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We are particularly interested in hearing your own techniques that make sausage making and dehydrating fruit, vegetables or meat easier.

New Questions
 
 
New! Eric: Over the last couple of years I have been increasingly getting into making sausage from wild game that I have harvested. Usually deer, but this year I get to add elk to the menu where I will make summer sausage, breakfast links, snack sticks, Italian sausage, bratwursts and snack sticks. I originally started out using my 1/4 hp grinder to grind and stuff and quickly realized that there is a reason stuffers are made. Last year I tried a 5 lb horn style stuffer and spent more time struggling and using various words that I wont say here. So to my questions.....when I make my summer sausage I come up with 2 issues. First the summer sausage tends to stick to the casing when I peel it off. Second, some of my summer sausage is a little weak in consistency and tends to crumble or has large air pockets. The flavor is great, but I am not sure how to firm up the sausage or how to keep it from sticking to the casing. Now for my smaller sausages that I make. I have tried both natural and collagen style casings and have typically tried to twist the sausage to form the individual links. Problem I have is when I cut the links the casing doesn't stay closed and when I cook or grill the meat tends to come out of the casings. Any ideas? Thanks for your help.
 
   New! Chuckwagon: Hi Eric. Are you using “protein-lined” casing for your summer sausage? Protein-lined casing is great stuff… but it’s for “dry-cured” (air-dried “fermented” type) sausage. For summer sausage (cooked & semi-dry cured), if you use regular “synthetic-fibrous” casings, you can’t go wrong.  The Sausagemaker has a great selection in different diameters. I really like the #26100 mahogany 61mm (2-3/8”) casing and the #26200 mahogany 76 mm (3”) casing for making summer sausage. Your texture or consistency problem probably stems from two things.

First, be sure to mix the meat using an electric mixer or one of the Sausagemaker’s very fine stainless steel models. I’ve got one and you couldn’t take it away from me with a gun! It’s terrific. Mix the meat until the proteins actin and myocin (actomyocin) develop a “sticky meat paste”. Mix it until it shows “peaks” when pulled apart with your fingers. This is called the “primary bind”… and it is essential for good texture.

Second, the problem might be using too much heat for too much time during the cooking step. Try using your kitchen range oven and set it to only 200°F. (93°C.) and monitor the sausage very carefully. When the meat reaches 150°F. (66°C.) remove it. The “carry-over” effect should not raise it any higher than 155°F. (68°C.). Cool the sausages down to room temperature by running cold water over them. (Note that trichinae spirallis is destroyed at 138°F. /59°C., far below your finishing temperature). Next, to avoid air pockets, pack the meat into the stuffer with your fist. Make sure your “pressure relief valve” is free and working correctly. Stuff the casings tightly! The fiber lined casing can take a lot of pressure. Finally, when they are stuffed, use a needle to pierce the casing in several places to release any possible trapped air.  

Concerning the problems with smaller casings you mentioned, be aware that collagen casings were not meant to hold a link when twisted. It’s just like me… (won’t work!) Natural casings hold a link very well when twisted. I often make kabanosy meat sticks using 19 mm collagen casings (#27910). I fill an entire “rope coil” using a lazy-susan to coil the sausage. When the sausage comes off the horn at first, just use your fingers to pinch it together. You’ll be able to “let go” after a couple of inches of meat have filled the collagen casing. Next, I use a needle to prick any visible air pockets, then use a pair of scissors to cut 12” uniform lengths. If your mixture is not too liquefied, it will have “set up” a little and will not leak from the ends. The pellicle will form within minutes and the contents should stay put. There are several other possible solutions to some of the problems you may be having.  I’ve put together a forum topic called, “32 Sausage Making Tips To Save You Grief”. Click on this link: http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?t=5036  

I hope this helps. Keep making sausage and reading everything you possibly can about it. Your sausages will become first class with a little practice. I am a moderator on the sausage making site listed above and you can email me anytime I may be of help. I surely don’t know it all, but I make a great sourdough biscuit! Don’t hesitate to rattle my chain if I may be of any help.  

Best Wishes,  

Chuckwagon

 
 
New! Matt: Hey SausageMakers, I'm looking for a place in Rochester NY(or surrounding regions) that sells Pork Belly. I've found Joe's Meat Market but they charge 3$ a lb. Any thoughts?
 
     New! J.W.: Try the Asia Market on Brighton Henrietta, townline rd.
 
 
New! Jack: Has anyone got seasoning from Mandaville from MPLS.MN. they have closed and I would like to know if anyone sells the same polish seasoning they had.
 
 
New! Joe: Hello, I lived in Switzerland for about five years and loved their sausages, particularly the Payerne sausage. I have been making my own sausages now for quite some time but for the life of me I can't find a recipe for making the saucisson de Payerne. Can you or some of your readers help me find one? Thanks, and have a great day.
 
 
New! NJ: Hello. We just got a sausage maker and I need a recipe for wild rice sausage. I had some when I lived in Northern Minnesota and it was GREAT! Thank you, NJ
 
 
New! Ken: Does anyone have a recipe for tyrolean sausage?
 
 
New! Tom S: On a recent trip to Milwaukee I visited a store that sold chicken sausage with spinach and feta cheese. I would like to recreate this sausage. How much spinach should be used in a five pound batch of sausage? Should the spinach be cooked or fresh when mixed with the chicken prior to stuffing? Thanks in advance.
 
     New! Chuckwagon: Hi Tom. About 8 - 10 ounces ought to do it. Check out a few recipes for it at this link: http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?t=5146
 
 
New! TX Paul: Looking for a good one, most are just Sauer and the store bought ones are horrible. There is a Swiss/Austrian/German butcher (Not sure exactly but from the Alps with a big German accent) with a smoking and sausage making operation near my house that makes the best, but wont give out his secret. All he can tell me is that he puts some white wine in it etc. what kind, quantities, fermentation period and flavorings is a closely guarded secret. He cuts the cabbage paper thin, which, believe me, is not easy. Most people can't cut that fine, and, most machines on the market just make coleslaw with way too big slices YUK!

So my questions are,
1-How does he cut the cabbage so thin?
2-Does anyone have an old German/Austrian/Swiss type recipe which would be comparable?
 
    New! Ross: The first requirement is a very sharp chef’s knife and after that a steady hand and a lot of experience. There have been many cabbage cutters made with a wooden base, a very sharp blade set at an angle, so that the assembly looked like an upside down cabinet maker’s plane. There was a box to hold the cabbage and a follower block to keep hands away from the blade. The height of the blade above the base determined the thickness of the cut. Antique shops often have these with rusty blades in place.  
 
 
New! Louis: Last week while passing through Taylor Texas I stopped at Louie Mueller's BBQ and had some fine sausage. It is described as an all beef, German type sausage. Does anyone have a recipe that I can use as a starting point to try and get close to duplicating this sausage?
 
 
New! WiMan: I am looking for a seasoning that hellers used to make, Salami flavored stick. Product # BU-1721-B00663. I know Newly Weds foods makes it now but you need to order it in a 250lb batch. I think the product # is G33207. Does anyone know where we can get it in a smaller batch to try.
 
 
New! C.Huber: About 25 years ago I was in Port Washington, Wisconsin on business. Being a Milwaukee boy transplanted to the south (Memphis) I was always looking for Good sausage to take home. I was refered to a small grocery with a German meat market in Ferdonia, WI. that made some of the best sausage. The smoked Braunscheweiger was the best Ive ever found. I have not been able to find them since. Does anybody know if they or their family are still in business. Thanks C. Huber
 
 
New! Mike: Hi there, I am in Australia and I am trying to use kwikurit what has a strength of 10.7% nitrate and the rest salt. my issue is all my recipes are based on poekelsalz from Germany . How can I adjust the dosage. can I devide the german amount of poekelsalz used like 24 gram poekelsalz to 2.3 gram kwikurit? I am a little lost here can you please help? thanks mike
 
    New! Ron from Tasmania: To Mike in Australia, EAM supplies in Queensland sells Kwikurit and recommend 6 grams to 4.5 Kg meat.
 
 
Paul: Can anyone tell me if you can make pork sausages using rendered pork drippings from roast pork joints, as I have great difficulty in obtaining fresh pork back fat?
 
    New! Chuckwagon: Unfortunately, once fat has been rendered and liquefied, it cannot be successfully used in sausage for any practical purpose. Heat changes the entire structure of its makeup as well as the flavor. Backfat is ideal. However, these days if you come home from the grocer’s meat shop with back fat, the cops might follow you home and question you for suspicion of burglary. It is next to impossible to find a source of back fat in modern grocery and meat shops. It’s not that they don’t have it, rather it is because they make their own sausage using the stuff. Folks who butcher their own hogs have plenty of access to it and may sell you some if you have a nearby source. You may also try using pork belly fat (used for bacon). It may be alright in a pinch. It’s interesting to note that the further from the center of the animal, the softer its fat becomes. This explains the creamy texture of fatback. As far as the ideal meat for sausage, pork butt (shoulder) is preferred and it happens to contain just the right amount of fat for the average sausage. Don’t overlook a “fat replacer”. I’ve used the Sausagemaker’s ever since they began selling it. It is a near- zero calorie product made from natural grains (oats and barley) and it work like a charm. It provides a creamy texture to all types of sausages and even burgers on the grill. Don’t get me wrong! I haven’t stopped using fat in sausage. I just use less of it. The Sausagemaker’s fat replacer is a very fine organic product. It’s not something full of chemicals we cannot pronounce and I recommend it, having used it many, many times in all types of sausage.
 
    New! Mark: Many of the grocery stores carry it in blocks, at approx. 2.4lb. But some chain grocers carry it presliced. Ask your grocer, they usually sell it approx. 1.29lb. This is typical in the state of Florida. Where many just use it for crab or fish bait.
 
 
Doug: I'm having a stuffing problem and I'm thinking it must be operator error. Maybe somebody can help. I'm using a 1-HP Cabela's grinder. running pork shoulders through a #22 coarse plate, mixing the sausage, chilling it to just above freezing, then running it back through the grinder using only a stuffing star (no plate, although I did try a two-hole "kidney" plate with no joy) through a 3/4-inch SS bell tube into 34mm hog casings. The first two or three wurst come out nicely but after that the meat bogs down and churns in the auger, coming out only very slowly and with the consistency of paste. I've made sausage for a lot of years and not had this happen unless the meat was too warm. I've got the reefer set so cool the meat is crunchy so that's not relevant. Changing to a larger tube doesn't seem to change anything either. The minute there's any back-pressure on the meat it won't move forward. Soemtimes it doesn't move forward well even if there's no back pressure yet the auger is turning just fine. Anybody got any suggestions?
  
     New! Terry: You would be much better off to just buy a 5lb sausage stuffer because once you do, you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner.
 
    Chuckwagon: Hi Doug, I have an answer for you that will eliminate the problems you’ve described, but I’m not sure you will agree with my final suggestions. Sure, your grinder has served as a “stuffer” in the past. When it was new, it probably almost seemed “effective”. Nevertheless, it is a grinder and is designed to mince and grind meat. Right off the bat, tightening the blade a little more against the plate will help. Turn the ring just enough to hear the motor slightly “load up”. Don’t overdo it now, and use added softened ice chips as you add chopped meat to the hopper. Another important and much overlooked remedy is to re-examine the way you chop the meat before it goes into the grinder. Start using smaller cubes of only about an inch and cut ACROSS the grain of the meat at every opportunity. This shortens the sinews that invariably wrap themselves around the inside of blade attachment where it joins the auger’s pilot shaft.
 
Next, there's no doubt your blade is showing signs of wear and dulling. Most sausage makers (and I mean MOST), have no idea how to sharpen one. To begin with, the steel used to make these tough little knives is a very high-carbon hypereutectoid steel bordering on cast. The Rockwell C is generally so high, it’s not practical for the home hobbyist to sharpen one. It’s tough to sharpen one even in a machine shop. The “flat” surface of the knife must NEVER be touched with a stone, file, abrasive belt, or any other type of sharpening tool. Any sharpening must be done ONLY to the sloped (inclined) cutting edge. If the entire flat of the knife does not make contact with the plate, fibers of meat will slip between the plate and blade and ruin your entire day and may even cause you to develop a new vocabulary. (Think of how a pair of scissors works – the flats are never altered and metal from only ONE inclined surface is removed – from both blades). Unless you are a professional with a machine shop, it may worth the price of a couple of new blades. The Sausagemaker™ carries blades and plates for most machines.
 
Next, a stuffing machine is used for stuffing. Forget the curved horn type and go straight to the geared, cranked type – whether it is a 5, 15, 20, 25, or 30-pound model, depends upon your preference. However, you will thank yourself every time you make sausage if you purchase a geared, cranked, vertical Sausagemaker™ stuffer. You may even purchase an electric motor for the larger models. After 60 years, I still use a hand-cranked stuffer although my grinder is powered by a V-8 Chevrolet 327 with three Holley deuces on a high-rise manifold!
 
Your new designated “stuffer” will also accommodate various other attachments such as jerky and patty makers, and a host of tapered and straight tubes not having to use a wasteful “bell”.
 
If you are using a 1-horse grinder and a size 22 plate, it is evident you are making a lot of sausage. Do yourself a favor and purchase a proper stuffer. It will make all the difference in the world, believe me. Before I bought mine years ago from ol’ Rytek Kutas (the founder of the company), my wife was not at all happy with my attitude. Now, I’m just a happy stuffer. And while your looking, check out their meat mixers too. No, I don’t work for the Sausagemaker™. No, I am not paid to endorse their products. However, in decades of ordering from them, I have never been to another sausage supply company for equipment or supplies. Why? Their service is courteous, their staff is friendly and knowledgeable, their prices are fair, their shipping is quick, and my association and high regard for their very fine “founder” of the company will keep me coming back. Besides that, Mr. Miroslaw Stanuszek (“Big Mac”) is one of the finest gentlemen I’ve ever associated with. He’s in charge of R&D at the company, is most professional in every way, and is a good friend to all sausage makers. Shucks pard, when something is not broken, why try to fix it?

Best Wishes,  

Chuckwagon
 

Rick L: Does any one have a good dry cured bacon recipe?
 
    Cliff: I use this basic dry-cure:

Basic Dry Cure, from Charcuterie
1 pound/450 grams kosher salt
8 ounces/225 grams sugar
2 ounces/50 grams pink salt

You use 5% of the weight of the pork belly, so if you have a 2 kg belly,
use 100g of dry cure.
To that, I add 1/4 cup of cracked black pepper and 1/2 cup minced
garlic.

Mix all together and coat all parts of the pork belly, using all of the
mixture.
Put the coated belly and any loose mixture in a large sealable plastic
bag, and add 1/2 cup of honey.

Refrigerate for 5-6 days, turning daily.

Remove the bacon from the bag and rinse thoroughly in cold water.
Hot-smoke the bacon until it reaches an
internal temperature of 155 degrees Farenheit.

I like to get skin-on bellies, cure them with the skin on, then skin
them after smoking, but you can get the
bellies skinned, and it works just as well.
 
The Sausagemaker, Inc.: Check out this recipe by our good buddy Chuckwagon, he's truly a wizard!
 

Ronnie:Can any one help me with finding muslin cloth sausage bags ? I saw a instructional video on making cold smoked breakfast sausage, the gentleman making the sausage used the cloth bags, that he gets from a local butcher shop. Thanks!
 
New! Carl:I also had a hard time finding them. They can be purchased from Butcher Supply Co., Nashville, TN in the 2 and 3 pound size. Google the name or call 1-615-242-6943 they are easy to work with.
 
    New!  Rick:I have a friend who makes my cloth unbleached muslin sausage bags. Very professional. She is a seamstress and when I showed her a bag that I bought from an Amish butcher she said I can make those. I used to live in Amish country Lancaster County, PA. The Amish use these bags for their Lebanon Bologna and Sweet Lebanon. I use them for Summer Sausage also. I had her put different color sewing on them for different kinds of product. If you want folks can look at the bags on my blog and get with me if they like. I do have a order sheet from her. bluesmokeandbbq.blogspot.com
 
    New!  The Sausagemaker, Inc.: Many Thanks Rick for sharing with us about these excellent muslin bags.
 
 
David: I use the Venison Summer Sausage recipe from the Rytek Kustas recipe book that uses Fermento. I have done this for 5 years and it makes excellent sausage. I vacuum package the cooked sausage and freeze within a couple of days of smoking. We have opened this the next summer and it taste like it was just made. The one issue I occasionally have is upon opening, after a few days in the fridge the fresh cut end may develop brown spots, you can trim off a thin slice and it looks fresh again. Does anyone have any ideas if there is a fix for this? It also occurs on unfrozen sausage consumed soon after smoking.
 
    Chuckwagon: Hi David, The problem you are having is with the oxydation of a product exposed to the air. The spots are an initial indication of a preliminary covering that includes the total hard-crusted oxidizing of any meat product exposed to oxygen. Simply close off the exposure with a vaccuum process or simply consume the sausage within a reasonable amount of time to eliminate the problem if it bothers you. Ultimately, it is not harmful in any way and just a "preliminary" warning of a crusted, air-dried exterior. Best Wishes, Chuckwagon
 
 
Rick: I tried to make venison hot dogs. Worst sausage I've ever made. I followed the recipe except for the dextrose. I substituted sweet and low. Has anyone made a venison hot dog with flavor comparable to a ball park frank? Thanks.

    KRH: I don't know about the sweet & low over dextrose use, but I can say that any time you use venison for that type of sausage it is difficult to get enough fat in the mixture to get the right consistancy. If you are going for a total fat content of 20-25% and you are using, for example, a 50-50 venison-pork mix you are probably getting about a 10% total fat content as venison should have zero fat content if properly trimmed and typical pork butt has around 20% fat content. Before I figured this out I followed the Sausage Maker recipe for Bratwurst using venison and pork. That batch tasted o.k. but was darker and drier than what I was expecting. The next time I used elk and pork and calculated the proper amount of back fat to give me a final fat content of 25%. The second batch had a completely different flavor, color, and texture. Try that before you give up on the idea.
 
    Chuckwagon: Rick, You must understand, the folks who make Ball Park franks... make them out of pork - not venison. If you want to duplicate a Ball Park frank, you must use PORK. Now, don't get me wrong, I love venison too! But it is simply not pork and does not have the flavor or taste of pork. Shucks pard, just who do you think invented deer hunting? Venison is totally different in structure and especially fat content than pork. Pork has a definite flavor! So does beef! So does venison. In other words, you can't make a Harley chopper from a Yamaha 2-stroke zip bike! My suggestion is that you back up, grind up some quality PORK, and then read some more about this great meat's fat flavor! Shucks pard, pork fat is even used to flavor wild game sausage. Pork fat just cannot be ignored! It is very, very, tasty! Best Wishes, Chuckwagon
 
 
Lee:I was wondering about the amount of tabasco per pound [for a Sausage Stick recipe]. I know alot depends on individual taste, but I would like a conservative estimate for the first try. I don't want to "burn" it . Thanks, Lee.

 
Jim S.:Hi There, I was watching a tv show the other day where a guy went to Prague and there was a guy stuffing sausage by hand. He had his little finger side of his hand into a pile of meat and moved his fingers in a milking kind of way and stuffed sausage came out the other side. Anybody know how this is done? I cant figure out how he got it started into the casing. Thanks, Jim.

    Glenn: I was watching Food TV today, Anthony Bourdain was in the Chech Republic. There was a butcher there who was able to literally stuff the casings by hand with no tools. His left hand held the casing and was buried in the sausage mixture and his right hand was also in the mixture but I could not see how he introduced the mixture to the casing. The sausages were perfect! Any help?

The SausageMaker: The show Jim is referring to is Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations, Season 6 Episode 4 "Prague" on Travel Channel. About 35 minutes into the episode, they stuff sausage meat into pre-tied natural hog casings that are precut to set lengths using a very interesting technique with only their hands. We have posted a video showing clips from the show *here. It is really something to behold, thank you Jim for the excellent heads-up on this old world technique!

*Video is in Windows Media format (wmv) and plays from our TSM Products web site.

Gerald: I was watching a program, where the host was making hot dogs. He took a gallon ziploc bag, cut a small piece off the bottom corner of the bag, inserted a plastic sausage nozzle thru the hole, which the Sausagemaker has. He than put the meat in the plastic bag, and squeezed the meat thru the nozzle into the sausage casings. Seemed to work fine, if you don't want to spend a lot of money on a big unit. I imagine it could be used for various size casings, also. Good luck.
 
 
Phil & Linda: Does any one have a recipe for Portuguese sausage like the ones in Hawaii? I thought it was the best I've ever had, but can't find it in the states. There are many called Portuguese sausage, and Linguisa , but none compare to the stuff we ate in Hawaii.
    Eric: I think this is what you're looking for -
http://lpoli.50webs.com/index_files/Hawaiian.pdf

 
Frank: Over the years I have cured corn beef every year for St. Patrick’s day. Everyone seems to like my corned beef. However, I have not been successful in my attempts to obtain a more garlicky flavor. I used tons of granulated garlic, garlic cloves, increased brine time, and have even injected the briskets with garlic oil, but I cannot get the increased garlic flavor I desired that I have been able to get in my other products. Any suggestions?!!

    ChuckWagon: Hi Frank,Garlic is one of the few fresh ingredients you may add to sausage. Rytek Kutas didn’t even bother peeling the stuff; he simply tossed it into the grinder’s hopper with the paper skin intact! The amount of flavor extracted from garlic depends upon the extent to which a clove is cut or crushed as the cells of the plant are ruptured releasing allyl sulfenic acid - an odorless chemical - combining with the enzyme allinase. The compound created is known as allicin - the stuff directly accountable for the fundamental aroma and flavor of garlic. The more the plant is broken down, the more enzymes are released as its “bite” becomes stronger. Cooks should realize that allinase becomes inert whenever heated beyond 150 degrees F. and no new flavors may be rendered from the plant - a desired characteristic when it comes to the preparation of “baked garlic”. Best wishes, Chuckwagon
 
 
Ken K: Growing up in Cleveland my family had access to some of the finest ethnic sausage ever made. Through the years almost all of the old country butchers that made Smoked Slovenian Sausage have gone away. I have tried some of the remaining producers, they are close but not the same. Does anyone have a recipe for smoked Slovenian Garlic Sausage?

    Marc G: Ken, I also grew up and worked in Cleveland and enjoyed Smoked Slovenian Sausage. A friend used to take orders and bring this stuff to work 25 to 30 lbs. at a time. This was between the late 60's to mid 80's. I haven't had it since. I have been making sausage for over 20 years but have never been able to find a recipe for this wonderful sausage. It's funny that I looked in this forum and yours was the first question.
 
    Ron: Hi, I also used to live in Cleveland. We loved the subject sausage. Up until five years ago, had a friend that would ship the sausage to us here in SoCal. They are both dead now and I can only remember the name of one butcher/meat market that made it. It was Oshmans. There were several others but I forgot the names. Can you help me try to reconnect with someone? Thanks, Ron.
 
    Erin: He's thinking of Azman's which is alive and kicking, still shipping worldwide.
Azman Quality Meats
654 E. 185th St.
Cleveland, OH 44119
(216) 481-0826
Makers of the only slovenian sausage to travel to outer space ;) (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10255/1086551-34.stm).
 
    Ken K: Marc G & Ron; I’m glad I’m not the only one who misses this sausage. If I find out anything I will get back to you via this forum.
 
    The Sausagemaker: Hey Marc, Ron and Ken. Our friend Chuckwagon was kind enough to send us a delicious Slovenian Sausage Recipe that we posted to our Favorite Recipes Page. He knows his stuff, everything he posts is always very informative and spot-on. He is an old friend of ours and we trust his recipes as we do our own. Enjoy!
 
 
Brandon: I've been having quite a challenge discerning what an ingredient contained in green chorizo recipes. Pepita verde molida. Translators define it as vaguely as 'ground green nugget' or 'green seed'. The ambiguity is holding me back towards getting some authentic work done with this sausage. I would be very grateful if anyone could help. It seems like possible candidates could be sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. I know pepitas are hulled pumpkin seeds in English, but it doesn't convey that level of specificity in Spanish.
 
    Mike: Brandon, I just saw a Rick Bayless show on the very subject of green chorizo. That's PBS Mexico cooking.Check out his shows for the recipies. Good luck, Mike. *Here is a link to Bayless' website pre-searched for "Chorizo".
 

Shawn: My friends and I have been making it a yearly tradition to make sausage and have had great luck with many of Rytek's recipes. The ingredients in Rytek's Sopressata recipe are salt, powdered dextrose, whole and ground black pepper, corn syrup solids, InstaCure #2, and cayenne pepper. Does anyone have any other methods or recipes for making Sopressata. We always use 1/2 venison and 1/2 pork and it comes out pretty good depending on the drying conditions. Thanks.

 

Marc: When I was a kid in northern Illinois we used to get a paper wrapped spicy (cardomon?) roast beef sausage made with onions. We would fry it for breakfast or to eat in a sandwich. Once removed from the casing and cooked it would no longer hold its shape and become more like a hash. I think we bought it from a German butcher in Dundee. I would love to find a recipe. Thanks!

    Rich (from Milwaukee): I also grew up in Northern Illinois (palatine) and think I know what you’re talking about. We always called it (and still do) Beef Sausage. We used to get it at Pesches in DesPlaines. My mom has a recipe that’s very similar (if not exact) and she still makes it once a year. I believe she makes it out of boiled beef roast (chuck) salt, peppe,r oatmeal, onions and allspice. I’ll try to get the recipe. Does anyone know if this sausage has a formal or traditional name?

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Gary: A friend of mine knowing that I'm a sausage holic, brought back from Louisiana a sausage called Old Time Brand Smoked Pork Sausage for me. This is the best tasting sausage, one bite and you have to have more. Can anyone help me with this recipe? I would like to try my hand at making some.

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Cheryl: There used to be a number of wonderful kielbasa makers in Ludlow, MA. The products were so different than the mass-produced type. Does anyone know of any small-batch kielbasa makers in Western Mass.?

    The Sausage Maker: There still appears to be a good number of small-batch sausagemakers in western Mass., a quick search found the Waniewski Farms (and deli) in Feeding Hills, Milano Importing in Springfield, Bernat's Polish Meat Products and Europa Deli, both in Chicopee. There are many more, do a search in Google Maps for "sausage" or "deli" in Western Mass. for more results.

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Dan: I have been making fresh sausage (kielbasa) for years. Recently I moved from Baltimore to South Carolina. In Baltimore I bought a celery sausage (originally made at Esskay Meats and then Roma) in rope form. I haven't been able to find that in So. Carolina. Do you or any others know of a recipe I can use to make this breakfast sausage? Thanks for any help.

    Servie: Yup - I remember it. Could buy it in Baltimore at Lexington Market and North East Market at Wetzelberger's and another butcher whose name escapes me.

Not too long ago, I tried making my own celery sausage without a recipe. I took some pork loin, cut it into pieces, and put it into the food processor with several chucks of celery. Whirled it around until the consistency looked right. Then I fried it up as fresh pork sausage patties. It really had the flavor of the old sausage I remember. Not being a sausage maker, I had no idea what I was doing. Hopefully some of you more experienced folks out there can come up with a good way to make this nostalgic delight.

    Peter: I live in Baltimore and am planning to make 400 lbs of various sausages. I would also like a recipe for celery sausage if anyone has one. I will share it with you all and let you know how it turned out. Also, last year I made 50 lbs of polish and 50lbs of Italian. I lost the Italian recipe and am looking for a simple Hot and Spicy recipe.

    Tom: I too would love to find where I can buy Celery Sausage. It seems to be a Baltimore only product. It is sold in several butchers stores in Baltimore like Ostrowskis and Roma, but I cannot find it anywhere else in the country much less a recipe to make it. Anyone heard of this type of sausage? Thanks for any help.

    Tom (update): Baltimore people reading this message board?? Well … It has been many months and NOBODY seems to know what “Celery Sausage” is. Any Baltimore people read this sites messages?? Please respond! Thanks.

    David from Louisville, KY: This product, which my Mom bought at Kroger in Louisville in the 1970's was called Baltimore Sausage. It was packaged in a coil, about 1-1/2" in diameter. It had a somewhat coarse texture, and had a mild flavor. It hasn't been available here for years. Does anyone remember this product, and if so where it might be available. Thanks

    The Sausage Maker: Finally, a recipe for making your own Celery Sausage has been sent in to us. We have uploaded it to our Favorite Recipes page where it is named "Nick's Baltimore Celery Sausage". Thank You Nick for bringing this high-demand recipe to our forum!

    Slipp: That's it! Real Celery Sausage! Thanks Nick and Sausage Forum!

    Cliff: Wow!!! I made four pounds of this sausage this weekend, and it is FANTASTIC!! Thanks,!!!
 
    Dean Paciocco: I am the owner of Roma Sausage in Baltimoreand you can visit our website @ http://www.romagourmet.com/ and we can ship celery/country sausage to you.
 

Cy: Hi. I inherited an old (1901) Russian sausage making book from my father which has a recipe for goose liver sausage. One of the ingredients is crawfish butter made by roasting about 50 empty crawfish shells in an oven until they become brittle. Then they are ground to a powder and added to one half pound of melted (but not browned) unsalted butter. The mixture is then stirred for about 20 minutes over low heat and then slowly poured into a container of cold water where the powdered crawfish shells supposedly settle to the bottom and the now flavored butter congeals on the surface where it is scooped off and added to the gound goose liver and other ingedients and stuffed into sheep casing. Have you ever heard of such a recipe, and could lobster or shrimp shell be substituted for the crawfish?

    Kenny: Emeril Lagasse on the Food Network made some recently and should be easy to find this recipe.

    Serge: Yes, you can use lobster or shrimp shells, with Lobster shells you make fabulous butter, you put in plastic wrap in roll, freeze it and use with all king of fish sauce you like. Bon appetit.
The recipe you have, I have used for 40 years, it is the best you can have, do not lose.
 

Barbara: I'm looking for a good Mortadella recipe using wine.. Any help would be appreciated, thanks in advance!

    Don: The sausage making cookbook by jerry praedika has one that uses wine. I'm new, but someone who has alot of experience reccommended the book.

    Chuckwagon: Hi Barabara, I love good mortadella too. There are so many "fakes" out there today, you just might become disgusted. I have an authentic recipe I think you will like. There are indeed a few secrets to making it. The first is to find great "fatback", cut it into 1/2" squares by hand with a sharp knife, then freeze it! Make the rest of the sausage and only remove the frozen fat squares from you freezer as you mix the sausage for the very last time. For good mortadella, you need to have a belt-driven food processor such as Kitchen Aid etc. This is an "emulsified" sausage. You must add water to the mix to avoid strain on the motor. Mix the meat and all the spices until it becomes a "sticky meat paste". This is a very important step. As you develop "myocin" (a protein), you will notice that the meat changes in structure. It becomes sticky and holds together. This is the basic mix for your mortadella. Next, fold in by hand, the FROZEN fat squares you previously cut up. Make sure they become completely distributed throughout the meat mixture. Now, place the mixture back into the frige for an hour! Next, press the mixture quickly into red casings (bologna) or clear lined casings for larger mortadella slices. The recipe? Oh yeah.... it is in Rytek's book. If you don't have it yet, why not plan to buy it soon. Rytek has hundreds of great recipes in his book. He was my friend. I knew him in 1965 Las Vegas, Nevada at his "Hickory Shop". He was the greatest! And I miss him. (he passed away in '98). Barbara, in case you don't have Rytek's book yet, please plan to purchase it. In the mean time, here is the big guy's recipe for "mortadella".

Mortadella:
9-1/2 Lean Pork Butt
6 tblspn. salt
2 tblspns. gelatin
2 level tspn. Instacure #1
2 cups non-fat dry milk
8 tblsp. corn syrup solids
2 large clove garlic
1 tblspn. freshly ground black pepper
1 tblspn. mace
1 tblspn. coriander
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 oz. Dry Italian Red Wine
1 pint ice water
My best wishes, Chuckwagon

Jim: Years ago before I retired, a guy used to come around three or four times a year selling sausage products out of his van. He sold Perl Brand sausages from Chicago. It was the best I've ever had. Apparently they are out of business. My question is, who makes similar products? Thanks.
 
New! John: Jim: I also enjoyed Perl sausage - it was great! In a recent search (again) for Perl sausage I found that delidirect.com has a president by the name of Barron S. Perl who learned the business from his family in Chicago. The company has a salesman who makes stops with a bucket of samples while dresses in a butcher's apron over military attire; sound familiar? I just found this info today - 23 Nov 11 - and have not tried any of their products, but...

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Lea: Does anyone have a recipe for Philippine Longaniza? It is usually made with pork. Where do you think I could find Anisado Wine to put in sausage? Thanks, Lea.

Lea (update): I finally found the anisado wine the longaniza recipe calls for; where? of course in the Philippines. Even there the anisado wine bottle is not common. Now, my question is what size of casing do I use, collagen or hog casing and what size do I use please?

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Doug: I am looking for a Calabrian Chille Powder for making Calabresa Sausage. I like to use this when making my deep dish pan pizza as a filling. My local markets here in Michigan are unable to locate this for me. I had a stash from Italy but it is now gone and I'm finding it very difficult to locate here in the states. Any help would be appreciated..

    D & J: Try Rafal Spice Co. in Detroit.

Chuckwagon: Hey Doug, Although I would never - ever - in a thousand years... shop anywhere else than the Sausagemaker for spices, the folks at http://www.worldspice.com/home can solve your problem. Best Wishes, Chuckwagon.

    VoxPopuli: http://www.sausagedebauchery.com/products/?category_keyword=Peperoncini%20Products

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Rich M: I spent almost 2 years in Germany in the early 70's during my time in the US Army. I fell in love with a sausage there known to me as Rindswurst. Does anybody have a recipe for this sausage. I would be most grateful. Thank You.

    The Sausage Maker: Rind = cow/bull (bovine). We changed it to Rinderwurst and got some recipe links, its a German Beef Sausage. <---- thats one link for a recipe. Searching will probably give you much more information.

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Jim: Rich, I was curious so I used googled and to translate some German language web sites. (see Google tool bar tools, for translate tool button) Germany has 800-1200 styles of sausage 100s of frankfurter spice variations is a Frankfurter style a fresh, origin frankfurter is from the Vienna style (not the US canned one) Rindswurst is a frankfurter 50%-60% meat, 20-25% fat, 20-25% water, nonfat dry milk and spices.

Frankfurter Wurstchen
The original Frankfurter Wurstchen, or Frankfurt sausage, is a scalded, smoked sausage (Bruhwurst) made with pork contained in a natural sheepskin casing. To cook it, it is scalded in hot water for about 8 minutes, hence the name Bruhwurst, and must never be boiled. Typical accompaniments are mustard, bread and horseradish. The Frankfurter Wurstchen has been around since the 13th Century and since 1860, its name has been geographically protected so that only sausages made in the Frankfurt area may be called Frankfurter Wurstchen.

Frankfurter Rindswurst
While the Frankfurter Wurstchen is made from 100% pork, the Frankfurter Rindswurst is made, as its name suggest, from 100% beef. It was invented in 1894 by a butcher in Frankfurt and became very popular among the Jewish population of the time since it did not contain pork. The butcher's shop where it was invented is still in business in the city. Frankfurter Rindswurst is a Bruhwurst, meaning it is scalded and not boiled. It is usually cooked in a Wasserbad (Bain Marie) but can also be grilled or fried. It's also used as a base for the popular Currywurst, which is a sliced sausage covered in a curry-flavored ketchup.

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Maureen: I have been using Jamestown Sausage in my homemade stuffing recipe for a number of years and like it much better than any other brand. I always bought it at Stop & Shop. However, for the past six or so months I have been unable to find your sausage and had to buy another brand for Thanksgiving. I would like to know if there are any super markets in the central/eastern Massachusetts area that still sells it?

    Jerseyhunter: In Jersey I get it at Shop-Rite.

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Connie: When I was a young girl visiting Grandma in Howells, NE. one of the sausages she made was dark not red . I never did ask Grandma, or even my Dad what was in them. And my Mom says she thinks sauerkraut was the texture. I loved these sausages and would love to make them, even though at 61 I am a neophyte. Can anyone out there help?

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Harold: Years ago when I was young I worked in a sausage shop(longtime closed,now) helping to make over 23 different kinds of lunchmeat and sausages. Several of these lunch meats were made in the oven and required no smoking. I am looking for recipies on making these kinds of meats. These were the types of meats that were made in loaf pans without casings etc. Can someone direct me as to where I can find these type recipies?

    Dave: Some recipes like this can be found in the Morton Meat Curing Guide. It can be purchased from the Morton Salt website for just a few dollars. They also have a couple of the recipes posted on their web site... herbed sausage, salami, pepperoni, etc. Also, the book Charcuterie by Ruhlman & Polcyn has a whole chapter devoted to these type of sausages. They are referred to by the fancy name Pates and Terrines. The subtitle of the chapter is "The Cinderella Meat Loaf". Hope this Helps.

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Joel: Can you thaw frozen meat, make sausage, and freeze the sausage?

Rich: I've been making sausage and other meats for some time, but now I would like to know how to store or freeze some for later use. When the Holidays come around, it would be nice to have some bologna or smoke stick. But as everyone knows it get crazy around the holidays and nothing is ready. I would like to be able to keep some to enjoy later in time.

    The Sausage Maker: Yes. This is a common question. While repeated freezing is not safe. Thawing the meat first in a refrigerator then processing it into casings quickly and refreezing is alright. The sausage should not sit on your counter or warm to over 40°F which activates bacterial growth, immediately refrigerate or freeze. If freezing for long period, we recommend you vacuum seal the sausages prior.

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Larry: I have been beating myself up trying to find out if I can put cheese in home made bologna or not. I have the regular cheese its hard cheese but I would like to put some in one loaf.

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Jimbo: When I was young we used to visit my grandma and great aunt on the East coast. Every morning we had Taylors Ham roll with our breakfast. I have it shipped to me from N.J. but would love to try and duplicate it. Any help would be greatly apreciated.

    Mary: My husband is a Jersey boy too and was raised on PORK ROLL. I was raised on Long Island and never heard of it but then again my parents were from Ohio and we had Scrapple. Anyway I don't know how to make pork roll but I can buy it locally in slices either four or eight slices per package. And I buy a bunch and freeze it for him. Maybe you can talk your local supermarket mgr. to order it for you. I do know that the company operates out of Trenton and has been in the same family since 1856. The only information on the box is: Taylor Provisions Co. Trenton, NJ, 08638-0108. Why not google it? Good Luck!

    Ray: Go to a website called Sonoma Mountain Sausage. They have a formulation (recipe) called Pork Roll (Taylor's Clone). I have never eaten the original but, the clone is great. Sausage is my hobby and this is the best site for anything you want.

    The Sausagemaker: Sonoma Mountain Sausage (http://home.pacbell.net/lpoli) is run by a very knowledgeable person, Len Poli. To learn about Dry-Curing we recommend reading his website and wedlinydomowe.com's section "Fermented Sausage". Both are geared for hobbyists and are excellent resources!
 
    Olen: There are actually 3 brands all made in or around Trenton, NJ: Taylor, Case & Trenton. I believe that it is actually only two companies...ie: Either Taylor or Case also owns Trenton. The texture is similar to Thurenger or beerwurst, but the taste is different, and delicious. For some reason, until recently, it was strictly a regional product, and people who have left the area decry that they can't get pork roll locally. Generally, it is available in mild or tangy...in which the lactic acid culture is allowed to develop more, giving the meat a tangy, slightly sour taste...which I love. If you haven't tried it, you should. I plan on making some and smoking it, though it is, apparently, not smoked by the manufacturers.
 

Bryan: I have been experimenting with making beef jerky in my oven and it has been turning out great, but I was wondering how it would work out with turning the convection fan in my oven on. Has anyone experimented with this. My temp for normal cooking of my jerky will only go as low as 170 deg. Will this work with convection as well?

    Hughlett: 170 degrees is a bit high for jerky, most references say 150 degrees maximum as you are drying it out, not cook it. The fan would be good to even out the heat, all the commercially made dehydrators have them. I hope your leaving the oven door cracked open a little to allow the humiditiy to escape.

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Stacia: How do I cook Croghan Bologna?
My friend brings me back Croghan Bologna every year from his trip to New York, and I haven't any idea how to cook it. Jim mentioned in his post that it's smoked, but the package says nothing about it being "fully cooked." I always boil it, because I assume it's raw, and it ends up very tough and dry. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Steve: Hello. Just stumbled on this question and would like to answer as I grew up 10 miles from Croghan and go there to buy sausage on every yearly visit. The simple answer is that the bologna is already 100% ready to eat and does not need to be cooked at all. Simply cut in slices and serve! I usually buy 2-3 rolls and bring back here to Kentucky where I freeze it for later eating within 6-7 months. Hope this helps.

    Chambers: Here is a recipe that we use and it is quite tasty….not exactly like the “Croghan Bologna” from Croghan NY. 2# hamburger, 1 cup water, 2 tbsp quick salt, ¼ tsp onion powder, 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 ½ - 2 tbsp of Liquid Smoke. Mix all ingredients and let stand in refrigerator overnight (24 hours) Mix again and mold into long rolls. Bake on rack of over at 300 degrees for 1 ¼ hours. If you want to change it up a little bit you can add some red pepper flakes to it. We like to put red pepper flakes in one of the rolls and leave the other one. Good luck with your recipe.

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Bill: We are looking for any recipes for chicken sausage ie: chicken and spinach, chicken and feta cheese any and all chicken sausage recipes would be appreciated thanks all.

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Roo: My friends and I are looking for information on how to process fresh intestines into casing for sausage use? We have been searching online and have only been able to find recipes for sausage or types of casings available. Can you help us on how to process them? Thanks!

    Robert: The Sausage-Making Cookbook from Jerry Predika

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Ben: I'm wondering if anyone has experience grinding rendered fat along with lean meat to increase the fat content in a fresh sausage? I haven't yet tried it, and am afraid that the rendered fat won't properly incorporate into the sausage. It's tough to find backfat or fat trimmings, but I've been able to find rendered lard without too much trouble.

     Robert: I have made sausage many times with fat I got from the grocery store. You will have to ask them for it because they normally don't keep it. Sometimes they will sell it to you cheap and sometimes they will just give it to you. You will need to ask for pork or beef fat, depending on what kind of sausage you are making. I chill it over night, then run it through the grinder, same as the meat. I mix it about 25% fat to 75% meat. I know that sound high on the fat, but it will be too dry if you don't.

Cy: Ben: I know what you mean by finding it hard to find fatback. I have used pork belly (unsmoked fatty bacon) successfully.

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Jennifer: While shopping in the supermarket, I noticed pre-packaged Lower Salt Hard Salami. Does anyone have a recipe for Lower Salt Hard Salami or know where I could find information on lower salt salami?

    Gerald Puetz: You can substitute Potassium Nitrate and Nitrite for Sodium Nitrate and Nitrite to cure meat while lowering salt content.

    Robert: I read some where that true salt peter- Potassium Nitrate - had a different taste. I think that many European Sausages use Potassium rather than Sodium. Could some one provide more on this?
 
 ChuckWagon:

Sodium Nitrate and Sodium Nitrite Cures  

 

Most probably by accident, man discovered anciently that when salt was added to meat it improved its flavor, color, and shelf life. Then somewhere in time, sodium nitrate came into use as a naturally occurring contaminant of salt. Chile and Peru have massive deposits of sodium nitrate (NaNO3). Not to be confused with sodium nitrite (NaNO2), the substance is also found in leafy green vegetables. Acting as powerful antioxidants, nitrates and nitrites reduce oxidative rancidity. However, when added directly to meats, sodium nitrite is primarily responsible for the inhibition of pathogen growth including that of clostridium botulinum - the bacteria causing botulism poisoning. Nitrate in itself is not successful in producing the curing reaction. Sodium nitrate must be reduced by lactic acid bacteria (micrococcaceae species) or other natural means to be effective. In other words, nitrate breaks down into nitrite - and nitrite breaks down into nitric oxide - the substance that actually cures meat. Modern science has not produced a substitute for sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite used as agents to preserve meat and destroy clostridium botulinum. As these salts are poisonous used in proportionately greater amounts, companies have continually tried to improve upon them though their efforts have been futile.  

 

Cure #1 is used to cure all meats that require cooking, smoking, and canning. This includes poultry, fish, hams, bacon, luncheon meats, corned beef, pates, and many other products.  

Note that Prague Powder Cure #1 in the United States, contains 6.25% sodium nitrite (NaNO2), and 93.75% sodium chloride (salt). As this formula contains no sodium nitrate (NaNO3), there is no waiting for nitrate to be broken down into nitrite and it is effective immediately in curing meat. In the United States, Cure #1 is manufactured using one ounce of sodium nitrite added to each one pound of salt. When used in the curing process, only 4 ounces of cure is added to 100 pounds of sausage. Two level teaspoons will cure 10 lbs. of meat.  

 

It is important to note that in various countries, the formula for nitrate and nitrite cures vary. For instance, in the United Kingdom, Prague Powder # 1 (Cure #1) is popular, with 5.88% sodium nitrite, the remainder being salt.  

 

Cure #2 is used in dry-cured sausages where curing time allows the nitrate to gradually break down into nitrite. Cure #2 in the United States, contains 6.25% sodium nitrite (NaNO2), 4% sodium nitrate (NaNO3), and 89.75 sodium chloride (salt). Why so much nitrate? Remember, it is actually nitrite reducing to nitric oxide that cures meat. After two weeks dry-curing, only about a quarter of the 6.25 % sodium nitrite remains in the meat. Nitrite is simply too fast. In salamis requiring three or more months to cure, a certain amount of sodium nitrate must be added to the recipe to break down over time. Since micrococcaceae species are inhibited at low pH, sausages relying on nitrate reduction must be fermented by a traditional process. Therefore, nitrate is still used by many dry sausage manufacturers because sodium nitrate (NaNO3) serves as a long time “reservoir” of sodium nitrite (NaNO2).  

Note that in other countries, the formula varies. In the United Kingdom, Prague Powder # 2 (Cure #2) is available with 5.67% sodium nitrite, 3.62 sodium nitrate, the remainder being salt.  

 

Potassium Nitrate (Saltpeter)  

 

Robert is correct. Saltpeter is bitter tasting. It is also about 7 times more expensive than sodium nitrite. Saltpeter is 100% potassium nitrate (KNO3). Although it is used in various cures throughout the world, it is no longer included in cures in the United States (with the exception of only a few applications) as it is thought to produce cancer-causing nitrosamines when cooked at higher temperatures. Commercially, with only a few exceptions, it has been banned by law since the mid-1970's. A fatal dose of potassium nitrate is merely 30 grams. Sodium nitrite will cancel your clock at only about 22 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. You can plainly see why these cures MUST be handled correctly.  

 

Use meat cures with caution.  

 

Nitrates and nitrites must be used with caution. Both are considered toxic in larger amounts and for that reason, strict limits on their use have been established. Usually, the amount of added sodium nitrite lies in the range of 50-200 mg. per kg and sodium nitrate in the range of 200 to 600 mg. per kg. Both cures have been formulated so that 1 (one) level U.S. teaspoon will cure 5 pounds of meat. It is always a good idea to weigh the cure for best accuracy. Dissolving the cure into a little water ensures adequate uniform dispersal throughout the meat  

 

Again, notice that formula #1 contains only nitrite while formula #2 contains both nitrite and nitrate. One curing agent must never be confused with the other within any recipe and one certainly must not be substituted for the other. If you mix, cure, and smoke sausage, or cure and smoke hams, it becomes your responsibility to follow directions mixing exactly four ounces Prague Powder with one hundred pounds of meat, or for us home consumers, precisely two level teaspoons mixed with a little water for even distribution, for each ten pound batch of sausage. If you are mixing only five pounds of sausage, add just one level teaspoon of curing salt. Always remember that any recklessness in mixing these salts may potentially injure someone. Measure twice - mix once! Incidentally, the product known as Tender Quick* contains 0.5 sodium nitrite, 0.5 sodium nitrate, salt, sugar, and propylene glycol (for brined meats)

 

The strength of nitrates and nitrites themselves do not vary. It is the amount added to a sodium chloride (salt) carrier that makes a cure stronger or weaker in comparison to others. One MUST look at the label to be safe. In Sweden, folks call their product Colorazo at 0.6% nitrite. In France, it’s Sel nitrite’ at 0.6% nitrite. In Poland, the nitrited salt cure Peklosol is available at 0.6% nitrite, and in Germany, it is Pokelsalz at 0.6% nitrite content in salt. As you can see, Prague Powder Cure #1 in America is ten and a half times stronger than European cures, with the exception of some of those in the UK. On the other hand, Australian cures are stronger than those used in America. In Australia, Cure #1 is known as Glow #1. It contains 7.8% sodium nitrite and is used in cooked sausages. It is added to meat at the rate of 1.6 grams cure per one kilogram of meat OR one level metric teaspoon (5.6 grams) per 3.5 kilograms of meat. Australian Cure #2 is known as Glow #2. It contains 6.0% sodium nitrite PLUS 4.0% sodium nitrate and is used in dry-cured, fermented sausages at the rate of 4.5 grams cure per kilogram of meat OR one level metric teaspoon (5.6 grams) per 1.25 kilograms of meat. This cure is also used (in higher levels) in dry-curing whole muscle meats. (See specific recipes for instructions.)  The use of saltpetre (potassium nitrate) in Australia is not recommended although its use is still legal.

 

Best Wishes, Chuckwagon

 
      New! Richard.R.: While unmedicated, my BP had achieved 185/145 and while they were monkeying around after my stroke, I hit 220/129 but now I average 118/86. I do not use salt in anything but sausage. I'm pushing 74 and have had my little fist in kielbasa since I was 2 or 3. Family tradition. Now the meat of the subject: I average 1 tsp of kosher salt per pound of meat. Sodium brings out the flavour. Besides, your body needs some sodium. Think about it and picture it. 1 tsp of kosher salt in a pound of chopped meat is nothing to worry about. I use kosher because the grains are larger. It's a personal thing. I'm getting less salt but the measurement is there. So! You do NOT need recipes that control the sodium. YOU control the sodium. Write your own recipe. That's what I have done.
 
Question: Just how much sausage are you going to eat at one meal? Five (05) pounds? Five (05) tsps of sodium? Nonsense!!!
 
You eat a quarter to a half pound. You probably get more sodium in a Hostess Twinkie.
 
 

Paul: I have been searching for a recipe for making Speck Atlto Adige Ham. I notice that you list Schinkenspeck in your book but this is nothing like the Alto Adige (Northern Italian/Tirolean) ham that is made in the area of Italy where my family comes from. This "ham" is more like a proscuitto that is deboned hind leg that is seasoned with juniper berries and spices, cold smoked and then dried for about 22 weeks. Would anyone happen to have a recipe and be willing to share it?

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M. Johnson: I am trying to find a recipe for apple brauts and a good recipe for cheese brauts, if you could help me out that would be great.

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Jim: Several years back, we used to be able to buy "Scotch Ham" which was cured like a pork loin but uncooked. It was a great breakfast ham, pan fried, but has lost favor and can't find it anywhere. If anyone can help with a recipe for it, would be most appreciative.

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Dave: A small local butcher shop which has closed used to make Belgian Tripp sausage. I'd love to find a recipe.

    The SausageMaker: Doing some digging around. A belgian tripp sausage recipe can be found here.

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Dorothy: I am looking for a recipe for a very mild tasting frankfurter. The recipes I have tried are much to spicy. Would appreciate input from anyone. Thank you.

   The SausageMaker: Consider looking at our hotdog making tutorial. Simply changing some spices to fit your desired tastes is all you need to do, like removing the Paprika.

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Gigetta: I grew up in sj ca. Zanotto's italian groceries sold turkey cranberry sausage the butcher then transferred to Zanotto's in scotts valley, ca. Zanotto's was boght by ben lomond market. The butcher then went to ben lomond market. i moved away for a while and he is now gone.

I have calls out to both markets and they are re-searching for me. If anyone has info on this please let me know. Any recipes etc.

I am going to attempt this on my own? If i do not succeed Corralitos will try but 20lb. order and they need a recipe.

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Tom: Several years ago a person I knew went home to North Dakota and came back with some sausage that was native to a group of people that lived in that region. It was a short linked pre smoked sausage. Wonderful!!! I think he called it bushka. The spelling isn't probably right. Does anyone know about this? I would love to find out how it was made.

    Craig: Tom, I believe I know what your referring to. I don't recall anything in short links though. And we didn't call it anything other than sausage. I grew up in the Jamestown, ND area and we used to buy sausage that was made in the area south and west of Jamestown. These folks in this area of North Dakota are of German Russian dissent and man can they make sausage. I am talking about the Gackle, Wishek, Ashley, and Napoleon area. I know a guy from this area and he said it is basically just pork, beef, salt, pepper and garlic water. I need to find out more as I am munching on my last piece. Knowing how much of each is the secret. It has a peppery garlic taste and it's out of this world. I know our church gets it from Ashley, ND for church breakfasts. I want to try and replicate this for my own use. Hope this is of some help.

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Joseph: About 50 years ago I had the pleasure of spending weekends on a southern farm plantation. I cannot forget the wonderful homemade breakfast sausage that was served each morning. The taste was quite "peppery" and had other spices I could not identify. For years I have been looking for a sausage that could match it with no luck. Does anyone have a recipe with southern plantation roots?

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Anna: Seem to be getting close but not quite. I do not recall my father using any liver in it. I am searching for a recipe for pork and rice sausage. I do not remember if garlic or onion was used...all I recall is pork and rice, salt, pepper...not much else. It was not smoked but put into casing and frozen. We would either bake the links in oven or pan fry for a delicious crunch wurst. Some friends in PA made something very similar in taste but used millet instead of rice.

     MH: Anna, It sounds like you may be referring to Pork Boudin sausage. You can find a good recipe for it on the Food Network website, www.foodnetwork.com. Hope this is what you are looking for.

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Barry: Does anybody have any great pepperoni recipes? How about sharing your secrets for the perfect grinding and stuffing techniques and plate size for dry-cured pepperoni. How do commercial outfits get that tight fit and small texture? Do they emulsify the meat for pepperoni? And what about that orange color? Any suggestions?

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Dan: Growing up in Northern Minnesota Wild Rice is plentiful and even available at the corner gas stations. I have had Wild Rice Brats a few times over the years and it has always been a treat when we are able to find it. I have recently started making my own sausage at home and as you can guess the next one I am going to try will be the Wild Rice Brats. And there lies the problem, even with the internet and a couple weeks invested in searching you would think that I could come up with at least ONE (!) recipe (not the case) I have exhausted all the book stores as well. If anybody has a recipe I would love to try it and would be sooo grateful!

    Geo :Wild Rice, while very good and nutritious, is very expensive anywhere but a few northern states. There is another problem: in spite of its name, it is not really rice; it is something else altogether. If you like a firmer rice texture and rice that will stay more as individual grains, I suggest that you try using Basmati rice. It is a naturally fragrant rice that cooks up without getting mushy and maintains the character of its individual grains. Hope that helps.

    Dan: Thanks for the tip. I have never heard of Basmati rice and I would love to give it a try if I were to have a basic recipe to follow. I am still pursuing the wild rice recipe as I am sure you can understand that until I get my hands on one I will continue to have trouble sleeping at night! LOL

    Customer: My Mother was from Northern Minnesota and the local Indians would pick the wild rice from canoes I was told(which is actually a member of the grass family) exclusively. We always were able to get plenty of it there. Then someone took some plants and started growing it in California. The price came down as it became more cultivated and is readily available in gourmet stores or blended with brown rice. It still is pricey but goes a long way.

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John: Does anyone have a recipe for garlicky fresh pork sausage? Thanks in advance.

    Dwight: Try The Sausage Maker's Fresh Polish Sausage mix. It's basically Garlic Sausage. Note from The Sausage Maker:You might also want to try our Roast Garlic Premixed Seasoning with any type of meat.

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Brian: I have made Beef Jerky a few times now and it comes out nice. the last time I made it, about two weeks ago I made the strips with a Jerky Gun using the round type tube, about 1/4-3/8"e; in diameter. All of it was eaten within a week except 2 pieces. When I went to eat them they had a fuzzy/hair type mold on them. I'm not sure what I might have done wrong. They were stored in a short canning jar with some aluminum foil with holes in it covering the top. Did I not dry the beef enough? Am I storing it wrong? How long should it last? I do prefer the beef sticks more moist than really dry jerky, more of a beef stick than a beef jerky. I am almost done building my homemade smoker/dryer but have been using the regular oven for drying the beef.

    The Sausage Maker: The mold is forming on the jerky because not enough of the moisture is able to escape from the jar. Because your jerky already has a higher moisture content, this is especially critical for you. Rather than storing your jerky in a canning jar, we would suggest storing it in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator. This will allow the jerky to breathe and prevent molding.

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Gene:When I was growing up in rural northern Indiana in the 50's-60's, I had an uncle that visited us a lot from Chicago. He always brought fresh baked breads and sweets, but always brought me this mild sausage called cream sausage. It was about 5/8" in diameter always rolled into circles and had two sticks through it to hold it together. It was a fresh sausage which we fried with onions. The family place in Chicago my uncle purchased the sausage from went out of business in the late 60's and we have never found it since. I would like to know if anyone has ever heard of it and could post the recipe?

    Brent: I saw sausages like you described at Ursingers Sausage in Milwaukee, WI. They have a retail shop in Downtown Milwaukee. I don't know if they have a website. Usinger.com has what they call saucisschen brand sausage on a skewer - it's listed under "link products" in the Sausage Product Brochure section.

    Jim: "Sausage Anthropology", sort of like doing genealogy. Meats been stuffed since man started storing food. Taste change over time, yet some recipes stay the same for generations. The additives and spices section of the February 1st newsletter explains the basis of sausage recipes well. I usually track down recipes by finding out the ethnic origins of people, the sausage, the community, and what area of the US and or country of family origin. I am lucky I have many relatives in their nineties still sharp, who remember when, and have inherited prior generations 1800's recipes and cook books. Check Large Libraries, historical societies, social groups and religious organizations for older cook books, they often have community recipe books, and personal recipe books. Visit a senor citizens home bring some treats and stay a while. Most seniors enjoy a visit , a talking about old neighborhood and reminiscing. You may even be able to track down relatives of the Deli owners.

This information may help. UK style Sausage Rolls -An Appetizer, A breakfast food , salty snack served with a brew. . many recipes listed on the internet. The UK and countries which were former British colonies have various Sausage Roll recipes. Rolled, bite size, round or slightly flattened sections pitched off at the ends, or cut into pin wheels. Sausage Rolls, most have a pastry or bread. Smooth and Creamy due to fat content. The more refined recipes use - use cream cheese based - pie crust or puff pastry, and use a quality loose sausage meat no casing. The original style recipes use very high fat content pork trimmings(more than most US breakfast sausage), ingedients can include, variety meats, and for a chewy texture - ground pork, beef, or sheep "tripe", "chitlins", and a lard shortening pastry crust.

    Jim: I came across this version: Sausage Rolls Recipe

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George: When I was a boy in the 1950's, there was a product called "Minced Ham". This product was much like Big Bologna, but better. Early in the 1950's it was discontinued and Big Bologna took its place, much to my disappointment. I found a couple of recipes in a 1929 Hellers book, but many Heller spice mixes are no longer available. Do you have a recipe?

    Jim: I think my response for "Taylor Ham" farther down the page might help.

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Ray: We are looking for recipes for brats with mushrooms and cheese if anyone has some they would like to share. We watched a show on Food Network that featured a restaurant that made their own. Of course they won't give any information.

    Jim: Portabella Mushroom and Swiss Cheese Bratwurst - I like Portabella mushrooms - they are the "meat" mushroom with texture and stronger mushroom flavor than Crimini (baby Portabellas). Shitake Mushrooms also have a nice flavor. Start with your favorite Bratwurst Formulation and add mushrooms and cheese to the meat mixture last and mix just prior to stuffing. Use 5-10% high temperature cheese - Cheddar or Swiss, 1/4"e; cut or ground. Use 5-10% mushrooms - 1/4"e; cut or ground. The moisture content of the mushrooms is close to that of the meat.

Use drier low moisture mushrooms or dehydrate partially. Brush to clean, but do not wash unless you will be dehydrating the mushrooms. Mushrooms can contain a lot of water. You want to end up with a cooked Brat with normal moisture, not too wet and not too dry.

    New! Karl: My family (German immigrants) and I have made sausages for years. One good tip for brats is to use a strong German beer in place of water in the mix. I open a room temperature beer (Spaten) early in the day to let it go a little stale. It adds a very unique flavor that will make your brats better than any others.

Jim: What do you use to make smalec (a fat mixture made in Poland and spread on bread)? I had it there but do not know what to use to make it.

    Jim:Here is one style, the recipes vary by taste. Smalec is flavored and used like butter. It can be purchased in tins from delis and regional ethnic supermarkets.

Like trying to find one style of pate or stuffed dough, recipes and ingredients vary and are to taste. Many types of Smalec are found other different names by country of origin. Rendered duck fat or chicken fat can also be flavored to be used as a spread. These are best at teir cool stage as they are more liquid at room temperature. Chopped dewlap is traditional - cured and rendered ham pig chin. Skin (cracklings), fat (lard) and meat (cured, brined or dry) can be used, or substitute fresh hocks, pork skin fat and cured fatty pork meat (ham or bacon).

Onions are fried in fat until crispy for flavor and texture. You can also also add Durkee's French Fried Onions to the hot fat. A fast recipe: Lard, Durkee's French Fried Onions, chopped ham, cracklings or back chips and spices - salt, fresh ground black pepper, garlic, bay leaves, marjoram and thyme.

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Andrew: I would like to make my own Krainerwurst, preferably cheese krainer. However, I can't find a good recipe. Can anyone help?

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