Sausage is made from comminuted and seasoned meat that is either fresh, cured, smoked, or heat processed. It originated as a way to preserve meat and was popularized as soldiers carried it between regions, spreading different styles across Europe. Sausage contains meat, fat, curing agents, flavors, and a casing. There are many types including fresh, cooked, smoked, and dry varieties that are distinguished by their preparation methods and ingredients. Natural and collagen casings are most commonly used but cellulose and plastic options also exist. Proper equipment, cleaning, and technique are required to safely produce sausage at home.
2. What is a Sausage?
• Word sausage is from word Salsus
– Salsus means salt or preserved
• Is a comminuted and seasoned meat
• Can be:
– Fresh
– Cured
– Smoked
– Heat processed
• Contain non-meat ingredients
3. History of Sausage
• Reason for discovery of America and trade with
Asia
• Used to be “Bags of Mystery”
– Historically were made from by-products
and left-overs
• Modern sausage is made from lean trimmings
– Cheek, jowl, and heads from beef pork and
poultry
• Roman soldiers traveled with sausages and
introduced sausages to other parts of Europe
• By the Middle Ages, regional forms of sausage
began to evolve into definite and unique forms all
over Europe
4. Primary component
• MEAT INGREDIENTS
o Lean meat
o Fatty meat
• NON MEAT INGREDIENTS
o Water
o Curing agents
o Curing accelerators
o Sensory enhancers
- salt, sweeteners, flavoring, coloring, smoke,
flavour enhancer.
o Stability enhancer
o Extenders & Binders
o casing
5. Types
Fresh sausage
• Not been cured or smoked. Ground, chopped, diced etc.
and seasoned. Must be fully cooked before eating.
• Example - Bockwurst, country-style sausage and Italian
sausages
Cooked sausage
• made from uncured meats. Ground, seasoned meat and
stuffed into casings.
• cooked, normally by poaching.
• Not smoked.
• Cooked sausages are normally served cold and as
purchased.
• Example - Braunsgweiger
6. COOKED-SMOKED SAUSAGES
• made from cured meats. Ground, seasoned meat
stuffed into casings.
• smoked and fully cooked.
• not require cooking but heated before serving.
• Examples - bologna, frankfurters, cotto salami,
Berliners.
UNCOOKED-SMOKED SAUSAGES
•cured or uncured meats.
•ground, seasoned meat and stuffed into casings.
•smoked but not cooked.
•has to be fully cooked before eating.
•Kielbasa and mettwurst are examples
7. DRY AND OR SEMI-DRY
SAUSAGES
• made from cured meats.
• ground, seasoned meat and stuffed into casings.
• may or may not be smoked before drying.
• air dried under controlled conditions.
• amount of time, temperature and humidity are
closely regulated.
• fermented under controlled conditions.
• slightly acidic flavor.
• no further cooking.
• German salami, Italian salami, Lebanon bologna,
pepperoni are examples.
9. Natural Casings
• Made from sub-mucosa of the intestines of hogs,
sheep and cattle.
• They permit deeper smoke penetration
• They absorb flavors and release fats better.
• Hold their shape better.
• Provide a snap when eaten that is not present in the
other casings
• Fully edible.
• Better appearance.
10. Collagen Casings
• Made from collagen from the hides of the cattle
• Edible.
• Flesh side of the hide is used for the collagen
casings
• Have superior machinability.
• Take on smoke color quickly and evenly..
Peel able Cellulose
•Not edible
•Used extensively in the commercial manufacture of
frankfurters.
•Forcemeat is stuffed into the casing, cooked and possibly
smoked.
•The casing is peeled from the finished product by a special
machine.
11. Fibrous Cellulose Casings
·• Not edible.
• Designed for strength.
• Fibers run the length of the casings to increase its strength and
its durability.
• Used mainly for dry or semi-dry sausages, the casings come in
red or clear.
Plastic casings
•cheaper, stronger and uniform in size.
•They do need to be removed before the item is served.
Caulk Fat
•Thin membrane which surrounds the stomach of the hog.
•The membrane is networked, like a spider web, with streaks of
fat.
•Excellent for wrapping items of irregular size.
•Used for patty shaped Greek sausages.
14. Equipment Selection, Care
and Use
Use the following guidelines:
1. Make sure equipment is in excellent condition.
2. Make sure equipment is scrupulously clean
before setting to work.
3. Chill any part of the machine that comes into
direct contact with the sausage ingredients.
4. Choose the right tool for the job.
5. Assemble the grinder correctly.