Help: Dry and Crumbly Italian Sausage

[knack1943]

This is my third attempt at making Italian sausage and it is still dry and crumbly added 1 cup of wine and ice cold water this time, I have 11lbs to be put into casing can it be salvaged?

[captain wassname]

A full recipe would be a help.
Maybe one of or mods could move this to beginners or wherever.

Jim

[NCPaul]

We need more information in order to help. Welcome to the forum.

[the chorizo kid]

the right blend of fat/lean, and the right amount of mixing helps. if you run out of ideas, try the amesphos.
I recently used it for the first time. the texture was not perfect, but it was definitely not dry and crumbly. it's a pretty good shortcut/plan B/fallback if nothing else works.

[Laripu]

The first time I made sausage it turned out that way. Every subsequent batch was fine. The solution is to keep everything very very cold. By everything I mean even the grinder parts, the stuffer parts, the meat, everything. I put everything in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes in between each step. Also mix by squishing the meat / spices / salt until you get it to go sticky. (Plastic gloves are good for this.)

That cured the problem for me.

People with technical knowledge about proteins and how they break down and reform in the presence of salt and in the cold... people with that kind of technical knowledge can give you the details. For me its: keep it cold and squish the meat until it's sticky.

[wheels]

Laripu, that's a fantastic reply: somewhat late for the OP though.

'Squishing' is exactly the technique that's required. For me, the forum saying of the day is:

Keep it cold and squish the meat until it's sticky.

That sums up sausage making!

Phil

[EnriqueB]

I'm also a newbie, but I've made quite a few batches of fresh sausage in the last months. I undestand there are many possible reasons for "dry and crumbly":

• Wrong type of meat
• Wrong type of fat
• Wrong type of meat/fat ratio
• Not enough salt
• Not having everything cold enough during the process
• Bad grinding (e.g. dull knifes, spearing)
• Not the right mixing
• Too much acid (vinegar, wine...) or added too early
• Overcooking

...and some others I sure forget. I guess that's why other, more experienced members, asks for a full recipe...

[Laripu]

Laripu, that's a fantastic reply: somewhat late for the OP though.

'Squishing' is exactly the technique that's required. For me, the forum saying of the day is:

Keep it cold and squish the meat until it's sticky.

That sums up sausage making!

Phil

I'm glad you like the phrasing.

Credit where credit is due: after my first attempt, resulting in crumbly sausage, I learned this by reading the Wedliny Domowe website.

That wasn't the only thing that was wrong with my first attempt...the other main thing was that I was using the KitchenAid mixer grinder attachment with sausage horns to stuff the casings. That guarantees bad results, and I knew that because there are many people who have posted that information in various places on-line. But it was a cheap way to start. At least, bad as the first batch was, it was good enough that Mrs Laripu didn't complain when I bought a proper stainless steel vertical stuffer from LEM. I still use the KitchenAid grinder attachment as a grinder.

It's now over a year after that first fiasco, and I'm enjoying both the process and the results. People on this web-site will no doubt produce some interesting ideas that I'll be stealing.

[WBcoach]

Also mix by squishing the meat / spices / salt until you get it to go sticky. (Plastic gloves are good for this.)

I had the exact same problem with my debut batch of Italian fennel sausage--dry and crumbly. The above suggestion is what fixed my sausage dilemma. It's the opposite of what you would do when forming burger patties. Mixing makes the meat and fat bind together. It wasn't about fat content and I knew my meat was always properly chilled. I am now hooked on making sausage!

[Laripu]

Also mix by squishing the meat / spices / salt until you get it to go sticky. (Plastic gloves are good for this.)

I had the exact same problem with my debut batch of Italian fennel sausage--dry and crumbly. The above suggestion is what fixed my sausage dilemma. It's the opposite of what you would do when forming burger patties. Mixing makes the meat and fat bind together. It wasn't about fat content and I knew my meat was always properly chilled. I am now hooked on making sausage!

That kind of makes me feel good. I'm definitely a beginner. That a suggestion of mine fixed a problem of yours is encouraging to me !

[WBcoach]

Also mix by squishing the meat / spices / salt until you get it to go sticky. (Plastic gloves are good for this.)

I had the exact same problem with my debut batch of Italian fennel sausage--dry and crumbly. The above suggestion is what fixed my sausage dilemma. It's the opposite of what you would do when forming burger patties. Mixing makes the meat and fat bind together. It wasn't about fat content and I knew my meat was always properly chilled. I am now hooked on making sausage!

That kind of makes me feel good. I'm definitely a beginner. That a suggestion of mine fixed a problem of yours is encouraging to me !

I am not joking when I say that suggestion probably stopped me from selling my equipment. Thanks again!

[crustyo44]

A good friend of mine that made over 50 varieties of fresh sausage for sale, never used amesphos but used a pig skin powder manufactured in Denmark, just to keep it more natural.
Some sausages had of course wine and/or vinegar in them and this pig skin powder kept these sausages juicy and not crumbly.
Cheers,
Jan.

[yotmon]

A good friend of mine that made over 50 varieties of fresh sausage for sale, never used amesphos but used a pig skin powder manufactured in Denmark, just to keep it more natural.
Some sausages had of course wine and/or vinegar in them and this pig skin powder kept these sausages juicy and not crumbly.
Cheers,
Jan.

Hi Crusty044, any idea what it was called. I have a packet of dried gelatine which I presume was made from pork rind but never used it in sausage meat - only added it to jelly for pork pies.

[wheels]

Pork rind can be prepared by boiling until soft. It's used in (generally econony) sausage as an alternative source of protein.

It's 'not my cup of tea'!

Phil

[NCPaul]

Try using the pork rind at a lower level. I've used it at 50 g per Kg of meat and thought it gave the sausage a bit more succulence. I first came across it in Paul Bertolli's recipe for Lucanica. Getting the amount of pork rind right is like something with a little gelatin (a rich stock) versus something with a lot (aspic). I'll be trying it in hot dogs next.