Sausage Making (15 page)

Nonfat dry milk powder

• U.S. MEASUREMENT:
  ¹
  /
  ₂
  cup
  
• GRAMS: 41
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 3.02
  

Paprika

• U.S. MEASUREMENT: 2 tbsp
  
• GRAMS: 10
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.72
  

Cayenne pepper

• U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1 tbsp
  
• GRAMS: 7
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.50
  

Sugar

• U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1 tbsp
  
• GRAMS: 6
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.43
  

Hog casings, rinsed

This is one of the first sausages we grilled and sold at the market. We serve it topped with peppers and onions, a classic combination that always makes me think of baseball games, but it's often served with shellfish, especially in Portuguese communities. We have one regular customer, Harris, who asks for this sausage every week. Sour, sweet, and smoky— this one's for you, Harris.

1.   
   1.
   Place the pork shoulder, bacon, and pork skin on a rimmed baking sheet; transfer to the freezer; and chill until crunchy on the exterior but not frozen solid
   (see page 23)
   .
   
2.   
   2.
   In a small bowl, add the port, Cure No. 1, water, salt, vinegar, granulated garlic, oregano, milk powder, paprika, cayenne, and sugar and stir to combine.
   
3.   
   3.
   Nest a large mixing bowl in a bowl filled with ice. Grind the pork, bacon, and skin through the small die of the grinder into the bowl set in ice
   (see page 24)
   .
   
4.   
   4.
   Add the spice mixture to the meat and stir with your hands until well incorporated; the mixture will look homogenous and will begin sticking to the bowl
   (see page 25)
   .
   
5.   
   5.
   Spoon 2 tbsp of the meat mixture into a nonstick frying pan and spread into a thin patty. Cook the test patty over low heat until cooked through but not browned. Taste the sausage for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
   
6.   
   6.
   Press a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly on the surface of the meat to prevent oxidation, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Alternatively, you can vacuum-seal the farce.
   
7.   
   7.
   Stuff the sausage into the hog casings
   (see page 31)
   and twist into links
   (see page 36)
   .
   
8.   
   8.
   Smoke the links
   (see page 43)
   at 170°F/77°C, until the internal temperature of the sausage reaches 145°F/63°C, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove the sausages from the smoker, let cool slightly, then transfer to the refrigerator and let stand, uncovered, overnight. The linguiça are then fully cooked, and can be finished on a grill or in a pan.
   

YIELD: 3 LB/1.4 KG

Boneless pork shoulder (or a combination of cuts, about 75% lean, 25% fat), cut into 1-in/2.5-cm cubes

• U.S. MEASUREMENT: 2.25 lb
  
• GRAMS: 902
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 66.25
  

Pork back fat, cut into 1-in/2.5-cm cubes

• U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1 cup
  
• GRAMS: 286
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 21.00
  

Ice water

• U.S. MEASUREMENT:
  ¹
  /
  ₂
  cup
  
• GRAMS: 97
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 7.15
  

Fine sea salt

• U.S. MEASUREMENT: 2
  ¹
  /
  ₄
  tsp
  
• GRAMS: 18
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 1.29
  

Minced garlic

• U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1
  ¹
  /
  ₂
  tsp
  
• GRAMS: 5
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.36
  

Coarsely ground black pepper

• U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1
  ¹
  /
  ₂
  tsp
  
• GRAMS: 4
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.29
  

Sugar

• U.S. MEASUREMENT:
  ¹
  /
  ₂
  tsp
  
• GRAMS: 2.5
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.18
  

Finely chopped fresh oregano

• U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1 tsp
  
• GRAMS: 1.5
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.11
  

Nonfat dry milk powder

• U.S. MEASUREMENT:
  ¹
  /
  ₃
  cup
  
• GRAMS: 43
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 3.15
  

Cure No. 1
(see page 15)

• U.S. MEASUREMENT:
  ¹
  /
  ₂
  tsp
  
• GRAMS: 3
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.22
  

Hog casings, rinsed

There are hundreds of different varieties of Polish sausage, and this is my version. When I was young, my grandfather, who we all call Papa, used to go to Wisconsin for work and he'd always return with hanks of kielbasa and lengths of summer sausage; this smoked link pays homage to those special deliveries. I like to slather this sausage with Beer Mustard
(page 174)
.

1.   
   1.
   Place the pork shoulder and back fat on a rimmed baking sheet, transfer to the freezer, and chill until crunchy on the exterior but not frozen solid
   (see page 23)
   .
   
2.   
   2.
   In a small bowl, add the ice water, salt, garlic, black pepper, sugar, oregano, milk powder, and Cure No. 1 and stir to combine.
   
3.   
   3.
   Nest a large mixing bowl in a bowl filled with ice. Grind the meat and fat through the large die of the grinder into the bowl set in ice
   (see page 24)
   .
   
4.   
   4.
   Add the spice mixture to the meat and stir with your hands until well incorporated; the mixture will look homogenous and will begin sticking to the bowl
   (see page 25)
   .
   
5.   
   5.
   Spoon 2 tbsp of the meat mixture into a nonstick frying pan and spread into a thin patty. Cook the test patty over low heat until cooked through but not browned. Taste the sausage for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
   
6.   
   6.
   Press a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly on the surface of the meat to prevent oxidation, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Alternatively, you can vacuum-seal the farce.
   
7.   
   7.
   Stuff the sausage into the hog casings
   (see page 31)
   and twist into links
   (see page 36)
   .
   
8.   
   8.
   Smoke the links
   (see page 43)
   at 170°F/77°C, until the internal temperature of the sausage reaches 145°F/63°C, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove the sausages from the smoker, let cool, then transfer to the refrigerator and let stand, uncovered, overnight. When you're ready to eat them, they can be steamed
   (see page 42)
   or gently grilled
   (see page 38)
   until heated through.
   

YIELD: 3 LB/1.4 KG

Boneless lean beef (95% lean, 5% fat), such as sirloin, neck, plate, or shank, cut into 1-in/2.5-cm cubes

• U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1.70 lb
  
• GRAMS: 766
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 56.22
  

Boneless pork shoulder (or a combination of pork cuts, about 75% lean, 25% fat), cut into 1-in/2.5-cm cubes

• U.S. MEASUREMENT: 0.85 lb
  
• GRAMS: 388
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 28.51
  

Boiled pork skin
(see page 19)

• U.S. MEASUREMENT:
  ¹
  /
  ₄
  cup
  
• GRAMS: 57
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 4.20
  

Diced bacon

• U.S. MEASUREMENT:
  ¹
  /
  ₄
  cup
  
• GRAMS: 57
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 4.21
  

Ice water

• U.S. MEASUREMENT: 2 tbsp
  
• GRAMS: 24
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 1.77
  

Fine sea salt

• U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1 tbsp
  
• GRAMS: 23
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 1.68
  

Dextrose or sugar

• U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1
  ¹
  /
  ₂
  tsp
  
• GRAMS: 15
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 1.10
  

Paprika

• U.S. MEASUREMENT: 2 tbsp
  
• GRAMS: 10
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.73
  

Cure No. 1
(see page 15)

• U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1 tsp
  
• GRAMS: 6
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.44
  

Coarsely ground black pepper

• U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1 tsp
  
• GRAMS: 5
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.39
  

Granulated garlic

• U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1 tsp
  
• GRAMS: 5
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.37
  

Red pepper flakes

• U.S. MEASUREMENT:
  ³
  /
  ₄
  tsp
  
• GRAMS: 3
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.19
  

Onion powder

• U.S. MEASUREMENT:
  ³
  /
  ₄
  tsp
  
• GRAMS: 3
  
• % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.19
  

Beef middles, rinsed

When I was growing up, I used to accompany my grandfather on road trips. Whenever I dragged my heels about going, he'd promise me a McDonald's egg-and-sausage biscuit sandwich. On one trip, we spent the night in the back of Grandpa's truck and instead of the promised Egg McMuffin, Grandpa pulled out some day-old biscuits, a hard-boiled egg, and a length of summer sausage and proceeded to make my biscuit sandwich. I'd been had.

I prefer to use dextrose in place of sugar because the sausage hangs for a week before it is smoked, during which time the dextrose raises the pH, giving the finished sausage its tangy flavor.

1.   
   1.
   Place the beef, pork shoulder, pork skin, and bacon on a rimmed baking sheet; transfer to the freezer; and chill until crunchy on the exterior but not frozen solid
   (see page 23)
   .
   
2.   
   2.
   In a small bowl, add the ice water, salt, dextrose, paprika, Cure No. 1, black pepper, granulated garlic, red pepper flakes, and onion powder and stir to combine.
   
3.   
   3.
   Nest a large mixing bowl in a bowl filled with ice. Grind the meat, pork skin, and bacon through the small die of the grinder into the bowl set in ice
   (see page 24)
   .
   
4.   
   4.
   Add the spice mixture to the meat and stir with your hands until well incorporated; the mixture will look homogenous and will begin sticking to the bowl
   (see page 25)
   .
   
5.   
   5.
   Spoon 2 tbsp of the meat mixture into a nonstick frying pan and spread into a thin patty. Cook the test patty over low heat until cooked through but not browned. Taste the sausage for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
   
6.   
   6.
   Press a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly on the surface of the meat to prevent oxidation, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Alternatively, you can vacuum-seal the farce.
   
7.   
   7.
   Stuff the sausage into the beef middles
   (see page 31)
   , twist into links, then tie off each link with kitchen twine
   (see page 36)
   . Let the sausage hang, refrigerated, for seven days before smoking.
   
8.   
   8.
   Smoke the links
   (see page 43)
   at 170°F/77°C, until the internal temperature of the sausage reaches 145°F/63°C, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from the smoker and let cool, then transfer to the refrigerator and let stand, uncovered, overnight. When you're ready to eat them, chill and slice or gently grill
   (see page 38)
   until heated through.