Advice Requested. Gluten-Free Sausage Mix.

Uncle Norm

Well-Known Member
I would like to have a go at making my own venison sausages, however my missus need to eat gluten-free food. Advice regarding a gluten-free mixture would be appreciated please. It is the rusk that I am particularly concerned about but any advice would be helpful.
 
My wife has the same problem, our answer is don't put rusk in the mixture! The only sausages she can eat at the supermarkets are ones without rusk in such as black farmer sausages: www.theblackfarmer.com/

when I make venison sausages I just add everything I would normally bar the rusk! There really isn't a need to substitute it with anything else, and since the price of wheat/corn has gone up over the last few years we are noticing the amount of sausage makers actually adding rusk to their sausages has gone down as my wife can eat more of the well known brands!
 
I wouldn't bother with rusk anyway (and I love beer & toast etc). I am not convinced rusk adds much to sausages, just a cheap way to bulk out what you get from the supermarket. Venison, pork fat (cos venison is pretty lean) and herbs spices or whatever else to suit your taste.
 
Use Quinoa in place of your rusk.
Boil it up until it expands and then rinse in cold water.
A cup full once boiled will do about 5kg of meat.
 
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Or use some gluten free bread processed and mixed in an a binding and bulking agent which keeps the cooked sausages a little less heavy.

I have same issues and find it works well.

Regards

Fraser
 
You could also try using ground rice a the binding agent. Where possible see your butcher can get you some back or leaf fat to add to the mix. Also whilst you're working through your recipes use a 6lb 4oz mix because its easier to work out your quantities and replace things in a 100oz mix.
atb
Dom
 
My wife is the same but is also potato intollerant.....most wheat free products incluging sausages use potato starch as a rusk replacement. If you are doing it yourself you can either add them as flakes or powder (instant mash stuff). Or use rice flour as others have said......have a play and see what works best!

The reason for the 'filler' is to absorb the liquid and meat juices that would otherwise drain from the minced meat once its cut and get absorbed in that upmarket fairy hammock you get in the bottom of so many processed meat trays these days....

Enjoy!
 
I use pinhead oatmeal in my sausages, you can get it from Tescos whole food section although i have found it cheaper at holland and Barrett. I am not a coeliac myself but my nan is and she eats my sausages so I'm guessing its a gluten free ingredient. I started using it because it is recommended by Nicola fletcher in her venison cookery book. It has a slightly nutty flavour and a nice texture. You don't have to use pinhead either you could get it coarser or smoother ground depending on how you like your sausage.
 
I am both wheat and dairy intollerent so have to be careful. You don't actually need any form of rusk, bread etc in a sausage. I think the idea of rusk is just a bulker - rusk is cheap, meat is expensive. And why manufacturers have to load up sausages with milk protein etc beats me. Just mix up the venison, a good bit bit of fatty pork and herbs and spices to taste and make the sausages. Likewise burgers don't need any rusk.

My view on most of the gluten free breads, is that they have the taste and consistncy of sawdust unless really fresh.

Puddledub Pork make any excellent pure meat gluten free sausage and they do even better Chorizo style, that again is pure meat. Traditional Borevors, Toulouse, Sicilian and other recipes all don't use Rusk either.
 
I too am gluten and lactose intolerant but just to add to it i cant eat onion, garlic, tomato(parts of it), chillies, hot spices or soya. this makes it hard to get a good tasty banger or burger.

couple of things i add, one is breakfast oats that i whizz in the processor. the other is genius bread put thought the processor to crumb.

some of the recipes say to add milk to the bread, use lactose free milk or just use water instead.

i also use a gluten free mix from GB Davis.

For burgers i dont add any crumb but to bangers i do as it lightens the mix and holds moister. i have tried it without but it drys out to much.
 
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