Rabbit dry cured sausage

[Greyham]

I have been creating new recipes utilising rabbit meat as i have ample supply
any one out there fancy an opinion.......
I shall be skinning up in the morning in hog skins and air drying for two days. then a cold smoke over maple for two days followed by a further air drying for probably two to four weeks

2k rabbit meat
1 kilo diced high quality back fat (from a year old hog grazed)
600g raw ham
25g dried wild mudhrooms
250ml dry sherry
60g salt
20g milled black pepper
20g garlic powder
10g quatre spice
7.5g cure 2#

[Big Guy]

No pics= it didn't happen

[Snags]

Sounds very good
No cryovac packet in the mail= it didn't happen

[Greyham]

not quite sure what you guys mean but have skinned them up this morning now hanging. will take photos later on.....

[Chuckwagon]

Hi Greyham,
What those two horse stealin' hombres (Big Guy and Snags) were trying to say was that you should sent Chuckwagon a hundred pounds of your sausage and allow him to "test" it. Of course Chuckwagon would be happy to forward a pound or two to Big Guy and Snags for their opinion also.
Best wishes, Smoky Wagontrack

[Greyham]

Oh i see.........amusing...what i would like however, is an opinion....!

[DanMcG]

Hey Greyham, I can't comment on your plans, but it does sound good. I too will be looking forward to the results.
What's quatre spice ? Ok never mind I looked it up, but what do you think of it?
this is a new one to me.
Thanks, Dan

[wheels]

Dan

It's a French spice mix that Greyhams spelt incorrectly:

Quatre épices: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quatre_%C3%A9pices

There are many different recipe's for it. However, I guess that Greyham's will be the authentic one. (even if the president of France disagrees!)

I regret that I'm not commenting on the recipe, in the knowledge that the comment will either be ignored, or subject to abuse.

Phil

[Ryan C]

OK,

might stick my neck out here.

Sounds like a great idea but I'd more salt for safety if you're air drying. I think you should be aiming for 2% at the very, very least. Be interested to hear the results though. Any thoughts anyone?

Best of luck

Ryan

[Chuckwagon]

Hey Grayham,
Lighten up a bit. Don't take life so seriously!
Of course you have a winning recipe there. One look at it and even a mutton-headed jack ass could see that it will gather blue ribbons. I've got a batch curing now and will certainly report back to you. However, I've always been told by the old timers that "a hundred grams of sausage needs 2 grams of salt". I'm afraid Ryan C. is absolutely correct. Air dried (dry-cured) sausage may even contain a bit more. I made an adjustment to my batch but just didn't want to sound like I was "correcting" your recipe.
I would rather eat "sage raised" bunny than ice cream. In fact, sage-raised wild rabbits (when you are past 60 years of age) is almost better than sex!
The Utes have a recipe called "shakum" and they put a splash of orange juice into it. I does something to the rabbit I can't quite define. You'll have to try it yourself to see what I'm talking about. Anyway, allow us "testers" a couple of weeks to taste your recipe... and in the mean time.... relax a little. Get out of the kitchen and take a couple of hot blonde babes out horse ridin' in the wilds before you get to old to do it!
Best wishes, Chuckwagon

[Greyham]

Chuck et al,
Sorry if i am a little up tight..i promise to leave the kitchen by the end of Friday for at least two whole days
I agree with you both re: salt content however, i may not have mentioned that the raw ham used had just come out of a Brine so i accounted for that by reducing salt content marginally.
I have also changed the profile of a batch of these sausages by forcing some on by raising room temperature and reducing humidity to create skin shrinkage and dry......these will be used as soup or casserole sausages for flavor. See photo below. The right hand one has been forced on.


Am i correct in assuming that you are re-creating my recipe chuck?

Oh by the by tis is my other latest creation....bloody brilliant and tastes great a Wild Fallow deer Chorizo. At this stage four weeks old. Cold smoked for two days
[img][img]http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee333/tedlet/venisonchorizo.jpg[/img][/img]

[Chuckwagon]

Hi Greyham, Naw, I'd never mess with your recipe. I just adjusted the salt to my taste is all. You photo shows a superb sausage, and I love the large cubes of gorgeous fat back.
Have you thought about using Bactoferm LHP (2 day drop to below 5.0 pH), or even a 4 day drop using F-RM-52?
I'm sold on the stuff for consistency, speed, and convenience.

Best wishes, Chuckwagon

[Greyham]

Chuck,
Thanks, i have thought about Bactoferm but having difficulty getting hold of it
...

[Richierich]

Chuck,
Thanks, i have thought about Bactoferm but having difficulty getting hold of it
...

I am pretty sure the site shop sells it, if not try Weschenfelders. can't remember where I bought mine from.

[bigJ]

Good to see somebody else making rabbit sausages- i made some with my home grown bunnies- i assume yours were wild?, i followed the recipe for a chicken salami in the marianskis 'fermented sausage book' as i was not sure about the pH of rabbit meat and thought it would probably be safest to follow that recipe. I didn't smoke them although i will next time- i've just had a birthday and got one of macbbqs CSGs so itching to give it a whirl). I used acidophiolus as a starter and added cure #2 for safety, but i agree with the others in that i would up the salt.
Turned out to be a reasonable sausage although your recipe sounds very interesting might give that a go when my next batch of bunnies is big enough!
Let us know how they turn out
J