Fresh sausage herbs and spice advice

[zwiller]

I am really getting into brats, especially the german sub styles. One I am working now on is nurnberger. Predominant spice is marjoram. I have some spendy premium dried marjoram but admit it seems really weak. Curious if fresh would be an improvement. Also curious how to use it. Spice grinder or maybe chop a bit and add before grinding? Same goes for white pepper I had. Kinda smelled off like barnyard. Plan to buy whole peppercorns and grind. Anyone have other tricks or advice for spices etc for sausage? I find the german sausages are alot like making their beer. Very simple recipes but difficult to execute or perfect at home. Also, does fresh sausage need to rest for flavors to marry? How long, like a day or so?

 

[PolishDeli]

Can’t comment on Nürnberger Bratwürst specifically, but the recipe I’m looking at is very similar polish white sausage.

https://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-recipes/fresh/german/nurnberger-bratwurste

I’ve experimented with using fresh marjoram in sausages (finely chopped), and have concluded that using dry ingredients works best for me. The reason is consistency and reproducibility. (For the same reason I always use weights, never volumes). Fresh leaves have a high and variable moisture content. So 10g today, will not necessarily be 10g tomorrow.

(While I use dry marjoram for the sausages, my wife uses fresh marjoram for Żurek - white sausage soup - since it does bring a brighter and fresher flavor)

Marjoram is not really strong. If you leave it out, something will be missing. If you put it in, it'll not be the first thing you taste.

Regarding white pepper: “Barn yard” is a good way to describe all of my encounters with it. It brings a gaminess flavor to pork, so my preference is to opt for black pepper.

 

[tropics]

That sounds like the same as PolishDeli described White Kielbasi,I just finished making a small batch 7.5 pounds
Richie

 

[bradger]

in my experience it never hurts to let anything rest.

 

[zwiller]

THANKS. Very good description of using marjoram and similar to my thoughts.

P PolishDeli Totally agree that the white pepper kicked up the gameyness. Ever try fresh ground? When researching I saw a few sites that specifically mention to grind fresh.

This is the one I did and even simpler:
https://www.weschenfelder.co.uk/blog/nurnberger-bratwurst-recipe/

Plan is to double marjoram next batch.

On a related note: do you guys use fresh garlic?

 

[chopsaw]

Well , you just made me go smell my white pepper . Never noticed that before , but I'll say I have to agree with barnyard .

 

[PolishDeli]

Never tried fresh ground white pepper . Don’t recall having ever seen whole white pepper corns at the supermarket. Might have to order some now.

I prefer dry garlic in sausages for those same consistency reasons.
That being said, fresh garlic does taste great in sausages. It packs a lot of flavor though, so it’s easy to overdo it. Brings out saltiness too.

 

[tallbm]

I am really getting into brats, especially the german sub styles. One I am working now on is nurnberger. Predominant spice is marjoram. I have some spendy premium dried marjoram but admit it seems really weak. Curious if fresh would be an improvement. Also curious how to use it. Spice grinder or maybe chop a bit and add before grinding? Same goes for white pepper I had. Kinda smelled off like barnyard. Plan to buy whole peppercorns and grind. Anyone have other tricks or advice for spices etc for sausage? I find the german sausages are alot like making their beer. Very simple recipes but difficult to execute or perfect at home. Also, does fresh sausage need to rest for flavors to marry? How long, like a day or so?

If you want stronger I believe you should be able to substitute Oregano for your Marjoram.
Try a small 1 pound batch and see if this does the trick for you.

I believe Mexican Oregano is not technically the same plant family and is earthier but if the flavor is close enough and with the additional strength you may experiment with it some... but again not technically the same family as Oregano and Marjoram (that's my understanding).

I hope this gives you some ideas :)

 

[Polka]

Regarding Marjoram, and Oregano -- the two plants are technically related, BUT they have vastly different flavor profiles. Oregano for southern european things, marjoram for German and slavic things. I wholeheartedly agree. If you leave it out, you miss it. You put it in, you just don't pick up on it directly. I've considered steeping a gram or two in a tablespoon of olive oil, and then a few hours later use that in the formula, but haven't done it yet. I would assume that like a lot of spices and herbs, it is the fat-soluble elements of the marjoram that are brought forward--what little there is. In case you don't follow me, try this -- ever make chili using extra lean beef? Can't hardly taste the chili powder, and have to add more and more to the pot. The flavor is in the fat soluble portion of the herb / spice. greasy burger makes excellent tasting chili!

 

[Polka]

So, fat is flavor -- again!!

 

[chef jimmyj]

With most Herbs, Fresh has a different taste than Dried. I Love the taste of Fresh Basil but I can't eat food made with Dry Basil. It just tastes nasty to me. Marjoram is similar. Fresh has flowery notes, dry is more earthy and pungent. Buy Dry Marjoram in small containers and use it within 3 months. Marjoram seems to loose it's punch faster than other dry herbs. Rubbing the leaves between your hands, warms the herbs and exposes fresh flavorful portions of the leaves...JJ

 

[DanMcG]

I always rest my sausages overnight, I think it gives it a chance to mellow out the flavors.
I've good a good recipe for Nurnberger brats somewhere, if you want it for reference let me know.

 

[Steve H]

Never tried fresh ground white pepper . Don’t recall having ever seen whole white pepper corns at the supermarket. Might have to order some now.

I prefer dry garlic in sausages for those same consistency reasons.
That being said, fresh garlic does taste great in sausages. It packs a lot of flavor though, so it’s easy to overdo it. Brings out saltiness too.

Fresh ground is better. Well, most freshly ground spices are.
https://www.sausagemaker.com/White-Pepper-Whole-16-oz-p/10-1081.htm

 

[DanMcG]

Well , you just made me go smell my white pepper .

Haha, so yeah I just did too. I don't get the barnyard thing. must be me.

 

[Polka]

I have nose that says the white pepper with barnyard -- always did. I bought some recently, and was reminded, and then this thread. Yep. But it is only in my nose. I like the effects in sausage. Did you know that white pepper was the standard until about 75 years or more ago? Black pepper is cheaper because it is immature / unripe berries used to make. White pepper comes from a long drawn-out process that black doesn't apparently go thru. Smells like it too.

thanks for sharing about warming, and rubbing the marjoram. I'll try that next batch of kielbasa, and klobasa. !! R

 

[zwiller]

Reporting back. Fresh ground white pepper is night and day to my store bought ground. Fresh ground definitely has typical black pepper smell and taste but it is subdued and very complex. Barnyard is still there and even stronger but competes with the pepper. Grinding the marjoram a bit was a big plus too.