Rusk question - first batch

[qwertydvorak]

I have a question about rusk. I asked for and received a grinder / mincer for Christmas, and I am finally getting around to making my first batch (hopefully this weekend if time allows).

I dug up this recipe:

Spinach and Feta Chicken Sausage

5 pounds ground chicken (boneless skinless thighs)
2 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3/4 cup. Feta cheese crumbles
2 tablespoons marjoram
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons fine ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic

Mix and stuff into natural casings.
* Recipe can be doubled.

I have been reading around these forums for months now, and rusk is one of those things that I am still not sure about. This recipe calls for none. Should I go ahead and add some or go with it as is ? I will be using 32/35mm hog casings, and I am trying to replicate the Chicken Feta Spinach sausages that I buy from Whole Foods grocery.

If I were to use a rusk at this point I would probably use bagged breadcrumbs. I also saw a post about someone using pinhead oats which I find interesting (they are an ingredient in a loose breakfast sausage that I love).

Thanks in advance for the forthcoming advice.

[onewheeler]

That's very close to a recipe I've used. Rusk isn't necessary. I find chicken and turkey give a good primary bind very easily - just make sure you mix well until it's a sticky mess.

They're good. Enjoy!

Martin/

[corromant]

If I were to use a rusk at this point I would probably use bagged breadcrumbs.

Do you mean that you would buy ready made breadcrumbs?

I go to a supermarket in the evening & see what they have reduced to clear, my last purchase was two large bloomers for the grand total of 20p. Took them home blitzed them into crumbs in the food processor, tipped them into a roasting tin & put them in the oven on gas Mk 1 for a few hours giving them an occasional stir until they are thoroughly dry. Cool & bag ready for use.

[qwertydvorak]

@corromant: The grocery stores here don't handle the regular breads. Those are brought in by the vendor and the olds are taken back with them and they sell them in "day old bread" stores. Those stores always have horrible hours and I can't make it over there (i work odd hours). The gourmet breads that the store bakes are way overpriced and even when they mark them down they are more than buying a cheap loaf of fresh bread.

My best bet would be the prebagged dried bread cubes for making stuffing. I saw a recipe on these forums for making rusk, but that would have been too much for this weekend. I will be lucky to have time for making the sausage itself. If only I could get an extra day in the week every week...

[wheels]

You could make your own rusk:

http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopic.php?t=339

HTH

Phil