Project KB (For Beginners)

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 01:54

Hey, hey, sausage makers! Hope you're enjoying the project "KB". Did you realize there's so much to know about making good sausage? Just wait until we get into Project A2 and start making air-dried sausages! Wow... lots of things to remember.

I would like to hear from everyone at this point. Just a few words to let me know how you are doing and see if you need any help. If you need more time... we'll slow up. It's YOUR project! I don't think anyone could possibly make all the sausages and products in the project. If we land on one you are particularly interested in, give me a shout and we'll dwell on it just a bit until you are ready to go on.

I also realize we're not in school anymore and some of the material is difficult to remember. My advice is to read all you can but don't stew about it if you just can't seem to remember the finer points. That's the reason we're putting it in a forum in PRINT - so you can go back later and study a bit if you need to. Please don't become discouraged if it seems like we're going to quickly. Let me know when we need a few days to rest or to buy supplies.

I can't possibly know what 15 people are thinking, so for goodness sakes... participate and let me know where you are with the project and what more you expect. There's lots of good info coming up - don't become discouraged. Okay smoke addicts, let's check in.

1. Sambal Badjak
2. Shuswap
3. El DuckO
4. Grasshopper
5. Graybeard
6. Rgauthier20420
7. Spud
8. Oops1215
9. dabrjn
10. psykobillys
11. 2MnKids
12. SalP
13. Trucktramp
14. Tobertuzzi
15. MikeK

Shuswap · Post by **Shuswap** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 02:28

OK CW you win - stuffed coming up tomorrow

the point about binding is well taken. Why screw up a batch because you didn't pay attention to the man! Your leadership is appreciated every day !

SalP · Post by **SalP** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 02:58

I am checking in. Unfortunately i got called out of town till Monday. So all's I can really do is read. But I have to say YeeHaw to the misses, she was kind enough to get me one of those pork butts from Aldi. So come Tuesday i can get down to some sausage making.

With reading I have learned and figured out why sometimes my sausage just isn't right.
I am really ready to get going.

sambal badjak · Post by **sambal badjak** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 07:25

Calling in as well

Up to date with the reading, and just bought some more shoulder pork which I will be cutting up today (and separating into fat and lean) ready for the next project!

grasshopper · Post by **grasshopper** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 15:39

Will be making hip shot burgers this weekend. My house is old so I don't live in a hacienda, I live in a half assendia. But CW you are surely welcome. Smoking the chubs today, low and slow. My masterbuilt smoker the heat of course comes from the bottom. To hang the long chub and manage the heat is difficult. So this time I going to lay the chub flat on one of the upper racks to get even heat. Not jumping ahead.

rgauthier20420 · Post by **rgauthier20420** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 15:58

grasshopper wrote:Will be making hip shot burgers this weekend. My house is old so I don't live in a hacienda, I live in a half assendia. But CW you are surely welcome. Smoking the chubs today, low and slow. My masterbuilt smoker the heat of course comes from the bottom. To hang the long chub and manage the heat is difficult. So this time I going to lay the chub flat on one of the upper racks to get even heat. Not jumping ahead.

Be sure to update with pictures grasshopper. I'd also suggest flipping them every 30-45 minutes to make sure you get an even smoke and cook.

graybeard · Post by **graybeard** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 16:03

I'm checking in. I made the breakfast sausage this morning. I used a grinder for this, if I had a couple of big chopping knives i would have tried doing that. Here is the pork all ground up first time posting a photo so I hope this works.

Here it is all mixed together

all weighed out to make patties

ready to go into the freezer so I can vacuum seal them

I had to try one to see how it was. A very good breakfast sausage, looking forward to having some as a sausage sandwich too.

el Ducko · Post by **el Ducko** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 16:49

El Ducko here, checkin` in.

I made two breakfast sausages, one bound, the other not. Both were, of course, delicious. Actually, both started out bound (outbound?), but the second one being my favorite chorizo recipe, the bind broke when the vinegar was added. Vinegar is a typical flavor component called for by this particular recipe, so it was expected to happen, and "sho` `nuff" it did.

Yes, science is working for YOU, here at WD.

Looking forward to our future flavorful forays together...
This is el Ducko, checkin` out.

P.S. Oh, yeah, the plate cleaning tip works great. Thanks!

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 20:28

Shuswap, thanks for the kind words. Hey, have you ever had knockout "biscuits n` gravy" for breakfast in a restaurant anywhere in your travels. Did you wonder how they got the sausage to separate easily and quickly to brown in a pan? The little browned bits left in the pan are called "fond" and they are full of flavor for making gravy. I hope you give it a try.

SalP, good to hear from you. Glad you are reading and glad you found a pork butt for making some goodies. Are you going to try a little with binding and a little without binding? Take a few photos if you get a chance. You wrote: With reading I have learned and figured out why sometimes my sausage just isn't right. I am really ready to get going.
That`s music to my ears pal! Thank you.

Sambal, Thanks for keeping up with the reading too. I really like the looks of your cased sausage. Very professional for a beginner. Are you using a separate stuffer for this part? Holy smoke, you`re an artist! Have you learned about the binding qualities of actin and myocin? Can you see why developing the primary bind is so important? Keep up the good work kid!

Grasshopper, A half assendia? Too funny! Have you got a place for me to park my hoss? Hey, that materbuilt has to be lots of fun eh? I understand the heating problem. I had to use a "heat diffuser". I finally ended up milling my own on a lathe. I ended up laying my larger sausages flat on an upper rack too. Turn down the heat a little and turn them over every little once in a while... say 20 minutes or so. And be patient. Have you learned anything about the "binding"? Hang in there Mike. Be sure to post some photos when they finish in the smoker. And for goodness sakes... take some photos of the Hipshot Burgers and let us know what you think of them.

Rgauthier, Thanks for checking in. Did you try the hipshot burgers? I think you`ll like `em! If you don`t care for them, don`t use them for target practice... send them to me!

Graybeard, That is beautiful work. My goodness... you make us want to lick the computer screen! The mixture is just right. The proteins have developed perfectly and your patties look great. Nice work pal. Can you see why developing the actomyocin is so important?

El Duckster, you`ve brought up a very important point. Vinegar modifies proteins like crazy. Some chefs intentionally add vinegar to a recipe with meat just to purposely have the proteins "unravel" and come apart in order to gain a certain texture. In chorizo it is important to know "how" to add it as well as how much to add. Did you try cooking some "loose meat"? I`d like to hear your slant on "biscuits and gravy".

Okay folks, we`re still waitin` to hear from Spud, Oops, dabrjn, psykobillys, 2Mnkids, trucktramp, tobertuzzi, and MikeK. Hope everyone`s well and learning some new skills.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

rgauthier20420 · Post by **rgauthier20420** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 21:13

CW, I have not had a chance to make the burgers. I don't have the powdered soy protein, but I'm thinking of picking up some NFDM powder instead. The soy isn't readily available and I'm don't want to order just that....seeing I'm not in need of anything at the moment. Would that be ok?

el Ducko · Post by **el Ducko** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 21:34

Chuckwagon wrote:El Duckster,...I`d like to hear your slant on "biscuits and gravy"....

Wish I could, Chuckster, but in my gluten-free, low-fat household, both biscuits and gravy are considered toxic substances. We do make corn-based breads (arepas are a newly-acquired skill) and thicken things with corn starch, but that's about it.

I miss my gumbo. Corn-based roux just aren't the same. Every time I read one of Ross Hill's bread recipes, I get sad.

That's about the extent of it, though. ...except that, as a socially-minded citizen, I feel concern about those poor unfortunates who have nothing to eat except Italian food, especially the ones who pretend to like it. Italians, most of New York, New Jersey, and Florida, and college kids across the country must be dying of acid reflux. (Do you think this might explain their frequent government changes and colorful politicians? Now there's one for "Inquiring Minds...")

Of course, the antacid industry IS a significant component of the Gross National Product. Maybe I shouldn't voice my opinion so loudly. Something adverse might happen to mAAAWWWKKK!!!
Duk

dabrjn · Post by **dabrjn** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 21:52

Just checking in. Have been following, but out of town for two more weeks then I can start. Butt is in the freezer...I know you want it fresh, but I live two hours from Costco and I ain't paying grocery store prices!

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 22:15

RGauthier wrote

CW, I have not had a chance to make the burgers. I don't have the powdered soy protein, but I'm thinking of picking up some NFDM powder instead. The soy isn't readily available and I'm don't want to order just that....seeing I'm not in need of anything at the moment. Would that be ok?

NF milk powder is really gaining popularity in sausage making because it is convenient. It works well but has other considerations. The old timers would defend soy protein because doctors recommend it in place of a milk product.... Uhh... until lately that is... if you`ve been watching the news. Now they`re saying there just possibly "could be" something in soy we don`t need.

Oh boy, I watched `em go through this with butter when some deranged yahoo invented something called "margarine"!

I would say go ahead and use the NFDM powder if you are comfortable with it.

The Duk wrote,

AAAWWWKKK!!!

As you know, the Duk is nuts! He`s crazy you know! And I`ve never seen such a "high falutin`, rootin`, tootin`, computer pollutin`,coot-shootin`, gluten-disputin`, biscuit-refutin`, unhinged myna bird in all my life!

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 22:25

Dabrjn wrote:

Just checking in. Have been following, but out of town for two more weeks then I can start. Butt is in the freezer...I know you want it fresh, but I live two hours from Costco and I ain't paying grocery store prices!

Dabrjn, thanks for checking in. You bring up a good point here. In butcher`s circles, the term "fresh" applied to meat is a bit confusing. It is not meant to imply the animal in question was butchered merely twenty minutes before you purchased it. "Fresh" simply designates meat products that have not been cured with sodium nitrite or nitrate curing agents. Frozen meat for sausage is just fine... just as long as it doesn`t already contain a curing agent like sodium nitrite or potassium nitrate.

two_MN_kids · Post by **two_MN_kids** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 22:34

2Mk checking in; no pictures this time around. Just last night I finally got caught up on the reading. I got stuck reading about soy protein concentrate as I was reminded of an early attempt at making a 'Brown and Serve' breakfast sausage using SPC and Cure #1. I had stuffed them into 21mm clear collagen casings, (at the time I didn't have a source for cellophane casings) and cut them to 4 inches (100mm) lengths. I don't recall what temperature I cooked them at, it was winter so I put them in the kitchen oven on a baking sheet and baked until the IMT reached 145°F (63°C). They fatted out from the high temperature, but still tasted so good.

Now that I have some cellophane casings, and I know how to get my KitchenAid down to 120°F (50°C), I might give it another try, but I suppose now I'm getting ahead of the syllabus!

Jim