List of tips on ingredients and procedures for producing good homemade sausages, much better in quality and flavor than industrialized sausages. Grind or cut with a knife? Use curing salt? What casing to use? What type of fat to use?
Tips on making homemade sausages
Grind or cut with a knife?
Homemade meat grinders have very small screws, which crush the meat, leaving a strange texture. Grinder discs with holes that are too small also ruin the texture of the sausage. The meat cannot be ground or crushed, it must be whole pieces. Only large grinders do this job well. Home grinders are generally not suitable for making good sausage. For large quantities, cutting with a knife is unfeasible, but for homemade products it is recommended to use a good knife.
Curing salt, to use or not to use?
The curing salt will leave the sausage, after roasting, with that pink tone typical of cured products. Without curing salt, the sausage will have a gray tone after cooking. Furthermore, the curing salt will provide a specific flavor, help prevent rancidity and provide more durability as it has a preservative function. But, despite being a component naturally found in several vegetables, there is a lot of controversy about possible links to the incidence of cancer. Its use is mandatory commercially, but for homemade products there is no obligation, so it is up to you to decide whether to use it or not. To learn more about curing salt, read the post Curing salt what it is and how much to use.
Natural or collagen casing?
Natural tripe has a better “bite”, that is, it is softer and easier to swallow, but on the other hand it is more difficult to work with, as it is soft, bursts more easily and needs to be desalted before using. Collagen casing is more difficult to digest and is more rigid when biting and cutting. On the other hand, it is easier to work with as it comes ready to use and there is no need to desalt it. I particularly prefer natural casing, because for homemade products what counts is quality and not productivity. Do not use cellulose, synthetic or fibrous casings as they are not edible.
What fat to use to make sausage?
For both sausages and any sausage, the ideal is to use rigid fat, such as subcutaneous fat. In pigs, this fat is abundant in the belly, which is often used to make bacon. When buying a piece of ham, for example, the rigid fat will be between the skin/leather and the meat. Carefully remove the skin, cut the fat into cubes and store it in the freezer. The ideal is to include this fat at the very end of the process, just before embedding, as the colder it is, the less chance it will have of melting during production.
Read too:
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Curing salt 2R$ 8,00 -
Curing salt 1R$ 8,00 -
Fixative AntioxidantR$ 23,00 -
Culinary twineR$ 7,90 -
Starter CultureR$ 69,90 -
Culinary elastic net 50mmR$ 15,00 -
Collagen casing 45mm roll 5 meters salamiR$ 25,00 -
Culinary elastic net 65mmR$ 18,00 -
Collagen casing 80mm cup and salamiR$ 29,90 -
Salami collagen casing 45mm 10 units tiedR$ 22,00 -
Galvanized HookR$ 12,00 -
Natural pork casing for sausageR$ 52,00
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I read all 156 comments and got more information than from the course I bought from another website, very rich content.
Thanks
Which course did you buy and did you like?
Good morning, the ham and pancetta sausage was hard and dry, I added paprika, salt, curing salt, I bought it from you, was it the smaller grinder? It would have to be the bigger one, what was missing in the recipe?
thank you in advance
Hello Dib. Generally, when the sausage becomes dry and brittle, it means that the grinding was problematic, crushing the meat instead of cutting it. Meats ground into very thin discs, like ground beef for pans, are bad for sausages, they look like the way you mentioned. What I recommend is trying to make a sausage by cutting the meat into small pieces using a very sharp knife. This way you can see the difference in the final result.
Hello goodnight. I want to get into the artisanal sausage business, but I have a question (and I think it's the same for most people). How long is the maximum shelf life of a vacuum-packed artisanal sausage? What products should you use to liven up the shelf life?
Thanks!
Make use of curing salt and from one antioxidant, also vacuum pack. The expiration dates will be similar to sausages from large refrigerators that you find in the markets, make a consultation and use them as a reference to estimate the expiration date of your products.
Good afternoon, I'm starting to make sausages for my family's consumption. I've really been happy with the results. I had difficulty bagging lamb intestines…I hydrated them well and so on, but they are very holey and break easily…this is normal…do you have any tips? Thank you very much in advance!!!!!!!!!!!
Lamb intestines are the softest and most fragile, so you need to insert them without too much pressure, but holes are not correct, they have to come without holes.
Hi, I started now, I did it the second time, the first time using a knife, 5 kg, the second time using an 8 mouth electric grinder with a medium disc (I'm not sure if it's 8 or 10 mm) I thought it was too ground and the sausage lacked ideal moisture After roasting, very tasty but without moisture, two questions, which disc would be ideal for grinding in an electric grinder 10, 12 or rim? And what should I do to ensure there is no lack of moisture because I used 20 % of fat but I ground it together with the meat and mixed it into the dough… grind it and reserve the fat to include in the dough when embedding, who knows? Thank you so much …
Hi Valcir. Smaller grinders, which have a very narrow infinite screw, can crush the meat as it passes through the duct. When crushing, the protein structure is often damaged and the meat loses its ability to retain moisture. So even if you add more water or fat, the sausage becomes more brittle, with dry meat. The ideal is a grinder with a wider mouth (passage duct). The cutting disc also influences, between 8mm and 12mm is good. The problem I think is the duct (diameter of the grinder mouth). To try to get around it, cut the meat into smaller pieces before grinding. Furthermore, refrigerate well, almost freezing the meat, this way it tends to be less crushed as it passes through the screw. Another thing is the cutting blade, sharpen it well, pass both the knife and the side of the disc that is in contact with the knife on a sharpening stone. I believe this will give you better results in your sausages.
Great Eduardo… how are you? look here again...
Friend, I'm selling my sausages following your tips, thank you very much brother!
My grinder has an 8 mouth too, very small, I actually use it for embedding, this tip of passing the disc on the stone I'll try it next time, because when I'm going to grind 20 kg of meat and fat it clogs up a lot so I have to keep cleaning it a bit. 4 or 5x while grinding!
Hi Hugo, sharpening the disc and the knife well should help. In smaller grinders, the connective tissue becomes trapped and ends up narrowing the passage of the meat, which can be crushed. I'm glad to hear it's selling well. Soon you will have to invest in a bigger grinder. A separate cannon is also much more efficient. A big hug!
Definitely, the next step is a cannon, because I miss it when it comes to stuffing sausages stuffed with cheese, especially, the endless thread crushes the pieces and it doesn't look so good...
Great Eduardo, how are you, friend? I produced 20 kg of sausage this week…what a hassle!!!! haha..but very rewarding!
Friend, I'm having trouble using that carmine cochonylia dye!
I bought it in powder form, then diluted it with 2 liters of water and 500g of sugar as per the manufacturer's instructions...but the meat is turning brown and not pink...I'm using 1 ml per kg...
Do you have any tips for me, friend?
Thanks!!
Hi Hugo, congratulations! It really takes a lot of work, but it is satisfying and rewarding. Carmine is generally very strong, with a very intense red, little can solve it, I don't know how it could have turned brown. I always use the liquid, so unfortunately I don't know how to guide you on how to use this powder.
I see…maybe it could be the natural garlic oxidizing the meat? Since I don't use any antioxidants...I think I'll try it with garlic flakes...what do you think?
Yes, you can test. Did you use curing salt? What meat is used, just pork or mixed with beef?
Yes, I used only curing salt 1, I used pork shoulder with bacon!!!
And for the chicken I also used cure 1, thigh cuts with thighs with skin and a little breast!
Eduardo, good night! Regarding the use of curing salt 1, I am using the CONATRIL brand, with 93% salt and 7% sodium nitrite, I have been using the recommendation of 2.14g per kg of meat mass recommended here by the website's calculator. My question is, the seller advised to use 10g per kg, I thought it was too much, I didn't test it and followed the calculator here on the website! What do you think of this amount? 10g is acceptable, it's a lot... I keep 2.14 or use 10, or use 2.5 which is what most recipes say... questions and more questions!
Hug!
Hi Hugo. Due to the composition of this curing salt, I would use between 2g and 3g per kg of meat mass. I consider adding 10g to be a lot, there will be a lot of residual nitrite in the final product. There's no need for that much. The additive calculator shows the minimum to be added, you can add a little more, so up to 3g I think is very reasonable.
Once again, excellent in the comments! Thank you very much, it has helped me a lot!!!
Hi Eduardo, good evening! I just wanted to make it clear here my gratitude for the content! I have never made sausage in my life, and following your advice, using the calculator to adjust the curing salt, yesterday I made my first production of ham sausage with curd cheese and chicken with leek and curd cheese!!! They were excellent!!! But we think it was a little dry, perhaps because I didn't use water in the dough? What would be the ideal proportion of water per kg? I have seen on YouTube something around 150 ml per kg of dough! Does it proceed?
Strong hug
Hi Hugo, I'm happy to know that you started in charcuterie and that the content has helped! You can make the sausage moister by adding water (150ml per kg is good) together with a income mix, which helps in the absorption and retention of this water. Another alternative is to change the meat/fat ratio, increasing the amount of fat. In the case of ham sausages, you can add a part of belly/bacon. In the case of chicken sausages, you can grind a little of the skin together. Hope this helps. A big hug!
In the chicken one I used a little bit of bacon fat, which made it juicy, and the ham one lacked a little fat… water would have helped a lot in both cases!! In the next batches I will add water and adjust the fat, I want to make the most artisanal sausage possible, using only curing salt as a preservative!!!
What is the ideal casing, caliber and length to make artisanal sausages stuffed with cheese, weighing 500g, preventing the casing from bursting and improving the yield/waste of the casing?
How do I add the sausage ingredients. To season a larger quantity, example 100 kg
Always use condiments in percentages based on the weight of the meat mass (meat+fat). For example:
2% of salt (20g for 1 kg of dough)
0.24% of curing salt (2.4g for 1 kg of dough)
0.24% of antioxidant
0.5% of sugar
0.5% of garlic
0.3% of pepper
Hi Eduardo, how are you? Congratulations on the excellent content! I'm starting to read about making homemade sausages to make at home and sell when I get my hands on it! Are these percentage values a basic calculation for any recipe, or do they change depending on the type of protein used in the sausage?
The percentage is a base reference to be able to adapt or customize according to your recipe. Use as a guide.
Speak my friend, look at me here again sucking your knowledge…lol
What do you think of the straw and jowl cuts for the production of pork sausages?
Thank you for your collaboration!!!
Hi Hugo. The pork shoulder is very common to be used in sausages, while the pork rind is less used, but it is a good source of fat to mix and balance the meat/fat ratio. I believe that 80/20 palette and jowls is a good proportion and will have a great result.
Good morning,
The sausage is very good, but when the sausages become crumbly, how can you avoid this?
Thank you very much in advance.
The grind of the meat may be too fine, the grinder may be crushing the meat and ruining the texture, another possibility is that the dough is being worked too little, not giving it time to create the “bond” necessary for good adhesion between the pieces of meat. meat. But I think the problem is with the grinder. Test by making some by cutting the meat with a knife instead of grinding.
Hello, I would like to ask a question, when finishing the manufacture of an artisanal sausage, be it pork, chicken or beef (only curing salt 1 will be used), the sausage must be hung for a while (which Would it have to be that long, would it have to be in the shade or close to some heat source) or can it be frozen straight away?
Hi Ederson, the ideal is to wait at least 12 hours in a refrigerated environment to give the curing salt time to begin the conversion, then you can prepare, freeze or keep it refrigerated for longer until consumption. It is not recommended to hang it near a heat source.
Can I leave the sausage packaged, whether vacuum-packed or on a tray with plastic wrap, in the fridge waiting for this period to start the curing salt process? Can I leave this process for 24 hours or would 12 hours be more recommended? And approximately how long can I keep it frozen? Thank you very much in advance for your feedback. Congratulations on the work, this help is very important, especially for those who are just starting out, like me!!!
Yes, you can now pack during this period. Frozen, it will last around 3 months.
Good morning! I'm producing sausage only for consumption and I use those manual grinders. The sausage is tasty and looks beautiful, but after a few days of frying it I notice the sausage is drier and harder. I use an average of 15 to 20% of fat depending on how the ham is (fatter or leaner). What could be happening to make the sausage drier and harder as the days go by?
Hi Alex, maybe it's a problem with storage, they could be drying out and/or oozing a lot of liquid. Try storing in tightly closed plastic bags or in a vacuum. Another thing is that if you use an emulsifier/stabilizer, the sausages tend to retain more moisture.
Eduardo, Thank you for your prompt response.
The recipe I use includes ice water to help with emulsification and I only use curing salt as an additive. I ended up frying a piece and noticed that at a certain point it starts to release water during the frying process, which is certainly contributing to the dryness. Regarding the amount of fat, is it within the recommended range, that is, around 15 to 20%?
This sausage I just fried was one that I pre-smoked. I'm going to do a new test with it fresh in the next production to see if it presents the same symptom.
Thank you for now!
Hi Alex, 15 to 20% fat is great. Try making a sausage with the meat cut with a knife instead of ground. See if there will be a significant difference in juiciness after roasting/frying. If you want to test an additional additive that helps lock in moisture, use a product like this: https://charcutaria.org/produto/emulsificante-estabilizante-carneo-embutidos-rendimento/
If you are going to smoke, try to do it at the lowest temperature you can.
.
If I make sausage without curing salt, can I freeze it and how long does it last?
You can freeze it, it lasts around 3 months.
Hi guys...I went to buy a sausage course...19.90...when it was time to finish which I didn't do it...because it cost 49 reais...what do you mean...please contact me so I can buy it at the advertised price of 19.90
Hello Eduardo,
I prepare sausages and vacuum pack them to last longer, before packaging them I pierce them with a needle, is this correct what I'm doing or not?
Hi Felipe, piercing the sausages is optional. As for the vacuum, yes, it will give more durability, that's correct.
Good afternoon Eduardo!!!
I have been making some sausages for my own consumption, following recipes from the internet, and several are cracking when frying or roasting (puffing and bursting). What am I doing wrong????
Hello Antonio. The sausage should be roasted over medium heat, never too hot or with a direct flame. It bursts when the internal evaporation pressure is too intense or when the casing is exposed to flame or excessive heat and loses its elastic properties.
Friend, you may be
filling the casing a lot and carefully prick the sausage with a needle when tying the segments.
Good morning!!!!Is anyone sausage factory interested in sharing tips I'm a beginner
Good afternoon Eduardo! I would like to know if there is a recipe for pure homemade sausage, I have made some to test and I don't like it.
Good afternoon. Taste is a very personal thing. What I suggest is that you make a very basic recipe and then change it up. Below is a suggested base for your sausages.
1000 g of ham;
16 g of salt;
2.4 g of type 1 curing salt;
5 g of sugar;
20 g of fresh crushed garlic;
15 g of onion powder;
2 g of black pepper.
sausage and chives to taste (fresh or dehydrated).
Excellent! Thanks! In this case, to give it a little color and not be too white, what do you recommend?
You can add concentrated beet juice.
What quantity would you recommend in this case? Just to give it that little color!! And in the case of pork casings, what would be the proportion on average meter per kg? In other words, how many meters of casing can fit 1 kg of dough? Friendly hug!!
Excellent! Thanks!
What is the procedure to ensure that sausages do not burst when roasting on the grill?
Hi Elci. The sausage should be roasted over medium heat, never too hot or with a direct flame. It bursts when the internal evaporation pressure is too intense or when the casing is exposed to flame and loses its elastic properties.
Hello, I'm using natural pork casing, but I've noticed that even leaving it in hydration and washing under running water, the sausage has that unpleasant intestine smell. There is a technique to eliminate the smell of natural casings (pig intestines).
Hi Irineu, leave it soaked in warm water with a little vinegar.
Thank you very much Eduardo!
Hello, firstly congratulations on the attention given to each one's comments. I've already answered several questions just there. But, I would like to know if, after producing the sausage, if I can freeze it directly, without any prior cooling time?? Big hug and I await your response.
Hi Gustavo. Thanks! I've never read a specific study about this, but, as a precaution, if you've used curing salt, it's a good idea to keep it in the refrigerator for at least 48 hours for the additive to interact with myoglobin. After this period it may freeze. A big hug!
I used beef tripe, when frying it burst, why?
You probably applied too much heat or direct flame to the sausage. Excessive heat evaporates a lot of moisture, putting pressure on the casing. Direct flame weakens the mechanical resistance of the casing. Bake at a lower temperature.
Good morning friend, I want to make homemade smoked sausage but everyone talks about sawdust that is put in a can with holes in it.
I see that your sawdust is not in powder but in chips, does it work like any other?
Is it a fruit plant?
Sawdust in small pieces works too, it burns even better than powder. But both powder, fine or coarse sawdust will work in smoking. Fruit trees are very good for smoking, but you can also use walnut, eucalyptus or any other wood free from resins or chemical treatment. I have been using apple sawdust more: https://charcutaria.org/categoria-produto/defumacao/serragem/
Eduardo, Good Evening, Please, I need some guidance, Boy, I bought a number 8 grinding machine from Malta, it's kind of cute, the problem is that when I grind the meat, it turns into a mess on the disc, and the each maximum 2 kilos of ground meat, I need to clean the disc, if I don't, boy, I can't grind anything, is that really the case? Can only machines with mouths above 10 do better? Please if anyone has an idea help me.
Hi Oséias, how wide are the holes in the front disc? For sausages, for example, it is recommended to use wide holes, close to 1cm in diameter. Regarding the grinder itself, the wider ones (thicker mouth/tube) have that endless screw with deeper grooves, which are better as they do not “crush” the meat as it travels to the cut. Cut the meat more finely with a knife before grinding and use a front disc with larger openings, perhaps this will help. I've never used or seen the Malta grinders in action, so I don't know what to say about them.
Good morning, I bought collagen casing, and I put it on the grill in the Airfryer, and it kind of bursts and a little comes out of the sausage, what will happen. ? The heat, air, I would like to know what it is thank you very much
Hi Victor Breno. Collagen is more rigid than natural casing and can withstand less pressure and heat. Sausages in general should always be roasted/grilled at medium temperature. Excess heat evaporates a lot of water quickly and the casing bursts due to the pressure, especially in the collagen, perhaps that was it. Try reducing the temperature during the process and let me know if it worked.
Hello, good afternoon, is the 22 mouth machine still small?
Hi Rogério, 22 mouth is a great size.
Eduardo, Good afternoon. I'm interested in making sausages, initially for my own consumption, and then perhaps to sell them, I would like to know if it is necessary to buy a mixer, if the texture is better, what changes if I don't use a mixer. Please await your response. Thanks.
Hi Oséias, yes, a mixer is worth selling. The sausage dough needs to be worked to create a bond that makes the sausage's texture firmer. To eat at home, you can work the dough with your hands, but in volume to sell it is unfeasible.
Thank you very much for responding.
I have a homemade arbel grinder, it even allows you to grind the pieces with the RIN disc, but when bagging it crushes all the meat that was in pieces. Now I'm thinking about buying a cannon, do you think that with a cannon I can make a chunkier sausage? thanks
Matheus, you will probably get a much better result with the specific built-in cannon. When the meat is crushed, it loses its texture and becomes more crumbly in the sausage. Before purchasing, you can test a small volume by inserting it with a funnel, this way the grinder will not crush it and you can test the difference in the result.
Thanks for your attention Eduardo.
I'll do the test before buying the cannon,
But I believe that this way I will get the texture I want.
Good morning, congratulations for all the tips, for the attention with which you treat each question and respond to our doubts. Very good website, very well designed, with simple language, you really make a difference. Thank you very much, here I can answer all your doubts, and next week I will start producing my sausages, God willing. It cost
Glaucia, thank you! We try to provide as much information as possible.