lamb sausage suggestions

sambal badjak · Post by **sambal badjak** » Sat Jan 04, 2014 12:32

We currently have a problem in the country with the availability of pork and pork products.
But, I got a whole lot of new equipment and I want to try it all out.
I went looking in the freezers and found some lamb mince that I minced some time ago.
Looking at it, I suppose it has about 25% fat in it.
I thought, maybe I should make some lamb sausages.

Slight intermezzo: I am actually not too sure if this is lamb or mutton. The beast was about 14 kg and about 1 year old when I got it and disassembled it.

Anyway:
Is 25% fat enough for lamb/sheep sausage?
Would I be better of mixing it with some pork (I still got a little) or beef?
Merquez sounds quite nice to me, but are there some other good lamb sausages?

I do have sheep casings, but have not used them before.
Is there anything I need to do different as compared to the hog casings?

Anything else I should look at?
The mince is currently defrosting in my fridge (and I will keep and use all liquid that comes free during defrosting

)

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Sat Jan 04, 2014 16:15

I am quite fond of loukanika.http://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage ... /loukanika. I have made it with deer meat and closer to 60% deer and 40% pork.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Sat Jan 04, 2014 16:21

Hey, Hey, BadJak,
Go for it! You`ll find lamb casings are nice to eat because they are tender and have just the right "bite" to them. In the USA, we grade lamb based on its age. The ol` timers on this forum know that I crusade for animal rights. I grew up chasin` cows on a horse and never did have sheep, but I know a little about them. Most cattlemen I know treat animals with respect and kindness. Slaughtering is done quickly only after the animal has enjoyed life a while. For this reason we don`t recommend harvesting young animals. I`ve been accused of injecting my politics into this site about this matter, but I don`t care. I just like to see every living thing have a fair shake. Here are the grades of lamb.

1. Hothouse lambs - are milk-fed and slaughtered between only 6 and 8 weeks of age and we do not recommend it - please allow them to live a bit longer.
2. Spring lambs - are milk-fed and are between 3 and 5 months of age. (still not a cattleman`s recommendation)
3. Lamb - is under a year old and weaned on grass. (flavor is much milder than older "mutton")
4. Mutton - sheep over a year old. Best if slaughtered by age 2 for best flavor.

Our government requires that "spring lamb" be slaughtered each between March 1st and the first Monday in October. Lamb from the USA is generally milder in flavor because they are usually grain-fed rather than being free to graze on the range like much of our cattle. The USDA grades lamb in proportion of fat to lean. Prime is expensive and found mostly only in restaurants. Choice, Good, and Utility may be found in supermarkets.

Answering your question about sausage, yes 25% is plenty in Merquez lamb sausage. Use lean lamb and pork fat. Some folks like a little pork mixed in the mince, but the fat of a sheep just isn`t that tasty to most folks. Many object to it even when cooked fresh. It certainly has its own flavor and takes a little "getting used to". Also, be sure to use a Merquez recipe with lots of traditional hot pepper. One last word of advice if you are making a "cooked" sausage rather than "fresh" type. Bring the smoke house temperature up slowly, slowly, slowly. Only a few degrees each half hour or so from preheated 125°F. Stop when the "prep" temp reaches 148°F internal meat temperature. Good luck pal.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

sambal badjak · Post by **sambal badjak** » Sun Jan 05, 2014 06:14

Hi Chuck,
Don't worry, you would have liked the way this lamb/sheep lived!
It was one of my neighbour's and it roamed free all it's life. They slaughtered and gutted it, I just divided it in the pieces I wanted (normally I take them whole to put on a spit braai)
The sort of undefined pieces got turned into mince, so that includes the fat.
I will actually fry up a bit before spicing anything to assess the fat, but I don't think I have a problem with it, neither with beef fat in mince for that matter.

Ross,
That Loukanika also looks like a nice sausage.
I will make up my mind once the mince is defrosted.

I only got 1.3 kg, so it is probably just going to be one type.

sambal badjak · Post by **sambal badjak** » Mon Jan 06, 2014 14:56

I just made some sausage and will actually post the remark in the B2 project, as I sort of made up my own recipe (and that was one of the items in the project).
Ended up with some questions as well and the beginners project seems the right place to ask them.
The sauages are tasty though!!!!

Thewitt · Post by **Thewitt** » Tue Jan 07, 2014 02:43

Merguez is my favorite lamb sausage

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 13:57

Witt,
Do you make your own?

Thewitt · Post by **Thewitt** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 14:30

Chuckwagon wrote:Witt,
Do you make your own?

Oh yes. Made nearly 200kgs of merguez with both lamb and goat this past month

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 20:24

Very nice. Keep up the good work pal!
Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon