Chapter 6
Sausage
Chapter 6 Objectives










Understand the role of sausages in culinary history
Identify necessary ingredients for sausages
Explain the importance of proper equipment selection,
care and use in making sausages
Classify various types of sausage
Discuss fermented sausages and their manufacture
Describe the process of making basic grind sausages
Contrast the basic process with the procedure for
emulsion sausages
Recognize the value of testing
Distinguish suitable garnishes for sausages
Clarify the various types of sausage shaping options and
preparation methods for each type
The History of Sausage




The word sausage comes from the Latin word
“salsus” meaning “salted.”
The earliest sausages were created in ancient
Rome and Greece.
Roman soldiers traveled with sausages and
introduced sausages to other parts of Europe.
By the Middle Ages, regional forms of
sausage began to evolve into definite and
unique forms all over Europe.
Sausage Ingredients



Sausages are made by grinding raw
meats with salt and spices.
This mixture is then stuffed into natural
or synthetic casings.
The first casings were made from
intestines, stomachs and other animal
parts.
Main Ingredient





Generally, sausage is made from tougher cuts
of meat from the leg or the shoulder.
The more exercised the muscle, the more
highly developed the flavor.
Meats for sausage should be trimmed and cut
into dice or strips.
When pork liver is called for in a sausage
recipe, cut it into cubes before grinding.
The seasonings or cure mix are tossed
together with the meat before grinding.
Main Ingredient

Sausages in this chapter are made from:








Pork
Veal
Lamb
Beef
Venison
Pheasant
Chicken
Turkey
Certified Pork


Certified pork is pork that has been
treated in a way that destroys the
pathogens responsible for trichinosis.
Pork sausages that undergo lengthy
smoking or drying procedures but aren’t
cooked must be made with certified
pork.
Preparing Certified Pork
Minimum
Temperature
5°F/10ºC
Minimum Freezing and
Holding Time
20 days
-10°F/-23ºC
12 days
-20°F/-29ºC
6 days

Pack pork in
containers to a
depth of 6 inches.
Fat


25 – 30% fat is preferred average in a
sausage.
Fat used in contemporary forcemeats:



Pork jowl fat
Pork fatback
Heavy cream
Seasonings and Cure Mixes




Salt (ordinary table, kosher or sea salt)
Sausages that will be cold or dry smoke must
have nitrate or a nitrite-nitrate combination
(like Prague Powder II).
Hot-smoked and fresh sausages do not
require nitrite.
Sweeteners are added to mellow the
sausage’s flavor and make the finished
product moister.
Spices

Spices are added as whole toasted
seeds, ground or in special blends like:


Quatre épices
Pâté spice
Herbs



Sausage formulas often call for dried
herbs.
Fresh herbs may be substituted for dry
herbs.
As a general rule, you will need about
two to three times more fresh herbs
compared to dried herbs.
Aromatics

Many aromatic ingredients may be added to
sausage recipes including:







Vegetables (usually cooked, added when cooled)
Wines
Citrus zest
Prepared sauces (Tabasco and Worcestershire)
Powdered onions and garlic
Stock
Vinegars (too much acid can give finished
sausage a grainy texture)
Equipment Selection, Care and
Use

Equipment:





Electric meat grinders
Food processors
Choppers
Mixers
Sausage stuffers
Equipment Selection, Care and
Use

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Use the following guidelines:
Make sure equipment is in excellent
condition.
Make sure equipment is scrupulously clean
before setting to work.
Chill any part of the machine that comes
into direct contact with the sausage
ingredients.
Choose the right tool for the job.
Assemble the grinder correctly.
Progressive Grinding




The meat and/or fat is ground through
a succession of increasingly smaller
plates.
Progressive grinding gives a fine, even
texture to the forcemeat.
Makes it easier for the grinder to
process the meat down to a fine grind.
The meat and/or fat should be near 28°
to 30°F so that the meat grinds
properly.
Basic Grind Sausage



Sausages have a medium to coarse texture.
When left loose they are referred to as bulk
sausages.
These sausages are made with the basic
grind method:



Fresh sausages
Cooked sausages
Smoked and dried sausages that are later air-dried
Basic Grind Sausage

1)
2)
3)
Method:
Grind chilled and diced meats, as well as
other ingredients as required by recipe, to
the desired texture (meats should be 28°F
to 30°F).
Mix the ground sausage meat(s) on speed 1
for 1 minute, then on second speed for 15
to 30 seconds, or until it becomes
homogenous.
The sausage mixture is now ready to test,
garnish, and shape.
Dry and Semi-Dry Fermented
Sausages



Fermented sausages have a tangy flavor because of
the lactic acid that is produced during fermentation.
Examples of semi-dry sausages are summer
sausages, Lebanon bologna, and cervalats. One of
the most well-known dry sausages is salami.
Typically made of:





Beef or pork
Water (60 to 70% of the weight of the meat)
Salt
Curing agents such as nitrate and nitrite
Sugars such as dextrose and sucrose
Dry and Semi-Dry Fermented
Sausages




It is vital to inhibit or eliminate the growth of
bacteria that can cause spoilage.
When grinding, it is essential to keep the
meat cold: 28°F – 30°F and the fat 5°F –
10°F.
After grinding, the only step left is to stuff
and smoke the sausage if desired.
While they age, keep the sausages in an
environment that is climate controlled. It is
crucial to maintain a proper humidity level.
Dry and Semi-Dry Fermented
Sausages




The fermentation during the drying process
produces lactic and acetic acid which lower
the pH level to between 4.6 and 5.2 for semidry sausages and to a pH level between 5.0
and 5.3 for dry sausages.
Semi-dry sausages may lose 15% of their
original weight as they age.
Dry sausage could lose up to 30%.
The finished product should be brightly
colored, have a slight yeast flavor, and a
smooth, slightly chewy texture
Emulsion Sausages

Made from a basic mixture referred to
as 5-4-3 forcemeat, which reflects the
ratio of ingredients:



5 parts trimmed raw meat to
4 parts fat (pork jowl fat) to
3 parts water (in the form of ice) by
weight.
Emulsion Sausages

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Method:
Cure the meat and then grind through the fine die.
Grind the chilled fatback through the fine grinder
die.
Chop together the ground meat and crushed ice
and process until the temperature drops to below
30°F / -1°C.
Add the ground fat to the meat when the
temperature reaches 40°F.
Add the nonfat dry milk (and any remaining
seasonings) when the temperature reaches
between 45°F/7ºC and 50°F/10ºC. Continue to
process the forcemeat until it reaches 58°F / 14°C.
Emulsion Sausages


Testing the emulsion forcemeat:
Wrap a 1-ounce portion of the
forcemeat in plastic wrap and poach it
to the appropriate internal temperature
(145°F/63°C for fish, 150°F/66°C for
pork, beef, veal, lamb, and game, and
165°F/74°C for any item including
poultry and poultry liver). Taste and
check for flavor, seasoning, and
consistency.
Garnishing


Garnish items are diced and added to the
forcemeat after it has been tested and
adjusted.
Examples of garnishes are:





Cheeses
Vegetables
Cured or smoked meats
Nuts
Dried fruits
Sausage Shaping



Loose or bulk: solid log in plastic wrap
Made into patties
Sausages in casings:



Natural: are made from the intestines and
stomach of sheep, hogs, and cattle
Synthetic: made from a variety of food-grade
materials (including collagen, plastic, paper, and
wood pulp), some edible and some not
See casing charts on page xxx of book for
natural casing sizes, lengths and capacities.
Preparing Natural Casings

1)
2)
3)
Method:
Rewind the casings and store covered in
salt. Lay out the casings and remove any
knots. Form into bundles of the required
length.
Before using the casings, rinse them
thoroughly in tepid water, forcing the water
through the casing to flush out the salt.
Cut the casing into lengths if necessary
(consult specific recipes) and tie a bubble
knot in one end of the casing.
Stuffing the Casing

1)
2)
3)
Method using a sausage stuffing machine:
Assemble and fill the sausage stuffer properly.
Be sure that all parts of the sausage stuffer
that will come in contact with the forcemeat are
clean and chilled. Fill the stuffer with the
sausage meat, tamping it down well to remove
any air pockets.
Press the sausage into the prepared casing.
Gather the open end of the casing over the
nozzle of the sausage stuffer. Press the
sausage into the casing.
Twist or tie the sausage into the appropriate
shape.