Little info please.

[kc5tpy]

Hello folks.  I may have mentioned before that I don't really care for true English Bangers.  I have cobbled together a sausage recipe from several sources.  Although not perfect yet, it reminds me of the type of sausage I would get back in south Tx. which was my goal.  I don't make the sausage, my local butcher makes it for me to my recipe.  No need to buy a grinder and stuffer.  Now many of the recipes I have read talk about using powdered milk.

What purpose does the powdered milk serve?  What does it "bring" to the sausage?

My recipe uses 6 lbs. of meat ( pork and beef ) per "batch".

My recipe calls for adding water just to get to consistency for stuffing.  If using powdered milk is there a certain amount of water per certain amount of powdered milk that should/must be added?

For sausage like Polish do you double grind your meat?

I wouldn't have thought so BUT is there any adjustment needed to cure #1 if adding a certain amount of powdered milk and/or water?

Thanks for any advice you folks my offer.  Keep Smokin!

Danny

 

[driedstick]

Danny, I have just started using Powered Milk and a rule of thumb is 1 cup per 5lbs of meat, I really enjoy the NFDM, it keeps it moist, but I have never changed my amounts of water, IMO keep water what recipe says and just add NFDM at end of mixing when you would be adding cheese, and mix well again and then stuff. Keep your Cure as recipe calls for. NFDM will not change any of that either. 

Hope this helps and there are other sausage gurus out there that I am sure will chime in also with their experiments. 

Good luck and let us know how it comes out. 

Thanks again on the Brisket advice still have not got a chance to do it looked at price again the other day and over $50.00, just kinda hard for me to swallow with three growing kids. 

A full smoker is a happy smoker,

DS

 

[java]

The powdered milk acts as a binder and lets the sausage hold onto more moisture.

I have done it both ways and like it with the dpm better, the end result is a much juicier product.

 

[kc5tpy]

Thank folks.  Holding moisture/fat is a good thing!  Now here we go.  Non-fat powdered milk or full fat powdered milk??  OR, can you get full fat powdered milk?  

  Does it make a difference in the sausage if you use one over the other?

So if the recipe calls for 1 cup water you just add powdered milk to the mix and leave the water the same, if I read that right?

Hey DS.  You are more than welcome.  It's just Tx. style sliced brisket.  Nothing fancy.  Gary S. makes his almost exactly the same.  $50.00 for a packer brisket??  WOW!!  I have been away too long.  I am an old fart but I can remember getting a packer on sale at HEB in Tx. for $0.97 a pound.  Guess that isn't happening anymore.  Keep Smokin!

Danny

 

[reinhard]

I haven't seen full fat dry'd milk around here but maybe I just haven't looked hard enough.  I use the low fat dry powdered milk that you can find in grocery stores.  One cup per 5 pounds of meat mix. One cup of water/beer per 5 pounds of meat mix if using powdered milk I have found works well for me.  I haven't adjusted the cure amount because of adding powdered milk.  Cure #1 is one teaspoon per 5 pounds or one ounce per 25 pounds.  Reinhard

 

[chef willie]

To continue with the Q & A......on the NFDM, I've been mixing it into the water with the cure & other spices but I see some are sprinkling it over the meat at the end of mixing. Thoughts on this? 6 of 1....half dozen of the other. matter, not matter?

 

[driedstick]

I sprinkle mine right on the meat at the end mix, never had tried mixing into water

   I may try that next time. Thanks for the idea Willie

DS

 

[reinhard]

I put the powdered milk on the meat after the grind dry.  I mix the spices and the cure in the water.  Then mix everything well.  Just works for me.  Reinhard

 

[tropics]

Mix all the NFDM with the water and cure, and what ever other spices let them sit for an hour. That will give you a better binder adding way more flavor.IMHO

 

[kc5tpy]

Thanks for the help folks.  I'll give it a try the next batch.

Danny