Canned Sausage

[DavidS]

Is anyone here old enough to remember canned country sausage? When I was growing up, to save room in the freezer after butchering a hog, my mother canned the sausage and tenderloin. She mixed up the sausage normally and then packed it into wide-mouth glass quart canning jars and pressure canned it. She also did the same with the tenderloin after slicing it so that it would stack in the jar. I remember this both being some of the best stuff I've ever eaten. I don't know what it was that the canning did to enhance the flavor, but it was undeniable. The grease off either made wonderful gravy. In later years, I've eaten what some people called canned sausage: it was cooked in the skillet, packed into jars and then frozen. This is a far cry from the real thing.

[aris]

Isn't this just what we call SPAM?

[DavidS]

Not even remotely related other than also being made from pork. Have you ever eaten country sausage, like is made in the southern USA? It's quite a savory and spicy mixture with sage, red pepper and other spices.

[aris]

Give us a recipe - perhaps i'll try make some.

[DavidS]

From Len Poli's wonderful sausage web site, a Jimmy Dean country sausage clone recipe. Jimmy Dean is big selling southern country sausage brand and is sold throughout much of the USA. It's sold in 1 lb. chubs rather than links, and is sliced and fried:

http://home.pacbell.net/lpoli/index_fil ... akfast.pdf

The amount of coriander used in this recipe seems to be excessive. Most southerners wouldn't add it or parsley to their mix. I'd probably up the sage to at least 1.5 tsp. I like JD's extra sage version. The fresher the sage used, the better the sausage.

David S.

[Erikht]

It's quite easy to make canned sausages youself. Fry or grill the sausages. put them on hot, sterile jars, and add any extra herbs. Pour over melted lard, put the jar(s) in the fridge, and add more lard if neseceary. the lard should cover the sausages with 1 cm. Store the jars cool(6-8 celsius) and dark. Should be used within a year.

[DavidS]

It's quite easy to make canned sausages youself. Fry or grill the sausages. put them on hot, sterile jars, and add any extra herbs. Pour over melted lard, put the jar(s) in the fridge, and add more lard if neseceary. the lard should cover the sausages with 1 cm. Store the jars cool(6-8 celsius) and dark. Should be used within a year.

Yes, you can do it that way BUT, it is so much tastier to pressure can it so that it actually cooks in the jar. It makes an amazing difference. It is just as shelf stable as a can of any other meat product. Of course, this requires owning or borrowing a pressure canner, which is something like a large pressure cooker.

[Erikht]

Well, you can do like this: After the glasses has been filled with fat, put them(open) in the oven, and "bake" the sausages in the fat for an hour or so. Take them out, pop the lid on, and let them cool. I do this sometimes with forcemeat that is left over from a pork pie. Easy to cut out when cool and put on a piece of bread.

Or put the jars in a pressure cooker for about 45 minnutes.

I'm just trying to be helpful, really.

[DavidS]

I've never tried them in the oven, I'd be afraid the glass would break. If you are using a pressure cooker with a water bath, then you are in effect pressure canning them. A pressure canner just holds quite a bit more. Your input is appreciated.

[Erikht]

Don't be afraid, they won't break. Glass is made out of melted sand, and can take some heat. Just don't put hot jars in cold water or something like that, then they will break(I know from experience).