Texture -wild game vs. all pork sausages

[indaswamp]

I recently made a double batch of sausages, 40/60 goose and pork along with 100% all pork. I treated both batches exactly the same, used the same recipe for both (my regular smoke sausage recipe). Both were coarse ground, then seasoning and cure mixed in with 1/2 the water called for in the recipe and left in the fridge for 2 days. Both were ground a second time thru the 6mm plate then had the same ratio of NFDM powder added and both were mixed sufficiently to get the meat paste extremely tacky. Then they were both stuffed in hog casings and left in the fridge for 2 days. Both were smoked at the same time on the same rack in the smokehouse and pulled at the same time. Both batches were cooked low and slow, stepping the temp. up slowly to 170. I held the temp @130* for 3 hours to get sufficient smoke on the links. No temp. spikes, very consistent temperatures +-3 degrees...

The 100% hog sausage is firmer than the 40/60 goose/pork. This surprises me because the wild goose meat supposedly has a higher myosin content which 'SHOULD' give a better bind. I am stumped....

I am posting this here for the brain trust of SMF to ponder. What say you? Any idea why this happened?

BTW, the water ratio for the recipe is 1 cup per 5lbs. of meat.....and I used 1 cup of NFDM per 5 lbs. of meat.

*edit to add:
Fat content of both sausages was 25~30%....

 

[indaswamp]

Found this...it is a VERY GOOD read!
http://thesaltcuredpig.com/Porkopedia/index.php?title=Myosin

 

[crazymoon]

IDS. Any sausage I make using any game meat is ground twice and IMHO makes a better meat bind.

 

[indaswamp]

IDS. Any sausage I make using any game meat is ground twice and IMHO makes a better meat bind.

I did grind twice. But I used the kidney plate for the first grind and 6mm plate for the second. Which plates do you use?

 

[indaswamp]

Still pondering on this issue...

Both meat pastes' were kept cold after mixing.

The Goose sausage was firm, just nowhere near as firm as the all pork.

 

[crazymoon]

IDS, 1/4 for fine stuff and 3/8 for course with two grinds.

 

[indaswamp]

I think I have found the answer using the search function..

"Too much water, poor quality/expiring , freezer burnt meat will also contribute to a grainy sausage." -boykjo

The goose meat I used were gifted to me by a friend. I'm pretty sure it was from last year. There were some freezer burnt areas I had to trim. This was more than likely the problem. In the future, I may need to add transglutaminase (meat glue) when make batches of goose sausage from my friend to get a firmer bind.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

IDS

I did 250lbs of goose SS, the majority of it turned out really good but i did have 20 chubs that just went south. Cant remember the fat ratio because of brain cramps :confused:

 

[chopsaw]

I was trying to figure out how much water you used. 1 cup for the 5 or just 1/2 ? Like said in the quote too much water can hurt ya .
I also stopped taking game meat from people , for a couple reasons .
Sounds like you have it figured out .

 

[indaswamp]

I was trying to figure out how much water you used. 1 cup for the 5 or just 1/2 ? Like said in the quote too much water can hurt ya .
I also stopped taking game meat from people , for a couple reasons .
Sounds like you have it figured out .

I usually use 1 cup water per 5lbs. of meat. I add 1/2 the total amount for the batch when I dissolve and add the cure and seasoning to the coarse grind. I add the rest to dissolve the NFDM when I add it to the second grind. The water with the NFMD helps to denature the milk protiens when you mix it up to get the meat paste tacky.
Water was not a problem I don't think. Had more to do with the old goose meat. My buddy lives in Kansas and I will be bringing the goose sausage to him in the spring when I head up there to turkey hunt. If I can find a solution with either TSPP or transglutaminase (meat glue) to firm it up some, that is what I will need to do for future batches.

 

[indaswamp]

IDS

I did 250lbs of goose SS, the majority of it turned out really good but i did have 20 chubs that just went south. Cant remember the fat ratio because of brain cramps :confused:

Do you have any knowledge or experience using TSPP or transglutaminase (meat glue) in sausages to firm up the meat paste?

 

[chopsaw]

The water with the NFMD helps to denature the milk protiens when you mix it up to get the meat paste tacky.

I understand how and why it's used . I have formulas that call for 1 cup water , 1 cup nfdm for 5 lbs . I add slow and mix until it's good . Never get past 1/2 cup of each for the most part .
Just throwin it out there .

I have been adding STPP to sausage lately and like the out come . Great mouth feel . I also add that at a low amount .

 

[Bearcarver]

Maybe you forgot to remove the feathers from the Goose?
And No feathers on the Pig, which is why they can't actually Fly.

Just kidding---I'd have to agree with Joe "Boykjo" (Freezer Burnt), as I usually do.

Bear

 

[oberst]

If there was more than a little goose fat mixed in that could be a problem. Goose fat has a very low melting point and and separates out where pork fat won’t. Couple times I initially tried making sausage sticks that had goose or duck fat i had to throw it away.

 

[indaswamp]

I trimmed all the waterfowl fat off. meat was very clean.

 

[indaswamp]

I was trying to figure out how much water you used. 1 cup for the 5 or just 1/2 ? Like said in the quote too much water can hurt ya .
I also stopped taking game meat from people , for a couple reasons .
Sounds like you have it figured out .

chopsaw, I went back through my notes and yep, I added a little too much water to the goose meat paste by accident. I measured out for the 36# of all pork and then just used that same measure for the 30# of goose/pork. The extra water probably hurt the texture a little bit. Along with the old goose meat.

I will continue accepting game from my Kansas buddy, but I will more than likely start adding TSPP or meat glue to the mix. Will be more careful with measuring the water as well.