Soggy sausages

[brows_16]

Evening all,

First time sausage making and it hasn’t gone too well. They taste great, but they have turned out soggy to the point that they break up in the pan. They end up like mince!

I followed the instructions and weight measurements on the packet (weschensomething), and put the mincing cutters in the freezer first. I did this inside and it was a long old process (first time) so could the meat have got too warm?

Any ideas for a more sturdy sausage?

Thanks.

 

[Woodsmoke]

Mix, mix, and mix! The meat should be cold enough to be painful to your hands after a couple of minutes. Mixing properly helps the bind no end.

And once stuffed, let them rest overnight

 

[brows_16]

Thanks woodsmoke - couple of things here, I maybe didn’t mix enough and meat was probably too warm by time I was stuffing.

Once I’ve minced and mixed, I don’t suppose there’s anything wrong with going back into the fridge to cool down for a few hours (maybe overnight) before stuffing? Then rest again?

Thanks a lot for your advice!

 

[griff]

If they are breaking through the skins it could be that the binder(breadcrumbs/Quinoa etc) is expanding during cooking.
What skins are you using..

 

[griff]

You don't need to put the cutters in the freezer, put the meat in the freezer to the point of cyrstalisation, and then mince.

 

[TheCornishman]

Mix, mix, and mix! The meat should be cold enough to be painful to your hands after a couple of minutes. Mixing properly helps the bind no end.

And once stuffed, let them rest overnight

Your right to a point…the mixing actually extracts protein and it is that protein that makes for your sticky mix

The symptoms your describing suggest poor mixing and too high a water content from the sounds of it

 

[Woodsmoke]

Your right to a point…the mixing actually extracts protein and it is that protein that makes for your sticky mix

Yep. Proper mixing makes the myosin molecules bind to those of the fat

 

[brows_16]

Thanks all.

I used large hog casings, makes a massive sausage - I think I’ll use a smaller one next time I think this could help also.
Certainly don’t think I placed enough emphasis on the mixing, will sort this out next time…Ive got loads of mushy sausages to get through first

 

[TheCornishman]

Don’t get carried away with the water… typically 7lb of meat, 2lb of water, 1lb of rusk, 1/2 lb of seasoning
Mix it until you can pick up the mixture and it will stick to the palm of your hand when extended flat… it should stay there if you hold it above your head!….

That’s when you can fill it. That meat has no business being inside that gut naturally so that sticky mix will adhere and bond to the inside of the skin giving you the familiar mouthfeel your after

Worth noting that you should never eat them fresh off the press…this also contributes to terrible mouthfeel

Ideally make them day 1x and resist cooking until at least day 2 when the proteins have bonded and the seasoning has had chance to develop its full flavour

 

[Henns]

I dont put any rusk in mine, but add ice cold water (put in the freezer for a bit), to the mix, then work the mixture almost like dough, adding a little water at a time until a nice consistency for running through the stuffer. I hang them for a day in the chiller before packaging / freezing.

 

[levigsp]

Thanks woodsmoke - couple of things here, I maybe didn’t mix enough and meat was probably too warm by time I was stuffing.

Once I’ve minced and mixed, I don’t suppose there’s anything wrong with going back into the fridge to cool down for a few hours (maybe overnight) before stuffing? Then rest again?

Thanks a lot for your advice!

Hi, that is why you put the meat into the freezer first and not the cutters/blades.

 

[paulbshooting]

As above, follow the mix instructions and put the whole mix through the mixer with a fine disk. I normally put the mix then in the freezer whilst I soak the skins in hot water and setup. Hog casings are best for beginners. Wet hands and a tray helps when filling casings. Let them bloom in a chiller or fridge overnight. Link the next morning. Enjoy!

 

[brows_16]

Thanks everyone. Will update on the next lot.

 

[sauer]

Never got on with hogs casings …. Handles well but in final product always rubbery / chewy …. Tried different handling no avail …
Went to sheep’s casings & collagen and game changer ! Handled well still and far better end product for me

paul

 

[Woodsmoke]

Never got on with hogs casings …. Handles well but in final product always rubbery / chewy …. Tried different handling no avail …

I've had this in the past, too. The trick is to add lemon juice to the water they soak in, and change it a couple of times. You still get the odd tough one, but it makes itthe exception rather than the rule. Having said that, I almost exclusively use sheep casings now as people seem to prefer a slightly slimmer sausage. So there you have it, definitive proof that girth isn't everything

 

[sauer]

Cheers Stu … tip to remember about the lemon juice
But I do like the sheep & collagen ones…. I’m same prefer smaller girth ….
Not sure wife would agree tho

Paul

 

[brows_16]

I’ll give the sheep casings a go then, thanks again!

 

[Woodsmoke]

Not sure wife would agree tho

Trust me mate, she'll be fine with it . . . .

 

[Woodsy]

If this batch you made breaks up in the pan why not oven cook them? I’m sure they’ll be fine done like that. Then follow all the above advice for the next batch.

 

[Hayduke]

Add rusk to the mix, and leave a day or so before freezing.