Sausage appearance

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atcnick

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Jan 1, 2010
381
40
Longview, Texas
Can anyone tell me what makes these two sausages look different?  The first one I made.  The second one is the look I was going for. Notice the darker, less pink look to the lean parts of the meat.

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Just looking at the pictures I would say the second one looks to have been cooked longer at slightly hotter tempetures.
 
The second one looks to me like the fat was run through a larger plate while the first one looks like all the meat was run through the same sized plate with perhaps less fat content. The second almost looks emulsified to me. Was it run through the grinder more than once?

If it was run too hot as mentioned above, the fat would melt and the wrinkles in the casing would attest to that.
 
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The second one looks to me like the fat was run through a larger plate while the first one looks like all the meat was run through the same sized plate with perhaps less fat content. The second almost looks emulsified to me. Was it run through the grinder more than once?

If it was run too hot as mentioned above, the fat would melt and the wrinkles in the casing would attest to that.
+1
 
It's been a while but Im pretty sure I ran the fat through a smaller plate and the lean pieces through a 3/8 or 1/2" plate.  I didnt think the fat had melted in the second sausage since you can see individual pieces of fat.  I thought I had ran it too hot possibly in the first sausage pic since it looks basically all one color.  I only ran it through the grinder once.
 
Did you make both of them Nick? whats the recipe for the first one?

#1 looks like it was run thru a small plate like a 1/4" or 3/16". It also looks to have a binder in it, and/or you mixed it for a long time. They look good to me!

#2 looks to me like a dry cured smoked sausage, which would explain the wrinkled casing and the meat looks to have been cut with a large plate, 1/2" or bigger.

As far as color it could be just the piece's of meat, but the first one might have  milk powder or soy protein in with the spice mix which will lighten the overall color of the finished product.

Just my opinion, Dan
 
Dan it's incredible how we think alike.  If I had to guess the 1st one was purchased from a commercial operation and contains binders.  I have never been able to achieve such a smooth consistent link in my kitchen
 
Did you make both of them Nick? whats the recipe for the first one?

#1 looks like it was run thru a small plate like a 1/4" or 3/16". It also looks to have a binder in it, and/or you mixed it for a long time. They look good to me!

#2 looks to me like a dry cured smoked sausage, which would explain the wrinkled casing and the meat looks to have been cut with a large plate, 1/2" or bigger.

As far as color it could be just the piece's of meat, but the first one might have  milk powder or soy protein in with the spice mix which will lighten the overall color of the finished product.

Just my opinion, Dan


I made the first sausage, the second one I found on a Polish meat smoking forum. This is the recipe I used: http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/sausage-recipes/polish-hot-smoked

No binders or anything like that was used. 
 
Dan it's incredible how we think alike.  If I had to guess the 1st one was purchased from a commercial operation and contains binders.  I have never been able to achieve such a smooth consistent link in my kitchen
I agree with HuggyBear.

I agree with Al and Dan.

Bear
 
Nick, the more you mix the meat the more myosin you get.  This is a salt soluble protein in the meat that when mixed with salt, breaks down the colligens and makes it's own binder. That's why the longer you mix the meat the stickier the mix gets. and the tighter the bind. Without the salt  it will be a crumbly dry sausage.
 
Thanks Dan. That may be it then. Is there a trrick to mixing in the spices without over mixing the meat?  I may need to chill the meat to near freezing temps.  What do you think of that?
 
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I'm also with dan and Al and then I like the points that Joel made also. I know I'll be for everyone in this site. I'm still in the learning stage too. But the Sausages is really good too.
 
Thanks Dan. That may be it then. Is there a trrick to mixing in the spices without over mixing the meat?  I may need to chill the meat to near freezing temps.  What do you think of that?
I add my spices to the cubed meat befoer i run it through the grinder

then after it is ground I add the liquid and mix just enought o get it all consistant

I make a polish sausage almost the exact recipe as the polish you pictured and it comes out looking almos the same
 
 
I agree with uncle_Lar.

I will add the spices to the cubed meet and let the first pass thru the grinder do some of the mixing.
 
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