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Matt Up North · 03-31-2010, 10:25 PM

I am having a devil of a time getting the consistency and texture that I am looking for in sausage. Anyone have any insight? I am using the Kitchen Aid attatchment.

I have tried three times and had poor luck each time.

**dataz722** · 04-01-2010, 12:36 AM

Are you talking about just the grind of the stuffing?

Matt Up North · 04-01-2010, 05:55 PM

I am talking about the grind as well as the fat content. If you buy say a Johnsonville brat, the texture is very nice. When I bite into mine I get either too coarse and kinda dry and then I tried more fat and a smaller grind and it came out like mealy and way too fatty.

Boerderij_Kabouter · 04-01-2010, 06:06 PM

For a firmer texture with a very smooth texture, I find it best to use a large food processor for the grind.

1. Grind per usual with a medium plate.
2. Chill meat to fridge temps.
3. Prepare a pitcher of ice water.
4. Setup your food processor.
5. Process the meat in the food processor using the ice water to keep the meat from chunking up. It should turn into a kind of paste.
6. Stuff the paste into the casings.

Another good tip is to use some soy protein to help with binding. That will also help your texture out.

What kind of sausage are you making?

If you don't have this: http://www.amazon.com/Great-Sausage-Recipes-Meat-Curing/dp/0025668609/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c get it.

**Layne** · 04-01-2010, 06:22 PM

The meat AND fat have to be VERY cold. If it warms up, you will get funky consistancy.

Matt Up North · 04-01-2010, 06:40 PM

Let me tell you my last process.

Buy meat and fat (70/30)
Cut into 2" strips for ease of plunging
Place in freezer for five hours along with plates and blade
grind with largest plate in Kitchen Aid stand mixer
season to taste
grind through small plate
stuff sausage in medium casing

I just did that and the texture was small and mealy. In the past I have done the same, just keeping the texture larger and chunkier and it came out very tasty, but dryer and tougher tasting. I figured that there wasn't enough fat, but I also figured the grind was too large. So I changed both and got some funky sausage in casings. In chili as ground sausage, beautiful. As a link it was pretty nasty.

Reelale · 04-01-2010, 06:51 PM

Are you stuffing with the processer after your last grind? I know when we make venison sausage, the grinder kinda mashes the meat into a paste as it is going into the casings. On my hand grinder, I just grind one time into the casings. Turns out much better, consistency-wise.

Matt Up North · 04-01-2010, 07:43 PM

I grind and then remove the plate and stuff.

Reelale · 04-01-2010, 09:46 PM

Yeah, we did too. Put star washers as spacers. What happens is the auger mushes the meat after it has been ground. Grinding straight into the casing worked for me. YMMV.

**dataz722** · 04-02-2010, 12:15 AM

Using the Kitchenaid for stuffing might be your problem. I have one and it works fine for grinding but is pretty much worthless for stuffing. I am just going to get a vertical stuffer soon.