Why would my linked sausage leak liquid while stuffing or resting?

[snorkelinggirl]

Hi,

I've made linked sausages a handful of times. The sausages that have come out the best for me have included a binder of some sort in the recipe such as bread crumbs (in beef pub bangers) or nonfat dry milk (in bratwurst).  I just made some sweet italian link sausage. The recipe I followed was a Bruce Aidells recipe, and it included 1/2 cup of red wine for 4 lbs of ground pork + fat (along with an assorted of seasonings).  I ground the pork + fat two times through the fine grinding plate, mixed in the spices and red wine, and kneaded the mixture by hand until it was tacky. Then I put it in my vertical sausage stuffer and stuffed it into medium hog casings. A copious amount of pink liquid ended up leaking out of the sausage mixture, both while stuffing the casing, and also while the linked sausages were resting on a plate in the refrigerator.

My question.....why?   I'm tempted to start leaving out any specified liquid or to start throwing nonfat dry milk powder into all of my linked sausages just to bind in any liquid, but if I'm making some kind of error I'd love to know what it is to improve my sausage making technique.

The amount of liquid I'm adding to the sausage seems in line with other recipes I've seen posted on the forum. There is no additional liquid sneaking into the sausage meat in the form of ice or watery/bloody meat.  Oh, I guess I don't dry my rinsed casings off before sliding them onto the funnel.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Clarissa

 

[daveomak]

Clarissa.... Could be the casings had holes in them.... Did the casings come from a different pack ??  Some "home packs" you buy have odds and ends that could have holes...    Alcohol has a lower viscosity and surface tension than other liquids....  Darned if I know....  Just thinking out loud....   Dave

 

[chef willie]

Hi C.....I've cut back on the liquid used in the few batches I've made. Can't remember which sausage maker on here noted he cut back to 1/4 cup on the liquid and I followed suit. I noticed seepage in my recent Chaurice because I added a little more liquid to create a slurry outta all that pap & chili powder. I've read water is a sausages friend but to much of a good thing ain't good either. All I have read in various books confirms keeping the casings wet for ease of loading onto the horn, some even keep a little water in the casings while stuffing. It could also be you ground twice THEN added the liquid & spices...that might have affected the meats ability to absorb. On my last double grind I mixed everything in fairly well after the first grind, then re-ground. Like Dave, just thinking out loud.....Regards

 

[snorkelinggirl]

Clarissa.... Could be the casings had holes in them.... Did the casings come from a different pack ??  Some "home packs" you buy have odds and ends that could have holes...    Alcohol has a lower viscosity and surface tension than other liquids....  Darned if I know....  Just thinking out loud....   Dave

Hi Dave,

Hey!  I like your new picture!

I appreciate your thoughts on this. I didn't notice any holes in the casings when I flushed them, but I just got some cheap casings from Amazon so maybe they weren't the best quality. I'll look them over more carefully next time I make sausage.  Thanks again for your suggestions!

 

[snorkelinggirl]

Hi C.....I've cut back on the liquid used in the few batches I've made. Can't remember which sausage maker on here noted he cut back to 1/4 cup on the liquid and I followed suit. I noticed seepage in my recent Chaurice because I added a little more liquid to create a slurry outta all that pap & chili powder. I've read water is a sausages friend but to much of a good thing ain't good either. All I have read in various books confirms keeping the casings wet for ease of loading onto the horn, some even keep a little water in the casings while stuffing. It could also be you ground twice THEN added the liquid & spices...that might have affected the meats ability to absorb. On my last double grind I mixed everything in fairly well after the first grind, then re-ground. Like Dave, just thinking out loud.....Regards

Hey Bill,

Thanks very much for your thoughts!  I'm relieved to hear that someone else has had the seepage problem.  I'll cut down the liquid to 1/4 cup next time, and maybe try adding the liquid and spices before the 2nd grind and see how that works as far as getting better mixing.  Thanks very much for your help!  Have fun with your week off......

 

[daveomak]

Hi Dave,

Hey!  I like your new picture!

The picture may be new, but the model is old.... very old.... LOL..... 

 

[kathrynn]

Hi Dave,

Hey!  I like your new picture!

The picture may be new, but the model is old.... very old.... LOL..... 

Dave!  Listen to the ladies around here!  We love the new pic!  You ARE NOT OLD! 

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Remember your using nautral casings. Liquid bound in the meat will seap naturally thru the casings. Its called bound moisture.

 

[hoity toit]

My casings are dripping wet when I stuff my sausages. After stuffing I hang them up with a fan blowing on them a while until the outer casing is dry to the touch.  Usually a couple hrs , then into the frig or smoker.

 

[smokinhusker]

My casings are dripping wet when I stuff my sausages. After stuffing I hang them up with a fan blowing on them a while until the outer casing is dry to the touch.  Usually a couple hrs , then into the frig or smoker.

Remember your using nautral casings. Liquid bound in the meat will seap naturally thru the casings. Its called bound moisture.

X2  for both of these. I have a Sweet Italian Sausage recipe for 3 lbs and it only calls for 3 TBSP Red Wine Vinegar - comes out perfect each and every time. I hardly ever use the amount of water in my sausage that most recipes call for. Like most, I start out with about 1/4 cup and then add to it as I mix if needed.

 

[roller]

Best they be wet than dry...

 

[snorkelinggirl]

Hello everyone,

Thank you all very much for your responses and info.  So, it sounds like the consensus from the group is that I am probably using too much liquid (I used 1/2 cup vs. the 1/4 cup that everyone else uses), but that some liquid seepage is normal.  A better bind may help, but too wet is better than too dry. And check my casings for holes.

Thank you everyone!  This is exactly the kind of information I was hoping to learn when I posted this question. I'll incorporate these suggestions into my next sausage run.

Clarissa

By the way, completely off topic, but....tomorrow is my birthday and I am celebrating by smoking my first fatty (while drinking sparkling wine!).  Will post Qview unless the results are too embarrassing to share.