Chapter 6 Sausage

Chapter 6 Objectives Understand the role of sausages in culinary history Identify necessary ingredients for sausages Explain the importance of proper equipment selection, care and use in making sausages Classify various types of sausage Discuss fermented sausages and their manufacture Describe the process of making basic grind sausages Contrast the basic process with the procedure for emulsion sausages Recognize the value of testing Distinguish suitable garnishes for sausages Clarify the various types of sausage shaping options and preparation methods for each type

Categories of Sausage There are three basic categories of sausage: Fresh Sausages: Raw sausages that are typically pan fried, grilled, roasted or braised. Cooked Sausages: Are poached or steamed after they are shaped. They may be served cold or reheated for service. Smoked and/or Dried Sausages: Are hot or cold smoked, then allowed to air dry in a curing room or chamber

Sausage Ingredients Sausages are made by grinding raw meat and fat with salt and spices. This mixture is then stuffed into natural or synthetic casings. The first casings were made from intestines, stomachs and other animal parts. The Italian word for sausages “insaccati” literally means “encased”

Main Ingredient Generally, sausage is made from tougher cuts of meat, coming from the leg or the shoulder. The more exercised the muscle, the more highly developed the flavor. Meats to grind for sausage should be trimmed free of all silverskin and cut into 1” dice or strips. The seasonings or cure mix are tossed together with the meat before grinding.

Main Ingredient Sausages can be made from almost any meat: Pork Veal Lamb Beef Venison Pheasant Chicken Turkey

Fat 25 – 30% fat is preferred average in a sausage. Fat used in contemporary forcemeats: Pork jowl fat Pork fatback Heavy cream As discussed in Meats class, pork butt has almost the perfect natural ratio of lean to fat.

Seasonings and Cure Mixes Salt (ordinary table, kosher or sea salt) Sausages that will be cold smoked or dried must have nitrate or nitrate Hot-smoked and fresh sausages do not require nitrites/nitrates since they are fully cooked, but may be included as an ingredient for texture. Sweeteners such as sugars/dextrose are added to mellow the sausage’s flavor and make the finished product more moist.

Spices Spices are added as whole toasted seeds, ground or in special blends like: Quatre épices Ground peppercorns, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves Pâté spice White pepper, coriander, cloves, thyme, basil, nutmeg, bay leaves, mace

Herbs Sausage formulas often call for dried herbs. Fresh herbs may be substituted for dry herbs. As a general rule, you will need about two to three times more fresh herbs compared to dried herbs.

Aromatics Many aromatic ingredients may be added to sausage recipes including: Vegetables (usually cooked, added when cooled) Wines Citrus zest Prepared sauces (Tabasco and Worcestershire) Powdered onions and garlic Stock Vinegars (too much acid can give finished sausage a grainy texture...remember de-nature)

Equipment Selection, Care and Use Electric meat grinders Grinder dye plates and blades Food processors Buffalo chopper Mixers Sausage stuffers

Equipment Selection, Care and Use Use the following guidelines: Make sure equipment is in excellent condition. Blades and plates are sharp! Make sure equipment is clean! Chill any part of the machine that comes into direct contact with the sausage ingredients. Choose the right tool for the job. Assemble the grinder correctly.

Sausage: Grind Method Cold is the key!! ALL equipment that will come into contact with the meat and fat must be chilled. This includes: All grinder parts: blades, dye plates, feeder tube, catch pan Helpful to grind the meat into a bowl that is sitting on a bed of ice If the sausage is to be emulsified, all mixer parts must be chilled as well. **All meat and fat for grind needs to be completely chilled. Partially frozen is the prefered method.

Sausage: Grind Method Seasoning All seasoning is added to the cubed meat and fat prior to grinding. This includes: Salt Pepper Dry spices Dry herbs Fresh herbs

Sausage: Grind Method Moisture Most recipes call for a liquid ingredient of some sort to add moisture to the ground meat. This can include: Wine Vinegar Beer Cider Fruit juices Crushed ice Liquids are added AFTER the meat is ground and is emulsified in a mixing bowl. Be careful adding acidic ingredients, can make the meat grainy.

Sausage: Grind Method There are two methods to grind meat for sausage: Progressive Grind Basic Grind

Progressive Grinding The meat and/or fat is ground through a succession of increasingly smaller plates. Progressive grinding gives a fine, even texture to the forcemeat. Makes it easier for the grinder to process the meat down to a fine grind.

Basic Grind Sausage Sausages have a medium to coarse texture. When left loose they are referred to as bulk sausages. These sausages are made with the basic grind method: Fresh sausages Cooked sausages Smoked and dried sausages that are later air-dried

Basic Grind Sausage Method: Grind chilled/partially frozen and diced meats, as well as other ingredients as required by recipe, to the desired texture. Transfer to chilled mixing bowl. Mix the ground sausage on speed 1 for 1 minute, then on second speed for 15 to 30 seconds, or until it becomes homogeneous. Also known as “emulsifying”. The sausage mixture is now ready to test. Always cook off a small portion to taste for seasoning.

Emulsion Sausages Made from a basic mixture referred to as 5-4-3 forcemeat, which reflects the ratio of ingredients: 5 parts trimmed raw meat 4 parts pork fat 3 parts water (in the form of ice) by weight. Example: Mortadella

Emulsion Sausages Method: Cure the meat and then progressive grind to a fine dye. Progressive grind the chilled fatback to a fine grinder dye. Chop together the ground meat and crushed ice and process until the temperature drops to below 30°F . Typically done in a Buffalo Chopper. Add the ground fat to the meat when the temperature reaches 40°F. Add any remaining seasonings when the temperature reaches between 45°F and 50°F. Continue to process the forcemeat until it reaches 58°F

Emulsion Sausages Testing the emulsion forcemeat: Wrap a 1-ounce portion of the forcemeat in plastic wrap and poach it to the appropriate internal temperature 145°F for fish, 150°F for pork, beef, veal, lamb, and game, and 165°F for any item including poultry and poultry liver. Taste and check for flavor, seasoning, and consistency.

Garnishing Internal garnish items are diced and added to the forcemeat after it has been tested and adjusted. Examples of garnishes are: Cheeses Vegetables Cured or smoked meats Nuts Dried fruits Add the garnish by folding it into the base mixture.

Sausage Shaping Loose or bulk Made into patties Sausages in casings: Natural: are made from the intestines and stomach of sheep, hogs, and cattle Synthetic: made from a variety of food-grade materials (including collagen, plastic, and paper), some edible and some not The term “hank” refers to 100 yards of casings 1# of sausage requires approx. 2 ft of casing

Preparing Natural Casings Method: Store covered in salt. Fresh casings will keep for months if properly stored in salt. Before using the casings, rinse them thoroughly in tepid water, forcing the water through the casing to flush out the salt. Cut the casing into lengths if necessary and tie a knot in one end of the casing. See casing charts on page 264-265 of book for natural casing sizes, lengths and capacities.

Stuffing the Casing Method using a sausage stuffing machine: Assemble and fill the sausage stuffer properly. Be sure that all parts of the sausage stuffer that will come in contact with the forcemeat are clean and chilled. Fill the stuffer with the sausage meat, tamping it down well to remove any air pockets. Press the sausage into the prepared casing. Gather the open end of the casing over the nozzle of the sausage stuffer. Press the sausage into the casing. Twist or tie the sausage into the appropriate shape.

Cooking Sausage Make sure to cook the sausage to the minimum final cooking temperature. If cooking or hot smoking link sausage, make sure to immediately shock the sausage in an ice bath after the meat has reached the final cooking temperature. This will set the fat, and ensure an emulsified sausage. The same is true with emulsified and high fat content sausages, always shock in an ice bath

Homework Take home test: Ch. 6,7 -Due Tues 2/5

The History of Sausage Grains or potatoes were often added to replace part of the meat in sausages when meat supplies were scarce. French and German influence included blood sausages, apples and traditional sweet spices such as mace, allspice, and coriander. The sausages of the Mediterranean are more likely to be made with pork or lamb, and flavored with fennel, rosemary, and oregano

Dry and Semi-Dry Fermented Sausages Fermented sausages have a tangy flavor because of the lactic acid that is produced during fermentation. Examples of semi-dry sausages are summer sausages, Lebanon bologna, and cervalats. One of the most well-known dry sausages is salami. Semi-dry sausages are sometimes cooked: however they are fairly shelf stable because of the acidity produced during fermentation and, if they are smoked, the smoke compounds that are present. Dry sausages require quite a bit of care and attention because of the length of time they are aged. The environment in which they age is crucial.

Dry and Semi-Dry Fermented Sausages Typically made of: Beef or pork Water/ice Salt Curing agents such as nitrate and nitrite Starter culture Sugars such as dextrose and sucrose For semi-dry and dry sausages, a starter is added to the mixture in order to increase the amount of bacteria that will facilitate the fermentation process

Dry and Semi-Dry Fermented Sausages During the production of fermented sausage, it is vital to inhibit or eliminate the growth of bacteria that can cause spoilage. When grinding, it is essential to keep the meat cold: 28°F – 30°F and the fat 5°F – 10°F. After grinding, the only step left is to stuff and smoke the sausage if desired. While they age, keep the sausages in an environment that is climate controlled. It is crucial to maintain a proper humidity level.

Dry and Semi-Dry Fermented Sausages Fermentation during the drying process produces lactic and acetic acid which lower the pH level to between 4.6 and 4.9 for semi-dry sausages and dry sausages. Semi-dry sausages may lose 15% of their original weight as they age. Dry sausage could lose up to 30%. The finished product should be brightly colored, have a slight yeast flavor, and a smooth, slightly chewy texture

Molds During the fermentation process, mold will form on the outside of the sausage casing. White mold with an even distribution on the surface is very desirable. Prevents bad mold from growing Consumes oxygen on the surface, which retards oxidation Protects the fat at the surface from light, which can make fat rancid

Molds Examples of bad molds are: Green, black, pink, fuzzy, or spotty Anytime you see bad mold growing on salumi, rinse with vinegar and rehang the meat. This usually fixes the problem. If it comes back, the entire drying chamber must be sanitized. If bad mold is left unattended, it can penetrate the sausage casing and ruin the meat. It must be discarded at this point.