Second Batch

[robr]

I have made my second batch of sausages but the results were as per the first. Great tasting sausages but very dry.
I have been reading in the forum and there is mention of water in the mix. If I use a mix of lean and fat and add about 4% of breadcrumbs should I also add water?
Robr

[aris]

What percentage of fat is in your sausages? Low fat can be the cause of dry sausages.

If you use breadcrumbs, you should probably add a liquid too.

[Oddley]

You have not posted the recipe so we could have a look for any problems. So here is a general idea of the problems associated with dry compact sausages.

I believe the single most important thing in sausage is fat content 25-26% works great for me. This always gives me a nice moist sausage.

The second thing is binder this is a bit controversial because some people don't like to use it. But it does retain moisture and gives a certain softness to the bite.

Without the recipe this is all I can say. Good luck with the next batch.

[robr]

Sorry about that, I did not use a recipe as such but I used about 70% lean, 26% fat with 4% breadcrumbs and no liquid. I also used the Cumberland spice mix from Franco. The casings were collagen ones.

Robr

[aris]

Perhaps you over-cooked them? Did you prick the sausages during cooking or did they split? What kind of fat did you use, and was it finely or roughly ground?

[sausagemaker]

Hi Robr

How much cumberland mix did you add & does it contain crumb?
What cooking method are you using?

When using breadcrumbs you need to add water at the rate of
1.5 or 2 to 1

regards
sausagemaker

[Oddley]

I wonder if you are not keeping the meat cold enough and the fat is emulsifying.

Try the recipe below my wife likes these better than fatman sausage. It's a simple but very tasty recipe thought of and developed by me. If you follow the instructions exactly you should get good results.

Let us know how you get on.

Oddleys

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb Lean Shoulder pork
1/2 lb Hard back fat
1 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
1/8 tsp Mace
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1 1/2 oz Stale Breadcrumbs

Method:

Keep the meat between 0 - 5 centigrade at all times. Mince fat and shoulder of pork on a fine blade 3/8 in, then mix all other ingredients in a kneading motion. fry a small amount to see if you like the recipe. Fill sausage skins. leave in a cool room for about 20 min's then in the bottom of the fridge overnight.

[Franco]

Rob,

I would recommend a usage rate of 2.5% for the seasoning ie 25 grammes per kilo, 85 % meat and 10% rusk and 7.5% water.

How finely do you mince the meat? I would recommmend mincing it coarsley to start then adding add the other ingredients then mincing again or twice even on a fine plate.

Regards

Franco

[robin]

Rob,

My very first attempt at sausage making was made using Franco's Cumberland sausage mix.

I used pork shouder I guess about 75% lean and 25% fat with 5% rusk and enough water added to the rusk to make it a moist sort of pastry/dumpling like consistancy then added this to the meat and spices. I used hog skins.

The sausages were very juicy even though I had some problems with split skins when cooking due to me over filling the casings.

So the only real difference between your method and mine is the casings used.

[Parson Snows]

Robr

As there are numerous/many things that could be causing this I would recommend that you post your method of preparation so that it can be commented on.

Breadmaker wrote

When using breadcrumbs you need to add water at the rate of 1.5 or 2 to 1

Apart from such companies as Musk�s of Newmarket, Stroff�s Speciality Sausages of Oxford and The Dickinson & Morris Sausage Shop, most butchers stopped using bread/breadcrumbs in sausage production years ago. As to the water to bread/breadcrumb ratio, based on experience and the make up of bread I would recommend 1 : 1 (though you could go as low as � : 1) up to a maximum of 1 � : 1, I definitely wouldn�t go as high as 2 : 1. If you think about the old days in the UK you would always find a butcher and a baker very close to each other down your local shops. The butcher would buy the stale bread from the baker.

Hope that you find this information of some use to you

kind regards

Parson Snows

[robr]

Many thanks to all for your comments and suggestions.
I will try again and let you know the results.
Just one more query? When you say 1 to 1 etc is this the ratio of water weight to rusk weight?
Rob

[sausagemaker]

Hi Robr

Yes Parson does mean 1 part breadcrumb to one part water.

As for my calculations of 1.5 or 2 to 1 I have just tried these with a commercially made breadcrumb & I stand by my calculation, although the 2 - 1 is wetter it it would not be detrimental to an 87% meat sausage.

I have also noted that you are now calling the filler rusk it would help to know which you are using as both rusk & breadcrumb soak up water at different rates.

regards
sausagemaker

[Parson Snows]

robr

you'll eventually work out what best suits you, everyone has different tastes. By all means try 2 to 1 for the water to Bread/breadcrumbs ratio.

Typical water/liquid to filler/binder ratios

When using Bread/Breadcrumbs (stale) as the filler/binder

MINIMUM
� parts water/liquid to 1 part Bread/Breadcrumbs (stale)

MAXIMUM
1 � parts water/liquid to 1 part Bread/Breadcrumbs (stale)

As I mentioned before personally I would use 1 part water/liquid to 1 part Bread/Breadcrumbs (stale)

When using Rusk as the filler/binder

MINIMUM
1 � parts water/liquid to 1 part Rusk

MAXIMUM
2 parts water/liquid to 1 part Rusk


Note: ADD THE WATER/LIQUID A LITTLE AT A TIME UNTIL THE CORRECT CONSISTENCTY IS REACHED

I hope that this information is of some use to you.

kind regards

Parson Snows

[aris]

By 'part' I assume you mean by volume? I.e. 1 cup of rusk/breadcrumb to 1 cup of water.

[Parson Snows]

Aris wrote

By 'part' I assume you mean by volume? I.e. 1 cup of rusk/breadcrumb to 1 cup of water.

part
n.
1. A portion, division, piece, or segment of a whole.
2. Any of several equal portions or fractions that can constitute a whole or into which a whole can be divided: a mixture of two parts flour to one part sugar.

I apologise, even though this is a sausage-making forum I sometimes forget that not everyone is a sausage maker.

Typically for sausage making water is measured in pounds

Therefore I mean
X pounds/parts of water/liquid to X pounds/parts of filler/binder
or
X % water/liquid to X % filler/binder

Kind regards

Parson Snows