Another episode in my sausage series. Back in episode 78, I made bratwurst. It was a typical ground pork sausage, what in the US we might call “Wisconsin-style.” In parts of Germany and other places in Europe, bratwurst is more typically an emulsified sausage that has an internal consistency more like a hot dog. In a charcuterie class that I took some years ago it was referred to as European-style bratwurst, so that is what I will call it.
The process goes something like this: grind, season, mix, emulsify, stuff, pre-cook. The grinding step is done using the techniques I discuss in episode 186.
• 250 grams of dense pork fat, ground first through a medium die (~8mm holes) and then a fine die (~4.5mm holes)
• 650 grams of lean pork
o Ground first through medium die
o Then add 100 grams of sliced onion, sweated
o Then grind through fine die.
Next, we work with the meat. You will need:
• 15 grams salt
• 3 grams cure #2
• 2 grams ground white pepper
• 3 grams minced garlic
• 5 grams dextrose
• 2 grams ground nutmeg
• 2 grams mace
• 2 grams ground ginger
• 220 grams finely crushed ice.
Put the meat in a bowl in a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Add all of the ingredients except the ice. Mix for about two minutes to dissolve the salts. Then, slowly increase the mixer speed to maximum as you add about 2/3 to 3/4 of the ice. At that point keep running the mixer until the meat reaches a temperature of 50 degrees F (use a thermometer).
Stop the mixer and add the fat to the bowl. Start again from low, increasing up to high, adding the rest od the ice to the bowl. Stop when the batter is homogeneous. It will make a “sucking sound.” I don’t know how else to describe it, but when it happens you will say “aha.” Stuff it into medium sausage casing and make links using the techniques in episode 186.
The final step is the pre-cook. You need a large pot of water at 180 degrees F. Turn off the heat and add the sausages and cover until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. This will take about 20 minutes. You are now done. They are pre-cooked and stable. You can grill, broil, roast or whatever. Fine in the fridge for a few days, but if you will not use all of them you should freeze them for a later date. In a future episode I will have a surprise way to use them.
15 сен 2024
