Homemade Sausage Making

At my local grocery store they have pork shoulder on sale for $ .99 a pound. I am going today to get some but I was wondering if I should still purchase it if it is previously frozen? Will it be ok to make summer sausage or brats?

Prolonged freezing is a method for killing trichnae. I often freeze pork when I can get a good buy on it and bring it out later to grind.

Scott, don't give it a second thought. Folks have made too big a big deal out of frozen meat "rupturing cells" etc. It is waaaay over-emphasized. However, when it thaws, be sure to include the exudate with the sausage. There's all kinds of things we need in that liquid. Just pour it into the comminuted grind and mix it into the meat. I checked with the MID at the USDA. They said we can even re-freeze it again and be safe, as long as there are a few ice crystals in the meat. So, the next time your power goes out, throw a blanket in the freezer and keep the door closed. When the power comes back on, remove the blanket and check to see if there are a few ice crystals in the meat. You can safely refreeze it with no problem. Freeze it quickly as possible for minimum cell damage. Turn up the controls to get the job done, then set everything back to normal.
What kind of sausage are you making pal? One day, you must try my Krainerwurst. It's a cured, smoked, cooked Slovenian sausage. Here's a link: http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?p=14295#14295
The recipe shows three different ways to prepare this stuff. (fresh, cooked, semi-dry cured). This flavor of this simple sausage will surprise you a little.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

Thanks a lot guys

I also took advantage of that sale.
Today I'm going to try CW's Krainerwurst (smoked version) I also wan't to make some Landjager some breakfast ,sausage and maple cure a shoulder.

John

I ran into that price around Xmas time and scored 120 pounds for my freezer, I think the price is about as good as it gets. I've got two small deboned butts, five pounds each, brining right now for smoking on Thursday. Tomorrow I'll inject a 14 pound turkey to soak in CW's famous 7-UP sauce, that'll be ready to go into the Pro 100 on Thursday morning also. The turkey breast meat and butt hams will be run thru the meat slicer for sandwich stuff. RAY

Chuckwagon wrote:However, when it thaws, be sure to include the exudate with the sausage. There's all kinds of things we need in that liquid.

Amen Brother, PLEASE preach it again!!!!

So many times when making sausage and other things with folks I hear this... "NO, rinse off the blood and gunk, it's bad!!"

No, it's the goodness that's USUALLY inside of the meat when not frozen! By pouring off the word CW said, exudate, (I say blood and juice)' you're losing flavor. When you buy a steak that has not been previously frozen there is very little juice (exudate) in the tray/paper it's packaged in, but if you freeze said steak and then defrost it, there will be liquid in the tray/paper.... This liquid is generated from the cellular structure being reorganized due to the rupturing of the cells (space) within the musculature. The reorganization of the structure is due to water being turned to ice crystals. Water is a different critter when compared to other substances... When frozen it becomes lighter than when found in liquid form and it likes to expand! Think back to your childhood (if over 40), or perform an experiment... Ice trays,when filled to the top with water, will produce ice cubes that protrude OVER the top edge of the ice tray when frozen. This is a perfect example of the expansion water goes through when frozen and will demonstrate why the cellular structure of meat ruptures...

Most mammals are made up of "meat" with a lot of water content located within the "meat" structure to support the form and operation of the muscle that we tend to make into a meal.

When the muscle form, that's naturally hydrated with water, is frozen, the ice crystals take up more room than the liquid form of water generally require. When the muscle meat is defrosted, the "extra room", allows water and other juices from the muscle meat to leak out. This "juice" contains many flavors and a LOT of moisture that the meat had prior to the freezing process...

Just me being a geek again,

Charlie

CrankyBuzzard wrote:Think back to your childhood (if over 40), or perform an experiment... Ice trays,when filled to the top with water, will produce ice cubes that protrude OVER the top edge of the ice tray when frozen.

Hey, Grandpa Charlie...? What's an ice tray? Did they have 'em in your "ice box," which I think is what they used to call a refrigerator?
Oh! Wait! I'll look it up on my iPhone app. ...right after I finish this game, and text Margie, and tweet on my facebook wall and...

(Translation available from any teenager. ...I hope.)

Love the duck! Especially when he's fried!