Toulouse sausage

[Dave Hatfield]

At the risk of starting another 'cassoulete' type debate I would still like to find one or more "definitive" recipies for Toulouse sausage.

The name 'Toulouse' seems to be somewhat generic for most of the pork based fresh sausage produced here in the South West of France. As I eat the sausage produced by various butchers in the towns around our area I can detect differences, sometimes subtle, somethimes not.

Please let me have your thoughts. Looking in some of the other forums I note that there seem to be a lot of sausage makers out there.

[Culinista]

I used to cure my version of Toulouse sausage from the rafters of the garage. It adds a certain je ne sais quoi

[Dave Hatfield]

I used to cure my version of Toulouse sausage from the rafters of the garage. It adds a certain je ne sais quoi 

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Can understand that. essence de essence; perhaps?

But what was your recipe?

[ou812]

Dave

Did you ever find a recipe for Toulouse sausage? I am looking for one myself.

[Busboy]

Paula Wolfortposted This recipe on another thread. It comes out great. Watch the salt.

[Dave Hatfield]

Dave

Did you ever find a recipe for Toulouse sausage? I am looking for one myself.

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Wow! Paula's recipe looks terrific, but is a lot more sophistocated than I see around our way.

When I did my great pig adventure a couple of weeks ago we made about 50 kg of sausage.

The Toulouse type had salt, pepper, coriander seeds, juniper berries & a bit of bay.

Some of it we kept fresh (or froze) & the rest is still drying. Needs to dry for 2-3 weeks I'm told by the experts.

[ou812]

As I eat the sausage produced by various butchers in the towns around our area I can detect differences, sometimes subtle, somethimes not.

Dave, does the Toulouse sausage in your area contain coriander seeds and juniper berries?

[MarkinHouston]

Paula's recipe for Toulouse Sausage in TCOSWF includes 1/4 cup of dry white wine along with the ingredoents posted above by Busboy--I mention that only because I followed the book's recipe and then made confit of sausage with all but a couple of links. (I quadrupled the recipe.) Generally I make hot sausage (boudin, andouille, and Italian) but after eating Toulouse sausage in France I decided to try a batch. Paula's recipe is exceptional; if not definitive, then it is at least a worthy starting point to build a more personalized flavor profile. I see no need to alter it.

[Busboy]

Paula's recipe for Toulouse Sausage in TCOSWF includes 1/4 cup of dry white wine along with the ingredoents posted above by Busboy--I mention that only because I followed the book's recipe and then made confit of sausage with all but a couple of links. (I quadrupled the recipe.) Generally I make hot sausage (boudin, andouille, and Italian) but after eating Toulouse sausage in France I decided to try a batch. Paula's recipe is exceptional; if not definitive, then it is at least a worthy starting point to build a more personalized flavor profile.  I see no need to alter it. 

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Funny you noticed that -- I just made the sausage from the book and the wine seemed to be key to the recipe. Maybe my cut and past technique was bad, or maybe she just forgot to type it in when she was kind enough to post it.

My impression -- after having looked at a couple Saucisse de Toulouse recipes besides Paula's -- is that it's the wine and the slight sweetness (with sugar and nutmeg) that make it distinctively "Toulousienne".

[MarkinHouston]

Paula's recipe for Toulouse Sausage in TCOSWF includes 1/4 cup of dry white wine along with the ingredoents posted above by Busboy--I mention that only because I followed the book's recipe and then made confit of sausage with all but a couple of links. (I quadrupled the recipe.) Generally I make hot sausage (boudin, andouille, and Italian) but after eating Toulouse sausage in France I decided to try a batch. Paula's recipe is exceptional; if not definitive, then it is at least a worthy starting point to build a more personalized flavor profile.  I see no need to alter it. 

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Funny you noticed that -- I just made the sausage from the book and the wine seemed to be key to the recipe. Maybe my cut and past technique was bad, or maybe she just forgot to type it in when she was kind enough to post it.

my copy of the book is missing the back fat! I believe she mentioned the omission in on of the sausage threads, or perhaps from the book thread. I thought the wine really rounded out the flavor well.

My impression -- after having looked at a couple Saucisse de Toulouse recipes besides Paula's -- is that it's the wine and the slight sweetness (with sugar and nutmeg) that make it distinctively "Toulousienne".

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[Dave Hatfield]

As I eat the sausage produced by various butchers in the towns around our area I can detect differences, sometimes subtle, somethimes not.

Dave, does the Toulouse sausage in your area contain coriander seeds and juniper berries?

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Not all of it for sure. Most of the varieties are pretty simple in their seasoning as far as my taste buds can tell.

I'm not home now so can't check in my cook books, but as I recall there was a simple recipe in Julia's original "Mastering the Art...." . Think it was part of her cassoulete recipe. I made those a couple of times & they tasted pretty much like what I buy from the local butchers.

When we get home I'll ask a couple of local butchers what they put into their sausage. If I'm lucky they'll tell me.

[MarkinHouston]

Dave, Julia's "substitute" for Toulouse sausage includes a 3:1 ratio lean pork to pork fat, (Paula's is 3:2), garlic, twice as much salt as Woolfert, allspice and bay leaf versus nutmeg or mace, and cognac or armagnac instead of dry white wine. Two teaspoons of salt to 1&1/3 pounds of meat doesn't sound excessive, however. I would think the taste difference would not be wildly noticeable.

[Dave Hatfield]

Dave, Julia's "substitute" for Toulouse sausage includes a 3:1 ratio lean pork to pork fat, (Paula's is 3:2), garlic, twice as much salt as Woolfert, allspice and bay leaf versus nutmeg or mace, and cognac or armagnac instead of dry white wine. Two teaspoons of salt to 1&1/3 pounds of meat doesn't sound excessive, however. I would think the taste difference would not be wildly noticeable.

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Thanks. All the Toulouse type of sausage we made had no booze at all. The Julia salt seems about right, but the stuff we made was very lean. It was made with no added fats.

In fact most of what we buy locally is so lean that I add a bit of duck fat to the pan to help the browning process.

[ou812]

I was also wondering about the grind size. I keep hearing conflicting stories about whether it's coarse or fine. Can anyone steer me in the right direction?

[Kate Hill]

I was also wondering about the grind size.  I keep hearing conflicting stories about whether it's coarse or fine. Can anyone steer me in the right direction?

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Just returned from the Saturday Market and I stopped to ask my favorite artisan farmer/butcher for his Saucisse de Toulouse recipe. His home grown pork, salt & pepper. Nothing else. Although he did admit that 'authentic' Saucisse de Toulouse includes white wine.

Next I stopped at the village mart with a very good butcher in the back. He gave me his own recipe and I offer it to you with his regards.

1 whole ham, skinned and boned

1 shoulder, skinned and boned

(The right amount of fat comes with the pig! no need to add more)

grind with a #10 (holes the size of your index finger)

salt- 16 gr per kilo

pepper- 3 grams per kilo

One liter of cold water to facilitate mixing the salt and pepper with the meat.

Mix and stuff in natural casings.

That's it. And is exactly how most people in this area of SW France (Near Agen) make their fresh sausages. Now...dried sausages, saucisses secs or saucissons are another story. Or thread!

I'll post this on my blog, too. www.katehill.blogspot.com

[Dave Hatfield]

I was also wondering about the grind size.  I keep hearing conflicting stories about whether it's coarse or fine. Can anyone steer me in the right direction?

←

Just returned from the Saturday Market and I stopped to ask my favorite artisan farmer/butcher for his Saucisse de Toulouse recipe. His home grown pork, salt & pepper. Nothing else. Although he did admit that 'authentic' Saucisse de Toulouse includes white wine.

Next I stopped at the village mart with a very good butcher in the back. He gave me his own recipe and I offer it to you with his regards.

1 whole ham, skinned and boned

1 shoulder, skinned and boned

(The right amount of fat comes with the pig! no need to add more)

grind with a #10 (holes the size of your index finger)

salt- 16 gr per kilo

pepper- 3 grams per kilo

One liter of cold water to facilitate mixing the salt and pepper with the meat.

Mix and stuff in natural casings.

That's it. And is exactly how most people in this area of SW France (Near Agen) make their fresh sausages. Now...dried sausages, saucisses secs or saucissons are another story. Or thread!

I'll post this on my blog, too. www.katehill.blogspot.com

←

Kate - Thanks for the research. Your guys agree with what we did on my pig adventure.

Although we kept the hams to cure and used the whole shoulder roast to make a copa we didn't add fat & used the natural fat in the meat.

We used the same recipe for both fresh sausage & dried sausage.

Saucisson, copa & choritzo were a different ball game as you point out.

[ou812]

I was also wondering about the grind size.  I keep hearing conflicting stories about whether it's coarse or fine. Can anyone steer me in the right direction?

←

Just returned from the Saturday Market and I stopped to ask my favorite artisan farmer/butcher for his Saucisse de Toulouse recipe. His home grown pork, salt & pepper. Nothing else. Although he did admit that 'authentic' Saucisse de Toulouse includes white wine.

Next I stopped at the village mart with a very good butcher in the back. He gave me his own recipe and I offer it to you with his regards.

1 whole ham, skinned and boned

1 shoulder, skinned and boned

(The right amount of fat comes with the pig! no need to add more)

grind with a #10 (holes the size of your index finger)

salt- 16 gr per kilo

pepper- 3 grams per kilo

One liter of cold water to facilitate mixing the salt and pepper with the meat.

Mix and stuff in natural casings.

That's it. And is exactly how most people in this area of SW France (Near Agen) make their fresh sausages. Now...dried sausages, saucisses secs or saucissons are another story. Or thread!

I'll post this on my blog, too. www.katehill.blogspot.com

←

Kate - Thanks for the research. Your guys agree with what we did on my pig adventure.

Although we kept the hams to cure and used the whole shoulder roast to make a copa we didn't add fat & used the natural fat in the meat.

We used the same recipe for both fresh sausage & dried sausage.

Saucisson, copa & choritzo were a different ball game as you point out.

←

I can't thank you enough for all of your helpful information.

I will be making variations of Toulouse Sausauge over the next coming months.

Will let you know the outcome.

Great website Kate !!!!!

[Stanley Feder]

I was also wondering about the grind size.  I keep hearing conflicting stories about whether it's coarse or fine. Can anyone steer me in the right direction?

←

Just returned from the Saturday Market and I stopped to ask my favorite artisan farmer/butcher for his Saucisse de Toulouse recipe. His home grown pork, salt & pepper. Nothing else. Although he did admit that 'authentic' Saucisse de Toulouse includes white wine.

Next I stopped at the village mart with a very good butcher in the back. He gave me his own recipe and I offer it to you with his regards.

1 whole ham, skinned and boned

1 shoulder, skinned and boned

(The right amount of fat comes with the pig! no need to add more)

grind with a #10 (holes the size of your index finger)

salt- 16 gr per kilo

pepper- 3 grams per kilo

One liter of cold water to facilitate mixing the salt and pepper with the meat.

Mix and stuff in natural casings.

That's it. And is exactly how most people in this area of SW France (Near Agen) make their fresh sausages. Now...dried sausages, saucisses secs or saucissons are another story. Or thread!

I'll post this on my blog, too. www.katehill.blogspot.com

←

Kate - Thanks for the research. Your guys agree with what we did on my pig adventure.

Although we kept the hams to cure and used the whole shoulder roast to make a copa we didn't add fat & used the natural fat in the meat.

We used the same recipe for both fresh sausage & dried sausage.

Saucisson, copa & choritzo were a different ball game as you point out.

←

I can't thank you enough for all of your helpful information.

I will be making variations of Toulouse Sausauge over the next coming months.

Will let you know the outcome.

Great website Kate !!!!!

←

[Stanley Feder]

Below is the recipe given in "Le Livre du compagnon charcutier-traiteur," by Jean Claude Frentz & Michel Poulain (Editions LT Jacques Lanore, Cachan, France: 2001) pp. 176-77. This is a handbook for people in the trade in France. My summary translation:

For the meat you can use either:

1. 75% good lean pork, such as shoulder and 25% hard pork fat (e.g., unsalted, skinned fat back) or

2. 50% trimmed pork belly and 50% lean pork.

The recipe includes preservatives and dyes, but says you can leave them out. It also says you can make the saucisse de Toulouse using only pork, salt, and pepper.

Here are seasonings for 10kg of meat and fat combined:

150 g fine salt

5 g potassium nitrate

20 g dextrose

"carmine de cochenille" (a red dye), variable amounts. [i would leave it out.]

3 g ascorbic acid

25 g ground pepper, white or black

5 g allspice

20 g garlic (optional)

There are two ways in which the meat can be ground: either in a bowl cutter or a meat grinder. I'll give the meat grinder version:

Break the meat down by grinding it with a 16mm or larger plate. [You could also cut it into chunks your meat grinder can easily handle.]

Combine the meat chunks with the seasonings.

Pass the mixture through a meat grinder fitted with an 8 or 10mm plate. [if you are making this at home you should make sure the seasonings are well dispersed throughout the meat after the grinding. This can be done by mixiing with your hands. The recipe advises commercial producers not to put the mixter into a mixing machine after the meat is ground through the 8-10 mm plate.]

Stuff immediately into pork casings 32-35mm in diameter. make portions 10-15 centimeters long. The saucisse de Toulouse can also be stuffed into a casing that is coiled (instead of made into links), from which you can cut pieces.

[Kate Hill]

I can't thank you enough for all of your helpful information.

I will be making variations of Toulouse Sausauge over the next coming months.

Will let you know the outcome.

Great website Kate !!!!!

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Thanks ou812, Sometimes there is too much information here! but the things I've learned making sausage from farmers and artisan butchers is pretty concise:

-Start with the best meat you can find- grow it if necessary!

-use the fat that comes on the cuts untrimmed; that 25%-75% fat to lean is pretty natural.

-the white wine adds both acid and sugar and liquid as does the water in my butcher's recipe.

-my favorite sausage was made by the Pompele family that aged the meat overnight after mixing it in big piles on tables in the garage . We worked it with our hands and then before stuffing, cooked a handful to taste for salt and pepper. They always added extra pepper. It always tasted the best!

-Dried sausage:

This little cork (see pictures on the whole hog blog) embedded with pins is used to prick the casings for dried sausage.

-many people add a prepared spice mixture called Epice Rabelais which is heavy with cloves, mace, nutmeg and other 'secrets' to saucisson or a jelly jar of red wine that a few garlic cloves have been floating in. Pitch the garlic add the red wine.

-Saucisse seche is the simple sausages dried; Saucisson is made from just the ham meat and leaner. My neighbor would wipe the casings with eau-de-vie if it was too damp for drying.

Of course, most of the farm activity takes place over the winter months but the Chapolard brothers use controlled temperature rooms to accelerate drying. air flow is critical.

But my most important lesson in sausage making came the year I butchered a pig and hung the sausage, coppa, ventreche and jambon in my barn to dry and age. Discovering them all gone some weeks later, along with my old Mary Poppins bicycle, I realized that my reputation as a good charcutiere had spread around the neighborhood. The image of a basket of sausage bumping down the towpath bike lane still makes me laugh. I hope they were appreciated!

Have fun and keep your links under guard.