Mastering the Craft of Making Sausage (5 page)

DIGITAL THERMOMETERS WITH CABLE PROBES

Digital cooking thermometers with a cable and a probe are used to monitor the internal temperature of meat, and they are very useful for cooking sausage. The internal temperature of the sausage can be checked at glance, so the chance of overcooking is minimized. They can be found wherever kitchen equipment is sold.

An additional advantage of using these electronic thermometers for smoking sausage is that the smoke chamber need not be opened to check the internal temperature of the meat. Heat is lost every time the chamber is opened, so the total cooking time will increase with every peek.

The probe is inserted into the sausage that is cooking in the smoker, the steamer, or is being poached in hot water. The cable connected to that probe plugs into a digital display unit that is placed on the kitchen counter or on the outside of the smoker.

If you try this kind of thermometer just once, you will probably conclude that you do not want to be without it. In fact, you may discover that you want two of these instruments when the sausage is being poached, steamed, or smoked—one to constantly measure the internal temperature of the sausage, and one to monitor the temperature of the hot water, the inside of the steamer, or the inside of the smoker.

Volume Measuring Equipment

You will need a set of American standard (or metric standard) measuring cups and spoons. Fluid ounce units are never used in this book.

All volume measurements are intended to be
level measurements. One teaspoon of salt
, for example, means
one level teaspoon of salt
. (However, fluffy spices such as coriander and rubbed sage should be packed in the measuring spoon so that the amount will be consistent from batch to batch.)

Weight Scales

To the extent possible, measurements have been specified in terms of volume rather than weight. That is, whenever possible, the amount of an ingredient is indicated in American teaspoons, tablespoons, or cups (together with the metric equivalent). There are significant differences between the British and the American system of measurement, even though the same words may be used; the British system is not supported in this book.

Obviously, the quantity of meats must be expressed in units of weight, and you will need a scale to weigh the meats. An inexpensive kitchen scale that will weigh up to about five pounds (about 2 or 3 kg) will do the job. If you intend to make large batches of sausage, a kitchen scale that weighs up to 11 pounds (5 kg) would be better. Such scales have sufficient accuracy if used properly.

Whetstone and Butcher’s Steel

You will need a whetstone to keep your knives sharp. A Carborundum whetstone is inexpensive, and it is easily found at a culinary supply store or at a hardware store. It is suggested that you buy one that is at least 8 inches (20 cm) long and 2 inches (5 cm) wide. A laminated stone that is coarse on one side and fine on the other is convenient. If a thin stream of water is allowed to fall on the stone while knives are being sharpened, the stone’s surface will not become clogged with metallic dust. The kitchen sink is the best place to sharpen knives. Use a dishpan turned upside down as a platform for the stone.

A butcher’s steel (also called
knife steel
or
sharpening steel
) looks something like a long rattail file. Most sharpening steels will not remove metal from the knife blade, but they will straighten the edge curl that develops when a knife is used. The butcher’s steel is not essential equipment, but frequent use of one will prolong the sharpness of the blade. The longer the butcher’s steel, the easier it is to use—especially for knives with long blades. Ceramic rod is also used to make this knife-honing tool. Ceramic works equally well.

CHAPTER 3

Supplies

Y
ou will need a number of consumable items. Your exact needs will depend on the kinds of sausage you are going to make and the seasonings, herbs, and spices you wish to use.

The following list of supplies is in alphabetical order, not in order of importance.

Breadcrumbs

Sausages made in the United Kingdom usually contain breadcrumbs. Traditionally, a kind of breadcrumb called
rusk
is used. Some of the commercially produced sausages in the UK contain rusk, and others contain common breadcrumbs. Amateur sausage makers in the UK tend to use common breadcrumbs because rusk is difficult to buy in small quantities. Any kind of dry, unseasoned breadcrumbs can be substituted for rusk, but coarse breadcrumbs are best. The best substitution, in my opinion, is the Japanese style breadcrumbs known as
panko
. Because panko has become popular with United States culinary buffs, it is now made in the United States. Small boxes of Kikkoman-brand panko can be bought in well-stocked grocery stores. Larger, more economical packages can be bought in Asian grocery stores.

Casings

Many kinds of sausages, particularly the uncured, fresh sausage varieties, do not require a casing. These varieties are often made into patties or crumbled and used as a seasoning in cooking. However, for many other sausages, tradition requires that they be stuffed in a casing.

Most certainly, not all the casings listed below will be needed. In fact, it is recommended that only two or three kinds of casings be purchased in the beginning. When a casing is required for any sausage in this book, one of the following two casings will do:

• 29 to 32 mm (about 1⅛ to 1¼ inch) diameter small hog casing

• 2½ or 2
inch (about 63.5 to 61 mm) diameter fibrous casing

There is a third kind of casing to consider: 24 to 26 mm (1 inch to 1 
 inch) sheep casing. This casing is splendid for stuffing breakfast links, or any sausages such as frankfurters, that are best when stuffed in a small-diameter, tender casing. They are highly recommended for some sausages, but hog casings can be used in their place.

There are six categories of sausage casings: natural, synthetic (fibrous), collagen, muslin, cellulose, and plastic.

NATURAL CASING

The most commonly used natural casings are hog, sheep, and beef casings made from the carefully cleaned small intestines of these animals.

The inside lining and the outside muscle tissue are removed, and the remaining thin, tubular membrane is used as the casing. The casings are sized, dredged in salt, and then tied into a bundle called a
hank.
(In the case of hog casings, a hank is 100 yards long—about 91 meters.)

There are several advantages to using natural casings, especially hog and sheep casings made from the small intestines. Natural casings are fairly easy to obtain; they can be purchased in small quantities (one hank); they are easy to twist into links; and, when making dried or semi-dried sausage, the casings shrink as the meat shrinks.

You may find ready-to-use casings that are packed in a special clear solution rather than dry salt. These casings must be used within one month, so they are not recommended unless you make a lot of sausage and use them quickly. It is best to buy casings packed in salt. (Some producers pack the casing in
saturated brine
—brine with a lot of undissolved salt in it. Packing in saturated brine is equal to packing in salt.)

In addition to the small intestine, other parts of pork and beef innards are traditionally used to stuff special varieties of sausage. In this book, the synthetic fibrous casing (described below) will be substituted.

HOG CASING

Hog casings made from the small intestine are normally sold in four sizes (1 inch is equal to 25.4 mm):

• 29 to 32 mm

• 32 to 35 mm

• 35 to 38 mm

• 38 to 42 mm

They are, of course, edible. One hank of the smallest size will stuff 90 to 100 pounds, and a hank of the largest diameter will stuff up to 135 pounds. In this book, the smallest size is used for many sausages; it varies from about 1 ⅛ inch to 1 ¼ inches (29 to 32 mm). As mentioned above, for home use it is best to purchase casings that have been packed in salt or saturated brine; such casings can be preserved for years under refrigeration.

Hog casings made from innards other than the small intestine are available: hog middles, hog bungs, and hog stomachs. Certain large sausages are traditionally made with one of these special casings, but fibrous casings are easier to use, are more economical, and do not have an offensive odor.

SHEEP CASING

Natural sheep casings are smaller and tenderer than hog casings, but they are more expensive. Depending on the vendor, as many as four sizes are available (25.4 mm equals 1 inch):

• 20 to 22 mm

• 22 to 24 mm

• 24 to 26 mm

• 26 to 28 mm

Sheep casings packed in either salt or a special preservative solution are available, and they are used in the same way as hog casings. If they are packed in salt (or saturated brine) and stored in the refrigerator, they will keep for many years.

BEEF CASING

Beef middles, beef rounds, beef bungs, and beef bladders can be obtained without much difficulty if it is necessary to stuff a certain sausage in its traditional casing. However, large hog casings and fibrous casings can be substituted for less money. Beef casing, by the way, is too tough to be considered edible.

COLLAGEN CASING

Collagen is a protein that is extracted from the bones, connective tissues, and hides of cattle. This special protein is used to manufacture
collagen casings
. (It is also used to manufacture gelatin.) These casings are made in various sizes. The wall thickness varies with the intended use of the casing. For example, casings used for smoked sausage links need to be strong if they will be hung in a smoker, so they will have thicker walls. Casings used for fresh sausage are thin and tender, but they may split when stuffed. Some of these casings require refrigeration while being stored, but others do not.