Fred Slyfield
- Thread starter Dani
- Start date
Mark,
Why is it that a man can post a simple request for help in "making sausage" and they will get a response on the subject matter but when a woman does it you have to imply that it is more than the obvious thing and instead it is sexual in nature? A gentleman named Freud once stated that "sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." You can be assured that when I'm asking for advice on something, it is not going to be couched in innuendo. So feel free to keep the filthy thoughts to yourself in such matters, or save them for someone who appreciates it.
Dani
Why is it that a man can post a simple request for help in "making sausage" and they will get a response on the subject matter but when a woman does it you have to imply that it is more than the obvious thing and instead it is sexual in nature? A gentleman named Freud once stated that "sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." You can be assured that when I'm asking for advice on something, it is not going to be couched in innuendo. So feel free to keep the filthy thoughts to yourself in such matters, or save them for someone who appreciates it.
Dani
TimJ
Well-known member
Two things I know about Dani. First, if she wants to use innuendo it will not be very hidden and will obviously be funny. Second... well Dani is asking about making sausage.
btw Don't be so sure guys wouldn't bring that same thing up if it were a guy asking it. Our minds really aren't that selective.
Tim
btw Don't be so sure guys wouldn't bring that same thing up if it were a guy asking it. Our minds really aren't that selective.
Tim
Mark W
Well-known member
Wow, it was a joke and wasn't even close to filthy. Why so sensitive? I would have said the same thing had it been a guy asking the question. Guess that makes me an equal opportunity offender.
Was not meant in any manner to be offensive Dani as I don't roll that way. I have removed my sad attempt at humor.
Mark W
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Why so sensitive? As I stated before, when a man makes a post about making sausage no one thinks anything other than he's asking about making sausage. Do a search on this site for such a post and there's a good deal posted and no one makes 'jokes' about it. As Tim mentioned, and as others who know me already know, I'm not a prude and will joke around with folk but I do take offense when a request for help from a specific person is turned into sexual innuendo.
Dani
Dani
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Matt Masters
Active member
What's your question Dani? I'm in the food industry and have a good bit experience making sausage. I have recently took on the task of curing and smoking bacon, talk about trial and error! LOL
Accepted.
Now on to more interesting and fun things......
Matt, I've got a bunch of gator that I'm interested in making some sausage out of. It's very very lean (great care is taken to remove all the fat possible), and care must be taken when cooking it or it's very dry. I was wondering what percentages I might be looking at for adding fat/pork to and what I might add to it, spice wise. Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance
Dani
Now on to more interesting and fun things......
Matt, I've got a bunch of gator that I'm interested in making some sausage out of. It's very very lean (great care is taken to remove all the fat possible), and care must be taken when cooking it or it's very dry. I was wondering what percentages I might be looking at for adding fat/pork to and what I might add to it, spice wise. Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance
Dani
Steve Steffy
Well-known member
Hmmm, I'd offer up some advise here, but my ill-fated attempt at making venison sausage last year went horribly wrong. It was absolutely disgusting...the wife and kids still crack jokes about it. Good luck on your gator sausage, that sounds like it would be pretty tasty if you could find the right recipe for it. Keep us posted on the results.
Steve
Steve
Matt Masters
Active member
There are so many options you can do with this.
I would blend the gator meat a 25% ratio to the other meats. I would choose fatty cuts that way you do not have to add fat.
There are several pork cuts that you can use, and also might want to consider chicken thighs or leg quarters that have been deboned but not trimmed.
I would try a 50% pork, 25% chicken thigh/leg quarters, and 25% gator. There are some very good pre-blended sausage seasonings out there or you can blend your own recipe, Google will be your best friend! LOL. Find you a recipe you think that you will like and PM it to me if you have any questions.
Another important factor is what type of sausage are you wanting? And what type of dishes are you wanting to use it in? If you are wanting to do a casing sausage as opposed to a loose crumbly sausage you will need to grind the meats differently. Feel free to ask any questions! I develop new food products for a living so it's fun to teach others.
I would blend the gator meat a 25% ratio to the other meats. I would choose fatty cuts that way you do not have to add fat.
There are several pork cuts that you can use, and also might want to consider chicken thighs or leg quarters that have been deboned but not trimmed.
I would try a 50% pork, 25% chicken thigh/leg quarters, and 25% gator. There are some very good pre-blended sausage seasonings out there or you can blend your own recipe, Google will be your best friend! LOL. Find you a recipe you think that you will like and PM it to me if you have any questions.
Another important factor is what type of sausage are you wanting? And what type of dishes are you wanting to use it in? If you are wanting to do a casing sausage as opposed to a loose crumbly sausage you will need to grind the meats differently. Feel free to ask any questions! I develop new food products for a living so it's fun to teach others.
John L
Well-known member
Have you considered trying to make some Gator Bratwurst?
That may be good for some nice lean white meat. I have had gator cooked a few different ways and had often thought about Gator Brats.
You have me thinking next time I'm at my sisters in Naples I'm going to give it a try. We don't have a Gator season up here yet but with all this global warming we may have a season soon.lol
Good luck and let us know who it turns out.
That may be good for some nice lean white meat. I have had gator cooked a few different ways and had often thought about Gator Brats.
You have me thinking next time I'm at my sisters in Naples I'm going to give it a try. We don't have a Gator season up here yet but with all this global warming we may have a season soon.lol
Good luck and let us know who it turns out.
Matt-
why so much "extra" meat in the sausage? I'd like my gator sausage to still taste more like gator than another meat.
I've no clue on "what kind" of sausage I'd be wanting. I like sausages...we eat lots of brats, mix sausage in with spaghetti and in chili...so i suppose brats, sausage for chili and spaghetti...i've not found a source for sausage casings here in jax.....the grocery stores don't carry them and the butcher shop i called didn't carry them either...the only place i've found them are in the box sets at gander mountain and i don't like those....nasty casings....
i don't typically go for the 'sweeter' sausages....i like spicier ones better
how does grinding the meat matter in whether they go in casings or not?
John, does your sister have a local source for gator or does she hunt them?
Dani
why so much "extra" meat in the sausage? I'd like my gator sausage to still taste more like gator than another meat.
I've no clue on "what kind" of sausage I'd be wanting. I like sausages...we eat lots of brats, mix sausage in with spaghetti and in chili...so i suppose brats, sausage for chili and spaghetti...i've not found a source for sausage casings here in jax.....the grocery stores don't carry them and the butcher shop i called didn't carry them either...the only place i've found them are in the box sets at gander mountain and i don't like those....nasty casings....
i don't typically go for the 'sweeter' sausages....i like spicier ones better
how does grinding the meat matter in whether they go in casings or not?
John, does your sister have a local source for gator or does she hunt them?
Dani
John L
Well-known member
Dani,
I stumbled on a store that sold gator meat on my way from my Mom's in Estero heading to my sisters in Naples. It was on Tamaimi Trail but I'm not sure of the address. If I'm not mistaken I think it was in the Bonita Springs area on the East side of the road in a small strip of stores. I'll see if I can find out the name of the place.
I wish my sister hunted and had a few gator tags. I would love to bring some meat home.
Can I interest you in a trade? One predator for another?
I just caught this guy Monday
I stumbled on a store that sold gator meat on my way from my Mom's in Estero heading to my sisters in Naples. It was on Tamaimi Trail but I'm not sure of the address. If I'm not mistaken I think it was in the Bonita Springs area on the East side of the road in a small strip of stores. I'll see if I can find out the name of the place.
I wish my sister hunted and had a few gator tags. I would love to bring some meat home.
Can I interest you in a trade? One predator for another?
I just caught this guy Monday
Chris Toy
Active member
Dani, I have no experience with gator, but have been playing around making my own sausages recently and feel I'm getting pretty good at it.
In my opinion 15% fat is the absolute minimum for good sausage and 20% is best. Some commercial sausage is 30%, but that's too greasy for my taste. I have a recipe for hot Italian that I have been working on that is excellent in my opinion, that I would be happy to share if you are interested.
If you like sage breakfast sausage, there is a commercial mix out there called "original mountain man blend" or something very similar that my family loves. Google should show who makes it if you do a search, think maybe I got it at gander mtn.., but not positive.
Only other advice I would offer is don't over grind the meat. One time through a 3/16" plate is what a butcher friend recommended to me. Too many trips through the grinder makes it tough and rubbery, I know from experience
In my opinion 15% fat is the absolute minimum for good sausage and 20% is best. Some commercial sausage is 30%, but that's too greasy for my taste. I have a recipe for hot Italian that I have been working on that is excellent in my opinion, that I would be happy to share if you are interested.
If you like sage breakfast sausage, there is a commercial mix out there called "original mountain man blend" or something very similar that my family loves. Google should show who makes it if you do a search, think maybe I got it at gander mtn.., but not positive.
Only other advice I would offer is don't over grind the meat. One time through a 3/16" plate is what a butcher friend recommended to me. Too many trips through the grinder makes it tough and rubbery, I know from experience
Matt Masters
Active member
Dani-
You can do even amounts of meat or more gator than the rest. If you want it to be a gator sausage I would go 50-60% gator, 25-35% pork, and the rest chicken dark meat untrimmed. If you wanted to get a little wild with it you can mix in some duck meat, liver, hearts etc. in a 5% or less mixture. Again you can adjust the %'s to your liking, but remember that fat is what binds the meats together so you will want to use fatty cuts. If you don't you will need to add some form of starch to the blend to help bind it together or just add some pork fat.
There's plenty of spicy sausage recipes out there and plenty of pre-blended mixes. You will want to use a natural casing and considering the part of the country you are in it might be harder to find. And you will want fresh natural casings. Let me do some research and see if I can find a source that is reasonable for you.
The grind size, the meat %'s, and casing all play a factor in the texture, bite, and mouth feel of a sausage. If you like a good crisp bite to where you can tell you are actually eating meat (small chunks) you will want to grind the meat 1/4" or larger. If you are eating it in the form of brats or using in chili and sphagetti I would grind half of the meat 1/4" and the other half 1/2". Then when you blend the spices in it will break down the meat a little. Also let the meat and spices set for 24-48 hours before stuffing into casings. Then you can cold smoke it and cook with whatever method you prefer or fully smoke it.
Maybe this will help some, if not keep the questions coming.
You can do even amounts of meat or more gator than the rest. If you want it to be a gator sausage I would go 50-60% gator, 25-35% pork, and the rest chicken dark meat untrimmed. If you wanted to get a little wild with it you can mix in some duck meat, liver, hearts etc. in a 5% or less mixture. Again you can adjust the %'s to your liking, but remember that fat is what binds the meats together so you will want to use fatty cuts. If you don't you will need to add some form of starch to the blend to help bind it together or just add some pork fat.
There's plenty of spicy sausage recipes out there and plenty of pre-blended mixes. You will want to use a natural casing and considering the part of the country you are in it might be harder to find. And you will want fresh natural casings. Let me do some research and see if I can find a source that is reasonable for you.
The grind size, the meat %'s, and casing all play a factor in the texture, bite, and mouth feel of a sausage. If you like a good crisp bite to where you can tell you are actually eating meat (small chunks) you will want to grind the meat 1/4" or larger. If you are eating it in the form of brats or using in chili and sphagetti I would grind half of the meat 1/4" and the other half 1/2". Then when you blend the spices in it will break down the meat a little. Also let the meat and spices set for 24-48 hours before stuffing into casings. Then you can cold smoke it and cook with whatever method you prefer or fully smoke it.
Maybe this will help some, if not keep the questions coming.
I make a lot of venison sausage; brats, hot italian and summer sausage.... I use 50% pork butt, and 50% venison. With venison at least, you need that much pork so the sausage is not too dry. 50/50 seems good to my taste. I also agree, not to overgrind. I spend more time cubing into small cubes, combine meats, then add the seasonings and combine well and let stand overnight. Grind coarse and then stuff. I plan to do some duck and goose sausage soon... bought the casings, and the neigbor got some "prime rib" fat and has a recipe he has tried...so we will see. I plan to smoke some as well in my built smokehouse that has not yet been used! I built to be able to hang sausage and not make such a mess in the kitchen oven! My wife has a hot italian chilli recipe that is ribbon winner everytime!
Neal Haarberg
Active member
I have been making sausage from my duck for the past couple years and you need to add pork fat to it. Sausage needs fat to work. I would say 20-25% is good. I usually make linguica but am looking into making some toulousa style from this website.
http://honest-food.net/wild-game/duck-goose-recipes/sausages-salami/toulouse-style-duck-or-goose-sausage/
That said, I tried some aligator sausage at a party this summer and the guy who made it said it was difficult because it was so lean but it had a good texture to it but it sure wasn't a johnsonville brat. He was having the same issue that I have with ducks. The meat is lean. if you add powdered milk to the mix it will help it retain some moisture and not be so dry. I don't know if you are planning on getting casings from the internet but a good butcher shop should be able to provide you with hog casings and pork fat. Sausage making is like beer making. anybody can make beer but not anybody can make good beer.
By the way, I blurted out that "I love sausage!" in the office as I was finishing my last link of linguisa. You can guess how that was taken by my coworkers.
http://honest-food.net/wild-game/duck-goose-recipes/sausages-salami/toulouse-style-duck-or-goose-sausage/
That said, I tried some aligator sausage at a party this summer and the guy who made it said it was difficult because it was so lean but it had a good texture to it but it sure wasn't a johnsonville brat. He was having the same issue that I have with ducks. The meat is lean. if you add powdered milk to the mix it will help it retain some moisture and not be so dry. I don't know if you are planning on getting casings from the internet but a good butcher shop should be able to provide you with hog casings and pork fat. Sausage making is like beer making. anybody can make beer but not anybody can make good beer.
By the way, I blurted out that "I love sausage!" in the office as I was finishing my last link of linguisa. You can guess how that was taken by my coworkers.