www.sausagemaking.org

Hello!
Having got a mincer, and very excited at the prospect of LOTS of sausages, I have since found lots of variation in recipes and techniques! Salt and other additives seem pretty fixed, but...
Do I need to rest sausages? Should there be a break between mincing and mixing the ingredients and filling the casings? (If so, should this be done at room temperature, or in fridge?)
Equally, is this true for the sausages after they have been formed - should I hang the links at room temperature before refrigerating them?
Some of the recipes I have seen mention have said a day or 12 hours (both before and after forming them).
Any help - and rational would be much appreciated!

Ive done a food handling course so I would say no

Minced meat has a larger surface area for bacteria to grow in

After linking the sausage, I allow them to rest in the refrigerator on a rack overnight the set the links. This lets the sausages hold their shape after they are cut into individual links.

Adding the salt to chopped meat and then resting will aid myosin formation - that's what turns minced/ground meat in to sausage.

Resting after stuffing allows flavours to amalgamate and the sausage to come together, or 'bloom' as it's called.

Both should be done in the fridge for the reasons that Snags has highlighted.

HTH