OPERATION
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 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 foodborne 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, 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.
CASING
There are many varieties 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 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.
TYPE 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 man 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 man others. Proper smoking requires a smokehouse or smoker. 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). Store dry cured products in paper or other breathable wrapping,
unrefrigerated.
SAUSAGE INFORMATION
OF NOTE
7
Содержание 95401-XP
Страница 3: ...PRODUCT INFORMATION 2...
