Using Bacon in a Sausage Mix?

[navionjim]

Call me cheap, but when I was learning to make bacon I tried a couple batches of brined bacon that were OK, but not exactly what I wanted. I also tried one with lion that was far too lean for my taste. Eventual I found dry brined and box cured butt and have never looked back from a bacon standpoint.

So now I have about five or ten lbs of the (too lightly) brined bacon I'll never use and which has been vacuum bagged and frozen long enough to be "certified pork". I was wondering if anyone has tried a sausage mix using ground cured smoked bacon in the formulation? I was thinking of a landjager maybe but will try about anything.

 

[dacdots]

Very interesting,Ive made a lot of sausage but this is a new one.Id say you cant go wrong with pork,its bound to be good or at least edible.Be careful not to get it to salty with adding the mix.

 

[tj buffalo]

Bruce Aidells has a recipe for a sausage - which includes bacon - called Hunter's Sausage that I've tried and enjoyed.
from:
Bruce Aidells' Complete Sausage Book
by Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly

Hunter's Sausage

Makes about 3 pounds
This hearty sausage has an ample, smoky flavor from the bacon and a nice lift in its aroma and taste from the spices and mustard. Hunter's sausage is excellent grilled and served with a coarse-grained mustard or braised with beer and onions.


2 pounds pork butt
1 pound lean smoked bacon
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon whole yellow mustard seeds
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
2 teaspoons sweet Hungarian paprika
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Medium hog casings (my note: typically about 2 - 2.5 feet of casings per pound of meat)



For details on sausage making, see page 10 of the book.
Grind the pork and bacon through a 1/4-inch plate. Mix the ground meat with the water, mustard seeds, garlic, black pepper, paprika, dry mustard, salt, coriander, nutmeg, and ginger. Knead until all the spices are thoroughly blended with the meat. Stuff into medium hog casings, and tie into 6- to 7-inch links. Dry the sausages, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 days.
To poach, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the sausage and reduce the heat to maintain the poaching liquid at 180 degrees F. Poach for 25 minutes. Drain.
Cool and refrigerate. The poached sausages will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, or in the freezer for 2 months.

 

[mossymo]

I add bacon to my ground venison for burgers, meat loaf, etc. The ratio I prefer is 70% ground venison to 30% ground bacon. A little added grease to lean meat helps sell the sizzle of the steak, not to mention the added taste.....

 

[deejaydebi]

Jim -
I've done it several times. It's really good in breakfast sausage. Sometimes I'll use it just to add fat. It was really good in liverwurst and bratwurst too.

 

[navionjim]

Thanks, that looks good to me!