Pork Breakfast Sausage, Qview

[disco]

I got a good deal on some pork butt steaks and made some Pork Breakfast Sausage.

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• disco
• Mar 29, 2013

I cut 2 pounds of it into 3/4 inch cubes and ground it through the fine plate of my Kitchen Aid.

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• disco
• Mar 29, 2013

I mixed up the seasonings with modifications from the recipe in Mastering the Craft of Making Sausage. The formulation I used was:

2 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt

2 teaspoon ground sage

1 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1/4 teaspoon fine ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup dry milk powder

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• disco
• Mar 29, 2013

I refrigerated everything for 1/2 hour. Then into the Kitchen aid to be mixed for a couple of minutes.

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• disco
• Mar 29, 2013

I cooked some up to taste and it was fine. However, if anyone who has more experience reads this, I would like some guidance. This is my 4th attempt at sausage. I do a taste test after mixing each time and it gives me some idea of the taste but there is a definite change as the sausage sits over time. It seems to me that it gets somewhat stronger and more complex over time. Is it just my imagination? If so, what do you do for taste tests?

Anyway, I used a form I made out of an old cutting board and formed my patties and wrapped them for the freezer.

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• disco
• Mar 29, 2013

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• disco
• Mar 29, 2013

The verdict. This is more to my taste than the original recipe in the book but both are very good. I am getting closer to my own perfect recipe for sausage. I think next time I will substitute some maple syrup for some of the water.

 

[fpnmf]

Looking good!!

                   Craig

 

[DanMcG]

I do a taste test after mixing each time and it gives me some idea of the taste but there is a definite change as the sausage sits over time. It seems to me that it gets somewhat stronger and more complex over time. Is it just my imagination? If so, what do you do for taste tests?

You're not imagining it Disco, I'm the same way. . When I do a fry test right after mixing, the salt always seems overpowering harsh and the spice flavors haven't had time to do there thing. I don't bother with the fry test, I just mix and stuff then as it sets in the frig for a few hours the flavors meld together. I (almost) always let my sausage set overnight before I try it.

I like your form idea!

 

[rich-]

Hi Disco, here is a recipe that I worked up from several differant ones. This is for 5 pounds.

5# pork butt (use fat to your taste).

5 tsp kosher salt

1 1/4 tsp MSG (optional)

1 1/4 tsp Ground Coriander

1 1/4 tsp Black Pepper

2 1/2 tsp dried Parsley

1 1/4 tsp Thyme

1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 heaping tsp sage

1/4 tsp Citric acid (optional) I leave it out

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (add for your heat level  taste)

I use pork butt, grind it through medium plate, mix all my ingredients in a seperate container, then mix into the meat by hand.

Then I chill meat mixture, and then run through the medium grinder plate again. This seems to mix everything real good.

At this point, you can make into patties, and i have stuffed into casings of choice for links.

Refrigerate over night and everyone that has tried this sauasge says it is realley good.

Rich

 

[seenred]

Looks good to me, Disco!  Thanks for the recipe and the qview.

 

[disco]

You're not imagining it Disco, I'm the same way. . When I do a fry test right after mixing, the salt always seems overpowering harsh and the spice flavors haven't had time to do there thing. I don't bother with the fry test, I just mix and stuff then as it sets in the frig for a few hours the flavors meld together. I (almost) always let my sausage set overnight before I try it.

I like your form idea!

Thanks for the advice. The form idea is from the book Mastering the Craft of Making Sausage. I am not clever enought to come up with it!

 

[disco]

Hi Disco, here is a recipe that I worked up from several differant ones. This is for 5 pounds.

5# pork butt (use fat to your taste).

5 tsp kosher salt

1 1/4 tsp MSG (optional)

1 1/4 tsp Ground Coriander

1 1/4 tsp Black Pepper

2 1/2 tsp dried Parsley

1 1/4 tsp Thyme

1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 heaping tsp sage

1/4 tsp Citric acid (optional) I leave it out

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (add for your heat level  taste)

I use pork butt, grind it through medium plate, mix all my ingredients in a seperate container, then mix into the meat by hand.

Then I chill meat mixture, and then run through the medium grinder plate again. This seems to mix everything real good.

At this point, you can make into patties, and i have stuffed into casings of choice for links.

Refrigerate over night and everyone that has tried this sauasge says it is realley good.

Rich

Sounds good. I will give it a try for my next batch and let you know how it turns out.

 

[boykjo]

You're not imagining it Disco, I'm the same way. . When I do a fry test right after mixing, the salt always seems overpowering harsh and the spice flavors haven't had time to do there thing. I don't bother with the fry test, I just mix and stuff then as it sets in the frig for a few hours the flavors meld together. I (almost) always let my sausage set overnight before I try it.

I like your form idea!

A test fry is a "in the ballpark" area................

 

[woodcutter]

I'm starting to use Diggingdog's recipe and ingredient spread sheets which should help a lot. I'm still converting recipes to grams and haven't made any sausage yet but when I do I will be adjusting seasonings and salt percentages and taking notes on each recipe. I will be basing the seasoning level on how it tastes the day after mixing. I should be able to use any amount of meat and have consistent results. I noticed summer sausage and kabanosy taste extremely different taste test vs a few days later.

 

[disco]

I'm starting to use Diggingdog's recipe and ingredient spread sheets which should help a lot. I'm still converting recipes to grams and haven't made any sausage yet but when I do I will be adjusting seasonings and salt percentages and taking notes on each recipe. I will be basing the seasoning level on how it tastes the day after mixing. I should be able to use any amount of meat and have consistent results. I noticed summer sausage and kabanosy taste extremely different taste test vs a few days later.

I have been using a spreadsheet and track as you have suggested. I started doing it years ago BS (Before Smoking) for recipes I adjust to my taste over time. However, I have learned over the years that herbs in particular have different strengths of taste depending an freshness, brand and batch. So tasting is always what I relied on in the end. I like the idea of giving it a day before I freeze it and at least getting a little closer. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[disco]

Further to this discussion, I fried some up for breakfast this morning and it was definitely better than the fry test. Of course the fried potatoes (one of my favourites) may have coloured my tasting.

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• disco
• Mar 30, 2013

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• disco
• Mar 30, 2013

 

[woodcutter]

I have been using a spreadsheet and track as you have suggested. I started doing it years ago BS (Before Smoking) for recipes I adjust to my taste over time. However, I have learned over the years that herbs in particular have different strengths of taste depending an freshness, brand and batch. So tasting is always what I relied on in the end. I like the idea of giving it a day before I freeze it and at least getting a little closer. Thanks for the suggestion.

Your are ahead of me lol. I've been using teaspoons and 1/2 lb batches etc. Making the sausage turn out with how much meat I had. It almost always turned out somehow but not always consistent.

 

[disco]

Your are ahead of me lol. I've been using teaspoons and 1/2 lb batches etc. Making the sausage turn out with how much meat I had. It almost always turned out somehow but not always consistent.

Har. I am a little fanatical about food and have been accused of obsessing. However, in my opinion, the only way to make your food turn out the same way everytime is to use highly processed ingredients which make an inferior product. Give me home made, a little of this and that, every time. It always tastes better!

 

[bbqonice]

looks great...kind of like the recipie I did a while back....I like Maple flavour so I added directly into the mix Maple flakes.  you have to fry the patties on a lower heat to prevent from browning too much but they came out very nice and sticky..with plenty o maple.  little heat of cayene set it off too.

 

[disco]

looks great...kind of like the recipie I did a while back....I like Maple flavour so I added directly into the mix Maple flakes.  you have to fry the patties on a lower heat to prevent from browning too much but they came out very nice and sticky..with plenty o maple.  little heat of cayene set it off too.

I have done one with more sweetness and had the same problem with having to cook it at a lower temperature. When I try this again I am going to try 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and some maple extract trying to get the flavour without that overbrowning. I'll post how it turns out.

 

[jarhead]

Disco, I've found that toasting the herbs in a skillet brings out more flavor. I think it's due to bringing out the oils left.

Only takes about 1 minute at Med High heat.

Give it a try, you might like it.

Yeah, if you use Maple syrup be sure to cook over low heat. Otherwise you'll have charcoal on the outside and raw on the inside. (don't ask. LOL)

Your sausage looks good to me.

 

[disco]

Disco, I've found that toasting the herbs in a skillet brings out more flavor. I think it's due to bringing out the oils left.

Only takes about 1 minute at Med High heat.

Give it a try, you might like it.

Yeah, if you use Maple syrup be sure to cook over low heat. Otherwise you'll have charcoal on the outside and raw on the inside. (don't ask. LOL)

Your sausage looks good to me.

What a great idea. I have toasted whole herbs and peppers and then ground them for sauces in the past to get a deeper richer flavour. I never though of it for barbecuing or smoking or that it would likely work great with sausage. Thanks for the recommendation.

As for the sweetness, She Who Must Be Obeyed said she really didn't care for sweetness in her sausage so I guess that idea will not see the light of day.

 

[tjnamtiw]

Looking good, Disco!  My 'bible' is Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing by Rytek Kutas.  I got it along with some of my equipment from www.sausagemaker.com.  They have some great deals on the herbs and spices too.  Huge bottles for the price you pay for a dinky little bottle at the grocery store.  No, I don't work for them.  The book is really easy to read.  It's written in a down to earth style and covers just about everything you need to know.

One foot in front of the other.  Repeat as necessary!

 

[disco]

Looking good, Disco!  My 'bible' is Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing by Rytek Kutas.  I got it along with some of my equipment from www.sausagemaker.com.  They have some great deals on the herbs and spices too.  Huge bottles for the price you pay for a dinky little bottle at the grocery store.  No, I don't work for them.  The book is really easy to read.  It's written in a down to earth style and covers just about everything you need to know.

One foot in front of the other.  Repeat as necessary!

I will pick that book up for sure! However, ordering stuff from the US to Canada is a pain. Fortunately, I discovered a Canadian outlet, "Stuffers" that also has bulk stuff available and I have been ordering from them. As a matter of fact, I just got my LEM sausage stuffer delivered the other day.

I love the quote about one foot in front of the other and repeat as necessary. It reminds me of my days as a cook in the Canadian navy. I still think of food as "Steaks, Beef". Thanks for bringing back good memories.

 

[tjnamtiw]

Didn't notice you were in Canada.  Yea, they make it tough to ship to Canada but every Mexican is more than welcome to bring his whole family across THAT border!  Go figure.

Yea, I was in the Navy in the '60's in subs.