Texture Issues

[JerBear]

I've been making sausage for some time but I'm finally getting tired of inconsistant texture and I'm trying to get some information to find out where my issues may lay. I've been reading quite a bit and I've narrowed down the blame to way too many variables....

Mixed too long?
Not mixed long enough?

special binder/phosphate (never used the stuff but interested in giving it a go)
same with rusk and/or breadcrumbs. I know that it's typically a UK thing but I'm willing to do whatever's necessary for some nice textured sausage. I'd like something for lack of a better word, meaty. I want there to be some bite to the sausage but when cut the cut face should be flat, not chunky or broken up looking.

I'm thinking that my recipes may be at fault. I typically use the recipes from Bruce Aidells' Complete Sausage book but find that there's little to move from recipe to recipe. None of the sausages that I've made call for any binder (no phosphate, no milk powder and no bread/rusk) but....

Depending on the recipe when viewing the percentages of muscle meat to fat to liquid the muscle meat is anywhere from 71-75%, the fat can be 14-19% and the liquid goes from 6-14%. I just don't get it!!

[DanMcG]

Could you share one of the recipes that doesn't work for you. I'd guess not enough mixing or maybe not enough salt. The amount of water seems to be high also.

[JerBear]

The Sheboygan Bratwurst looks like this:

1.5# pork butt
1 # veal shoulder
1/2# pork back fat
1 Tbl kosher salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp ground mace
1 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 c milk


And the El Paso with Beef, Pork and Chile loos like this:

1.25# beef chuck
1.24# pork butt
1/2# pork back fat or beef fat
1 cup beer
1 Tbl kosher salt
1 Tbl garlic
1 Tbl chile powder
1 Tbl achiote or paprika
1 Tbl cumin
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves

[NCPaul]

I've been happy with the couple of his recipes I've tried but if you want a different texture, you certainly could add some non fat dried milk powder (which is easy to get) to one of his recipes to see if that is a good direction to go (4 Tbs?). Another way to get the effect I believe you are after is to include a small portion of chicken thigh meat (again easy to get) and see if that improves things. Are you grinding once through a coarse plate? The grinding of course has a big effect on the texture. There are many ways to change a sausage to your taste, let us know what works for you.

[Oddley]

Hi JerBear, I agree with NCPaul. If you want a solid texture to you sausage then you would be looking to add some soy protein. I say soy protein because I know that will absorb 5:1 water ie: 1 part soy protein to 5 parts water.

One of the best recipes that use this ingredient that I have come across is "Grandpa Jumbo’s Polish Sausage" have a look at the smoked kind, I have also converted the recipe further on to use percentages.

[NCPaul]

I have been thinking a bit more about the texture issues you raise and one of your comments struck me a bit odd:

there's little to move from recipe to recipe

that's a little like saying bread is flour, water and yeast. Sausages are meat, fat and salt. It should not be too surprising that the proportions fall within certain ranges from type to type. Just try making a sausage at either end of the meat to fat ratio. I don't see this as a strong criticism of Aidells' recipes.

That being said, I do think the previous suggestions will give you a tighter texture. Using breadcrumb or rusk will give you a softer texture. This is not a bad thing; it just shows the range of textures that are available. Remember that if you are using a formulation with NFDM or soy protein, you will need to stuff the sausage shortly after mixing.

[JerBear]

Sausages are meat, fat and salt. It should not be too surprising that the proportions fall within certain ranges from type to type. Just try making a sausage at either end of the meat to fat ratio.

You make a good point, my mind just prefers the parameters of solid ratios. I'm going to order some product from Butcher Packer and see how that works out. My dad has a smoker so I'm also going to try Oddley's recipe suggestion.

[djrpowell]

Try one of mine from my website. I would add certainly use the phosphate as it really does help. Also the ICE cubes make the difference.

http://www.animatedscience.co.uk/blog/

[JerBear]

I notice that one of your recipes calls for "Supaphos emulsifier", would that be the same as the phosphate you mentioned in your prior post? Also, does anyone have experience with Butcher Packer's Special Meat Binder and is that a phosphate?

http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=26_103&products_id=894

[NCPaul]

I believe that it is tetrasodium pyrophosphate (TSPP) but you would have to call them to confirm this. If they aren't sure what it is, ask for a MSDS and it should show the contents. Let us know what you find out.

[djrpowell]

the emusifier I used is the one sold by this website. I am not sure what it is but it works and doesn to seem to have any nasty side effects (will on us).

I am actually going to use it on my burgers and other things like kofte as well as it really does help the protein strands bind.

[wallie]

Its phosphate, sold on this site as Superphos.

wallie

[JerBear]

I called Butcher/Packer and they:

a) Recommended the Special Meat Binder. Frankly it's cheap enough for the experiment. The 8 oz bag is just a few bucks and is good for about 100 lbs of meat.

b) It is a phosphate, "specially designed for use in the meat industry" or something like that. I'll be ordering up some shortly.

[JerBear]

The phosphate should be here on Friday. I was able to convince my wife that some other toys were needed (such as a new grinder) and they're coming too!