Sausage binding agent

bewsher500

Well-Known Member
Do people use them?

just made some
venison, pork belly, rusk, water, few herbs, salt and pepper.

good consistency on filling cases, nice and moist not too chunky
when fried they don't loose any of the fat, at least not a lot but they are still a little dry and have what I can only describe as a slightly granular texture.

perfectly edible and the Rosemary really works.

i see some people using stabiliser or even eggs

am I missing something?
 
Try using pinhead rusk and mincing the meat through a slightly finer disk which should help it bind better. I also use cheap packs of cooking bacon from the supermarket - it's cheaper and gives much better results! Sausages are better with back fat rather than belly fat. I work on the principal that bacon is about 50% fat so put double the amount in as fat required. Sounds like you don't have enough moisture or fat? Hydrate the rusk with the equivalent volume of water. You can also add a little vegetable/olive/walnut oil to the mix which should help and is healthier than adding pork fat!
MS
 
think the hydrating the rusk first was where I went wrong!
I added it and then added water to the mix,
feels fine but when cooked I can see where the granular aspect comes from

batch number 2 coming up!!

where do people get their hog casings from?
that the other thing, prefer natural to the "plastic" ones
 
think the hydrating the rusk first was where I went wrong!
I added it and then added water to the mix,
feels fine but when cooked I can see where the granular aspect comes from

batch number 2 coming up!!

where do people get their hog casings from?
that the other thing, prefer natural to the "plastic" ones

Ahh yes! That would do it! I always mix all the herbs and spices thoroughly into the rusk and then add water (or cider or wine!) and mix. I let it chill for about 24 hours and then fluff it all up before finally adding it to the meat.
I get my casings from a local supplier now, but I used to use Scobies who did some quality casings.
Here:
http://www.scobiesdirect.com/
MS
 
I get my casings from the butcher I get the pork fat from I would think the fat ratio was a bit low if you added the wright amount of water to the rusk the way you added it shouldn't matter as long as it all went in. Belly pork carries a lot you really only want the fat trimmed back fat would be a safer bet no pork meat to through the ratio off
 
The OP mentioned a granular texture and I wonder if the mix was mixed properly , for long enough and at the correct temperature.
As I understand it, the mixture has to be beaten until the fat and water form an emulsion which gives the typical sausage texture when it's cooked
When mincing the sausage meat it is advisable to use ice cold water as mincing will raise the temperature enough to separate the emulsion of meat,fat ,rush and water
This place is excellent for sausage making info. there is a mass of recipes and the members are extremely helpful They will tell you all about temperatures, mixing , filling use of rusk ,seasoning, fat ratio etc -http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewforum.php?f=15
I hope this is helpful I find sausage making can be a bit technical but very rewarding when you get it right
ED

Just found this -http://www.localfoodheroes.co.uk/sausagemaking/sausage_making_guide.pdf
 
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I use a 70/30 meat to fat ratio. No rusk, just a cup of skimmed milk powder to each 5lbs of meat. Stabilisers aren't needed if they're to be eaten fresh, but you can buy a phosphate blend if you like? It only does exactly the same as the milk powder though
 
well I had thought I had mixed them pretty well

I minced the venison, minced the pork, mixed the meats and rusk all together, ran through the mincer again
mixed by hand adding water to make sure it was all blended
water was quite cold as was the meat
only think that wasnt was the rusk and herbs/spices

batch 2 on way when i get some casings!
 
I use a 70/30 meat to fat ratio. No rusk, just a cup of skimmed milk powder to each 5lbs of meat. Stabilisers aren't needed if they're to be eaten fresh, but you can buy a phosphate blend if you like? It only does exactly the same as the milk powder though

What does milk powder do? Ive heard of this before and always been intrigued.
 
I tried the milk powder instead of rusk in my last batch of burgers ... Didn't feel quite as good to actually make the burger , very sticky ... But once frozen then defrosted later for cooking were fine , don't think I added enough milk powder to be honest ...

As regards the rusk & mixing with fluid day before never heard that .... Must try it .... I always add dry herbs or seasoning to the meat ... Mix well then add rusk & water or jar of whatever sauce etc you want , cranberry jelly , sweet chili sauce ... Brown sauce ... Your imagination the limit .....

Did hear bout good results using porridge oats as a binder but not tried that yet

Paul
 
What does milk powder do? Ive heard of this before and always been intrigued.

I can't remember the exact science, but it binds the fat molecules to the meat & retains moisture within the sausage as it cooks. Unlike adding rusk and extra fat, which merely leaks out as the sausage is cooked, but leaves enough to prevent the sausage being dry, the milk powder actually retains existing fat molecules.

Or summat like that. It works though, I won't use anything else, and without any false modesty I make a b loody good sausage!
 
I on pork sausages mince the meat add the dry stuff by hand then mince again add liquid mix by hand load stuffer . DO NOT add liquid before second mince its a mess
 
Have a look at Weschenfelder's site - good products and free recipies with excellent service. If in doubt give them a ring, you will find them most obliging.
 
Hi he is my sugestions and Ive been making all things sausage related 50+ years.
Making standard breakfast type sausage, mince the meat making sure it has enough fat content.
Mix it with the dry seasoning and rusk and mix it until it gets seriously sticky[this is where a big paddle mixer comes in handy], once well mixed add the water mixing all the time until the mix is fluid enough to fill casings.
Fill the casings and then hang the sausage over drip trays for 12-24 hours before using, this doe a number of things, allows the flavour to equalize, and removes graininess.
If you wish to make sausage like traditional cumberland, roasting etc that has no rusk, simply mince, add seasoning and mix, again until it sticks like glue.
If you cannot bare to keep mixing or you want the sausage chunky, add some phosphates and it will all stick together, same thing with burgers.
Adding milk originates with Salami, where the milk helps with fermentation of the meat over a long period of time, however some butchers add it to pork sausage[condenced milk common] to make them very pale, eg like irish sausage.
 
Do people use them?

just made some
venison, pork belly, rusk, water, few herbs, salt and pepper.

good consistency on filling cases, nice and moist not too chunky
when fried they don't loose any of the fat, at least not a lot but they are still a little dry and have what I can only describe as a slightly granular texture.

perfectly edible and the Rosemary really works.

i see some people using stabiliser or even eggs

am I missing something?

Yes - you don't need Milk or Rusk and for those of us who allergice to wheat all this rusk in sausages and burgers are a real pain in the backside quite literrally - diorehea for a week. A nice course cut sausage with a a good bit of fat pig belly is all that is needed along with seasoning. I personally like a grnaular course cut sausage. The really smooth cut germaninc frankfurter type are in my view disgusting. I always cook sausages in the oven and find they cook much better like that. Alternatively brown them and then in a caserol.
 
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