novice sausage maker

Beginners FAQ on sausage making, meat curing etc may often be found at the head of each relevant section, but here is the place to ask experienced users for advice if you are still stuck or need more information...we're here to help!

novice sausage maker

Postby jenny_haddow » Thu Mar 30, 2006 3:02 pm

At last I am making sausages I can eat thanks to finding this site. Several years ago I bought an electric meat grinder with a sausage filling attachment and searched high and low for info on what to do. I sourced some hog casings (a vast quantity) from a factory supplier, but they smelled so rank even after long soaking and rinsing, that I fancied I could taste them on the sausages, so I put it all on the back burner. Recently I was looking for decent sausages to buy when I stumbled on your site and I knew my moment had come! Not wanting to repeat the hog experience I went for collagen which are fine but not as versatile for sure. Perhaps I'll overcome my aversion to the smell and go for hog next time.
So far I have done leek and stilton, old English, and Lincolnshire from the prepared mixes. Also I made lamb with garlic and rosemary from a tray of good mince from Waitrose. They are very good. So the family are all happily eating my bangers. Some have split in the pan, but most have been fine. I assume the ones that burst their britches have been stuffed too hard. Many thanks for posting so much advice, you have made me a very happy sausage maker!
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Postby welsh wizard » Thu Mar 30, 2006 3:12 pm

Welcom JH

GREAT to read about all your sausages - have you got the recipe for the lamb one?

Dont give up on hog casings they do whiff a bit, but once soaked should be no problem - try the sheep ones if you prefer a smaller and less smelly casing.

Anyway good to have you on board, and will look forward to reading you in the future.

Cheers WW
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lamb recipe

Postby jenny_haddow » Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:32 pm

Hi WW

I winged it a bit with the lamb recipe. The meat was a good quality mince with about the right proportion fat to lean. I added rusk and water to the usual proportions, I had about 500grms of meat. I crushed about 5-6 garlic cloves and chopped about 1 tblsp of fresh rosemary (I like plenty of flavour) added this to the mix together with about 20grms of the Old English mix. The reason for this last ingredient was not really knowing what stabilisers etc are best to add. I was going to add some Indian lamb seasoning mix instead, but was concerned that it might be missing some vital ingredient. I'd be grateful for pointers about the extra additives as I do like to concoct my own recipes.

Cheers

Jen
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Postby hmmm sausages » Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:32 pm

welcome aboard Jenny,

I would recommend hog casings over collagen casings anytime!! Like welsh says, they whiff when they come out the pack, but after a good rinse, then soak, they are just fine and dead easy to handle!

Careful with sheeps casings as they can be tricky to handle and you need a good small tube to use on your stuffer

keep the stories coming as you grow in expereince :D

Rob
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hogs casings

Postby jenny_haddow » Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:37 pm

Hi Rob

I'll definitely have a go with the hog. Collagen is OK, but it's a bit tough when cooked, I'll just have to be brave!

Cheers

Jen
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Postby Paul Kribs » Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:44 pm

Welcome jenny

If you need advice on any aspect of sausage making, it has probably been discussed on this forum already, so the 'search' facility is a good tool to use. If you need further advice then just ask.

If you flush your hog casings well in running water and then soak them for at least a couple of hours in tepid water, you will find most of the smell will go... then after you have made your sausages, leave them in the fridge for at least 8 hours and you will find the smell is no longer there and more importantly they will infuse with the taste of the sausage mix.

Regards, Paul Kribs
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Postby jenny_haddow » Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:56 pm

Hi Paul

Thanks for the advice, I've found some useful info already. This such a well organised site. I'm lining up some of my favourite flavour combinations to make up my next batch. Got to eat this lot first though!

Cheers

Jen
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Postby welsh wizard » Fri Mar 31, 2006 12:06 pm

Hi JH

Re pointers, as Paul says there is a LOT of info on this site, but keep on keeping on with the trials and if they are good please post them, thats how we all learn.

I use quite a lot of fruit in my sausages like apricots, cranberries and dates. Sometimes I soak the fruits in spirit like cranberry soaked in sloe gin, which are yum but if you soak them in Port they become too sweet for me - trial and error is the key. Re using the prepared mixes, I dont bother if I am using my own herbs and spices but they can be used as a good base if needed. I will try the lamb ones but will use rosemary powder rather than fresh and also pop in some thyme which is one of my favourites.

Cheers WW
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herbs

Postby jenny_haddow » Fri Mar 31, 2006 1:49 pm

WW

Is there any advantage to using powdered herbs instead of fresh? I was thinking of doing a lemon, cumin and coriander combination with fresh leaves, but will change to ground if it is better.

I like the sound of adding boozy fruit, I shall be trying that for sure.

I was located in the Welsh borders until recently - missing those hills!

Jen
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Postby welsh wizard » Fri Mar 31, 2006 9:10 pm

Hi again JH


With regards to fresh vs dried herbs, there is not a lot of difference to my mind, however if you get into using dry herbs they are available all year round where as my sage, thyme, paersly etc are not. Also sometimes if you are using a fresh herb like rosemary the texture can be a bit hard unless you cook them off first, where as rosemary powder gives you all the taste and no bits. But there again it is all down to personal taste.

Where did you live before? I live near a place called Ludlow but have an office in Wales which is 16 miles away so is a good 20 min's drive unless we get a sheep jam!

Cheers WW
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Postby jenny_haddow » Fri Mar 31, 2006 9:51 pm

Hi WW

I lived between Chepstow and Monmouth - Wye Valley to one side and the Vale of Usk to the other. It doesn't get much better!
I'm now in the flatlands, I'm happier making sausgaes than looking out of the window that's for sure!

Cheers

Jen
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Postby Lance Yeoh » Sat Apr 01, 2006 2:52 am

Hi Jenny,
I'm like you and learned lots about sausage making from this site. I suggest you soak the hog casings in water with some rice vinegar for a few hours. It'll get rid of all the smell and helps soften the casing as well. I've never had problems with hog casings but some problems with sheep casing as they're more delicate. Overnight soaking makes the casing easier to work with as well. But I don't know if the casings I get here in Malaysia is the same quality as what you have there. Cheers.
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Postby jenny_haddow » Sat Apr 01, 2006 8:43 am

Rice vinegar sounds like a good idea Lance. Very versatile stuff is vinegar.
Thanks for the tip.

Cheers

Jen
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Postby welsh wizard » Sat Apr 01, 2006 9:09 am

HI JH

Yep I know exactly where you were. I fish about 1m up from Tintern.

Cheers WW
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Postby Wohoki » Sat Apr 01, 2006 9:53 am

I often squeeze half a lemon into the water I use for the final rinse of my casings, which elimanates the deliteful aroma of "inside of a pig".

With fresh hard-leafed herbs such as bay and rosemary, I chop them fine and then grind them well in a mortar and pestle with a good pinch of coarse sea-salt, until you just have green salt powder. This softens them up, so you don't get bits in your teeth, but you get all the oils and such. The flavour is far better than dried.
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