1. Chapter 6
Sausage

2. 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

3. Chapter 6 Objectives
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

4. The History of Sausage
The word sausage comes from the Latin word “salus” meaning “salted”
The earliest sausages were created in ancient Rome and Greece
Roman soldiers traveled with sausages and introduced sausages to other parts of Europe
By the Middle Ages, regional forms of sausage began to evolve into definite and unique forms all over Europe

5. Sausage Ingredients
Sausages are made by grinding raw meats 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

6. Main Ingredient
Generally, sausage is made from tougher cuts of meat from the leg or the shoulder
The more exercised the muscle, the more highly developed the flavor
Meats for sausage should be trimmed and cut into dice or strips
When pork liver is called for in a sausage recipe, cut it into cubes before grinding
The seasonings or cure mix are tossed together with the meat before grinding

7. Main Ingredient Sausages in this chapter are made from: Pork Veal Lamb
Beef
Venison
Pheasant
Chicken
Turkey

8. Certified Pork
Certified pork is pork that has been treated in a way that destroys the pathogens responsible for trichinosis
Pork sausages that undergo lengthy smoking or drying procedures but aren’t cooked must be made with certified pork

9. Preparing Certified Pork
Minimum Temperature
Minimum Freezing and Holding Time
5°F/10ºC
20 days
-10°F/-23ºC
12 days
-20°F/-29ºC
6 days
Pack pork in containers to a depth of 6 inches

10. Fat 25 – 30% fat is the preferred average in a sausage
Fat used in contemporary forcemeats:
Pork jowl fat
Pork fatback
Heavy cream

11. Seasonings and Cure Mixes
Salt (ordinary table, kosher, or sea salt)
Sausages that will be cold or dry smoke must have nitrate or a nitrite-nitrate combination (like Prague Powder II)
Hot-smoked and fresh sausages do not require nitrite
Sweeteners are added to mellow the sausage’s flavor and make the finished product moister

12. Spices
Spices are added as whole toasted seeds, ground, or in special blends like:
Quatre épices
Pâté spice

13. 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

14. 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)

15. Equipment Selection, Care and Use
Electric meat grinders
Food processors
Choppers
Mixers
Sausage stuffers

16. Equipment Selection, Care and Use
Use the following guidelines:
1. Make sure equipment is in excellent condition.
2. Make sure equipment is scrupulously clean before setting to work.
3. Chill any part of the machine that comes into direct contact with the sausage ingredients.
4. Choose the right tool for the job.
5. Assemble the grinder correctly.

17. 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
The meat and/or fat should be near 28° to 30°F so that the meat grinds properly

18. 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

19. Basic Grind Sausage Method:
1. Grind chilled and diced meats, as well as other ingredients as required by recipe, to the desired texture (meats should be 28° to 30°F).
2. Mix the ground sausage meat(s) on the first speed for 1 minute, then on the second speed for 15 to 30 seconds, or until it becomes homogenous.
3. The sausage mixture is now ready to test, garnish, and shape.

20. Dry and Semi-Dry Fermented Sausages
Fermented sausages have a tangy flavor because of the lactic acid that is produced during fermentation
Typically made of:
Beef or pork
Water (60 to 70% of the weight of the meat)
Salt
Curing agents such as nitrate and nitrite
Sugars such as dextrose and sucrose

21. Dry and Semi-Dry Fermented Sausages
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° – 30°F and the fat 5° – 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

22. Dry and Semi-Dry Fermented Sausages
The fermentation during the drying process produces lactic and acetic acid, which lower the pH level to between 4.6 and 5.2 for semi-dry sausages and to a pH level between 5.0 and 5.3 for 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

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

24. Emulsion Sausages Method:
1. Cure the meat and then grind through the fine die.
2. Grind the chilled fatback through the fine grinder die.
3. Chop together the ground meat and crushed ice and process until the temperature drops to below 30°F/-1°C.
4. Add the ground fat to the meat when the temperature reaches 40°F.
5. Add the nonfat dry milk (and any remaining seasonings) when the temperature reaches between 45°F/7ºC and 50°F/10ºC. Continue to process the forcemeat until it reaches 58°F/14°C.

25. 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/63°C for fish, 150°F/66°C for pork, beef, veal, lamb, and game, and 165°F/74°C for any item including poultry and poultry liver). Taste and check for flavor, seasoning, and consistency.

26. Sausage Shaping Loose or bulk: solid log in plastic wrap
Made into patties
Sausages in casings: natural or synthetic
See casing charts on page 247 of book for natural casing sizes, lengths, and capacities

27. Preparing Natural Casings
Method:
1. Rewind the casings and store covered in salt. Lay out the casings and remove any knots. Form into bundles of the required length.
2. Before using the casings, rinse them thoroughly in tepid water, forcing the water through the casing to flush out the salt.
3. Cut the casing into lengths if necessary (consult specific recipes) and tie a bubble knot in one end of the casing.

28. Stuffing the Casing Method using a sausage stuffing machine:
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Twist or tie the sausage into the appropriate shape.