Question from a beginer

[Kagura]

Hi All,

Am pretty new to sausage making and have only made 3 attempts to date. However, each time they have come out relatively flavourless, no matter how much stuff I pumped into them. Am I using too much fat (generally using about 20% lard), too few farley's rusks, or am I just getting the seasoning wrong? Any tips would be most gratefully received!!!

[TobyB]

Hi Kagura,

Two things first, I hope you are not using lard or farleys rusks. the former because it woud make your sausage greasy and disgusting and the latter because farleys rusks are sweet (and a very expensive way of adding rusk).

For the fat element of your sausage I'd suggest that you use belly pork (ideally shoulder fat but this can be difficult to obtain) and do the ratios of 50% belly pork to 50% lean pork. this seems to give a good level of fat/to meat.

For the rusk use the recipe from this site or buy it from franco.

As for flavour, if you are adding a lot of herbs and spice but still not getting flavour this may be beacause your herbs are very old (if dried) and they lose flavour quickly especially if exposed to sunlight. If you are using fresh herbs you obviously need to add more. If your herbs have flowered (which they will have done at this time of year) their flavour is greatly reduced and you need to up the quantities accordingly.

Good luck

Toby

[welsh wizard]

Hi Kagura and welcome

What seasonings are you putting into the mix other than S&P and at what quantity? 80% meat and 20% fat sounds about right, although I know some people use a greater degree of fat. Are you producing pork or beef sausages?

There are some great recipies on this site but I must admit when I first started I used some of Francos Old English mix and still do for a base, and then add to that. Personaly, I dont think you can beat using a pre prepared mix when setting out on the sausage trail........

Cheers WW.

[sausagemaker]

Hi Kagura

Firstly Welcome to the forum, Before kicking off & telling you whats wrong can I ask you to post your recipe so that we can look it over and then advise.

Regards
Sausagemaker

[TobyB]

Ah............. so speaks the professional (sausagemaker) and very wise too.

Sadly I think this post may have been a piss take (apologies Kagura if this isn't the case)

[Spuddy]

Sadly I think this post may have been a piss take (apologies Kagura if this isn't the case)

I must admit I have the same suspicions.