newbie

Beginners FAQ on sausage making, meat curing etc may often be found at the head of each relevant section, but here is the place to ask experienced users for advice if you are still stuck or need more information...we're here to help!

newbie

Postby AndyH » Sun Jan 21, 2018 11:00 am

I have read through a number of the threads and posts on here and they have all been a great help.
However, there were a couple of things that I didnt see covered or if they were, I missed them.

Are E numbers a requirement in sausage making?
I make burgers with my own blend of seasonings and have done for years. However, they are usually eaten there and then.
Obviously sausages are different and I am conscious of leaving them to bloom etc.

The next question I have goes back to seasoning.
I have bought a few different seasoning blends online. Commercial stuff and apart from seasonings and rusk, they contain a few ingredients I wouldn't have in the store cupboard. The preservative types - do they preserve the shelf-life of the sausage? The pork shoulder I used, has a use by date of 24th Jan. Will I be ok to leave the sausages in the fridge beyond that date, or will I be best using them/freezing them on the 24th?

I am guessing this is down to taste, but what sort of fat content am I looking for?
Used a fairly fatty shoulder of pork in my batches last night, but was able to trim the pieces fairly fat free. Should I be looking to keep some of the fat on the pork when mincing?

Thank you!
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Re: newbie

Postby DanMcG » Sun Jan 21, 2018 5:32 pm

Welcome Andy,.
I shoot for a 80/20 lean/ fat ratio.
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Re: newbie

Postby wheels » Sun Jan 21, 2018 6:37 pm

Hi Andy.

You don't need any E numbers (in the way you're using the term) in fresh sausage.

Use within 2 days or freeze and you don't need preservative. The most common preservative is Sodium metabisulfite. Adding it will give a longer shelf life. It's a component in virtually all wine, many vinegars and other food products. However, I've never used it as I don't see a need. I too use 80/20 lean/fat.

Welcome to the forum.

Phil
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Re: newbie

Postby AndyH » Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:16 pm

Thanks for the quick replies.

It was the Tongmaster mixes I used. Sent 6 sample packs and got through 4 of them.
800kg pork shoulder, 100g mix, 100ml ice water.

They seemed decent enough, but suppose the proof will be in the tasting.
I was conscious of needing some fat in, but didn't want too put too much in. Pretty certain it wasn't 80/20 though.

If there is a 'generic' seasoning mix out there, that would be a good base in which to adapt to suit.
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Re: newbie

Postby wheels » Mon Jan 22, 2018 5:37 pm

You'll find a number of recipes linked here:

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=9131

Is there a particular type of sausage you like?

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Re: newbie

Postby AndyH » Mon Jan 22, 2018 8:25 pm

Thanks Wheels.

Already had a good neb through there. Some I am keen to try.

Had my Cumberland tonight. Used the mix as mentioned above. Full of flavour, lots of 'juice' when I cut in to it and a cracking texture.
The other half said it needed a few more herbs. Tend to agree, so will try to replicate the mix and maybe tweak, inspired by the recipe in the link you provided.
There were a couple of air bubbles (I blame my 4 year old helper) and bizarrely, a hole in the middle of the sausage.

The sausage didn't split in a big way (despite the size of it). Although I did notice the juice escaping in one or two areas.

As for sausages I do like...

Cumberland, Lincolnshire (spent a lot of time working down there over the years), Merguez, Sobrasada, the European ones you get at Christmas markets...
Basically anything with flavour, that you can bite in to.
Oh and a nice slice of square sausage. My favourite has to be from a butchers we found in the middle of Newton Stewart.

When we did a sausage making course with the Northumberland Sausage Company (Groupon deal for Christmas), I knocked up a pork, leak, cider and garlic sausage.
The other half went a bit wild and did pork, red onion, pepper, chilli, honey and garlic. Both very tasty. There was something about the other halfs mind. I grimaced as she pulled it together, but enjoyed the taste very much.
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Re: newbie

Postby AndyH » Sat Feb 03, 2018 3:44 pm

I havent made any additional sausages since my last foray (handed some to friends/family and having some for toad in the hole tomorrow).
However, when mincing lamb for a keema type curry earlier today, I played about with the fat content and it would have roughly been approx 10/15% fat to meat content.
The best bits off the shoulder have gone for dicing for a lamb bhuna. The stuff on the bone for mincing and apart from cutting off the sinew, I wasn't precious about removing too much of the excess fat.

Will definitely follow the fat content rule when making my next batch of sausages.
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Re: newbie

Postby AndyH » Fri Apr 27, 2018 2:09 pm

Ready to make my next batch.
Feedback from the last lot (four types - using Tongmaster sample packs) has been positive, so much so that people have been enquiring about buying sausages from me.
Far from perfect at this stage, but my thought process is starting to think big...
If the taste is right and I can start to replicate the flavours from those sample packs as well as honing the skills in making sausages, then I am on my way to setting up my own business.
Initially working from home, selling at farmers markets and then growing as demand increases.

To cut a long story short, I enquired about what this may involve, with a contact I have in a local EH office.

Wow!
Talk about popping my bubble.

I didn't realise the rules and regulations were so complicated.
Appreciate they are there for a reason, but it has made the dream impossible!

Has anyone worked to overcome these difficulties?
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Re: newbie

Postby wheels » Fri Apr 27, 2018 9:15 pm

This post is well worth a read if you're planning to set up on your own: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2778

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Re: newbie

Postby AndyH » Sat Apr 28, 2018 10:39 am

wheels wrote:This post is well worth a read if you're planning to set up on your own: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2778

Phil


Cheers Wheels.

Had a quick look through and posted a message.
So much stuff in and amongst the forum, it's quite easy to miss things.

Saw your reply regarding porkpie. Did some online shopping last night on butchers sundries.
Plan is to lock myself in the kitchen next weekend and crack it once and for all.
The taste is there, just can't crack the pastry. Will look over that link you posted too. Always regret not getting a pork pie to try on my one visit to Mwlton Mowbray. There for business and just didn't get/make the chance.
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Re: newbie

Postby BriCan » Mon May 14, 2018 9:37 am

AndyH wrote:Plan is to lock myself in the kitchen next weekend and crack it once and for all.
The taste is there,
just can't crack the pastry.


Believe it or not thats the easy part .... just don't make it greasy ... I think I posted a recipe here some time ago
But what do I know
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Re: newbie

Postby wheels » Mon May 14, 2018 12:19 pm

...and a good recipe it is too. However, this one from the spiritual home of Pork Pie takes some beating:

https://www.greatfoodclub.co.uk/how-to- ... -pork-pie/

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Re: newbie

Postby AndyH » Mon May 14, 2018 3:43 pm

Thanks for the replies.

I went with a recipe from this book (www.hogbook.co.uk/book/)

Thought I may as well use it, with it being a Christmas present.

I have also invested in a pie tin and dolly. Struggled with the dolly, although I will use some of the tips in the link above.
The pie tin worked great and the pastry worked brilliantly!

The recipe was nice, but not as nice as I have made previous. Thought it was a little bland for my taste.
Certainly worth doing as a base, with a few tweaks.

The plan is to keep practicing and I will use the recipes shared on here

I also used some recipes from that book for sausages. Apparently they are the same recipes as in the Turner & George butchers. One was Pork and the other 'Pepper Pig'.
Both went without rusk, the pork without any liquid whatsoever.
The Pepper Pig had a very small amount of sweet wine.

Will try and remember to put recipes up. Both very nice and packed full of meat (pork must have been about 90%)
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