Sausage - again
Do understand I won't give recipes here unless they are mine. In this case the authors are trying to make a living from their craft and I won't under cut them. You might find some sausage recipes at Ruhlman's blog.
That is everything from a meat grinder except the motor. The knife is to cut the meat into pieces that will fit down the grinder feed tube.
Starting from the top left and going clockwise we have the tray, the part that holds the rest together, the screw, the pusher, the die (small die in this case), the blade - and don't forget to steel the blade as it is a knife and the feed tube.
The blade goes on the inside with the sharp edge against the die, and I had done it backwards.
Do not, repeat do not, put the blade or the die in the freezer. I don't care who tells you to. A grinder blade is made of a brittle metal, it hold an edge better, brittle metals may chip or break when frozen. My big freezer gets to -10 F. Do keep them in an ice bath when not using them and for 10 minutes before and between starting grinds. My grinder does about 5 pounds of meat before it needs to be steeled again. I make sausage in 5 pound batches as result. Well also my stuffer is a 5 pound model.
Starting from the top left and going clockwise we have the tray, the part that holds the rest together, the screw, the pusher, the die (small die in this case), the blade - and don't forget to steel the blade as it is a knife and the feed tube.
The blade goes on the inside with the sharp edge against the die, and I had done it backwards.
Do not, repeat do not, put the blade or the die in the freezer. I don't care who tells you to. A grinder blade is made of a brittle metal, it hold an edge better, brittle metals may chip or break when frozen. My big freezer gets to -10 F. Do keep them in an ice bath when not using them and for 10 minutes before and between starting grinds. My grinder does about 5 pounds of meat before it needs to be steeled again. I make sausage in 5 pound batches as result. Well also my stuffer is a 5 pound model.
The above is the whole assembled grinder in use, in this case turkey cranberry from Charcuterie by Ruhlman and Polcyn (turkey cherry in their case).
End shot. Note the double bowl. Grind into a bowl in an ice bath, cold is good, warmth is bad. This kitchen is at 55 F.
Fresh ground about to go in mixer.
Keep the meat very cold, and put it in the freezer for 20 minutes before the grind.
We start with 10 pounds of turkey thighs, I need five pounds of meat, anything left over goes in the freezer for the next time.
I can pull the skin off with my fingers, you may need a knife, but get the skin off. Save it.
Bone it.
Save the bone, put it with the skin, put it in a baggy and freeze it for stock.
Cut it so it fits down the throat of you grinder, mine takes 3/4 inch cubes easy. You should not have to push meat down it, the screw should pull it in.
Add the mise in place, or those items need pre-grind.
I don't put breakfast sausage in casing, but do note that when frying this sausage, it may burn from the sugar of the cranberries.
I don't put breakfast sausage in casing, but do note that when frying this sausage, it may burn from the sugar of the cranberries.
I also did a chicken basil sun dried tomato, right after this. 20 1/2 put ups of breakfast sausage, tomorrow I'll do 10 pounds of pork sausage, a Mexican Chorizo which we also use as a breakfast sausage and a fresh garlic, which is our principle cooking sausage.
I haven't made their turkey sausage, but the chicken-basil-sun dried tomato sausage is excellent. I don't use as much pork fat as they do though. The sausages grills up very well. Now that you are mentioning it, I might have to make up another batch soon.
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Oh yum! Good thing you're not a cannibal. I could just hear, "save the skin and bones in your freezer for stock!" LOL
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