Online Workshop: Project B (August 2012)

[Chuckwagon]

SAUSAGE TYPE 1
Fresh Sausage
Start Grindin' And Stuffin'!
Okay smoke addicts... Ready.... Set.... let's make some sausage! We'll start by making "fresh" links of Stan's great tasting Breakfast Sausage. Have a little confidence in yourselves and remember something my ol' pappy once told me. He said, "The man who doesn't TRY..., doesn't do anything". Teachers and instructions are invaluable, but so is experience.

Important:
Folks, at this point I`d like to ask you to write a few remarks at the end of each sausage project that you do. We need (1.) notes of negative aspects or experiences (2.) notes of positive aspects or experiences (3.) remarks or notes to help others.

If you would, please list the problems that you had and make remarkd about how you would correct them next time. This will help others avoid the pitfalls. Next, please list the positive features. Finally, please make a few remarks to help others learn, or just make a few comments about your experience making this particular sausage.

Two_MN_kids (Jim) has a batch finished and he's made some great observations, (both negative and positive), along with beneficial remarks and recommendations for everyone. Nice goin' Jim. Very professional. I'm glad you like the recipe. It's a good 'un!

Jim said he had two blowouts. He identified the problem and wrote it down for others benefit. He said one was because there wasn't an escape for trapped air. (Jim, would you believe that you can actually buy pre-needled casings? I haven't seen any for quite some time, but they`re out there.)

Experience will fine-tune your skills. I can hardly wait to see everyone's photos. Please take some good photos as you go through the steps of grinding and stuffing. In the interest of space and organization, I'm going to open a new sticky for Project B Photos only. Please place your photos in the new forum and keep this one for dialogue unless there is a particular problem and you'd like to show it to the group for discussion. Let's grind and stuff for two days and see how they turn out. Important: Be sure to write down your thoughts and discoveries in your notebook - then share it with the group. Yeeee Haaawww!

Recipe #1 - Breakfast Sausage by Stan Marianski http://www.wedlinydomowe....cipes/breakfast

pork butt... 1 kg. (2.2 lbs. )
salt..............18 gr. (1 Tblspn.)
pepper.......2.0 gr. (1 tspn.)
sage............2.0 gr. (2 tspn.)
nutmeg......0.5 gr. (1/4 tspn.)
ginger.........0.5 gr. (2/3 tspn.)
thyme ........1.0 gr. (1 tspn.)
cayenne.....0.5 gr. (1/4 tspn.)
cold water 100 gr. (3/8 cup)

Grind meat with 1/4" (5-6 mm) plate. Mix meat with all ingredients, including water. Stuff into 22-26 mm sheep casings. (If using hog casings, use 28-30 mm). Tie into 4" links. Cook before serving - recommended for frying or grilling. (See also Code Of Regulations §319.143.)
Note: If you like this recipe and wish to make 10 pounds, simply multiply all ingredients by 4.5 - remember there are three teaspoons in a tablespoon.

Sheep Casings - 1 Hank

Diameter:____ Capacity:
16-18 mm......33-36 lbs.
18-20 mm......38-41 lbs.
20-22 mm......47-52 lbs.
22-24 mm......55-60 lbs.
24-26 mm......60-64 lbs.
26 + mm........64-70 lbs.

"Shorts" - 3 to 6 ft. lengths.

18-20 mm......34-36 lbs.
20-22 mm......40-45 lbs.
22-24 mm......45-50 lbs.
24 + mm......50-54 lbs.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

[Chuckwagon]

"Project B" Photos

[Jarhead]

sage............2.0 gr. (2 tspn.)

Ground or Rubbed?
I've got both, so no big deal.

[Chuckwagon]

Hi Gunny - rubbed sage.
Hey Marine! I've got some great "Saddlebum's Western Wisdom" for you. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives... so you`ll be afraid to cough.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

[Jarhead]

Thank you CW.
Save the X-Lax and eat in the chow hall.

[Gulyás]

Brave is the man who takes laxatives and sleeping pills at the same time.

[el Ducko]

Nap time for the mix. Not a bad idea for the sausage maker, too. (Yawn.)

Thanks for the continued reminders about keeping the mix cool at every opportunity. This time, I paid attention, and feel a whole lot better about the batch. I also paid attention to working the mix until it became stiff. (Now, my hands are stiff, but that's okay.)

Best lesson learned: plastic gloves and knives don't mix. (...back in a bit. ...gotta go get another pair.)

[Cabonaia]

Dang! Can't get started till the weekend. But I can buy my meat today...gives me something to do at least.

Question: I watched a video of some cook making soprasatta. He was supposed to be an expert. He ground his meat so cold that it came out in those kinda half round icicles you get when you do that. None of the pictures posted by the experts on this forum depict that situation. So I am thinking he is "crisping" his meat a bit too far. If you are seeing these meatcicles, is your meat too cold? Or is that ok?

Cheers,
Jeff

[el Ducko]

.................................Photo Title: "Time to Chill"....................................................
"Project B" Breakfast Sausage after being worked to develop the protein myosin.
Note log sheet on the counter. (I use a spreadsheet to check quantities & sanity.)

[ssorllih]

The weather is holding good so Nancy and I will sail away tomorrow and sail back on Friday.

[el Ducko]

Well, Recipe #1 stuffing didn't go so well. ...good idea to put itty-bitty sheep casing on the agenda, CW. ...great learning experience. (Grrr.)

The Facts:
---I am used to (estimated) 32-36 mm hog casings.
---I bought 19-21 mm sheep casing. The recipe called for 22-26 mm sheep casing. [My bad.]
---My Kitchener (Northern Tool) #12 grinder came with three stuffing tubes of unknown size. I measured them (after the fact) at 14-20 mm, 19-25 mm, and 22-25 mm. I used the 14-20 mm tube for sheep casing.

The Problem(s):Difficulty threading casing onto stuffer tube. Multiple, frequent blowouts.[/b]
I washed the casing off with water, then soaked it for ten minutes. (Should have been longer?) It was difficult to thread the sheep casing onto the stuffer tube. I finally got an end open and got some water through the inside of the casing after about ten minutes of struggling. I could then thread casing on by chasing a bubble of water, holding the stuffer tube and accumulated casing just off the surface of a dish of water. However, the casing would not slide up more than about half an inch.

The stuffer tube appeared to be too big for the casing. (Should have lubricated the tube with pork fat instead of water.) After I got the whole length threaded onto the stuffer tube and began stuffing, the casing kept blowing out. It appeared to be sticking on the tube. (Again, improper lubrication.) I attempted to lubricate with water, then fat, but no luck. I got a total of five short sausages out of the entire length. I knew I was in trouble- - equipment was heating up and time was passing. I quickly switched tubes, loaded some hog casing, recovered the mince from the blown-out sections, and stuffed the rest in hog casing without incident.

Questions:
I rarely soak hog casings longer than about ten minutes.
---Should I have soaked the sheep casing longer, or does it really matter past ten minutes of soak time?

Given the difficulty in threading the casing onto the stuffer tube, and given the multiple frequent blowouts,
---Was the sheep casing too small? (More suited to snack stix?)
---Do I need a smaller diameter stuffer tube for this size sheep casing?

I`ve never had sticking problems before, but usually use a hog casing which is much larger compared with the stuffer tube. I obviously should have lubricated with pork fat instead of water.
---Is this typical with sheep casing?
---Is the relative size a problem? (19-21 mm sheep casing on a 14-20 mm tube, versus 32-36 mm hog casings on a 19-25mm tube).

Thanks in advance for your help. This is why we do these things.

[ssorllih]

I bought a 1/2 inch O.D.Stuffer tube for small collagen casing and that is a pleasure to use.

[Gulyás]

When I load casing on the tube, first I push out a little bit of meat/mix. Just half a ball, (sticking out) what helps to guide the casing on. It also lubricates it. Of course bigger diameter is much easier. Blowing air into the casing forms an air bubble, that serves the same purpose. Cutting the end of casing perpendicular, makes it easier to separate.
When I made a new tube, I machined the end of tube round.

Joe

[Jarhead]

Mr Quack Quack, ya gotta be smarter than the average stuffer tube.
First thing, grab the tube and go to your local friendly hardware store and tell them that yours is too big.
You will get mixed reactions, depending on the gender of who you ask.
Mine just smiled and said, "Oh really"?
And here I thought she was from Mizzora, the show-me state?
Anyway back on topic, tell her that you want a tight fit.



Have her put a flair on the end, so you don't fall in, errr, to keep the extension in place, and you don't want any meat coming out on the side. Cause once you get it in, well never mind.



This could go on and on. So I'll just "Shut the "F" up and let you draw your own conclusions.
BTW Duckie, you should lube it first. Did you check the born on date?

BTW, ribs tonight!!!

[circlecross]

I presume everyone is aware of the anti-bacterial properties of copper and its alloys?