STEVE BAIN gets a little messy at the butcher's block and shows us the basics of home sausage making.
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This month we look at the basics of using the meat mincer to make home-made bangers.
There’s not much difference between making mince patties and sausages — with just some mince, seasoning, herbs and/or spices, you'll have the foundation for a home-made sausage.
You can make your own mince, which we'll do step-by-step, and if you like you can add a few extras. Typical extras include grated carrot, apple (it will clean the grinder at the end of the mincing process) and bread/breadcrumbs.
There are two major differences between sausages and burger patties/rissoles. Firstly, and most obviously the casings (I get mine from the local butcher).
And secondly, because of the casing, the mince mixture can have more fluid in it if you prefer.
The components of a sausage mixture do not have to bind together as much as if you are making a rissole.
For small scale sausage production, a hand-mincer with sausage stuffer nozzle attachment is certainly sufficient.
We often do enough sausages for just one meal — for example up to two bangers per person. The fluid can be either water, dairy (milk or cream), or a flavoured drink such as fruit juice or wine/beer.
In regard to the meats and fats, it is common to use pork fat because it aids in sticking the mixture together as well as reducing the risk of the sausage drying out while cooking.
In addition to the fat, any meat of your choosing can be the main ingredient of your mixture. Beef or pork are two of the most common options.
You’ll find that if you add speck (salted and smoked pork) to the meat mixture, you’ll be adding both flavouring and fat to your recipe.
As can be seen on one of the photos, I add the speck as a ‘stick of speck’; in this way the stick can be used to push the meat through the ‘auger/screw’ of the mincer.
Most modern recipes reduce the amount of fat and increase the other flavouring ingredients (such as herbs and spices). As always, “use the spices that you like best” is an appropriate adage.
The spice paprika goes well with pork because it is complementary to the flavour of pork and adds flavour depth to the meat mixture.
INGREDIENTS
Makes up to four small sausages
Note: this mixture has a very prominent bacon/speck flavour to it ... which is ideal for a hearty breakfast. You can adjust the ratios if you want less ‘punch’ and more subtlety.
400g pork (belly strips)
200g speck
150g pork shoulder/back fat (ratio of 4:1 ie. 20 per cent are ideal)
Salt and/or cracked black pepper (to taste)
1 tbsp fresh sage
A couple of heaped teaspoons paprika (again ‘heap’ to your preferred taste)
Sausage casings
250ml fluid (water in this example)
A splash of vinegar in the water (if you like)
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Steve Bain