[USA] Cactus Jack's Kabanosy
Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2011 22:57
"Cactus Jack`s Kabanosy"
(Kabonosy made with collagen casing)
Author Stan Marianski, says kabanosy is the "finest meat stick in the world"! And he`s right. Stan says in his native Poland, a "kabanek" is a young pig less than 264 pounds (120 kg.) in weight. This recipe is very close to Stan`s own, found in his superb book, "Home Production Of Quality Meats And Sausages". Stan is also one of the founders of the Polish forum Wedliny Domowe.
Cactus Jack`s kabanosy recipe is for folks with little access to sheep casings, or those who find sheep casings too expensive. In Australia, believe it or not, it is becoming difficult to find. In America, it is getting quite expensive. This recipe uses 19 mm collagen casing. Part of the reason I chose kabanosy as part of Project B, was to introduce folks to collagen casings if they`ve never tried them. One of our members has posted his recipe for kabanosy, again very similar to Stans, but he is adamant about not using anything but sheep casing. Why not make up your own mind? You may even wish to try both. I like 22 mm collagen casing for kabanosy, but that doesn`t mean you have to. Why not give it the benefit of the doubt and try something new. That`s what Project B is all about.
10 lbs. Pork butt
4-1/2 tblspns. kosher salt
2 level tspns. Prague Powder #1
3 tblspns. black pepper (freshly ground)
1 cup water
19 mm. collagen casings
2 tspns. sugar
3/4 tblspn. nutmeg
1 tblspn. caraway seeds
Separate the fat from the lean using a sharp knife, and cut the meat into 2" cubes. Freeze the fat and semi-freeze the lean. Grind the pork using the 3/8" plate and the fat using a 3/16" plate. Work with small batches, refrigerating the meat and fat at every opportunity. Mix the meat with all the ingredients only enough to barely develop a meat paste. Use as little added water as possible. My friend and fellow moderator Miroslaw Gebarowski (Maxell) told me long ago that in Poland, the meat for this particular sausage is not mixed as thoroughly as others although the correct texture of this meat stick depends upon some development of the proteins while mixing, and the slow, gradual, heating during the cooking step. Once, I even tried emulsifiying this sausage as an experiment. Miroslaw would probably slap me, but I found that it gave the sausage an interesting extra chewy texture. Note that most sausage makers in Poland claim their secret of this particular sausage is in NOT developing the proteins in the meat at all in this particular sausage.
Use a long, non-tapered, stainless steel nozzle if you have one. Note that 19 millimeters equal 0.748 of an inch and it will pull over a 1/2" OD stuffing tube while taking the "accordion folds" out of it. Pull as much collagen casing onto the tube as possible, keeping everything dry as possible. This casing does not use water - it slides along a dry surface. Extrude the meat and make 3 foot lengths if your table is long enough, or form coils if not. Simply pinch the end of the casing and begin filling it. After a few inches have entered the casing, let it go and move the sausage along as it comes from the stuffer. I like to cut 12" sections with a pair of scissors, laying them on a smoke screen to dry just before smoking them.
Smoke-cook using your favorite wood. (There is no hickory in Poland). Use a preheated 120°F. (49°C.) smokehouse and after 45 minutes, raise the smokehouse temperature to 160°F. (71°C.), until the internal meat temperature reaches 145° (63°C.) in less than half an hour. Monitor the meat temperature carefully and do not allow it to overcook. The entire cooking time should be less than 90 minutes, as the diameter of the sausages is much smaller than most others. When the internal meat temperature of the kabanosy reaches 145° F, remove them to cool. Don`t use cold water on collagen casings as it will affect the texture of the casings. I like to use a portable fan to help with the blooming of these sausages. After a few hours, refrigerate the sausages wrapped in paper towels for a few days to reduce moisture, shrink, and bloom. If you can wait, they are best after about 4 or 5 days drying. This is a perishable product and should be kept refrigerated.
Notes:
Remember, light collagen casings will not support the weight and coils (or sticks) must be placed on wire screens. Don`t bother tying links. Simply cut the kabanosy into desired lengths with scissors prior to drying and smoking. Store the snack sticks in paper sacks in a refrigerator. Kabanosy may be vacuum packaged and frozen successfully - otherwise it will harden as it continues to dry.
Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
(Kabonosy made with collagen casing)
Author Stan Marianski, says kabanosy is the "finest meat stick in the world"! And he`s right. Stan says in his native Poland, a "kabanek" is a young pig less than 264 pounds (120 kg.) in weight. This recipe is very close to Stan`s own, found in his superb book, "Home Production Of Quality Meats And Sausages". Stan is also one of the founders of the Polish forum Wedliny Domowe.
Cactus Jack`s kabanosy recipe is for folks with little access to sheep casings, or those who find sheep casings too expensive. In Australia, believe it or not, it is becoming difficult to find. In America, it is getting quite expensive. This recipe uses 19 mm collagen casing. Part of the reason I chose kabanosy as part of Project B, was to introduce folks to collagen casings if they`ve never tried them. One of our members has posted his recipe for kabanosy, again very similar to Stans, but he is adamant about not using anything but sheep casing. Why not make up your own mind? You may even wish to try both. I like 22 mm collagen casing for kabanosy, but that doesn`t mean you have to. Why not give it the benefit of the doubt and try something new. That`s what Project B is all about.
10 lbs. Pork butt
4-1/2 tblspns. kosher salt
2 level tspns. Prague Powder #1
3 tblspns. black pepper (freshly ground)
1 cup water
19 mm. collagen casings
2 tspns. sugar
3/4 tblspn. nutmeg
1 tblspn. caraway seeds
Separate the fat from the lean using a sharp knife, and cut the meat into 2" cubes. Freeze the fat and semi-freeze the lean. Grind the pork using the 3/8" plate and the fat using a 3/16" plate. Work with small batches, refrigerating the meat and fat at every opportunity. Mix the meat with all the ingredients only enough to barely develop a meat paste. Use as little added water as possible. My friend and fellow moderator Miroslaw Gebarowski (Maxell) told me long ago that in Poland, the meat for this particular sausage is not mixed as thoroughly as others although the correct texture of this meat stick depends upon some development of the proteins while mixing, and the slow, gradual, heating during the cooking step. Once, I even tried emulsifiying this sausage as an experiment. Miroslaw would probably slap me, but I found that it gave the sausage an interesting extra chewy texture. Note that most sausage makers in Poland claim their secret of this particular sausage is in NOT developing the proteins in the meat at all in this particular sausage.
Use a long, non-tapered, stainless steel nozzle if you have one. Note that 19 millimeters equal 0.748 of an inch and it will pull over a 1/2" OD stuffing tube while taking the "accordion folds" out of it. Pull as much collagen casing onto the tube as possible, keeping everything dry as possible. This casing does not use water - it slides along a dry surface. Extrude the meat and make 3 foot lengths if your table is long enough, or form coils if not. Simply pinch the end of the casing and begin filling it. After a few inches have entered the casing, let it go and move the sausage along as it comes from the stuffer. I like to cut 12" sections with a pair of scissors, laying them on a smoke screen to dry just before smoking them.
Smoke-cook using your favorite wood. (There is no hickory in Poland). Use a preheated 120°F. (49°C.) smokehouse and after 45 minutes, raise the smokehouse temperature to 160°F. (71°C.), until the internal meat temperature reaches 145° (63°C.) in less than half an hour. Monitor the meat temperature carefully and do not allow it to overcook. The entire cooking time should be less than 90 minutes, as the diameter of the sausages is much smaller than most others. When the internal meat temperature of the kabanosy reaches 145° F, remove them to cool. Don`t use cold water on collagen casings as it will affect the texture of the casings. I like to use a portable fan to help with the blooming of these sausages. After a few hours, refrigerate the sausages wrapped in paper towels for a few days to reduce moisture, shrink, and bloom. If you can wait, they are best after about 4 or 5 days drying. This is a perishable product and should be kept refrigerated.
Notes:
Remember, light collagen casings will not support the weight and coils (or sticks) must be placed on wire screens. Don`t bother tying links. Simply cut the kabanosy into desired lengths with scissors prior to drying and smoking. Store the snack sticks in paper sacks in a refrigerator. Kabanosy may be vacuum packaged and frozen successfully - otherwise it will harden as it continues to dry.
Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon