[USA] Dimensions of a Recipe - Smoked Polish Sausage

Post by **Butterbean** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 04:38

Maybe its just me. Maybe I'm slow. But has anyone else noticed how you can take the same recipe and change just a few simple things like the type grind, method cooked or just some other small thing and come up with something totally different than what you had made before using the same recipe?

el Ducko · Post by **el Ducko** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 05:13

Yup. What a wonderful, creative hobby.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 14:02

Joe, that's the idea I've been trying to get across for years. Products change the most when alterations are made in HOW they are crafted rather than WHAT composes the ingredient list.
Every country or culture on Earth has its own variation of a sausage made only of pork, pepper, and salt. Add garlic and you get one variation. Add marjoram you get another. But, cook and smoke it during prep and you'll end up with an entirely different type than a raw, fermented, air-dried sausage.

It's fun to watch beginners. Most believe they can come up with a sausage that has never been produced before. And most try. But most end up with too many spices in the sausage and it becomes a task to eat a ten-pound batch of overly-seasoned meat. Then somehow, we "live and learn" and adjust and temper our recipes. We eventually settle down to the basic, tried and tested favorites. The best part of our hobby is, of course, eating the results of our efforts. May you do so in good health, my friend!

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 20:48

Rather early in his book Marianski points out that sausage patties , links, and meatloaf can all start from the same mixture. Just the difference between eating a link with onions and peppers and making meatballs to eat with pasta is a good example. Wrapping the same mix in cabbage leaves is still another variation.

Post by **Butterbean** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 23:24

I had noticed this for some time but I wrote it off as variations in process - which makes a big difference too - but yesterday I was making just some traditional smoked polish and remembered the last batch I made was just missing something so I added a little red pepper flakes. Then I added a little milk powder, ground twice while meat was frozen harder than usual. Was going to let the links meld in cooler over night but was hungry and decided to poach one sausage and for quality inspection purposes. End result was something a purist might say was wrong but it hit the bell with me and I struggled with the thought of even putting these in the smoker. It was wonderful and has given me an idea of something - if it works - I will share with anyone whose grandmother has passed because if it turns out half as good as I think it will make you slap your grandmother.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 01:01

Ross wrote:

Wrapping the same mix in cabbage leaves is still another variation.

Oh yes, you mean a "Maryland Casing"!

Joe, your "Slap Yer' Grandma's Sausage" looks incredible! Holy smoke, can you share the recipe for that wonderful creation? I'll be over for breakfast

Goodness, I'll bet you close your eyes when you bite into that thing, eh?

Post by **Butterbean** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 02:07

CW, nothing to share really since you and Marianski already shared it.

http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?p=8869#8869

I have made this before and it was good and was in tight to make something and didn't know what to do so I decided to go back to the basics. Used this recipe except I added some red pepper flakes - (1/2 of what the recipe calls for on pepper). I was using these scraps which I thought were a little on the lean side so I added some NFDM and a little binder.

I ground the meat when it was pretty much frozen then added the spice mix and mixed it for 10 minutes or so till it was really tacky then reground again using the 3/16 plate - again.

Now my plans were to smoke them but after "testing" one by poaching and frying I'm thinking this might be one fantastic sausage made into a chub and sliced for sandwich meat. The flavor is far bolder than bologna but its not strong. For want of a better phrase, its harmony with the pork and is on my "to do immediately list". If it turns out anything like I think it will, its going to be a winner for sure. It was these few tweaks which really brought home the idea how just a few tiny changes can transform a sausage into something completely different from one batch to the next using essentially the same recipe. (Of course, it could have been that I've been screwing up the recipe for all these years and finally got it right) There is always that possibility.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 02:25

Thanks Butter BeanO! You sure do a nice job. We appreciate the details and comments too.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 04:11

I am an orphan so your recipe won't cause any harm to my antecedents. All cooking recipes are this way. Just a small tweak in the ingredients can make a world of difference in the taste.

Post by **redzed** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 05:20

With such excellent quality meat and that recipe you will never fail. But to juxtapose baloney with Polish sausage could get you into trouble at the local Polish club!

Post by **Butterbean** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 06:04

At least I'm not making it into one of the French sausages with all those perfumes and such. Maybe I'll just call it a BASST Sausage for a Big Azz Polish Sausage Sliced Thin to give credit where it is due.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 08:30

grasshopper · Post by **grasshopper** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 16:36

As a beginner. How much red pepper flakes and nfdm or soy concentrate did you use. Also what is the size of the chub. The baloney sounds great. The picture is the seller of this, hungry now.

Post by **Butterbean** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 19:19

I didn't want the pepper to stand out just wanted it to have a tad bit more heat than the original recipe. Just a whisper of heat so to speak so I used half the rate of black pepper as is called for in the recipe in addition to the full amount the recipe calls for.

Personally, I don't care for the soybean concentrate so I used the milk. I used about 2/3 cup of milk powder to 10 lbs of meat. All this was mixed together with the spices and water added to make a slurry that went over the meat before grinding. Actually about half of this went on till it was coated good and running off then the other was added to the mince after the first grind, mixed well for about 10 minutes then ground again.

grasshopper · Post by **grasshopper** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 21:40

Supper thank's Butterbean. I picked up 2 1/2 dia fibrous casings today. I will use nfdm' I have both.