The biggest advantage of making sausages at home, says Bruce Aidells, is that you know exactly what you`re eating. You can also control the amount of fat, additives or extenders. Here are some of his tips:
– Buy the freshest possible ingredients, especially the meat.
– Ask your butcher to grind the meat if you don`t have a grinder, but be sure to make the sausages the day the meat is ground. Ground meat spoils faster than whole cuts.
– Keep the meat refrigerated.
– Don`t feel you have to put your sausage into casings. The only sausages that must be in casings are those you hang and smoke. Most can be formed into patties.
– Because it does require a bit of work, make at least 5 pounds at a time, freezing what you cannot use.
– Wash all equipment and work surfaces before and after sausage making.
