Do it yourself processing - sausage style???'s

boacephus

boacephus

New Member
We do all of our own processing of course all the jerky, steaks, chops and brats turn out great. We are running into problems with our summer sausage and links though. Taste is great, we are following the direction on which ever brand package we are using at the time. The summer sausage consistency just isn't quite right and the casing are wrinkled(no big deal really). Real problem is on the smaller links. We have been using the collagen casings, can't find the natural casing we use for brats in the smaller size. We grind once using the course plate, mix in seasoning then run through course plate as we are stuffing again. Those collagen casings keep splitting when we fry them up, what gives??

Any pointers on the sausage would be great, it's getting real frustrating.
 
I quit making brats a few years ago, not cause they split (used sheep gut) but because they always cooked up too dry not matter what I tried. I also quit stuffing collogen casings a few years ago. I freeze all my fresh sausage in 1 lb packages. It's what the missus wants (and she usually gets what she wants). I made summer sausage last year for the first time and it came out excellent. Do a search for my post last year on it.

On a related note I ground up 3 lbs of meat and mixed in spices from the kitchen spice cabinet/garden to make a fresh all venison breakfast sausage. Came out pretty good. I got the recipe off of Eldon's Sausage supply website; google eldon sauasage kooskia to find the site, lot's of sauage info. there.

Good luck,
-Bugs
 
Thanks Bugs there is alot of info on there.

We mixed our brats at about 60% venison and 40% fat, less if we use pork fat. Turns just about right, not dry at all, matter of fact you get the grease pools that set up on your plate when they cool down, ummm ummmm.
 
You probably know this already, but when we made our first batch of summer sausage, we didn't. When the sausage is done smoking you need to cool it as fast as possible in order for it to firm up like it's supposed to. Throw it in a snowbank, fill a cooler with ice water, etc. We didn't do this with the first batch and it had a very loose and grainy texture to it. Doing this made all the difference in the world.

NWBuck
 
Hank Jr.

One of the reasons I make my own sausage is to avoid the pools of grease. 50/50 deer/boston butt gives me the Goldilocks of grease content for fresh sausage; not too greasy, not too dry. Talking about brats has hankering to visit Fareway, pound of their brats and a can of Bavarian saurkraut.

50/50 deer/beef makes a very lean, tasty summer sausage, unlike the commercial stuff (which has to be at least 50% fat).

Speaking of sausage, I guy here at work brought in some deer sticks from the Tipton locker. Made with a doe I zapped for him during first shotgun. The sticks are pretty tasty, though he liked the ones made by the Tiffen locker the previous year better. Pricey option having a commercial outfit do your deer, over $400 for the 2 he had processed. That's one of the reasons I do all my own.

Bugs
 
Quick cooling is important, but primarily for food safety. It has no affect on the grainy texture of your sausage. The grainy texture comes from insufficient protein extraction prior to stuffing and cooking. In any processed meat product, protein extraction is the key to texture. Protein is extracted by thorugh mixing of the meat with salt. The colder the meat the better. Optimum protein extraction occurs around 30 degrees. This is really cold on the hands.

If your spices come with the salt separate, always mix the meat and the salt first. I do not believe you can over mix by hand. You know you have good protein extraction when you can pick up a big glob of meat and turn your hand over and it won't fall off. Once you have good protein extraction and your hands are frozen, then you can add the rest of the spices.

Sorry to get all technical, but if you do this you will have much better product.
 
I've had some sticks and summer sausage from the Tipton locker, and they were awesome. Never knew the price on it though. I've donated three does there this year for the HUSH program.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top