An Overview of How to Make Sausage In Easy Basic Steps
Sausage, most probably originated as a way to make use of all the bits and pieces of an animal after it was butchered, that weren't big enough to be preserved on their own.
It incorporates organs of the animal and sometimes even the blood, so very little was left to waste.
Different kinds of meat may be mixed or the meats can be kept separate.
Spices and herbs are usually added to the mixture for extra flavor.
Basic sausage making is comprised of a few steps.
Grinding The meat is ground or chopped into small pieces so it is more easily mixed with spices and seasonings.
The small pieces allows the method of preserving the meat to access each small bit of meat more easily.
For example, it takes much longer to dry a large piece of meat that a thin slice.
Recipes often call for the meat to be put through the grinder three times.
Once at a rough cut, once at a smaller cut and a final pass through after the seasonings have been mixed in.
Spices and Herbs If you've ever tasted chorizo, a Mexican sausage, you'll recognize the flavors of cumin, hot peppers and garlic.
Italian sausage is redolent with anise and oregano.
Different sausages have different spice and herb mixtures that enhance the meat flavors.
The herbs used depend on the region where the sausage originated.
If the sausage is to be cured, salt and water -- dissolve the salt-- is added to the mixture.
Processing After the herb and meat mixture has been made it is packed into sausage casings.
Historically these casing were made from the thoroughly washed and cleaned intestines of the animal.
Now collagen casings are used, although pork casings work well for home use.
The casings are filled then tied off or twisted between sausages.
Preserving Some sausages, like the German bratwurst are made to be consumed shortly after being processed.
These are fresh meat products which will require cooking before consumption.
Other sausages like Italian salami require a long drying time.
The salt in the meat mixture helps draw out the liquid in the meat mixture.
Others need smoking which dries out the mixture and adds flavor.
Dangers Ground meat is susceptible to contamination because it has more cut surfaces exposed to air and bacteria.
Keep the meat and grinders cold when grinding.
Return to the refrigerator between grindings, adding herbs and spices and stuffing the casings.
Wash your hands before and after handling the meat.
If there is any doubt whatsoever that the sausage has spoiled, throw it out.
It incorporates organs of the animal and sometimes even the blood, so very little was left to waste.
Different kinds of meat may be mixed or the meats can be kept separate.
Spices and herbs are usually added to the mixture for extra flavor.
Basic sausage making is comprised of a few steps.
Grinding The meat is ground or chopped into small pieces so it is more easily mixed with spices and seasonings.
The small pieces allows the method of preserving the meat to access each small bit of meat more easily.
For example, it takes much longer to dry a large piece of meat that a thin slice.
Recipes often call for the meat to be put through the grinder three times.
Once at a rough cut, once at a smaller cut and a final pass through after the seasonings have been mixed in.
Spices and Herbs If you've ever tasted chorizo, a Mexican sausage, you'll recognize the flavors of cumin, hot peppers and garlic.
Italian sausage is redolent with anise and oregano.
Different sausages have different spice and herb mixtures that enhance the meat flavors.
The herbs used depend on the region where the sausage originated.
If the sausage is to be cured, salt and water -- dissolve the salt-- is added to the mixture.
Processing After the herb and meat mixture has been made it is packed into sausage casings.
Historically these casing were made from the thoroughly washed and cleaned intestines of the animal.
Now collagen casings are used, although pork casings work well for home use.
The casings are filled then tied off or twisted between sausages.
Preserving Some sausages, like the German bratwurst are made to be consumed shortly after being processed.
These are fresh meat products which will require cooking before consumption.
Other sausages like Italian salami require a long drying time.
The salt in the meat mixture helps draw out the liquid in the meat mixture.
Others need smoking which dries out the mixture and adds flavor.
Dangers Ground meat is susceptible to contamination because it has more cut surfaces exposed to air and bacteria.
Keep the meat and grinders cold when grinding.
Return to the refrigerator between grindings, adding herbs and spices and stuffing the casings.
Wash your hands before and after handling the meat.
If there is any doubt whatsoever that the sausage has spoiled, throw it out.