of a lack of a low temp. drying chamber. I probably will try this sometime in the fall when the weather allows though so it would be nice to see what this other book is all about beforehand.

Also, It's been touched on, but does anyone have any definitive answers as to if or how prosciutto, etc. stays pink in the center without the use of sodium nitrate/nitrite, potassium nitrate, etc?

←

Yes, I'll look and let you know. It's late here and about to turn in as I have an early day tomorrow. I'll let you know in the next 24 hours.

Ryan

[coquus]

Thanks in advance, Ryan.

As a latecomer to the discussion about Dextrose/Glucose/Corn Sugar/Cerelose/Grape Sugar, I understand Glucose also inhibits growth of microorganisms in smaller amounts than Sucrose/Table Sugar, because it is a smaller there are more Dextrose molecules present in solution containing equal Dextrose and Sucrose, therefore they exert a greater osmotic pressure preserving the food. The limitation being that Dextrose isn't as soluble in water as Sucrose is, so a mixture is used, though I suspect this limitation has nothing to do with Sausage Making, and everything to do with Jam and Jellies.

[ryanpropst]

I've read thru the sausage section a few times now and can't seem to find a reference to another book. I'll review it again once more, I've put it down to go back to in an hour. I might be looking too hard. Will let you know.

Ryan