Air pockets in sausage

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

cj5muddslinger

Newbie
Original poster
Dec 4, 2012
5
10
I made some andouille over the weekend and had some trouble with getting a lot of air pockets in the casing. I use my grinder with the stuffing attachment. Are there any tricks to this or should I invest in a dedicated sausage stuffer? Thanks Tom
 
I would spend the coin and get a LEM 5lb stuffer, or the cheaper Gander Mountain plastic gear equivalents.  Really makes the job much easier.  I love my LEM.
 
and remember you can use a big hat pin or sausage pin to "prick" the air bubble so it can escape. sausage looks better smoked with the bubbles gone and the smoke penetrates better i think..

Goliath
 
Thanks for ideas. I popped the ones I could see but my problem is more with the ones I could see.
 
Prick them all a couple of times. Any unseen air will escape and the sausage will not burst when cooking. A dedicated stuffer, packed carefully, will eliminate air pockets and is much faster and easier to stuff the casing. The other option to get by with the grinder is to get help. One person continuously feeds the meat in tamping out air and the other guides and manages the casing. Slow and more work but will get the job done until...JJ
 
Last edited:
With a dedicated stuffer you can control the stuffing speed a little better (slower!). I use a medium size safety pin to prick them, but with a chunky mix like the recipe I use for Anduille, it's hard to keep all the air pockets out. They still taste good, pockets or not :-)

Dan
 
I vote for the dedicated stuffer... so much easier ... if your gonna continue using the grinder as a stuffer I suggest you get a foot pedal to control it.... turn off before neck gets empty.. refill and go again.. I agree 2 people will be much better ....
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky