A question about binders

[DinkyDoodleDoo]

I'm fairly new to sausage making and the only binder I've ever used was homemade rusk. I've come across some recipes that variously use rusk, bull flour, soy protein, dry milk powder, or breadcrumbs as fillers/binders. My question is whether they're interchangeable: would a recipe that calls for half a pound of bull flour be okay with an equal amount of soy protein, for example? Just wondering if there's a rule of thumb for substitutions or the binding/absorption capacities of the various substances.

Cheers!

 

[smokininthegarden]

Soy protein and dry milk powder are interchangeable as described by Kutas in his book. I’ve never used any of
the others you mention. Soy protein should be used at a rate of 5%, and milk powder at a rate of 12%.

Cal

 

[tx smoker]

All of the binders you mention will change the texture of the sausage. In some that's probably part of the "design" but in others I find it unappealing. I use STPP (sodium tripolyphosphate) as a binder across the board. Just pulling this up from memory I believe it is used at a multiplier of X weight of meat x .0035. This product has always served me well both as a binder and for moisture retention. I do make a Bratwurst that calls for soy protein and I stick with it in that sausage because it is the nature of how the sausage is supposed to be.

Robert

 

[hondabbq]

I have never used any binder in my sausages, fresh or smoked. Meat, seasonings, cure (if needed).