Mastering the Craft of Making Sausage (39 page)

2. 
Measure all of the seasonings, water, and powdered milk into a large mixing bowl, and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

3. 
Follow the instructions in
HOW TO EMULSIFY SAUSAGE
near the beginning of this chapter.

4. 
Stuff the emulsified sausage into the prepared fibrous casings. If an electronic thermometer will be used when the sausage is cooked, insert the cable probe into one of the chubs. Close the ends of the chubs with twine. Refrigerate overnight (or at least a few hours) to permit the seasoning to be absorbed by the meat. Use an uncovered container with a paper towel placed over the chubs.

5.
If the Braunschweiger will be smoked, please see Chapter 7. (Cold smoking followed by steaming is recommended.) If it will be cooked without smoking, please see Chapter 6.

Cervelas de Strasbourg

Strasbourg is the name of a city in northeast France, and this sausage is a variation of the Swiss
Cervelat
sausage, the next sausage presented in this book. In spite of the facts that the names are similar and they are considered variations of one another, the respective seasonings and meat are considerably different. (
Cervelas
is the modern French spelling of
cervelat
—these words are the same.)

A distinctive feature of cervelas de Strasbourg is the tiny cubes of pork fat that are used as an interior garnish. Pork fat cubes measuring only ⅛ inch (3 mm) are mixed with the emulsified red meat. This interior garnish has a visual impact and a unique bite texture, too.

CASINGS

Small, natural casing is best for this French sausage. If 24 to 26 mm (1 in. to 1
in.) sheep casing is to be used, prepare about 18 feet (480 cm). If small-diameter hog casing will be used, prepare 8½ feet (255 cm). Rinse the casing, and refrigerate it in water overnight. Rinse again, and soak in warm water a few minutes before using.

THE MEAT FOR 2½ LBS. (1,150 G) OF CERVELAS

Prepare 1¾ lbs. (800 g) of marbled pork shoulder and ¾ lb. (340 g) of pork fat, preferably back fat. Cut the pork shoulder—
not the pork fat
—into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes and refrigerate. While the pork shoulder is being prepared, chill the grinder and sausage stuffer in the refrigerator.

Cut the pork fat into tiny ⅛-inch (3 mm) cubes, and blanch these cubes in boiling water for three minutes. Place them a wire mesh strainer and rinse in cold water. Drain them on a paper towel that has been placed on several layers of newspaper. Refrigerate these cubes in a small bowl (separately from the pork shoulder). Blanching of the tiny pork cubes helps to prevent them from sticking together in clumps.

SEASONINGS AND OTHER INGREDIENTS

2 tsp. (10 ml) salt

½ tsp. (2.5 ml) Cure #1

1½ tsp. (7.5 ml) white pepper, ground

¾ tsp. (3.75 ml) garlic granules

¼ tsp. (1.25 ml) nutmeg

¼ tsp. (1.25 ml) cayenne

⅛ tsp. (0.625 ml) cumin

1 Tbsp. (15 ml) finely powdered milk

¼ cup (60 ml) cold water

MIXING AND STUFFING

1. 
Grind the pork shoulder—
not the tiny cubes of pork fat
—with a
-inch (4.8 mm) or smaller plate—the smaller the better. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. (The tiny pork fat cubes will be added to the sausage paste after emulsification has been finished.)

2. 
Measure the seasoning, water, and powdered milk into a large stainless steel mixing bowl. Stir until the mixture is uniform. It will be a thin paste. Refrigerate.

3. 
Follow the instructions in
HOW TO EMULSIFY SAUSAGE
near the beginning of this chapter.

4. 
Sprinkle the tiny cubes of pork fat on the emulsified sausage paste, and knead until they are mixed uniformly with the paste.

5. 
Stuff the emulsified sausage into the prepared casings, and twist the links. Refrigerate the links overnight (or at least a few hours) to permit the seasoning to be absorbed by the meat. Use an uncovered container with a paper towel placed over the sausage.

Traditionally, this sausage is not smoked, but it can be smoked if desired. If the cervelas will be smoked, please see Chapter 7. If it will be cooked without smoking, please see Chapter 6. It is most often poached, but it can be cooked by any method.

Cervelat

Cervelat is especially popular in Switzerland. The German speaking Swiss call it
cervelat
, the French speaking Swiss call it
cervelas
, and the Italian speakers call it
cervelato
. The original formulation specified pork brains as part of the meat, and all of these words are derived from the Latin word
cerebrum
—brains (via the Milanese dialect). Basel, Switzerland was the birthplace of the original contemporary recipe. It is traditionally emulsified, stuffed into Swiss cow casings, and lightly smoked. Cooking is most often accomplished by poaching, but it may also be steamed, grilled, or fried. The per capita consumption of cervelat in Switzerland is estimated to be 25 links per year, and it is often referred to as the country’s national sausage.

There are many formulations for this sausage, but pork brains are no longer used. Some call for 100 percent pork, while others specify some combination of pork, beef, bacon, and pork rind. This recipe employs pork, beef, and bacon.

Pistachio nuts are a common interior garnish, but they are optional. These nuts make a very interesting addition to the sausage and they have a crunchy and pleasing bite texture when the sausage is very fresh, but they become soggy after the links are a couple of days old. Personally, I prefer this sausage without the addition of the nuts.

CASINGS

Beef casing is traditional, but hog casing works well. If small-diameter hog casing will be used, prepare 8½ feet (255 cm). Rinse the casing, and refrigerate it overnight in water. Rinse again, and soak in warm water a few minutes before using.

THE MEAT FOR 2½ LBS. (1,150 G) OF CERVELAT

Prepare 1¼ lbs. (570 g) of pork shoulder, ¾ lb. (340 g) beef chuck, and ½ lb. (225 g) of bacon. Cut the pork and beef into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes. Cut the bacon into large squares. Refrigerate these meats until they are well chilled. While this meat is being prepared, chill the grinder and sausage stuffer in the refrigerator.

SEASONINGS AND OTHER INGREDIENTS

¾ tsp. (8.75 ml) salt

½ tsp. (2.5 ml) Cure #1

1½ tsp. (7.5 ml) white pepper, ground

¾ tsp. (3.75 ml) garlic granules

¼ tsp. (1.25 ml) coriander—packed in the spoon

¼ tsp. (1.25 ml) nutmeg

¼ tsp. (1.25 ml) thyme

1 Tbsp. (15 ml) light corn syrup

2 Tbsp. (30 ml) sherry

2 Tbsp. (30 ml) cold tap water

½ cup (120 ml) pistachio nuts, optional (see instruction No. 2, below)

½ cup (120 ml) finely powdered skim milk

MIXING AND STUFFING

1. 
Grind the three kinds of meat with a
-inch (4.8 mm) or smaller plate— the smaller the better. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

2. 
Measure the seasoning and other ingredients—
except the pistachio nuts and ground meat
—into a large stainless steel mixing bowl. Stir until the mixture is uniform; it will be a thin paste. Refrigerate. (The optional pistachio nuts will be added to the emulsified sausage.)

3. 
Follow the instructions in
HOW TO EMULSIFY SAUSAGE
near the beginning of this chapter.

4. 
Sprinkle the optional pistachio nuts on the emulsified sausage paste, and knead until they are mixed uniformly.

5. 
Stuff the emulsified sausage into the prepared casings, and twist the links. Refrigerate the links overnight (or for at least a few hours) to permit the seasoning to be absorbed by the meat. Use an uncovered container with a paper towel placed over the sausage.

If the cervelat will be smoked, please see Chapter 7. (Cold smoking for an hour or two is traditional.) If it will be cooked without smoking, please see Chapter 6. It is most often grilled or poached, but it can be cooked by any method.

Chicken Wieners

Chicken is commonly used in sausages nowadays, particularly in wieners. In most cases, however, it is mixed with pork or beef, or a combination of these two meats. This wienie is made from 100 percent chicken, but you may add other meats if you like; fatty pork, for example, would make the wieners juicier.

Commercially produced sausage use what is called “mechanically separated chicken.” This means that a machine is used to strip the meat from the chicken bones. When a machine is used for this, the machine does not discriminate between the good meat and the poor quality skin and pinfeathers that you and I would discard. Without question, homemade sausages using home-ground chicken flesh are higher quality than those offered by the commercial processors.

CASINGS

If 24 to 26 mm (1 in. to 1
in.) sheep casing is to be used (recommended), prepare about 16 feet (480 cm). If small-diameter hog casing will be used, prepare 8½ feet (255 cm). Rinse the casing, and refrigerate it in water overnight. Rinse again, and soak in warm water a few minutes before using.

THE MEAT FOR 2½ LBS. (1,150 G) OF CHICKEN WIENERS

Prepare 2½ lbs. (1,150 g) of boned chicken thighs (retain and use the skin and the fat). Cut the thighs into small hunks. Refrigerate the meat until it is well chilled. While this meat is being prepared, chill the grinder and sausage stuffer in the refrigerator.

SEASONINGS AND OTHER INGREDIENTS

2¼ tsp. (11.25 ml) salt

½ tsp. (2.5 ml) Cure #1

2 tsp. (10 ml) paprika

1 tsp. (5 ml) mustard, ground—packed in the spoon

1 tsp. (5 ml) onion granules

1 tsp. (5 ml) coriander—packed in the spoon