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Meat

Sausage Meat

Ingredients:

  1. 2 lbs (900 grams) of ground pork, beef or lamb (fattier cuts like shoulder work best)
  2. 1-2 teaspoons of salt (adjust to taste)
  3. 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
  4. Optional: a pinch of dried herbs such as sage, thyme, or rosemary (if desired for flavor)

Instructions:

  1. Preparation: Ensure that the meat is cold, almost to the point of partially frozen. This helps in binding the meat and keeping the fat from melting during mixing.

  2. Mixing: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat, salt, pepper, and any optional dried herbs. Mix well using your hands, but be careful not to overmix as this can make the sausage tough. You want the seasoning to be evenly distributed.

  3. Testing the Flavor: Before shaping or cooking all of your sausage meat, it’s a good idea to test the seasoning. Pinch off a small amount of the sausage mixture and cook it in a skillet over medium heat until fully cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

  4. Forming Sausages: Once satisfied with the flavor, you can either form the meat into patties, stuff it into sausage casings, or leave it as bulk sausage meat to be used in recipes.

  5. Cooking: Cook the sausage patties or links in a skillet over medium heat until they’re browned on the outside and fully cooked on the inside, ensuring an internal temperature of at least 160°F (71°C).

  6. Storage: If you’re not going to eat all the sausage right away, store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze it for longer storage.

Note: The beauty of making your own sausage meat is that you can adjust the seasonings to your own taste. The above is a simple base, but you can add more herbs or even some red pepper flakes for heat if desired. The key is to keep it minimalistic and let the quality of the meat shine.

There are a few things to consider when using different types of meat:

  1. Fat Content: Different meats have varying levels of fat. For sausages, a certain fat content is desirable to ensure a juicy end product. Pork often used in sausages (like shoulder) has a fat content that’s conducive to juicy sausages. If you’re using beef, opt for a cut with good marbling like chuck. For lamb, the shoulder can also be a good choice. If your meat choice is too lean, you might consider adding some additional fat. For example, beef fat (suet) can be added to lean beef, and lamb fat can be added to lamb. Aim for a final mixture that’s about 20-30% fat for best results.

  2. Flavor Profile: Beef and lamb have distinct flavors compared to pork. Depending on the meat, you might want to adjust the seasonings. For lamb, you might consider adding a touch of rosemary or mint. For beef, you could think about adding some garlic or even a bit of nutmeg for a unique twist.

  3. Cooking Times: Different meats can have slightly different cooking times. Always ensure the sausage reaches a safe internal temperature. For beef and lamb, that’s at least 160°F (71°C), just like pork.

  4. Texture: The texture might vary slightly depending on the meat used, especially if you’re using a coarser grind or a particularly lean cut. Adjustments in fat content, as mentioned above, can help with this.

With these considerations in mind, you can certainly substitute gram for gram with other meats in the basic sausage recipe provided. Just remember to adjust seasonings and consider the fat content to ensure a flavorful and juicy sausage.