Sausage making Sunday

[Rocklobster]

Pork loin has been on sale for 1.48 per lb so I bought three this week.Getting the grinder out and going to make up a couple of batches of sausages, a few lbs of ground pork, and some big chops from the lean ends for the freezer. I brought home some nice fat from work and am gong to go for about 20-25% fat in these recipes. I already made Bratwurst and Hot Italian a few weeks ago so I don't need any of those. Today I am going with fresh Mexican Chorizo, and a version of Andouille.

Here are the recipes:

Andouille

6-lbs ground pork
3-1/3-tbsp finely minced garlic
2-tbsp salt
1-tsp freshly ground black pepper
1-tsp cayenne
1-tsp chili powder
1/8-tsp mace
1/8-tsp allspice
1/2-tsp dried thyme
1-tbsp paprika
1/4-tsp ground bay leaf
1/4-tsp sage
3-tbsp liquid smoke
1-cup cold red wine

Chorizo

5 lb Pork
1 lb pork fat
3 tblsp ground chili blend(Ancho, guajillo)
1.5 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp ground coriander
3 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp whole cumin seed
1 tsp cayenne
3 tblsp sweet paprika
6 tsp kosher salt
1/4 red wine vinegar
half a cup of fresh, chopped cilantro
Some chopped fresh chilis. (Not sure how much of this yet. I have some nice small ones but they are pretty hot. We'll see.)

Heading in to the kitchen now. Photos to follow.

 

[CraigC]

Are you cold smoking the andouille and keeping the chorizo fresh?

 

[Rocklobster]

Both are going to be fresh. I don't have the capability to smoke anything at this point in my life. I am adding liquid smoke to the Andouille. I got the recipe from this site. The brats and hot Italian recipes here worked out great in my opinion. TheSpicySausage.com: Andouille Sausage #1

 

[pacanis]

Cool.
I was wondering what you were going to do for fat. Another job perk!

 

[Rocklobster]

Cool.
I was wondering what you were going to do for fat. Another job perk!

Yeah. We smoke pork butts at work every week for pulled pork. I usually trim off 5 or more pounds of it a week. Most of it goes in the garbage because we can't use it all.

 

[pacanis]

Nice. Great use for fat caps.
What do you sell your butts for per lb?

 

[Rocklobster]

Nice. Great use for fat caps.
What do you sell your butts for per lb?

About 3.50 per lb. We don't sell many fresh, though. We mostly use them for our pulled pork sandwiches in the deli. In the summer we sell the pulled pork out of the meat counter. We also shrink wrap some and sell it in our freezer section...

 

[pacanis]

Definitely a better buy using the loins then.
Those two cuts are closer to the same price here.

 

[Rocklobster]

My boss marks his meat up too high as far as I am concerned, but it's not my business, so......I got these loins from a larger grocery store and they are cheaper than I can buy them from my own work place...

 

[Roll_Bones]

Does sausage making require some kind of smoothing agent?

I know that question makes little sense, so let me lay it out in laymans terms.

Each time I have tried making sausage, there was something different about mine than commercial made sausage.
Seemed like it needed something to make it more fatty/silky/juicy. I am having trouble explaining this in written words.
But I do remember a product that was used in sausage that did this. I wish I could remember what it is.

 

[Rocklobster]

There are different ways to achieve this. You canuse binders, which can be soy product, Soy, Soy Protein, Soy Flour. They also use powdered milk and add ice water. I think the size of plate you use makes a big difference also. GF likes larger grind. I prefer a smaller grind.

I prefer to go old school and make mine as classic and old fasioned as I can and try and perfect this method.

 

[CraigC]

Does sausage making require some kind of smoothing agent?

I know that question makes little sense, so let me lay it out in laymans terms.

Each time I have tried making sausage, there was something different about mine than commercial made sausage.
Seemed like it needed something to make it more fatty/silky/juicy. I am having trouble explaining this in written words.
But I do remember a product that was used in sausage that did this. I wish I could remember what it is.

I have learned a step that requires using the KA with paddle attachment. You run the mixture on medium speed for a couple minutes adding a few Tbsps of ice water. This develops a mixture like a sticky dough, incorporating the ingredients to a more uniform consistency. Of course you also have to get the fat content right.

 

[Rocklobster]

I have learned a step that requires using the KA with paddle attachment. You run the mixture on medium speed for a couple minutes adding a few Tbsps of ice water. This develops a mixture like a sticky dough, incorporating the ingredients to a more uniform consistency. Of course you also have to get the fat content right.

I tried this with a curry wurst I did a while back. I loved the result. Not sure it is the same thing you do, but it really blended the fat in with the meat and created a nice, finer texture that cooks up differently, for sure.

On another note, I don't use any additives right now. I am just going with meat, fat, spices, water\wine depending on the recipe.

 

[CraigC]

I tried this with a curry wurst I did a while back. I loved the result. Not sure it is the same thing you do, but it really blended the fat in with the meat and created a nice, finer texture that cooks up differently, for sure.

On another note, I don't use any additives right now. I am just going with meat, fat, spices, water\wine depending on the recipe.

No additives for fresh sausage here either. If it will be cured (to be smoked or dry-cured) or fermented, then additives are required.

 

[salt and pepper]

I also use the KA for mixing, Its much easier on the hands when mixing COLD meat. I made some bologna and fresh sausage the other day using this method. Since the bologna was finer ground, using the mixer gave it a better end product.

 

[Rocklobster]

Things didn't go as I planned. We had company drop in while I had the works all over the kitchen. I only got a few pics. I had to get them wrapped and frozen because I have no room to store them in the fridge.

Here is "0ld Nellie". I got this a few years ago from a restaurant I worked at. It was under the stairs in a box all covered with dust and cobwebs. It was there when my boss bought the place. I dug it out one day and she told me to take it. I bought a few new plates and blades and it works like a charm...

 

[pacanis]

As long as Old Nellie makes lots of noise while she's churning, it looks good to me.
What a bad time for company. Were you going to case this?

 

[Rocklobster]

Here is a bad photo of the Chorizo.

 

[pacanis]

mmmm bite size pieces

 

[salt and pepper]

Here is a bad photo of the Chorizo.

Looks tasty to me!