Has any used this book: Great Sausage Recipes & Meat Curing - Rytek Kutas

[uncle eddie]

A friend of mine is loaning me this well-worn, held together by tape, full of handwritten notes, book (copyright 1976). It is LOADED with sausage recipes and is 576 pages long. I saw it is still available on Amazon for $22.99.

Has anyone used the recipes from this book and are they good?

If so, do you have any fave's?

 

[boykjo]

I never was impressed by the recipes I tried from the book but its a great book to have for newbies who want to get into sausage making.
My 2 cents

Boykjo

 

[SmokyMose]

I have the 4th Edition and it's very informative. It's probably the same as the 3rd Edition. It's not just recipes.
I've used a couple of his recipes as a start, but I always seem to add or subtract something. I think he uses too much salt and too much water and some of them seem a little bland. I've heard there may be some typos. I tried his "Irish Sausage" which called for 10 cups of bread crumbs for 10# of meat. Total disaster....
One that I do like and make regularly is his "Kosher Style Beef Sausage - fresh" (page 184 in the 4th Edition) although I back off the salt to 1%
and add a little MSG. And less water.
A good book to have, just don't take the recipes for Gospel....

 

[Brokenhandle]

I have a buddy that has it so did read through parts of it but not sure if I ever made any recipes from it. But being that worn, somebody sure used it!

Ryan

 

[chopsaw]

I've only made a couple out of it . Like said it's a good one to look through . I use Marianski the most . Like Dan I have the 4th edition and there are some corrections from the earlier editions .

 

[bill ace 350]

No, I haven't.

 

[thirdeye]

It's a good resource, especially the color pages showing the sausage stuffing process. It has good tips and tricks throughout. Some recipes must have typos as that is a common complaint. The binding is horrible, I have replaced my copy once and everyone I know that has one gripes about the binding.
The Sicilian Italian with Wine & Cheese recipe is a good one, but I skip the beef and add more pork, add garlic and bump the amount of cheese.

 

[uncle eddie]

I looked up the Andioulle sausage recipe in this book...its way different than anything I have done. I have never had andioulle with whole onion in it.

 

[Winterrider]

I have just the revised edition ( copyright1984 ). Lot of good reading but have never actually used a recipe.

 

[SmokyMose]

I looked up the Andioulle sausage recipe in this book...its way different than anything I have done. I have never had andioulle with whole onion in it.

View attachment 519451

The NOLA Cuisine Andouille recipe I've used doesn't call for any onion at all.
Just go with your gut and if it doesn't look right, think twice.
Wish I'd done that with the Irish Sausage and bread crumbs LOL!

 

[thirdeye]

I've used a couple of his recipes as a start, but I always seem to add or subtract something. I think he uses too much salt and too much water and some of them seem a little bland.

If you really want a surprise, check out the statement on page 168: "... all recipes are based on the use of granulated salt."

I have just the revised edition ( copyright1984 ). Lot of good reading but have never actually used a recipe.

On page 466 is a section on "How I got into sausage making", it's a very interesting read especially part about the venture in Las Vegas.

 

[thirdeye]

I've heard there may be some typos. I tried his "Irish Sausage" which called for 10 cups of bread crumbs for 10# of meat. Total disaster....

The Swedish Potato sausage recipe is heavy handed on the potatoes, when I tried that one I cut way, way back on the spuds.

 

[Coreymacc]

I have a few recipes that started life out of the Rytek book. I think someone already stated that he uses way to much salt, IMO almost twice too much. If you plan to use the book for recipes, maybe cut your salt and work up, i almost wasted 5 lbs of pork first time. I managed to choke it down but immensely salty.

Corey

 

[SmokinEdge]

Rytec‘s recipes have enough safety issues in them that I avoid them. Never read one of his books, but have seen enough of the recipes posted on line to know better. Take for instance the recipe listed just above in post #8. He lists salt at about 0.75%. Which may be fine for a small batch that’s cooked right away to safe temp, but 5# made with 0.75% salt is at minimum 1/2 the required salt for food safety.
I’ll stick with Marianski, and Len Poli. That’s my go to.

Be cautions of any published sausage or charcuterie recipes that list, specifically, salt and cure #1 or #2 in volumetric values and not in percentage to meat weight. Sugar and aromatics are to taste only and volume (Tbs, tsp, cups, etc… ) are fine, but salt and cure should be in percentage to meat weight always. Salt minimum should be 1.5% to max about 3.0%. Cure #1 or #2 should be at 0.25% . Charcuterie can go higher on cure amounts but still measured in % not volume.

 

[uncle eddie]

On page 466 is a section on "How I got into sausage making", it's a very interesting read especially part about the venture in Las Vegas.

I just read it…it was really interesting. Thanks for sharing this.

 

[indaswamp]

FWIW, true cajun andouille does not have onion in it.

 

[indaswamp]

Rytec‘s recipes have enough safety issues in them that I avoid them. Never read one of his books, but have seen enough of the recipes posted on line to know better. Take for instance the recipe listed just above in post #8. He lists salt at about 0.75%. Which may be fine for a small batch that’s cooked right away to safe temp, but 5# made with 0.75% salt is at minimum 1/2 the required salt for food safety.
I’ll stick with Marianski, and Len Poli. That’s my go to.

Be cautions of any published sausage or charcuterie recipes that list, specifically, salt and cure #1 or #2 in volumetric values and not in percentage to meat weight. Sugar and aromatics are to taste only and volume (Tbs, tsp, cups, etc… ) are fine, but salt and cure should be in percentage to meat weight always. Salt minimum should be 1.5% to max about 3.0%. Cure #1 or #2 should be at 0.25% . Charcuterie can go higher on cure amounts but still measured in % not volume.

Yep. And it's even worse with the salami recipes....

 

[SmokinEdge]

Yep. And it's even worse with the salami recipes....

Agree. I’ve read some posted on line…. WHAAAAT?

 

[daveomak]

I have the first edition.. 1976...

I glanced through it and found venison salami and 2% salt; 156 Ppm cure #1; and other seasonings....
There are some typos we have discussed over the years...
This book is much better than some newer books by say, Ruhlman...
You must remember the folks they hire to proofread and edit these books are gen Z...

Since most of our members are knowledgeable in curing meats etc. Using your knowledge, this book can be very useful...

 

[indaswamp]

Talked to my butcher buddy in Michigan today. Asked him about ring balogna. He said the best one he has come across is in Rytek's book. He took a pic. with his phone and texted the recipe to me. Looks fairly simply seasoned. I might use it.

Buddy said that for German stuff...the recipes are legit. But he also said you gotta watch the salt and cure percentages.