A growing concern

[skullphil]

Hi all, I was just wondering if anyone could help.

I have a problem with my sausages at the moment, when I fill the skins and fry them off (a day or two later) the meat expands out of either end of the skin.

There is no splitting etc, the filling just grows.

Im on natural casings,

My water and rusk is as follows:
454grm Rusk
40fl oz Water

any suggestions most welcome!!!

[Zulululu]

Hi Phil,
I think you may be over stuffing.The meat needs space to expand and as the casing tends to shrink as well this will force the meat out the ends.

[grisell]

Hi all, I was just wondering if anyone could help.

[---]
Im on natural casings,

My water and rusk is as follows:
454grm Rusk
40fl oz Water

any suggestions most welcome!!!

Did you put meat into them, too?

Anyway, Zulululu is right. Frying (or boiling!) sausages isn't as easy as many people think. It must be a very gentle process, and the sausages need to be very loosely stuffed. Pricking them is of little help, as lots of the delicious juices escape, leaving a dry residue in the skins. Try stuffing looser and fry very gently.

Also, adding rusk and water may worsen the problem. More water means more vapour and increased expansion. Rusk will not keep the water at elevated temperatures. If you are to fry them, I'd actually recommend you to skip the rusk and water altogether and increase the fat instead.

[NCPaul]

I think you are a bit too high in your water to rusk ratio; you are at 2.5 : 1. I think for 1 pound of rusk, I would stay under 24 fluid oz. of water. Welcome to the forum.

[Greyham]

I'd actually recommend you to skip the rusk and water altogether and increase the fat instead.

I would onur with that suggestion else use less. Are you soaking the skins properly? this an have an adverse effect

I do not use any rusk at any time and have rarely suffered from splitting. When it has occured it is generally from over filling........

you could also try using rie powder as an absorbant rather than rusk.......it is gluten free and does a great job

[wheels]

I'd actually recommend you to skip the rusk and water altogether and increase the fat instead.

I would onur with that suggestion else use less. Are you soaking the skins properly? this an have an adverse effect...

Greyham

I think you'll find that it was Grisell, not NCPaul, that you are quoting. Also, I regret that I can't make out what you mean by the part of your reply that I've quoted.

Now, to the question. IMO it is not a matter of whether rusk is used or not. That's a separate debate and is down to personal preference. Sausages can be made successfully both ways and one is not 'better' than the other: they are just different.

NCPaul's given a very good reason why this problem may be happening - too much water to rusk. Maybe Skullphil will try the sausage with the water reduced to 1.5 - 2 times the rusk and let us know how he gets on.

Bye the way, welcome to the forum Skullphil.

Phil

[skullphil]

Sorry for late reply!!!

I can say for definite its not because I use rusk or because of the skin soaking.

BUT!

Well I think it maybe a slight combination between over filled and too much water.

I will round up another batch and alter the water ration.

Thank you all for your suggestions!!