# Reuben Sausage Help



## tjohnson (Jan 27, 2010)

My neighbor asked me if I could make a "Reuben Sausage", including Sauerkraut, Swiss Cheese and Corned Beef.

Anyone ever hear of such a sausage or have a recipe?

Is it this even possible?


Thanks!


TJ


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## rbranstner (Jan 27, 2010)

I have had and made sausage with sauerkraut in it but I have never heard of it with corned beef as well but I am sure it could be done just add in the finely chopped corned beef and maybe even some thousand island I bet it would be good. I am just not sure what kind of seasonings you would want to put in there as a base. I think we used a brat seasoning in ours but we didn't like the mix that we used.


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## meat hunter (Jan 27, 2010)

Have never heard of that, but it sounds DEEEEE-licious.


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## mballi3011 (Jan 27, 2010)

I'm with The Meat Hnter and I have never heard of it but I sounds really really good and I would entertain the idea of making it too.


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## meat hunter (Jan 27, 2010)

Did you make the ones with sauerkraut yourself? The wheels are starting to turn here LOL. I make allot of Polish Kielbasy for the wife, I wonder if I could incorporate the sauerkraut into it. Man I bet that would taste great. 

#251 on my to do list


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## rbranstner (Jan 27, 2010)

Yea we made a batch of sauerkraut brats the first year we ever made venison sausage. I think it was actually a sauerkraut/cheese brat. They weren't to bad other than we didn't like the brat seasoning we used in them. We have not made them since but I was thinking about making some this year again just a small batch to get the ingredients right.


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## rbranstner (Jan 27, 2010)

If you make a good Polish Kielbasy sausage I bet it would be great in that. I want to find a a good kielbasy sausage recipe to try. I love that stuff.


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## piker (Jan 27, 2010)

Up here in the cold white north we have what is called a rueben sandwich, made with rye bread, sauerkraut and corned beef. Maybe this is what he meant. Piker


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## rbranstner (Jan 27, 2010)

Ahhh Rueben sandwiches are my favorite. I think I need one soon!!!!!


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## smokingohiobutcher (Jan 27, 2010)

We make corned beef sausages at work every year for St. pattys day. We dont put kruat in it but I guess you could if you wanted to. We do put green food coloring in it to really attract some attention to it in the display case!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  I can't remember the recipie off the top of my head,but I can look at work tomarrow if you would like?
SOB


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## smokingohiobutcher (Jan 27, 2010)

Check this out!
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=79310

SOB


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## tjohnson (Jan 27, 2010)

WOW!!!

Thanks for the Quick Responses!!!

I'm trying to incorporate Corned Beef, Sauerkraut and Swiss Cheese in a sausage, to put on a bun with Thousand Island Dressing.

Just don't know the ratios of Corned Beef:Sauerkraut:Swiss Cheese

Yes, it's just like a Rueben Sandwich, but I can freeze these little babies and pull a few out as needed.


THANKS!!!


Todd


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## tjohnson (Jan 27, 2010)

SOB.....

I saw this fatty post, but did not see any reference to "Corned Beef", other than your post.

We're getting somewhere!


Todd


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## meat hunter (Jan 27, 2010)

I have used the recipes in Ryeks book so far, but jack up a few of the spices for a more pronounced taste. 

Well I would assume these are going to be fresh sausages, not cured. With that in mind, I would start off with the meat and add sauerkraut and cheese until you think it taste good. 

I'm wondering how you would prepare the meat. I'm guessing the way corned beef is when its done, you would have to use it in a shredded form. 
I wonder how it would be if you incorporated some pork into to help bind things together? I think this is a worthy project. I just told my wife, whos 50/50 Polish & Russian about this idea of making Kielbasa WITH sauerkraut in the sausage itself. She said go for it
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





. 

This is another cool thing about making sausage, just like fatties, the only limits to ingredients are your imagination. Although I would draw the line at something like skittles or pop rocks LOL


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## moltenone (Jan 27, 2010)

your going to need caraway seed also !!!!


Mark


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## ellymae (Jan 28, 2010)

I've made a ruben fatty in the past but not sausage... looks interesting but I don't know how you would get the corned beef in there - will be following this thread. Good luck!


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## meat hunter (Jan 28, 2010)

Yes, I'm still thinking about this one. I think this idea may be one that is best suited for a grinder/stuffer combo unit. I don't think the stringy meat of a corned beef would work on a dedicated stuffer, but with a grinder/stuffer combo unit, the auger would be doing the work, pushing the meat into the casing. I think a horn stuffer would work well too, but I can see a dedicated stuffer doing it as I don't believe this would push thru very easy. 
The more I think about this, the sooner I want to try it.


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## smokingohiobutcher (Jan 28, 2010)

at work we coarse grind the corned beef through a 3/8 inch holed plate. if you use a finer plate( and we have) the corned beef tends to relaese too much of its juices,and flavor!  yes we do mix it with our country style sausage(simple mild sausage blend) I will check today for the ratio of pork to corned beef.  And copy our fresh Kielbasa recipie....It is amazing!
Just hold your horses!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	




SOB


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## shaneholz (Jan 28, 2010)

Well you sure have my attention on this one.........I might even try a small batch this weekend. I'm looking forward to everyone's recipes!


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## davef63 (Jan 28, 2010)

last week went to a meat market for some hi-temp cheddar cheese for summer sausage, they told me they use 1lb cheese per 10lbs meat. i used 3/4lb cheese for 9lbs of summer and it was just right. wouldnt know about the kraut tho. hope this helps.
dave


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## tjohnson (Jan 28, 2010)

Here's what I've got so far:

5 lbs. Corned Beef
5 lbs. Pork Butt
2 lbs. Good Quality Swiss Cheese
14 oz Can Frank's SauerKraut - Drained
Additional McCormic Pickling Spice - Thru Spice Grinder
32mm Hog Sausage Casings

Possible Mixing Ratio = 80% Corned Beef 3/8 grind to 20% Pork Butt 1/4" grind.

Gonna make up a 5lb. batch tonight.

I'm thinking the texture of the sauerkraut may be kinda wierd inside the sausage, so I plan on chopping up to 1/2" or so.

How well will the sauerkraut freeze?

Any other ideas before I take the plunge?


THANKS!


Todd


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## meat hunter (Jan 28, 2010)

Sounds like a winner to me
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






.  You mean how will the kraut freeze once it's inside the casings? I don't think there would be a problem. I may make it softer, maybe even a little mushy, but I wouldn't worry about that.


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## the dude abides (Jan 28, 2010)

I don't know for sure, but just a reaction.  First of all I think this sounds absolutly delicious.  I'd consider grinding the pickling spices.  I use that same stuff on my pastrami.  It's got a lot of "chunks" of whole cloves and such.  Might not be to pleasant to bite into that, and a possible tooth breaker.

Also, why not just serve the kraut on the side?

TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES!!!!  We're all very interested in this.


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## smokingohiobutcher (Jan 29, 2010)

Your mix ratio sounds good. I would definently chop the kraut. and Hi temp cheese will work better if you can get it. 

We use a sausage mix instead of  just ground pork...makes it taste more like a sausage. Not just a pork chop in a casing with some corned beef.


Sorry I forgot to get the recipie today at work. Got busy!
Tomarrow!
SOB


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## meat hunter (Jan 29, 2010)

Yeeeeowww. Good call there. Grind them for sure. I remember when I bit down on some steel shot years ago. Cracked my tooth if 4 places.


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## tjohnson (Jan 29, 2010)

*FINAL RECIPE*
4.7 lbs. Corned Beef -3/8" Plate
2 lbs. Ground Pork Butt - 1/4" Plate
12 oz Good Quality Swiss Cheese - Shredded
(2) 14 oz Cans Franks Sauerkraut - Drained
(3) tbsp McCormicks Pickling Spice - Ground Fairly Fine
(1) Cup Cold Water

Kinda heavy on the pork and had to add extra pickling spice to cover up the "Pork Chop" flavor.  SOB suggested using a mild pork sausage along with the ground Corned Beef.  I needed the extra fat, but not the extra pork.



Decisions/Decisions?!?!?!



Everything ready to go.



Good Consistency with all ingredients.



Tasters and another beer!



Ready to stuff.



Stuffed and linked.



Finished and Packaged.


I was very surprised at how much the sauerkraut actually added to the sausage, in moisture, texture and flavor.  

Swiss Cheese can be a little overpowering and I would not add more than 1lb. Swiss Cheese/10lbs. meat mix.

I had to add more Pickling Spice to overcome the "Pork Chop" flavor.I would add some mild sausage next time, or use more Pork Trim to get the fat to 80/20.

I fried up some this morning and poured a little "Thousand Island Dressing" on top.

OMG!!!  All I need is some Rye or Pumpernickel Bread.

Too Early For Beer!


Thanks to all who threw in their "2 Cents" and helped me create an "Awesome Sausage"!!



Todd Johnson


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## acemakr (Jan 29, 2010)

Awesome - and great pictures.


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## meat hunter (Jan 29, 2010)

Oh yeah, aweesome. You might be my new hero LOL. I can't wait to give these a try. As far as being to early for beer, just move the hour hand ahead on the clock and you won't feel so guilty
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





.

Great job and a great pictorial for us.


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## davef63 (Jan 29, 2010)

nice pics todd, and as the old cabin saying goes " its 5 o clock somewhere"
dave


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## the dude abides (Jan 29, 2010)

oh yeah 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	




Oh man, I haven't been this excited about a post in a loooooooong time.  These sound absoluty awesome.

Just to be clear, you didn't cure or smoke these, right?  Just stuffed the casings then fried them in a pan?

Oh and just for the record, the Killian's Red you didn't get to, would have made the perfect compliment to the inagural cook.  It's always 5 o'clock somewhere.







 man...


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## tjohnson (Jan 29, 2010)

Did not cure and/or smoke them.  I guess if i smoked them, wouldn't they be technically called "Pastrami Brats"?

It's 6 degrees outside, and I fired up the grill.  Boiled in beer for 10 minutes and finished on the grill.

Pumpernickel bread on the side and Thousand Island Dressing for dipping.

Best served with a "Cold Beer"!


Todd


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## smokingohiobutcher (Feb 4, 2010)

OK here is the recipie we use at work for our corned beef sausages for St. patty's day...we push things a little far sometimes....yep thats right *GREEN* corned beef brats!!! The customers love it!  Well some do, the ones who aren't afraid to try something different. When we make some this year I'll take some pics and post them on here.

Here we go!

25 #s of corned beef (we use points cause its cheaper)
        Coarse ground (3/8" plate) 
12 #s pork trim or pork butts
        Fine ground (1/8" plate)
1/2   a bag(4oz) of basic sausage seasoning
http://www.butcher-packer.com/index....roducts_id=351
        mix pork and 1/2 bag seasoning and little seasoning packets from corned beef togetherfirst then add corned beef grind and mix well.
       Note: you can substitute with any roll sausage such as Jimmy dean,bob evans,Tennesse pride,ect...

1/2  bottle of green food coloring
1     cup of water
       mix the food color and water together then add to sausage and mix well.
Stuff in hog casings
      Additions:
          Hi-temp swiss cheese (5 # for batch of sausage)
http://www.butcher-packer.com/index....roducts_id=706






          2 # bag of sauerkraut (drained well then coarsely chopped)

          1   Cup of thousand island dressing

We try to keep recipies simple at work figuring that the customer can put the items that are additions on as toppings after it is cooked.
I asume that if you wanted to cold smoke this sausage you would just have to add the proper amount of cure...Right???Any body??comments??
SOB


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## tjohnson (Feb 4, 2010)

Thanks Sob!!!


Tj


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## dnovotny (Feb 4, 2010)

i made this reciepe and the only things i found out  you have  to  drain your sauerkraut  and get  as  much  juice out as possible .. if you don't  the sausage  will get soggy.....i'm  going  to  try  to dry  the  sauerkraut first  before  adding it  to the sausage.. also  try  to use  high temp cheese specially in this reciepe because of the  other juices  thats going on...


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## tjohnson (Feb 4, 2010)

*SOB* told me about adding "High Temp Cheese", and I did not have any at the time.  The Swiss Cheese disintegrated when I grilled the brats.  Next batch with High Temp Swiss Cheese!

I drain the sauerkraut because I was afraid the juice may be too strong.

*SOB *told me to use a basic sausage seasoning in the ground pork.  If you don't use some kind of seasoning in your pork the sausage kinda has a "Pork Chop" flavor.  I ended up adding extra "Pickling Spice" until I got the flavor I wanted.

I'd say my sausage experiment was good, but there's room for improvement.

With SOB's advice, I think we will have it figured out!!


THANKS!


Todd


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## bluto (Jun 28, 2014)

Dang Todd, i dont know how I missed this post, did you ever finalize the recipe?


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