Muscle cut and sausage quality

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ssorllih
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Muscle cut and sausage quality

Post by ssorllih » Wed Feb 06, 2013 17:54

For the second time I have made some sausage using center cut loin and for the second time I have had difficulty with getting a good bind. I didn't break the fat during the poaching but the mince never developed the normal sticky texture that I have come to expect when mixing and kneading the mass.

There is little to no connective tissue in the loin muscle and vertually no marbling with fat. I have observed this trait with large muscle hind quarter beef and efforts to make BBQ and it is always disapponting.

This mix will be alright to use for mixing into biscuits and pastry crust for meat pies but it won't be good sandwich meat.
Ross- tightwad home cook
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Post by ssorllih » Wed Feb 06, 2013 19:50

I think that I have sort of redeamed it . I mixed a half pound with 2 cups of flour and 1 tablespoon of baking powder and a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon each of crushed mustard seed and italian seasoning and enough milk to make a drop biscuit dough and baked those for 25 minutes at 375°F. They are good, not great but good.
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Post by Bubba » Thu Feb 07, 2013 01:56

Hi Ross,

Thank you for your kind words on the other topic.

Your topic is interesting, because a while back I made some Franks to a good recipe from this forum, but used Pork Loin meat. Got all the temperatures etc right.
The Franks were ok, not as good as I wanted them to be, but somehow the meat did not bind.
Could this have been the cause?
Ron
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Post by ssorllih » Thu Feb 07, 2013 02:24

I tend to think that it is. I am going to try this same recipe using butt. I cured the meat but got no exudate after two days. (that is unusual) I smoked the chunks cold over oak for several hours. Had 36 ounces of very lean loin and added 12 ounces of fat. Ground through 3/16 plate, mixed in the spice and reground through 1/8 plate mixed and kneaded for several minutes. I just wouldn't get properly sticky. Poached it and today after being chilled for 18 hours it had the texture of canned dog food.
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Post by Chuckwagon » Thu Feb 07, 2013 08:40

Ross, 20% of the total protein is made up by collagen. (See "Stromal Proteins" below.) The animal`s age has a terrific effect on the amount of collagen and myosin. Collagen is insoluble in water and forms a gel. In dealing with cohesive forces in meat binding, a commercial plant usually resorts to pressure. You know... pressure applied by presses etc. This binding is stronger if two conditions are met. First, exudates must form on the surface of the meat, and second, the meat is heated to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. (Does the commercial "water-boiled ham" come to mind?) How do we do it at home? Salt. Simply salt! Salt extracts collagen and myosin, and if we are to have any binding to speak of, it must be put back into the meat, upon mixing or simply added to the bowl cutter. Many people are hesitant to reintroduce the exudate. They shouldn`t be. You wouldn`t believe what`s in that stuff other than just blood. Pour it back into the mixture and remember, the leaner the meat, the more exudates may be extracted.

As we handle and prepare meat for sausage, there are a few other things we should not overlook. Besides the age of the animal, the pH acidity very much affects its water-holding ability. And if the meat has been frozen, muscle fibers have been damaged by ice crystals. This affects not only the water-holding ability, but the protein extraction as well. Fresh meat will always bind more easily than previously frozen meat.

Now, if you are just not finding any exudate, you may consider the use of a "special meat binder" which is phospate. The stuff works incredibly well, but when mixed with a little salt, it works dynamically well! :roll: I don't use it because I'm not totally convinced of its safety, although our government has given it the okay. Literally every commercial meat supplier uses the stuff.

There are 3 categories of meat proteins. The (1.) myofibrillar proteins are called the "contractile" proteins for the way they act upon muscle e.g. rigor mortis. Myofibrillar proteins are composed of 55% myosin - generally considered the single most important because of their long, highly-charged, "filament" molecule that is present in lean muscle. Actin and myosin are primarily responsible for creating the "sticky gel" that holds mixed, comminuted meat together.

The (2.) stromal proteins are in connective tissue and are primarily collagen, composing about 20 - 25% total body protein in the skin, sinews, tendons, etc. They are designed to transmit force to hold things together, thus they are generally tough and inert. Stromal proteins are of little or no value in processed meats as they have little binding ability. Further, as an animal ages, its meat becomes tougher due to the stromal protein`s unique make-up of 33% glycine and 10% hydroxyproline - responsible for non-charged or "non-polar" molecules having a minimally low isoelectric point. Stromal protein is generally considered a problem in processed meats and "high collagen meats" are often limited to 15 - 25% maximum, although chopped, ground, powdered collagen which can be dispersed, can be useful in forming a gel when heated. They may also be useful in retaining water and fat.

The (3.) sarcopolasmic proteins are found in intracellular fluid and compose 30% of total muscle protein. They contribute only 20% to binding ability and the isoelectric point of its molecules is low, although they do contribute to tenderization through postmortem glycolysis, effecting a pH change. Don`t be too hard on the sarcopalasmic proteins though, because they potentially add flavor contributions from a process known as "protein hydrolysis".

So, ol` pard... add a little salt and keep mixing. If it doesn`t start to become sticky, you may have to use a little bad language and add a quart of 34° honey-molasses mixture! :shock:

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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Post by ssorllih » Thu Feb 07, 2013 16:21

Thank you Chuckwagon, This was previously frozen loin, no silver skin, no sinew, after 2 days with 2% salt no exudates. I ground twice, mixed for a long time, I have made bread with very old flour that wouldn't develop the glutin and this mince was very much like that. It isn't a great loss. I am a cheapskate and only buy meat on sale so I probably only paid about a buck and a half per pound for a couple of pounds. Made into biscuits and heated and buttered they eat.
Ross- tightwad home cook
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