Boston Butt Question

danbono · Oct 12, 2012

Hi All My local supermarket/Shop Rite has Boston Butts on sale next week. I was thinking of buying a few and put them in the freezer, for later use for sausage. Here is the question, can I freeze the sausage I don't use right away? NOT sure about refreezing and DON'T want to take any chances..The sausage will be the fresh kind.Got 50 views but only 32 replies.

Thanks Dan

bama bbq · Oct 13, 2012

I recommend making what you're going to use. You said it best: "The sausage will be the fresh kind." Freeze the whole butts and make more batches as required.

boykjo · Oct 14, 2012

DanBono said:
Hi All My local supermarket/Shop Rite has Boston Butts on sale next week. I was thinking of buying a few and put them in the freezer, for later use for sausage. Here is the question, can I freeze the sausage I don't use right away? NOT sure about refreezing and DON'T want to take any chances..The sausage will be the fresh kind.

Thanks Dan

Yes.... From what I have read more than likley the meat you purchase from the grocery has already been frozen and it can be taken home and frozen, thawed and refrozen just as long as it hasnt gone above 42 degrees..... The only thing I would do is to not buy the meat out in the display case. I would ask the butcher to get me some out of the cooler in the back so you can be sure it hasnt gone over 42 degrees. As soon as you get home throw them in the freezer. I would also look at the sell before date and count how many days you have so when you defrost I would try to get them used before those days run out...... When making the sausage work quickly and try to keep the meat as cold as possible when processing. Get the sausage back into the fridge to let the spices meld with the meat for a time and freeze...

Joe

danbono · Oct 16, 2012

Hi Can some one move this post too either the Sausage or the Pork forum?

Thanks Dan

smokinhusker · Oct 16, 2012

Perfect answers and I certainly can't add anything to them.

danbono · Oct 16, 2012

OK So I guess that's it then.. Buy the Butts and right into the freezer,keep what I need for my sausage making that day.

Defrost the ones in the freezer when I'm ready to use them.I'm just worried/concerned about," REfreezing" the sausage from the butts that were frozen.

Thanks All

Dan

scarbelly · Oct 16, 2012

I agree with those before me - just ask the butcher to get them from the back and see if he has any frozen ones - they are sometimes shipped that way

joelarbear · Oct 16, 2012

I'm not familiar with Shop Rite, but in my 25 years of experience in the Grocery business, Boston butts are not usually previously frozen and will be fine to freeze. I've frozen many of them, with no problems or loss of quality.

boykjo · Oct 16, 2012

post # 8 from pops......

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/85957/re-freezing-pork

DanMcG · Oct 16, 2012

I thaw butts and then refreeze the sausage all the time. there's no safety issues here only a little loss of quality.

danbono · Oct 18, 2012

Hi All Well I picked up 2 Boston Butts 6 lbs each and going to use both, just going to freeze the fresh sausage ..One I have rubbed and waiting to go into the smoker, the other I made 6 lbs of different types of sausages.

3Lbs of Italian 1 lbs, each of 2 different types of Bratwurst, and 1 lb of Chorizo. The Chorizo was way too HOT for my taste.It was made from package mix, any idea's or suggestions on what to do with the Chorizo, that I Made? I was thinking of uncassing it and adding more ground pork to reduce the HEAT, or just chuck it..The Chorizo mix called for 4 tbs per lb, should I reduce it down to 1 or 2

next time, if I feel brave enough too give IT another try.I like some heat.

I have a stupid question what determines the size of the sausage the casing or the stuffing horn? I'm thinking the casing does.

Thanks Dan

PS Just tried the 3 differnet kinds of sausage, well the taste was not bad, BUT the texture was way OFF, kinda crumbly like. Might have been caused by me grinding 2x thru the fine plate. What do you guys/girls think? There was a lots of grease in the frying pan, so IT was not caused by lack of fat.

I used my new Grizzly stuffer to stuff the sausage, worked pretty good, much better then the grinder.

danbono · Oct 21, 2012

Hi All WOW this hread seems like it's DEAD in the water?? I was hoping for some thoughts/suggestions on why the sausage came out crumbly?

Thanks Dan

PS Have the Italian sausage in the oven with some green peppers n onions, getting ready for the Giants game on TV. I'm hoping it taste better this time!!!

boykjo · Oct 21, 2012

Possibly not enough fat for a binder along with too fine of a grind or too much water......... you will also have a loss of quality as dan has stated.....How about some pictures...

jp61 · Oct 21, 2012

DanBono said:
Hi All Well I picked up 2 Boston Butts 6 lbs each and going to use both, just going to freeze the fresh sausage ..One I have rubbed and waiting to go into the smoker, the other I made 6 lbs of different types of sausages.

3Lbs of Italian 1 lbs, each of 2 different types of Bratwurst, and 1 lb of Chorizo. The Chorizo was way too HOT for my taste.It was made from package mix, any idea's or suggestions on what to do with the Chorizo, that I Made? I was thinking of uncassing it and adding more ground pork to reduce the HEAT, or just chuck it..The Chorizo mix called for 4 tbs per lb, should I reduce it down to 1 or 2

next time, if I feel brave enough too give IT another try.I like some heat.

I have a stupid question what determines the size of the sausage the casing or the stuffing horn? I'm thinking the casing does.

Thanks Dan

PS Just tried the 3 differnet kinds of sausage, well the taste was not bad, BUT the texture was way OFF, kinda crumbly like. Might have been caused by me grinding 2x thru the fine plate. What do you guys/girls think? There was a lots of grease in the frying pan, so IT was not caused by lack of fat.

I used my new Grizzly stuffer to stuff the sausage, worked pretty good, much better then the grinder.

It may have been a combination of reasons why it turned out crumbly..... Maybe not had enough fat (you want 25-30%), the double grind through a fine plate probably didn't help, possibly not mixed long enough (you want the mixture to be sticky) and it sounds like you cooked it with too much heat causing the fat to melt out leaving the sausage dry and crumbly?

Edit: as far as the Chorizo, I guess you can do what you're thinking of but probably would want to also add some more of the seasonings that you used. Next time you can cut the heat according to how hot you feel these turned out. Good luck!

danbono · Oct 22, 2012

Hi All Thanks for replies. I did add 1 Lb. of pork fat to the 6 lbs of butt, so I don't think fat was the isuue.

Thought I mixed it up pretty good, so that leaves the double grind thru the fine plate as the problem, next time 5/16 or 3/8 grind...

I used the fine grind plate cause that is what the texture of the bratwurst were suppose look like.

Thanks Again Dan

PS Next time was thinking of using some NFDMto my mixture.

big casino · Oct 22, 2012

were these fresh sausages or smoked sausages?

was the pork butt and added fat frozen or partially frozen when you ground it, specially the second grind?

danbono · Oct 22, 2012

Hi The sausages were the fresh kind.The butt and fat were not frozen. This is my 3rd time making fresh sausage.The 1st came dry n crumbly, the 2nd came out really good,textrure was right on.The 3rd I don't know, except for 2x fine grind.

Thanks Dan

big casino · Oct 22, 2012

I'm not sure about adding NFDM to a fresh sausage, but when you are grinding meats and fat for any type of sausage it is best to keep it as cold as possible if not frozen through out the grind and mix of ingredients,

allowing it to warm up during your process can cause the fats to start to melt and break down and could effect the texture of your sausage, also I have made the mistake of assuming pork butts are atleast 20% fat but it depends on how the packer trims the butt some come with a lot of the fat cap removed and others dont, I stopped assuming and started cutting my butts into 2 piles one of lean meat and the other of the fatty meat, and I measure them to be sure I have the proper amount of fat, but if you added 1lb of fat to your 6lb of but that is not quite 20%, it would only be 15% but I would guess the remainder of the desired fat amount would have been in the butt.

danbono · Oct 23, 2012

Hi I don't think the fat was the problem. When I cooked the sausage on top of the stove in a frying pan, lots of grease came out of the sausage.Next time will pay more attention to the fat and frozen part and larger grind plate.

Thanks Dan

danbono · Dec 7, 2012

Hi all I made another try at fresh sausage.. The texture is still "NOT" right, taste is good but the sausage is kind of crumbly. Only one grind this time with the 5/16 plate.

Here is what I'm thinking: 1.I'm over mixing.

2. Cutting back on the salt..Besides taste what is the job of the salt in a sausage mixture?

Well I've made sausage 4 times now only one time did it come out with the right texture. I'm ready to give up 1 for 4 is NOT a good percentage

Thanks Dan

PS The fat content seems to be is good.

Boston Butt Question

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