Charcuterie_ The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing - Michael Ruhlman [73]
3 1⁄2 pounds/1.5 kilograms boneless lean venison, all fat and sinew removed, diced
11⁄2 pounds/675 grams boneless pork shoulder butt, diced
2 tablespoons/30 grams sugar
11⁄2 ounces/40 grams kosher salt (3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon/6 grams onion powder
1 teaspoon/3 grams ground white pepper
2 teaspoons/6 grams Hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon/6 grams pink salt
1⁄2 teaspoon/2 grams ground allspice
1⁄2 teaspoon/2 grams freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon/3 grams freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon/1.5 grams garlic powder
1 cup/250 milliliters ice water
10 feet/3 meters hog casings, soaked in tepid water for at least 30 minutes and rinsed
1. Combine all the ingredients except the water and toss to mix thoroughly. Chill until ready to grind.
2. Grind the mixture through the small die into a bowl set in ice (see Note below).
3. Add the water to the meat mixture and mix with the paddle attachment (or a sturdy spoon) until the water is incorporated and the mixture develops a uniform, sticky appearance, about 1 minute on medium speed.
4. Sauté a bite-sized portion of the sausage, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
5. Stuff the sausage into the hog casings, and twist into 6-inch/15-centimeter links. Hang on smoke sticks and let dry for 1 to 2 hours at room temperature or in refrigerator.
6. Hot-smoke the sausages (see page 77) at a temperature of 180 degrees F./82 degrees C. to an internal temperature of 150 degrees F./65 degrees C. Transfer to an ice bath to chill thoroughly, then refrigerate.
Yield: About 5 pounds/2.25 kilograms sausage; about twenty 6-inch/15-centimeter links
[ NOTE: See pages 135–140 for a detailed description of the basic grinding, mixing, stuffing, and cooking techniques. ]
SUMMER SAUSAGE
This is a fermented-style sausage, one of the most popular and delicious types of sausage. A fermented sausage is one in which an active bacterial culture feeds on the sugars in the meat mixture, releasing acid, which in turn inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria and creates a pleasingly acidic taste, as with Italian soppressata. It was originally called summer sausage because it kept well in summer’s heat without refrigeration. Fermento, a dairy-based flavoring used here, gives the sausage the same tangy flavor, distinct from other acids such as citric acid or a vinegar, but it does not actually ferment. The sausage is ground once and refrigerated to allow it to cure before it is ground a second time; this will result in a firmer-textured sausage and a brighter color. This is excellent sliced thin, served at room temperature with some good mustard. Brian often bakes this sausage inside brioche.
3 pounds/1350 grams boneless lean beef (stew beef, chuck roast, round), fat and sinew removed
11⁄2 pounds/675 grams boneless pork shoulder butt, diced
11⁄2 ounces/40 grams kosher salt (3 tablespoons)
1 ounce/30 grams dextrose (3 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon/6 grams pink salt
1⁄2 cup/80 grams Fermento (see Sources, page 301)
4 teaspoons/16 grams Colman’s dry mustard
11⁄2 teaspoons/4 grams ground coriander
1 teaspoon/2 grams garlic powder
8 ounces/225 grams pork back fat, diced
10 feet/3 meters hog casings, soaked in tepid water for at least 30 minutes and rinsed
1. Combine the beef, pork, salt, dextrose, and pink salt and toss to mix well.
2. Grind the mixture through the large die into a bowl set in ice (see Note below).
3. In a small bowl, dissolve the Fermento in just enough water (1⁄4 to 1⁄2 cup/60 to 125 milliliters) to make a thin paste. Add the mustard, coriander, and garlic powder and stir to mix thoroughly. Add to the ground meat mixture and mix with the paddle attachment (or a sturdy spoon) for 2 minutes. Fold in the diced fat.
4. Pack the mixture into a pan or plastic container, pressing out any air pockets. Cover