Steak & Kidney Sausage

[Silken]

I was hunting through my umteen cookery books and I came across a recipe for Steak & Kidney Sausages in a Gary Rhodes Cookery Book....The question is:

Has anyone tried the recipe?

If not, would one of you sausage experts suggest what meat I would use? The recipe says 'beef Skirt' but I would have thought you would have to use a beef that could cook almost instantly..... otherwise you would have to get the dog to chew it first.... as he has better teeth than you and stronger jaws!!!!

I mean, even making the humble mince & tatties, the mince has to cook for a fair amount of time..... so I wondered if I would have to use something like fillet tails...... which no-one really wants...... as fillet could also be eaten raw..... and I think I could get them fairly cheaply....

Also, if you agreed that it would be feasible, and that it could be used as a tasty sausage........ as kidney and fillet has negligible fat, would you be better throwing in a bit of belly pork for succulence?????

Or what do you advise???

Looking forward to all your expert replies!!!!!

I'll buy the pastry at the weekend so that I can put it on top of a couple of the sausages and, voila, all set

Regards

[jenny_haddow]

Could you post the recipe Silvana to give an idea of proportions etc.

Cheers

Jen

[Silken]

Hi Jenny

I wasn't fussed to follow Gary Rhodes' actual recipe as they tend to be what I call 'cheffie recipes' - something like the M&S adverts on the television......

Anyway, I'm not sure how to avoid the copywrite thingy, so I'll state the recipe is from Gary Rhodes (at the table) ISBN 0-563-55480-L, Published by the BBC - p98/99

He suggests:

1 lb beef skirt
8 oz lamb's kidneys
4 oz beef suet
knob of butter
1 onion
1 egg
2-3 oz breadcrumbs
dash of worcestershire sauce
salt & pepper

Having tried 5 recipes so far for the British Banger - Lincolnshire, Irish, etc, I would have preferred to follow a 'more real' recipe than the one in his book.... His recipe reminds me how I would make meatballs .... using the egg to bind etc etc..... in fact, the recipe would be the same except for the addition of kidneys & suet....

So I would have thought, having found this site and commenced on a great sausage making phase of my life, and having taken the trouble to try and make the real thing...... (was that not how they described coke?)
I would have thought we could have come up with something rather than make a meatball recipe and stuff it in the skins....

Basically, I might as well make my own steak & kidney simmered for hours in Guiness and other seasonings..... and then mince it and put in into the skins, but then the filling would be cooked........ or is that a possibility? but then it would not have the texture of a sausage!!!! It would be too liquidy.... like a steak & gravy pie....

So this is why I was hoping that some of the more experienced sausage makers might come up with something!!!!!

Also, I wouldn't want to get the machine out and all the sterilization, and palaver for such a small amount of filling...... so I would have been looking for at least 3-4 lbs of meat.....

Regards

Silvana

[Hobbitfeet]

The use of egg in a sausage is common, particularly in Irish sausages. I make a sausage with minced liver (about 30-40% of the meat content) - all other ingredients as a standard sausage.

How about mediumly minced beef with finely minced kidney (removing all the core first - but you knew that!) with rusk, a touch of onion, salt and black pepper, nutmeg and thyme? I'd give it a go myself but I hate kidneys!

[Silken]

Thanks for the advice Hobbitfeet

would it be best to use suet or would you throw in a bit belly pork for succulence?????

Regards

[welsh wizard]

Hi Silken

Well the water has stopped rising now and I hope to be back in full swing by next week.

Ref Beef and kidney sausage, all I can say is if you use a good quality mince beef (I get mince traditional breed from my butcher which is A1) the time it takes to cook is no longer than a normal pork sausage in my experience.

I am not too sure how the kidney would hold up as it will take less time to cook as you are aware, but good mince beef does not take that long. A lot of mince on the market is like pork and stuffed full of water so when you make a spag bol for example the mince takes a long time to cook off because it almost boils itself in the confines of the saucepan, rather than frys itself. This in my experience is not the same with good quality mince which cooks a lot quicker.

Just my opinion..........

Cheers WW


PS Nice new feet Hobbitfeet - gone in for a foot change?

[Silken]

Hi WW

Nice to hear from you..... I never knew that you would be affected with the floods as I thought it was just Yorkshire and Hull ..... and you're in Wales!!! Obviously not important enough to be in the National News.... don't feel bad..... we're usually referred to someplace in the North.....

It was just an idea to try...... It's to stop the 'living dead' syndrome....

Bye the way, I got the salts delivered yesterday...... so I'm going to cure the pork loin in the fridge at the weekend.

Cheers

Silvana

[welsh wizard]

Hi Silvena

Off topic I know so excuse me, but we got it very badly on the Welsh Borders (even made the national bbc news!)

Just opened a loin that has been curing for a week and had some good rashers for breakfast - FANTASTIC. GO to it, you wont look back!

PM you soon - regards WW

[Silken]

Hi WW

I didn't mean the water wasn't deep enough - I meant the Welsh Borders weren't important enough for the national news....... When I mean the national news, I mean the news that we see up here...... not the English news
but maybe if I knew what towns are on the Welsh borders, I might know what I am talking about!!!!

You enjoy your bacon...... I'm off to buy some loin......

Regards

ps I found your emails and sent a reply...

[Hobbitfeet]

Hi Silven,
I would use some belly pork for its fat but sometimes, if I've just butchered a Kune Kune (very deep fat!) I'll mince up some back fat and use that instead. Don't worry if the kidneys mince down to mush - the flavour will be there.

[Silken]

Thanks for that Hobbitfeet

I bought some suet just in case, but I have some pork belly so I'll use that instead......

I wondered what a 'Kune Kune' was so I looked it up on the internet.... I thought these pigs were kept as pets or do people specifically keep them for their meat????

I thought I would have to dice the kidneys very small in order to stop them disintegrating, but like you say, it's the flavour I am after....

I cooked a breast of lamb in wine, with carrots & onions..... as I didn't need the stock afterwards, I have mashed it down and I plan to mix it with the steak & kidney, 'cause it would be a shame to waste it

I'll keep you posted as to how they turn out.....

Many thanks

Silvana

[Hobbitfeet]

Kunes are kept as pets - they are delightful, friendly animals who make excellent eating! They originated from New Zealand I believe and were brought back from the brink from only 8 remaining specimens. They make an excellent smallhoder's pig as they are quite small.

[saucisson]

Hi Sylvana, the River Severn burst it's banks all over the place and pretty much meanders throughout the English and Welsh borders. Historically I suspect it was the English Welsh Border.

Anyway back on topic, I'd just mince up your beef skirt (or stewing beef) with kidney and use that as the meat, I've put kidney in a haggis-like mix which has been boiled for hours with no harm done.

Dave

[Silken]

Hi Dave

I am embarrassed to admit that I did see it on the national news.... I just didn't know that the river Severn was on the borders..... So apologies for that..... especially to Welsh Wizard, who I know has been affected....

Anyway...... back to the steak & kidney......

I don't know if you know but Scotland is awash with 'mince' pies and 'steak' pies, irn bru sausages and the like...... well, I don't know if you want to try it but I was in a little obscure baker's shop and he made STEAK & HAGGIS pies..........

Now, I have been fortunate enough to eat in some of the finest restaurants in the world....... and, since a wee girl, I have been seriously into cooking...... but that was one of the nice tasting pies I have eaten in my life...... and I am not that fond of haggis.....

If you're interested in trying it, it was just like a normal 'mince' pie - round in shape and made with cold water pastry...... 3/4 filled with steak (like a steak pie made of shredded beef - rather than chunks- I assume pre-cooked) topped with a layer of haggis....... and then cold water pastry on the top......

I would never have thought it would have been so lovely....... but the haggis definitely enhanced the flavour of the steak...... and with the haggis being highly seasoned ....... well, it was just mmmmmmmm...

Regards

Silvana