First Time Pop's Country Breakfast Sausage

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disco

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Oct 31, 2012
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I am almost out of sausage after having several sets of visitors and then I was out of town. So now is the time to make more sausage. As stated in earlier posts, I believe in learning by making proven classic recipes and then adjusting them to my tastes. So, it is time to try a classic from this forum, Pop's Country Breakfast Sausage.

Should you wish to see the post of the expert as opposed to this newbie, the link is:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/73350/country-style-breakfast-sausage

The cheapest pork available was pork shoulder steaks, bone in. When I had finished deboning, there was just under 6 pounds of meat which I cubed.


I mixed the cubes with 2.7 ounces (by weight) of Pop's sausage seasoning. Salt, Pepper, and Sage. The proportions are in Pop's post http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/73350/country-style-breakfast-sausage.


I ground the cubes through the Kitchen Aid on the smallest plate.


Here it is after the first grind.


As per Pop's instructions, I ran it through the Kitchen Aid's smallest plate a second time. The texture was definitely finer.


I put the pork in the fridge. One thing I was never told in these forums and have learned for myself, do the clean up right away. Waiting even 10 minutes gives the pork a chance to get stickier and the clean up is a lot easier if done right away.


I did the test fry. Very nice indeed.


Pop made patties but I am a traditionalist. Unfortunately, She Who Must Be Obeyed (SWMBO) doesn't like casings. So I ran the sausage through my LEM stuffer with the 1/2 inch tube to make a sausage shape. Have I mentioned I love my LEM.


Here's what 6 pounds of sausage links look like. I will be putting them in the freezer overnight and then wrapping in packages of 6 and put into plastic bags. I will post pictures of that tomorrow.


The verdict: Excellent. A tasty, finely textured sausage that will be easily adjusted to personal tastes. I have only had the test fry and I know it will change a bit as it rests but this is really good. I thought it was a little salty but I have been cutting back on salt in my diet for the last year and I am a little bit more sensitive to salt taste. SWMBO says it is perfect, so is is perfect. In my prior sausage attempts, I ground the sausage and then beat it with the Kitchen Aid set up with a paddle. The double grinding made a much better textured sausage. I will be adding some fresh herbs (thyme, savory, rosemary) when I have it but this is a minor tweak.

We should all be grateful for all the great information on these forums. I could have searched for years for a sausage recipe this good.

Pops, thank you for sharing your knowledge. 

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Disco
 
Great post, Disco! I loved your blow-by-blow account and you have some great pictures!!

I totally agree with your comment about washing the grinder parts right after grinding. Immediately after I finish grinding, I stick my ground meat in the refrigerator and then wash the grinder parts. After my grinder is clean, then I move on to stuffing the sausage. Works way better for me than waiting until completely done and trying to wash then.

Have a great evening!
Clarissa
 
Great post, Disco! I loved your blow-by-blow account and you have some great pictures!!

I totally agree with your comment about washing the grinder parts right after grinding. Immediately after I finish grinding, I stick my ground meat in the refrigerator and then wash the grinder parts. After my grinder is clean, then I move on to stuffing the sausage. Works way better for me than waiting until completely done and trying to wash then.

Have a great evening!
Clarissa
Thanks, Clarissa. The sad part is the Missus always told me it was better to do the clean up right away but I didn't always listen. So, I learned the hard way and proved that she is smarter than me once again. My advice to all men out there, marry a woman who is smarter than you!

Disco
 
AWESOME  Disco.

Sausage is on my list.
Thanks!

I can definitely recommend this recipe. Most of the other recipes I have tried attempt to kick it up a bit too much and get in the way of just having a good flavourful sausage. Pops really nailed it with this one.

Disco 
 
I have made alot of fresh sauage but not seasoned.
 
Casings

We butchered our own hogs back in the day.
 
Casings

We butchered our own hogs back in the day.
That would be great. It seems to me that pork in the supermarket doesn't have as much flavour as when I was able to buy meat from a local butcher.

Disco
 
Looks mighty fine Disco. I just learned the clean trick last week... when I had to take all the grinder parts outside to the water hose cause I let it sit too long (like 15 mins)... PITA it was... next time,  clean right away!
 
Looks nice Disco! One of Pop's threads has the seasoning premixed. So you add 1 Tbs per pound of ground pork. Before I started using Martin's sausage spreadsheet I would make that sausage with the left over pork. Good stuff!
 
 
Looks mighty fine Disco. I just learned the clean trick last week... when I had to take all the grinder parts outside to the water hose cause I let it sit too long (like 15 mins)... PITA it was... next time,  clean right away!
Thanks. I hope my missus doesn't see this post. She is smug enough already.

Disco
 
Looks nice Disco! One of Pop's threads has the seasoning premixed. So you add 1 Tbs per pound of ground pork. Before I started using Martin's sausage spreadsheet I would make that sausage with the left over pork. Good stuff!
Thanks.

One tablespoon per pound? The 1/2 oz he recommended in his post is way more than one tablespoon. Whatever the proportions, it makes a good sausage.

Disco
 
That would be great. It seems to me that pork in the supermarket doesn't have as much flavour as when I was able to buy meat from a local butcher.

Disco

Fresh butchered hogs always taste the best.

We are going to butcher a couple this winter.

Going to try to make my own hams.
 
Fresh butchered hogs always taste the best.

We are going to butcher a couple this winter.

Going to try to make my own hams.
That is a post I am looking forward to!
Disco... that's some good looking sausage right there... just a thought... why don't you make some links for yourself and then some without casings for the missus.... also.. here's a link to Pop's recipe with it converted to measurements along with weights....it is a tablespoon per pound....

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/83939/fassetts-breakfast-sausage-seasoning
That is a good idea. I may just do some with cases and some without.

Thanks for the link. However, as Pops says it is not as accurate as weighing. If you use a different grind of pepper or sage, if your salt is more coarse, it will change it. I think I will stick with his original recommendation of 1/2 oz by weight per pound (which was more by volume than 6 tablespoons but not a lot) because it is more accurate and because it turned out great. However, if you don't have an accurate small scale, that would be helpful.

Disco
 
Here is how I store my sausage. They have been frozen overnight, separated on a cookie sheet. Then I wrap them in packages of six with cellophane. Then I pack them in ziploc bags.



I find they are easy to separate and I can cook from frozen if I get caught short.

Disco
 
Disco!  Dont you just love this simple easy sausage!  I packed some in 1 pound rolls....for things like sausage balls.....rotel dip and other things too.

Great job!

Kat
 
 
Disco!  Dont you just love this simple easy sausage!  I packed some in 1 pound rolls....for things like sausage balls.....rotel dip and other things too.

Great job!

Kat
Thanks, Kat. 

I really do like them but, even more important, the missus likes them. The best part is the texture from the double grinding. This was a new technique for me but will be my standard from now on. I really owe Pops for this recipe and his instructions.

I thought about leaving some bulk for fatties but decided I would make more if ever get up the courage and low cholesterol numbers to try one.

I wish you hadn't said sausage balls. It has me thinking of sausage rolls, the last thing my waistline needs.

Disco.
 
Great job Disco....When I make sausage I roll it out in about 2 1/2" logs, wrap in plastic wrap. I then freeze. I can simi thaw and slice into patties. That way I skip the washing of the stuffer. Yes cleaning the grinder ASAP not only if it much faster. It gives your meat a little time to cool after the grind.The cooler the meat, the better it rolls or stuffs.

Happy smoken.

David
 
Thank you so much for your posts on my dad's breakfast sausage recipe!  He'd probably kill me for sharing it, it made him tons of money in his store way back; he used to sell it for 79¢ a pound in the 60's, lol!  That was right up there with t-bone steaks!

But, I need to share it with everybody.  Here's why, this is my response to a wonderful SMF member who pm'd me thanking me for sharing on my dad's brine:

"You are certainly very very welcome!  I am trying to give whatever knowledge I have been given to me and be able to share it with all others, freely and openly.  Yes, I could write a book and sell it, but, why not pay it forward and freely share it?!  I am so thankful to have the chance to.  My 1st stroke in 2008 scared the hell out of me, and the other four even moreso.  God gave me a chance to share my knowledge through this forum with as many others as I can, so thank you so much for using it and allowing it to please your family and friends and please share it with others!  My next stroke could be any time, I'm on borrowed time as it is, so thank you so much for writing to me and so very glad you liked it!"

I woke up from my third stroke, which none of the doctors could revive me for 9 hours and I dreamed I was given the choice to live or die, and knew I had a purpose, be it ever so humble, to bring these recipes and pass them forward freely to others so they may enjoy dad's process as much as his customers did.  All I ask is that you, too, share with others, just as Disco did here!  Thank you so much for perpetuating his methods, beliefs and processes to give others the great taste of hams, bacons, and breakfast sausages!  Dad's sign on the side of his store:


his hams and bacons:


his store, now gone:


Thank you so much, Disco!  Your sausages look great!  Love to see some of those skinless links fried up!  
 
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