Homemade Sausage Making

Well Mr. C.W., I can see you've been on higher place than I was last time I visited my brother in Albuquerque. We went up to Sandia crest, but that's at 10,678 feet.

Thanks CW. I'm doing some grinding tomorrow and thought I would also do the chorizo. But no poblem, I can wait. This coming weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving, so I'm making smoked turkey sausage. I will also be activating my curing chamber and will throw something into it as well. Usually this time of year finds me in the forests, hunting for mushrooms. But we have not had any rain in three moons, so it looks like shrooming is a write off this year.

redzed wrote:With so much banter on this thread, did I miss El Pato's chorizo recipe? If so, can someone lead me to it, and if not please post it?

Psssst! Hey, Red...! Just between you and me, have a look at "Our own Tex/Mex Blend" in the "Chorizo Corner" post at http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?t=5873%29 . You'll need to search down past other book-like drivel (translation: cut to the chase) to find that particular recipe.

Note that there are no smoking instructions. For completeness, Chuckles and I will concoct some appropriate ones which caution you about using too high a temperature, etc. Not only that, but he has something up his sleeve that will blow you away! (So, as always, Boys and Girls, have a fire extinguisher available when you do anything that either El Ducko or Chuckwagon suggests.)

I'm still struggling with smoke control (more about that, later, elsewhere.) Light smoke would be appropriate. I use mesquite or live oak because they're available.

More to follow. Adelante! Enjoy!

Realized the answer re the casings color...re-read the list

What should I use for the ancho peppers in the orig list of ingredients, fresh/dried, hot/medium...haven't a clue about these, I've used banana peppers but not the ancho

Ordered the hog rings in 3/4 and the casing clips so disregard that ? Too

Any suggestions what I might do with a bag of dried mild chile peppers I bgt at Wally world ... Tried re-hydrating, like leather with zero taste or heat....ready to throw them away...any suggestions, they looked good, maybe I just don't know how to use them
Thx

No problem, "Keemosabe."

Hmmm... Hey! Just a minute, there. Hold on a sec, Bucko. Wanna buy a bridge? Lessee- - I got...(rummages in large knapsack which is bigger on the inside than the outside...) THESE...! (Holds up mis-matched pair of ice/roller skates.) No... Ah. HERE...! (Holds up...

WooHoo! WooHoo!

angelwannaB wrote:Realized the answer re the casings color...re-read the list

What should I use for the ancho peppers in the orig list of ingredients, fresh/dried, hot/medium...haven't a clue about these, I've used banana peppers but not the ancho

Ordered the hog rings in 3/4 and the casing clips so disregard that ? Too

Any suggestions what I might do with a bag of dried mild chile peppers I bgt at Wally world ... Tried re-hydrating, like leather with zero taste or heat....ready to throw them away...any suggestions, they looked good, maybe I just don't know how to use them
Thx

Head back to Wally World and pick up a package of dried ancho chiles. They're pretty mild (dried poblano, seems like), and give more color than flavor. ...but the flavor is nice, too.

What kind of mild chiles did you get? Remove stems and seeds, grind, then mix into soup or sprinkle on eggs or salad or that sort of thing.

Thanks Patito for the sneak preview. Looks good, but 6 cloves of garlic in 1kg? If I go ahead with that, my activities will be high up on the agenda of the next community association meeting!

...see separate thread on "Breath Mints." Take two and call me in the morning.

Patty, if you are just making links, string or twisting will be sufficient. If you are making what they call "chubs" (large sausage using synthetic casing) then hog rings are a good item to use. However, there are three types of plyers: The really cheap ones that will break the first time you use them, a better "spring loaded" type which is actually a pretty good tool, and the ultimate and expensive "automatic feed" ne-plus-ultra used for high production. I would suggest the spring loaded mid-range tool with a couple of assortment sizes of rings. Regular plyers are really tough to use on these rings because they are "offset". As for the bottom "clip", I believe what you are trying to remember is Clark Clip. They have a tendency to come off unless you are really practiced at putting them on a casing. In my humble opinion, Clark Clips are not worth the bother unless you are using them every day for "presentation" sausage.
For the 77 mm casing, either natural or mahogany makes a great casing. I personally prefer the mahogany color and then slip them in a fancy plastic netting of the same color for gifts.

Rytek was the person whom disliked the use of regular non-fat milk powder in sausage. However, many people find it adequate. I use soy-protein concentrate for a binder. And... buckaroo? Yes! Uhhhh... infinite wisdom? I reckon not, mam!

Sweet lady, you wrote:

can those of us who came into this project late post our pic's on a separate thread...maybe call it project B ...latecomers

No need for a separate thread. You are as much a part of this one as anyone else! We look forward to your photos, notes, and participation. You just go right ahead and post whenever you are ready.

Oh, and yes AngelwannaB, you wrote:

I really believe you are the real deal CW, and I picture "Tonto" some where on your range.

Oh yeah, I`m a "real deal" alright. Just ask my ex-wife. She thought I was a "real deal". Oh, and yup... the new corral is very nice.
I had to shine my boots fer` politics! Folks like a spiffy sheriff. See the criticism here: http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?t=4967&start=0

AngelwannaB, you said you were happy to be part of this gang. Well, shucks mam, we`re just mighty tickled to have you counted as part of this bunch of renegades! Females give this place a real touch of class!

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

jbk101 wrote:Is it ready to eat

Hey John,

It depends, generally the flavour is better after a little time in the fridge after smoking. You will notice the sausage getting firmer as the moisture leaves. Some fridges are better at removing moisture than others, some fridges are stuffed so full that not much air moves between the products. Go by the feel each day. Stored in the fridge, ( I vacuum pack them and freeze until required ), can be wrapped in butcher's paper too, continues the drying process. Csabai is not a cooked sausage, but can be, alters the taste. So, it is ready to eat.

Chuckwagon wrote:I've got a post coming up tomorrow that explains the same sausage prepared three different ways. I'll post some material explaining how to take a "fresh sausage" a step further to make a "cooked-cured-smoked" sausage, and then finally, the process for making it into a "semi-dry-cured" sausage. All this will be done with the same chorizo recipe.

Wagonmaster - that is exactly what I've been hoping for. Greatly looking forward to it!

Cheers,
Jeff

Project B associates, please go back to the top of this page and see my last post. I've added more information just to try and stump Ross Hill. When you feel comfortable with the information, we'll begin by making a kilogram of "fresh" chorizo.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

And now...(drum roll, please...)
Our own Tex/Mex Blend

Original Recipe..........Ingredient......................1 kg (Total) Recipe.....1 Kg (Meat Basis) Recipe
2 lbs.....pork (fat trimmings removed) .............................689 gm......................800 gm
1/2 lb...pork trimmings ...................................................172 gm...................200 gm
12 gm...non-iodized salt (reduce if using cure).........................9.1 gm.................10.6 gm
3.1 gm..cure #1 (optional, ................................................3.0 gm.................2.7 gm
(mandatory if sausage is to be smoked)..... (142 ppm nitrite)
0.75 gm..pepper (black) ................................................0.6 gm (0.06%).........0.7 gm
20 gm..garlic (6 medium cloves - fresh) ............................15.2 gm (1.5%)......17.6 gm
24 gm...chile- ancho (remove stems & seeds, grind) ..............18.2 gm (1.8%)....21.2 gm
13 gm..chile-pasillo (remove stems & seeds, grind) ............9.9 gm (1.0%).........11.5 gm
0.2 gm..cloves (ground) .............................................0.15 gm (0.02%).........0.2 gm
0.7 gm..coriander (ground) ........................,,,...............0.53 gm (0.05%)........0.6 gm
0.4 gm..cumin (ground) ..............................................0.3 gm (0.03%)..........0.4 gm
0.4 gm..oregano .........................................................0.3 gm (0.03%).........0.4 gm
7.8 gm..paprika (sweet) .............................................5.9 gm (0.59%)..........6.9 gm
100 ml..vinegar .........................................................76 gm or ml..........88 gm or ml

There are four columns in DuckRecipes. The one on the left is the original recipe. It usually uses volumetric measurements (teaspoons, etc.) and is for whatever arbitrary weight the author used.
The second column is the ingredient list. 'nuff said 'bout those two.
The third is for 1 kilogram of SAUSAGE. Use it if you have need for a specific weight of sausage (product). This is handy because weights are the same as percentages (0.010 kilograms of a 1-kilo recipe is the same as 1.0%).
The fourth is for 1 kilogram of MEAT + FAT. Use it if you (like me) freeze ground pork, beef, fat, or other meat in 1 kilogram freezer bags. When you want sausage, thaw out a kilo of ground meat, measure out the appropriate spices, mix, stuff... et voila!

The third and fourth columns are multiples of the same recipe, which is the 1st column with everything converted to weights. Herb and spice densities vary all over the map, so feel free to check this conversion.

Want sausage? Thaw out a kilo of ground meat, measure out the appropriate spices, mix, stuff... et voila! (The third and fourth columns are multiples of the same recipe.)

This sausage weighs in at 22% fat and 1.1% salt. The salt is increased slightly by the addition of cure #1. Best range for salt is less than 3%. My preference is for about 1%. Yours may vary. Cure standard is 156 ppm nitrite, which conforms to American as well as European standards.

For the chiles, shop in the Hispanic section of your local food market. Some equivalents:
---(Use about 3) 5 chiles anchos mulatos = 53 gm whole, 37 gm seeded
---(Use a large one) 2 chiles passillas = 29 gm whole, 23 gm seeded

Notes:
---Dissolve salt and cure in water/vinegar before mixing them and the spices into the meat, for better distribution.
---Season for a day or two in the refrigerator, then stuff. I use this sausage in crumbled for, so I usually put it into plastic sandwich bags rolled to look like stuffed sausage. These fit nicely, side by side, into one-gallon plastic freezer bags.
---Fresh sausage is good for three days, so freeze what you don`t need immediately and pull it out, a link at a time, as you need it.
---Use cure, whether you smoke the sausage or not. Do not smoke unless cure is added.
---Enjoy. ...several times! CW has grand plans. I've done the fresh and the semi/smoked/cooked versions, but not yet...

Well, you'll see. Try the first version, fried and then scrambled with eggs. Flop it onto a corn tortilla or two which have been "limbered up" in the frying pan with a little butter, splat some salsa and pico de gallo (chopped fresh tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro) on top and maybe a little fresh cilantro, and you'll have a great breakfast.

We'll have a black bean soup recipe for the smoked/cooked version. Until then, keep on stuffin' !

Here's my csabaii at start of day 3 (of 4) smoke. Starting weight was 1.18 kg. This morning, began with 824 grams.