Bratwurst

[vera k]

The recipe I have for Bratwurst is for 82 pounds. Obviously, I’m not making that much. It calls for 10 Tablespoons of TenderQuick. The TenderQuick site says 1-1/2 tsp per pound , so if I’m making 10 pounds it’s 5 Tablespoons. This seems to be quite a difference. Do you know what I should use for my 10 pounds?

 

[chopsaw]

The TenderQuick site says 1-1/2 tsp per pound

1 1/2 tsp per pound is the correct amount for ground meat .

1 Tbl. spoon per pound is the correct amount for curing whole muscle meat .


Are you wanting to make a cured sausage or fresh ? Not sure where you got that formula .

 

[Compulsive Smoker]

You are in good hands with Mr. Chopsaw here...I'll stay out of it, but welcome to the forum!

 

[vera k]

1 1/2 tsp per pound is the correct amount for ground meat .

1 Tbl. spoon per pound is the correct amount for curing whole muscle meat .


Are you wanting to make a cured sausage or fresh ? Not sure where you got that formula .

Well, actually my recipe calls for 10 Tbsp curing salt. The sausage I like best is cured and smoked. I gave my smoker to my son, but I do have access to it. I just want a sausage I can freeze (like a ring bologna) and cook up for a quick meal. The recipe is pork, beef, salt, pepper, sugar, garlic juice and curing salt, which I took to be Tender Quick. And thanks for your reply.

 

[zwiller]

82lbs * 1.5tsp = 123 tsp = 41T vs 10T in recipe. Not a minor mistake.
I personally would not trust any recipe being that far off.

 

[chopsaw]

82lbs * 1.5tsp = 123 tsp = 41T vs 10T in recipe. Not a minor mistake.
I personally would not trust any recipe being that far off.

Right . I didn't get into it , because I'm wondering what the intent is with that recipe , and they just joined . So you know how that goes sometimes . Is it an old family thing ? I knew it was low , maybe looking for the flavor and not fully cured ? Who knows .
82 pounds is also a strange number for the amount .

 

[zwiller]

Right . I didn't get into it , because I'm wondering what the intent is with that recipe , and they just joined . So you know how that goes sometimes . Is it an old family thing ? I knew it was low , maybe looking for the flavor and not fully cured ? Who knows .
82 pounds is also a strange number for the amount .

Yes, odd. Does not scale into Kilos. Might be max amount of meat they could fit into stuffer or mixer?

REALLY curious if recipe also calls for salt... Then we know for sure it's just for flavor and a fresh sausage.

@vera k WELCOME! Happy to try and scale for you. I am pretty good at it if you want to post or shoot me DM.

 

[chopsaw]

curious if recipe also calls for salt... Then we know for sure it's just for flavor and a fresh sausage.

My thoughts are it is the salt portion . I'm thinking it must be some old family recipe .
You know , 1 handful of salt ,,,, 2 if you have small hands . Nothing wrong with that if it works for the one making it .

 

[chopsaw]

Well, actually my recipe calls for 10 Tbsp curing salt. The sausage I like best is cured and smoked.

OK , so Tender quick is your cure and your salt . No matter what you recipe calls for , 1 1/2 tsp of tender quick per pound of ground meat is the correct number .
So if you're using tender quick , use that measurement 1 1/2 tsp per pound , and don't add any extra salt .

 

[vera k]

I t

Right . I didn't get into it , because I'm wondering what the intent is with that recipe , and they just joined . So you know how that goes sometimes . Is it an old family thing ? I knew it was low , maybe looking for the flavor and not fully cured ? Who knows .
82 pounds is also a strange number for the amount

Right . I didn't get into it , because I'm wondering what the intent is with that recipe , and they just joined . So you know how that goes sometimes . Is it an old family thing ? I knew it was low , maybe looking for the flavor and not fully cured ? Who knows .
82 pounds is also a strange number for the amount .

 

[vera k]

I t

I think the original was
80 pounds and she just added 2 more pounds of pork. It is a very old recipe. I only want to try 10 pounds so I need to scale it down.

 

[vera k]

Yes, odd. Does not scale into Kilos. Might be max amount of meat they could fit into stuffer or mixer?

REALLY curious if recipe also calls for salt... Then we know for sure it's just for flavor and a fresh sausage.

@vera k WELCOME! Happy to try and scale for you. I am pretty good at it if you want to post or shoot me DM.

This is the recipe. I would like to try 10 lbs, 2 parts pork and 1 part beef. I would really appreciate your help and opinion! Thanks

 

[chopsaw]

The recipe is pork, beef, salt, pepper, sugar, garlic juice and curing salt,

The ingredients are close to an Augsburger formula , which is like Knackwurst .
I've made it a couple times . Smoked and poached .

I only want to try 10 pounds so I need to scale it down

I'd think about doing a couple pounds to start .

 

[radioguy]

Chopsaw is correct. Tender quick is cure and salt together. Pink salt sodium nitrite is curing salt alone. Given 1 tsp per 5 pounds ground makes it a little light for full cure, but that maybe the desired taste.

RG

 

[Fueling Around]

Welcome to SMF
Stop over at Roll Call and introduce yourself.

Roll Call

This is where all new members should begin. Tell us a little about yourself, where you live, what you do, etc. Just helps us get to know you better;-)

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Great opening post. We love challenges

Well, actually my recipe calls for 10 Tbsp curing salt. The sausage I like best is cured and smoked. I gave my smoker to my son, but I do have access to it. I just want a sausage I can freeze (like a ring bologna) and cook up for a quick meal. The recipe is pork, beef, salt, pepper, sugar, garlic juice and curing salt, which I took to be Tender Quick. And thanks for your reply.

Curing salt is NOT the same as Tender Quick (TQ) as pointed out above.
TQ is salt, cure , AND sugar in a premixed package. Myself, I haven't good luck using TQ.

American curing salt is 6.25% sodium nitrite and 93.75% salt. Canadian and European formulas of curing salt do not use the same ratio of salt to nitrite.

I did some reverse calculations using your handwritten recipe with American curing salt as the baseline.
The salt level is around 1.5%.
The sugar is around 2.3%.
Here is what flagged my attention to the origin of the recipe
10 tablespoons of American curing salt is VERY high! It is roughly double the amount of curing salt required to safely process sausage.
Just trying to safely guide you through recreating a family recipe.

 

[zwiller]

@Fueling Around THANKS and totally agree... Something lost or missing here but a LOT of cure.

Here's my take on it and totally agree with @chopsaw this is a spin on knackwurst or "knockers".

10lbs Vera's Knockers LOL

5lbs 80/20 ground beef
5lbs ground pork butt
4 TBSP table salt (non iodized) approx 72g and 1.6% of meat weight
4 TBSP black pepper
2 TBSP white sugar
2 TBSP granulated garlic
2 tsp cure #1/prague powder/instacure NOT Tenderquick

Combine all, mix well, run through grinder with fine plate, stuff into hog casings, and hold overnight to marry and cure. Smoke and poach to finish.

Suggestion changes and/or additions:
2 tsp Accent (boosts umami and compensates for using less cure than original)
Substitute white pepper for black pepper (more authentic german taste)
2 tsp ground caraway (classic aromatic note for german sausage)

 

[chopsaw]

Well, actually my recipe calls for 10 Tbsp curing salt. The sausage I like best is cured and smoked. I gave my smoker to my son, but I do have access to it. I just want a sausage I can freeze (like a ring bologna) and cook up for a quick meal. The recipe is pork, beef, salt, pepper, sugar, garlic juice and curing salt, which I took to be Tender Quick. And thanks for your reply.

Well , it makes more sense now after seeing the recipe . I highlighted some parts of the original that I didn't get when I first read it .

One thing for us to keep in mind is , we're experienced with this stuff . Someone starting out might not understand some of the math or suggestions .

I don't normally get all into the math / percentages and such . Just not my thing for small batch sausage .
I did take the 82 lbs and 10TBL , and worked ir backwards to cure 1 using 1 tsp per 5 pounds of grind , took that into TBL , and I agree right at double of what's needed .

I learned all my sausage making here , and it was taught in physical measurements at that time .
So that's how I do my cure additions . Everything but the salt really .

Anyway , the original formula above is almost the same as the Austrian Augsburger on Marianski's site .
Several others on there that are the same thing , but regional spicing .

Basically a garlic spiced hotdog ,,, Knockwurst .

The sugar is probably for browning , and could be reduced or left out all together in my opinion .
I'm a fan of it for browning , but I use dextrose instead to tame the sweetness . That goes back to just starting out . I have dextrose on the shelf , because I've been doing this a few years .
Someone just starting might not . So does it help or confuse the OP if I mention it ? Just things I think about when trying to advise a first timer .
I think all the info is spot on and going in the right direction , just thinking what the OP has on hand to make it happen . So the recipe in measurments above is something she ( ? ) can understand .

When I make this I go heavy garlic . One clove per pound .
I add paprika for color and like said above I sub in white pepper and add some allspice .
I still suggest doing a 2 pound batch to start out with .

 

[vera k]

@Fueling Around THANKS and totally agree... Something lost or missing here but a LOT of cure.

Here's my take on it and totally agree with @chopsaw this is a spin on knackwurst or "knockers".

10lbs Vera's Kockers LOL

5lbs 80/20 ground beef
5lbs ground pork butt
4 TBSP table salt (non iodized) approx 72g and 1.6% of meat weight
4 TBSP black pepper
2 TBSP white sugar
2 TBSP granulated garlic
2 tsp cure #1/prague powder/instacure NOT Tenderquick

Combine all, mix well, run through grinder with fine plate, stuff into hog casings, and hold overnight to marry and cure. Smoke and poach to finish.

Suggestion changes and/or additions:
2 tsp Accent (boosts umami and compensates for using less cure than original)
Substitute white pepper for black pepper (more authentic german taste)
2 tsp ground caraway (classic aromatic note for german sausage)

This is perfect. Thank you so much! I will give it a try!