Boston Butt Question

[boykjo]

Hey Dan, Dont give up buddy. There is something going on here but we will get it right. I would forget about using mixes and try to make a basic home made sausage recipe. Try making some breakfast sausage. Find a boston butt (only) around 5.5 lbs, chunk it, grind it through your fine plate once. Mix in the spices and add as little water before stuffing to loosen the meat to go through the stuffer. Keep the recipe simple.. Salt (Kosher), pepper. and sage. add a little pepper flake if you want for some heat and throw in a little turbinado sugar,,, Give that a try.. If comes out crumbly again it may have to do with your cooking process or the meat.... Here is a recipe I found and tweeked it a little.. Give that try.. I usually charge for these recipes I tweek but you cant afford me....LOL

5 lbs. pork butt
2.5 tsp kosher salt
1 Tsp red pepper flakes
1 TBSP sugar
2.5 tsp ground sage
2.5 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup ice water to loosen the meat

1 tsp cure # 1 for cured smoked sausage

Good luck

Joe
 

 

[diggingdogfarm]

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:th_crybaby2:

Thanks Dan
PS The fat content  seems to be is good.

What recipe and instructions did you use?
Did you mix until the mixture became sticky?

Salt isn't just for flavor, it's essential for texture, It extracts the proteins that become sticky during mixing and bind during cooking to give sausage it's characteristic texture.

As Joe said, don't give up, try a good basic recipe.


~Martin

 

[danbono]

Hi All Here are the recipes I used, Only change was cutting back on the salt. The 2nd time  I made freash sausage it came out GREAT using these same recipes, texture and taste were right on the money. That is what is bugging me. I also made 2 lbs of sausage using pork n beef, same texture results. Three different mixes with the same results.

Making sausage seemed like a simple process grind-mix n stuff.

Had some sausage last night at a buffet and my wife said "the texture was much better then mine".

Thanks Dan

PS I'm going to uncase the sausage and use IT in pasta sauce.

2.2 lbs. well-fatted pork butt

2 tsp. Kosher Salt (or to taste) 1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

2 tsp. Crushed Fennel Seed

2 tsp. Coarsely Ground Coriander

2 tsp. Crushed Anise Seed (This is essential.)

1 Tbsp. Dried Parsley Flakes

1/2 tsp. Garlic powder

1 tsp. Sugar

1/4 cup Ice Water

another one

1 Tbs salt 1/2 Tbs salt

1 Tbs ground Black pepper

1 Tbs Fennel seed

3 /8 cup Ice cold water

 

[diggingdogfarm]

I recognize that recipe. :biggrin:

I use 1.8% salt.
Mix until sticky to form a good bind.

DDF's Sweet Italian Sausage Americano

1 Kilo (2.2 lbs.) well-fatted pork butt
18 g. Salt
2 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
2 tsp. Crushed Fennel Seed
2 tsp. Coarsely Ground Coriander
2 tsp. Crushed Anise Seed (This is essential.)
1 Tbsp. Dried Parsley Flakes
1/2 tsp. Garlic powder
1 tsp. Sugar
1/4 cup Ice Water

For Hot Italian Sausage Americano add 2 Tbsp. Sweet Paprika and 1/2 a tsp. Ground Cayenne or 1 tsp. red pepper flakes (or to taste).

Cube meat and mix in salt, water and seasonings, refrigerate overnight,

Grind through a 3/8 plate, grind half of the freshly ground pork through the same plate once more, then mix well until sticky (test the saltiness) and stuff into hog casings.


~Martin

 

[danbono]

HI All Questions about mixing. "Mix till sticky",How do you know when the mixing is right? Would OVER mixing cause texture problems with the sausage?

I was thinking my problems with the texture may be with the mixing, but then again CAN all 3 mixes be wrong..I'm confused.

Thanks Dan

PS I've gotta get this right, cause I love sausage..

 

[DanMcG]

mix it till it starts sticking to your fingers and it's tough to get off. you will also notice that the smell will go from a pork and spice smell to a sausage smell.

 

[venture]

Way fine grind for me.  I would do something like that for a hot dog. For basic sausages I like once thru a medium plate. Not right or wrong, just how I like it.

Then fat, salt and other potential ingredients come into play.

So many potential factors here.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[venture]

Don't give up!  Sausage is too good to pass on!

Do you have 25 to 30 percent fat?  Don't skimp.

Don't skimp on the salt.  It is needed to break down the proteins and form the elusive semi-emulsion stage we all seek with things other than totally emulsified sausages.

Are you mixing by hand?  I have heard to check the clock and mix until you think it is right.  Take a couple of sips of beer.  Then mix it that much longer again. 

Did someone say to mix until it makes a really sticky mess on your fingers when mixing by hand?  By this time, your finger should be frozen and really painful.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[danbono]

Hi All Grind was with 5/16" plate. I will MIX really good next time and see what happens. I just don't want to OVER mix.

mix it till it starts sticking to your fingers and it's tough to get off. you will also notice that the smell will go from a pork and spice smell to a sausage smell.

Sausage smell that is a new one, have to keep that in mind next time.

I will get IT right one of these days!!!!

Thanks Dan

PS What about adding a BINDER?

 

[shannon127]

Dan you have all the binder you need.  Follow Martin's instructions and you will notice a huge difference. 

 

[danbono]

Hi All Here are a couple of pics, should show the FAT content is good? What do you think?

Thanks Dan

DSC01557.JPG

• danbono
• Dec 16, 2012

DSC01560.JPG

• danbono
• Dec 16, 2012

 

[couger78]

Those look good to me!

If you compare what you did to some of the store-bought variety (supermarket, not deli), you'll see how fatty (up to 50%) the supermarket varieties are.

As others have stated, FAT is a good thing for wonderful-tasting sausages—but there is a limit as to how much fat is desired. Too much fat and the experience goes from "These sausages are juicy & tasty!" to "Honey, please make an appointment with the cardiologist when I'm through eating this fatty tube of grease.."  

Kevin

 

[lnmnmarty]

The only variable I can think of is the fat content. Some pork butts are fattier than others. As far as freezing, I buy the butts and take them home, slice them into pieces that will go through my grinder and then freeze them. That way you can defrost them partially before grinding. I like to grind them while they are still semi frozen. If I don't cut them up first I have to thaw, slice and then refreeze. Pain in the butt (no pun intended). I freeze in ziplock freezer bags, but you could vac seal it for longer storage. Don't give up pal, It is worth the effort.

 

[danbono]

Hi All Soooo Howdoes the FAT content look??

THanks Dan