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MEAT SELECTION FOR SAUSAGE MAKING
Sausage making has evolved over many years and generations, and as a result there are countless types of
sausage you can make using the basic ingredients of meat, fat and a few carefully blended spices. Following are a
few simple guidelines that will help you make the best tasting sausage possible.
Any type of meat can be used for making sausage: pork, beef, bison, moose and caribou, even antelope make
great sausage. It is important when preparing venison or other red game meats to trim all the fat from the meat, as
red game tallow will turn rancid in as few as five days. Replace the fat with either pork or beef fat, depending on the
type of product you are making, at a ratio of 1 pound (0.5 kg) of fat for every 4 pounds (1.8 kg) of game meat.
The fat content of your sausage will affect the taste, texture, cooking characteristics and shelf life of your product.
Most commercially made sausage has a fat content of about 20%. Using less than 12% fat will result in a very dry
tasting sausage, while using more than 20% may result in a sticky flavorless sausage that will be difficult to cook.
CURING
It is important to properly cure meats to preserve meat and poultry, and to destroy undesirable microorganisms on
the meat surfaces that cause spoilage and foodbourne illnesses. There are many steps that help in this process,
including smoking, cooking, drying, chilling and the addition of cure ingredients. The oldest means of accomplishing
this is by introducing salt into the meat. The resistance of bacteria to salt varies widely among different types of
bacteria. The growth of some bacteria is inhibited by salt concentrations as low as 3%, e.g., Salmonella, whereas
other types are able to survive in much higher salt concentrations, e.g., Staphylococcus. Fortunately, the growth of
many undesirable organisms normally found in cured meat and poultry products is inhibited at low concentrations of
salt.
Modern curing is based on Nitrates and is very scientific. Purchase Weston Pink Curing Salt
(02-0000-W) and follow the included instructions to ensure that you are properly curing your homemade sausage.
CASING
Weston offers a complete variety of casings. The right choice depends on personal preference as well as the type
of sausage you wish to make. For most sausages, your choices are natural or collagen. Don’t let the names fool
you; collagen casings are not a synthetic. They are made from beef skin and other tissues. Collagen casings are
uniform in size and texture and require almost no preparation. “Natural” casings are the intestines of lamb, sheep,
hogs or beef. They are less uniform in size and require preparation. There are also fibrous non-edible casings that
are most commonly used for summer sausage and ring bologna
TYPES OF SAUSAGE
Most sausages fall into one of four categories: Fresh, Smoked, Cooked or Dried. All sausages, except dried,
require refrigerated storage. There is also a sub-category of uncooked smoked sausages.
Among the fresh and uncooked smoked sausages, you will find such flavors as kielbasa or Polish sausage, Italian
sausage, breakfast sausage and many others. Both fresh and uncooked smoked sausages require cooking before
eating and also require refrigerated storage.
Smoked and cooked sausages include salami, bologna, the ever-popular hot dogs and many others. Proper
smoking requires a smokehouse or smoker. Weston offers Outdoor Propane Smokers in a variety of sizes (41-
0701-W, 41-0301-W, or 41-0401-W). Most smoked sausages are warmed before serving. Many people think that a
smoked sausage will last much longer without spoilage, but this is not true. Smoked sausages should be treated the
same as fresh sausage in terms of storage.
Dried sausages require the longest processing time, as they are air dried over a long period of time. Dry cured
sausages include salami, chorizo, pepperoni, among others. The conditions under which the meat is dried are very
exacting; temperature, time and humidity must all be carefully monitored for a safe and delicious product.
STORAGE
For the best flavors, we recommend vacuum sealing your fresh sausages, then storing them in the refrigerator
(short term) or freezer (long term). Weston manufactures a variety of vacuum sealers. Ask the retailer from
which you purchased this unit for their selection. Store dry cured products in paper or other breathable wrapping,
unrefrigerated.
Sausage Information
