Help With Homemade Sausage Please

[LPBeier]

I am really hoping for some great advice from the diehard meat cooks out there.

Here is my dilemma. DH has intolerances to a number of things including wheat/gluten, dairy (lactose and casein), and soy, and we are trying to cut out too much refined sugar. He is also suffering from acid refulx which means cutting down on fats and oils, citric acid and other things.

I am trained in special diets and for the most part have no problem adapting meals; however, prepared meat products is beyond my capacity! Trying to buy lunchen meats has become a nightmare - Yesterday I even found the natural meats contain sugar, dextrose, corn syrup solids AND icing sugar.

So, I have started buying chicken, roasts, etc. cooking them up, slicing them on my pro slicer and freezing in "sandwich packs" for ongoing use.

I was precooking bacon and hard boiled eggs for his breakfasts, but he is finding the bacon, no matter how I cook it, is to fatty for his reflux.

I tried making my own sausage patties before, but I used ground pork. For Christmas I got a KA attachment for my Pro model 600 which will allow me to grind my own meat and has a sausage attachment as well. I think I asked a similar question before but I am really serious now and need to know everything I need to make various types of sausages and patties - meat, seasonings, procedures.

You guys are the best and I really respect your advice!

 

[FrankZ]

Everything you need to know and then some (like if you want to set up a commercial sausage kitchen).

#71200 Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing by Rytek Kutas\

I will say the sausage stuffer for the KA was a bit disappointing when I used it, it worked but it was very slow and a bit finicky.

 

[LPBeier]

Thanks, Frank. Though a little overwhelming, right now I will definitely look into that.

What I am looking for right now is just tips on how to get started. Something basic.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Try using ground turkey or ground chicken and spicing it with standard sausage seasonings. You may need to amp up the seasonings a little.

How about Canadian style bacon instead of regular bacon?

 

[FrankZ]

• Keep the meat cold.
• Make a little bulk sausage and then fry it up to try the recipe before committing a lot of meat to a project.
• The casings need to stay wet to keep them from sticking.
• Try one type of sausage and then move on.
• Don't reduce the fat of the meat, it won't be as much as you think.
• Don't let the sausage setup before stuffing. Grind, water, season, stuff. It has time to set up and mingle later.
• If you plan on smoking it you need to cure it.

That more like what you wanted?

 

[Uncle Bob]

Maybe stay with bulk sausage until you find meat(s) and seasonings that are both tasty and agreeable to DH....Then do the stuffing process......

 

[medtran49]

I'll second the not cutting down on the fat in the sausage mixture. We made that mistake when we first started making andouille, thought we'd make it low fat. BLECH.....

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I agree with Uncle Bob, create the sausage you like before going to the trouble to stuff it into casings.

 

[LPBeier]

Thanks everyone. This is the basic help I need to get started.

I may be an expert with a cake pan, not bad in the culinary department and can even do some basic meat cutting techniques but when it comes to working with meat in this way (or grilling or smoking), I am a newbie all the way.

Having said that I will ask another (probably silly) question - what are standard sausage spices? Yes, I know I should know this and/or should read the book, but a few hints please?

 

[Aunt Bea]

I am fond of sage, fennel seed, hot pepper, salt and black pepper. Depends on my mood.

 

[LPBeier]

I know fennel and sage are a must! Thanks Aunt Bea.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

What kind of sausage are you going for? Breakfast?

 

[The OutDoor Chef]

LB here is some links to get you started Miss.

The Art and Practice of Sausage Making

Sausage Recipes

Sausage Recipes

http://web.archive.org/web/200102140...e/Sausage1.htm

 

[LPBeier]

What kind of sausage are you going for? Breakfast?

I will start with sausage patties to make with eggs and in muffin sandwiches, etc. But I want to be able to make cured sausage for sandwiches at some point as well. All natural that doesn't contain lactic acid culture base or icing sugar!

Basically I want to become able to make everything from scratch. I am even starting to make my own ketchup and mustard (using Keen's mustard powder).

The only thing that won't be all natural are the cakes that I do for others - I don't think they will go for coconut oil "buttercream" or gluten free chocolate mayonnaise cake

 

[The OutDoor Chef]

I will start with sausage patties to make with eggs and in muffin sandwiches, etc. But I want to be able to make cured sausage for sandwiches at some point as well. All natural that doesn't contain lactic acid culture base or icing sugar!

Great sausage for that LP would be Chorizo I got a great recipe I can scan in from my Collage text book.

 

[LPBeier]

Actually we love chorizo so that would be great! I got some that was fairly safe, but it would be a good place to start! Thanks ODC!

 

[The OutDoor Chef]

Actually we love chorizo so that would be great! I got some that was fairly safe, but it would be a good place to start! Thanks ODC!

LP, I will get it to you tomorrow before the day's is over ok?

I will remind you that the recipe is in OZ not the regular measurements.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I will start with sausage patties to make with eggs and in muffin sandwiches, etc. But I want to be able to make cured sausage for sandwiches at some point as well. All natural that doesn't contain lactic acid culture base or icing sugar!

Basically I want to become able to make everything from scratch. I am even starting to make my own ketchup and mustard (using Keen's mustard powder).

The only thing that won't be all natural are the cakes that I do for others - I don't think they will go for coconut oil "buttercream" or gluten free chocolate mayonnaise cake

Mmmm...I love sausage....any kind.

I'll be sitting over here learning, too!

 

[LPBeier]

LP, I will get it to you tomorrow before the day's is over ok?

I will remind you that the recipe is in OZ not the regular measurements.

That's okay, I cook/bake in any measurement! Thanks, and no rush, just when you can.

 

[Rocklobster]

You are getting plenty of good cooking advice, here. I have been suffering from reflux desease for a while, thanks to a hiatus hernia. I can control it, if I stick to certain rules, but I am always trying to push it by eating and drinking whatever I want. It is under control, for the most part, but occasionally it bothers me at night. But, then, I know exactly why. I was a wee glutton, or ate too late. For me, its not so much of what I eat, it is how much and when. I have reduced the amount and frequency of some acid causing foods, but, I also have added many different foods to my diet to help neutralize the acid in my system. Have you checked out the ph level of foods and alkalyne `causing`and acid `causing`foods lists. One example is fennel. It is good in sausage and it also has acid reducing qualities to it. Also, you can use apple cidre vinegar for recipes that ask for vinegar. Lemon actually reduces the acidity of your stomach. There are many more. If there is anything I can offer, don`t be afraid to ask. I have researched this extensively, and tried some fairly extreme methods. Some work, some don`t.