Sausage tips

[Smoothsmoke]

I made a batch of Italian sausage last week. Although pleased with taste, it was a bit on the lean side. What can I add to the mix to make it "fattier"? I used boston butt untrimmed and it was still lean.

 

[tkuehn5410]

Just about any butcher will have "pork trimmings" which are about 40-50% fat and that makes excellent sausage. I usually get the big boy pork butts which seem to have enough fat on them.

 

[Kevin]

Did you make fresh sausage, as in not smoked or cooked in any way?

 

[Smoothsmoke]

Just about any butcher will have "pork trimmings" which are about 40-50% fat and that makes excellent sausage. I usually get the big boy pork butts which seem to have enough fat on them.

Good idea, thanks for the tip!!

Did you make fresh sausage, as in not smoked or cooked in any way?

Yes, I grounded the pork and stuffed the casings.

 

[Kevin]

I go with tkuehn5410's method of getting large Boston Butts and like the fat to lean ratio. About 80/20. Maybe I just prefer leaner sausage.

 

[Smoothsmoke]

I go with tkuehn5410's method of getting large Boston Butts and like the fat to lean ratio. About 80/20. Maybe I just prefer leaner sausage.

Well that was easy! Love this forum, thanks!

 

[tkuehn5410]

Another thing I will do sometimes is save the fat from briskets and freeze and add that into the mix if I'm going the cheap route.

 

[yelonutz]

You can add non-fat dry milk. This will act as a binder and increase moisture, improve mouth feel. Also, if you add some phosphates (Fab, Butchers, Amesphos or Kosmos) it will really improve your sausage.

NUTZ

 

[Mad Max]

I have used the pork fat, with the ratio of 80/20, but I am starting to use the non-fat dry milk. Trying to cut back on the fat, a bit.

 

[Timmy]

As stated before, go see the butcher. I had to pay for pork fat. Five pounds cost me $8.55 last weekend. A little pricey but what the heck.

 

[Smoothsmoke]

Thanks!!!

 

[porcinepirate]

I have a question about smoking sausage. I tried smoking some costco sausage, and the flavor was good but they seemed to dry out.

what is the proper temp to smoke at and time (approximate) or temp for doneness for a good smoked sausage.

or does the sausage you are starting out with preclude any store bought sausages from ever coming out good

porcine pirate

" Pigs are our Tasty Friends "

 

[The Pigman]

I use 10 lb butts and found they have right amount of fat in them also add 2 1/2 cups of ICE cold water to each 10 lb batch as it comes out of the grinder. I trim off some of the fat cap maybe a 3rd.

 

[steveheyes]

I often use a pork mixture of 1 part pork shoulder 1 part belly pork. It's also important to use a good binder to get the right bite-through texture. Yeastless rusk is the preferred binder over here in the UK, I often use ground up cream crackers though (don't know if cream crackers are known by the same name in the US).