landjager Presses

Post Reply
Keymaster
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 201
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2011 20:11
Location: Washington State

landjager Presses

Post by Keymaster » Wed Mar 21, 2012 00:59

I am working on these Landjager presses, I completed one today. The Plastic is 1" thick with 5/8" deep X 1-1/4" Wide Dado's. I really did not do any research just seem like good depth and width to use for the mashing trauff. I have about 4 more slabs to cut but was wondering if anyone had any better ideas. I wanted to go with plastic because wood ones mold sometimes and I figured plastic would be dishwasher safe with no heated dry.
Thanks, Aaron

Image

Image

Image
User avatar
Butterbean
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1955
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 04:10
Location: South Georgia

Post by Butterbean » Wed Mar 21, 2012 01:47

Good idea and nice work. Seeing your fingers near the router makes me cringe.
Keymaster
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 201
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2011 20:11
Location: Washington State

Post by Keymaster » Wed Mar 21, 2012 02:14

Well Butterbean, I got the shop Journeymen to run the router while I shot a picture :mrgreen: Then I took over with great respect for that piece of machinery.
Note: this was done at work on Lunch time :wink:
User avatar
Butterbean
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 1955
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 04:10
Location: South Georgia

Post by Butterbean » Wed Mar 21, 2012 13:32

Didn't mean to sound critical cause that wasn't the intent. Its just I have a mental scar from witnessing a fluke accident which results in my cringing whenever I see fingers near fast moving sharp things. I cringe whenever I see stuff like this and my frequent use of a meat saw I'm pretty sure I'll never have problems with hemorrhoids.
Oxide
User
User
Posts: 67
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2012 00:04
Location: California

Post by Oxide » Wed Mar 21, 2012 14:36

I had no idea what Landjager was, looked it up. Seems like a similar idea to an Italian sausage that is pressed between boards. While plastic would certainly be more cleaner, it has the disadvantage of trapping moisture within the sausage for the 3 days or so that it is fermenting. The videos I have seen of the Italian sausage shows wooden planks being used that squeeze out some water, and allows evaporation on the edges. No idea about Landjager ... is it traditionally made in a press shaped on 4 sides?
--------
.
nuynai
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 268
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2011 15:17
Location: Buffalo, ny

Post by nuynai » Wed Mar 21, 2012 14:59

Sausage place near me sells them but never thought why they were shaped the way they were. Thanks.
Keymaster
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 201
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2011 20:11
Location: Washington State

Post by Keymaster » Wed Mar 21, 2012 20:30

Butterbean, its always good to have someone looking out for you, absolutely take no offense to you pointing out the obvious, i even told him this is getting scary :) Good point oxide about plastic trapping moisture, we shall see what happens in the future. I need to find out if this material is food safe before i go any further, it is class b polyethylene.
Oxide
User
User
Posts: 67
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2012 00:04
Location: California

Post by Oxide » Thu Mar 22, 2012 15:30

My understanding is that polyethylene (HDPE and LDPE) are food safe. That is what cutting boards and food storage bags are made out of. Also, polypropylene is food safe, but polyvinyl chloride is not -- PVC should be avoided around food.
--------
.
IdaKraut
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 264
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2012 21:49
Location: No. Idaho

Post by IdaKraut » Thu Mar 22, 2012 22:14

Keymaster, you will like the 5/8" depth. I made LJ presses about 6 years ago using 1/2" oak plywood 2' x 4' each and attached oak strips cut at 1" x 5/8" to outline the perimeter and placed one in the middle. I then used stainless steel bolts that I ran through the 1 x 5/8 oak in order to secure and squeeze the sausage down. Each press will handle about 22 lbs of sausage and I usually will do 44 lbs at a time which results in about 25 lbs of finished Landjaegers (I like mine on the drier side). I used food grade mineral oil to season the oak plywood which helps to keep moisture penetration to a minimum, but I still wind up with quite a bit of soupy moisture at the end of the 3 day fermentation process (I use the Len Poli recipe by the way). I like to use 100% pork (I use pork butts that have been frozen at least a month at 4 below zero to ensure killing all trichinosis) but have also made them with elk, beef, moose but always mixed with some pork and stuff into smaller diameter hog casings (I like to use about 28-30mm). I then follow the proper drying/curing methods as per Len Poli in my walk in cooler which is controlled both temperature and humidity wise. Anyway, I think you are on the right track. I probably wouldn't make so many channels since I simply place my links in the mold and once the top piece of plywood is secured down the LJ's will take on that typical fattened shape in both planes. If you've ever had the Landjaegers that are made by Bavarian Meats in Seattle, WA, mine are very similar in shape but I think mine taste much better.

I recently tore my biceps tendon so am out of commission for a while, but would be glad to provide pics of my presses when I can. Also, I like to use the milder lactic acid starter culture for this ( T-SPX ) available at Butcher-Packer and I guess a couple of other places. Also, I absolutely love my new A-MAZE-N-PELLET-SMOKER using either pecan (my favorite) or hickory pellets to smoke the landjaegers. This device requires no power or gas so it works great for cold smoking.
Keymaster
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 201
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2011 20:11
Location: Washington State

Post by Keymaster » Fri Mar 23, 2012 00:22

Oxide, I have come to the conclusion that the Plastic I have is safe to use around food.

IdaKraut welcome to the forum, theres some educated guys here that know sausage and a lot more, Im still learning. I have only made Landjaegars once and they were semi dried with cure #1 and cableas seasoning. This time I plan on a dry fermented Landjaegar. I have had Bavarian Meats landJaegars and I like them a lot. I hope to come close to theres in flavor and texture. I will look at poli's recipe as I have it on my computer but I did intend using Stanley Marianski Recipe here.
http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/sausage-recipes/landjager
When you get all healed up take some pictures of your boards and post them on the forum, I am sure everyone would like to see them. Thanks for the tips and you will enjoy the forum.

Aaron
IdaKraut
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 264
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2012 21:49
Location: No. Idaho

Post by IdaKraut » Fri Mar 23, 2012 00:55

Aaron,

I have all of the Marianski books but I think they have the Landjaeger recipe wrong since they do not contain cumin or nutmeg. The predominate spice is ground caraway seed. Their recipe on page 382 for Kantwurst is really the one you want to use, but like I said I have been using Len Poli's recipe (http://lpoli.50webs.com/index_files/Roh-landjaeger.pdf)for quite some time and it works for me (I never use liquid smoke however). Also I only use 2.0 - 2.2% salt since I dislike things too salty. Since I dry mine to about 45% weight loss, I use less salt than quoted or it would taste like a salt lick.

Rudy
Keymaster
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 201
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2011 20:11
Location: Washington State

Post by Keymaster » Fri Mar 23, 2012 01:23

I thought I had Polis recipe but I dont, I will get it from a friend and compare. I know someone that really likes Stanleys recipe and I think I may try that first, I need to go smell and taste caraway seed to see if I like it I guess as I have said before, I am not spice savvy.
Aaron
Post Reply