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I am having trouble with the following recipe coming out a bit dry and not tender when the sausages are cooked and looking for some ideas.

2 lbs pork (I used 70/30% Shoulder/Belly)
2 -3 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground sage
1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup ice water

Stuffed into a 24mm collagen casing.

They seem to split easily, are dry and very tough once cooked.

Looking for what to try to fix the problem

Thanks for any help

Welcome to the forum. The problem you describe could come from several things, can you give us some idea of your grinding, mixing and stuffing process?

Thanks NCPaul

We chill the meat, then pass thru 6mm plate through the grinder, then combine the spice mix with the meat and re chill and pass the combination thru the grinder again and then stuff using a vertical hand operated stuffer into Nippi 24mm Collagen casings and then tying off in to 4" lengths, which come out about 50gm

It might be as simple as not mixing the salt and spices long enough to develop a good bind in the meat.

They seem to split easily, are dry and very tough once cooked.

and then again it could be the cooking process, split, dry and tough are "usually" (not always) signs of high heat/overcooking

good call Brican, I guess I missed that part of the question.

Even slow cooked in fry pan or grill the meat seems to be very tough with no/little moisture

DanMcG wrote:good call Brican,

Just a hunch Dan

I guess I missed that part of the question.

First thing that comes to mind when people say the sausage is dry -- way too many years as a butcher

siambob wrote:Even slow cooked in fry pan or grill the meat seems to be very tough with no/little moisture

If the issue is not the cooking, I'd try DanMcG's suggestion and mix the meat more before stuffing - until it's sticky and like sausage as against just minced meat and spices.

HTH

Phil

Yep, I don't see 'mix meat until sticky' in the process description, so that looks like a possibility.

Are you located in Thailand? How is the quality of the meat you are using? Usually the mixing from the second grind with the spices and salt would be most of what you need. How cold are you getting the meat? Sorry for questions instead of answers.

NCPaul wrote:Are you located in Thailand? How is the quality of the meat you are using? Usually the mixing from the second grind with the spices and salt would be most of what you need. How cold are you getting the meat? Sorry for questions instead of answers.

I have been hand picking the cuts, its pretty reasonable quality but varies a lot due to so much small lot farming here, eg truck turns up to a farm of 20-50 pigs and takes 10, they can be anywhere from 80-120kg so not ideal really.

Questions are great! as i dont know what i need to explain, I think from what is posted i dont have the meat cold enough and I need to change to mix it just before stuffing.
I will also put the grinder head in the freezer for a bit to chill it, a friend suggested that.

thanks everyone for the great help

One Question, would adding prague #1 help?

You would only need prague # 1 if you plan to smoke the sausages or if you want to semi-dry them. You can add a small amount (about 50 ppm) to give them a pinkish color.

NcPaul's answer is, as always, accurate. However, it won't solve your problem, which was:

siambob wrote:They seem to split easily, are dry and very tough once cooked.

Looking for what to try to fix the problem

It's easy to think that by adding something you will solve a problem, but I can assure you that adding Prague (cure) #1 isn't the answer to your problem.

If what you've been advised hasn't worked, then the answer's elusive, but I know that it isn't Prague Powder.

Have you tried any of the suggested solutions?

Phil

I agree you should try the suggested methods first but just a thought ... if all else fails, you could get your hands on some phosphates for sausages. These help to retain moisture and aid in developing a good bind. I use a product called MegaPhos C specifically designed for cutter/emulsion but I'm sure there are loads of alternative brands if you looked into it. Most commercial producers use phosphates and I understand if you have reservations about using them but in my experience I can only say positive things about them.