What do you use to emulsify your meat?

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ped
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What do you use to emulsify your meat?

Post by ped » Mon Jun 30, 2014 12:51

Hope you can help, I would like to make emulsified sausage but don't have the budget or volume requirement to get a bowl cutter!!, what do you guys and gals use?, I have a 1400w Kenwood Chef with a standard acrylic bowl, do you think that is sufficient to get correct emulsifying consistency?
IdaKraut
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Post by IdaKraut » Mon Jun 30, 2014 16:55

1400 watts should be fine. I use an old food processor rated at 1200 watts and it works well as long as I don't load more than about 400g at a time. Just be sure to keep your meat mix as cold as possible and don't let the emulsion get any warmer than 45°F to prevent fat separation. Adding some crushed ice really helps. Also ensure you use enough liquids in your recipe or you'll overtax the motor. Each food processor is different so experiment and I think you'll find the best amount to process at a time, along with how much moisture is needed to keep the processor from overheating. I like to allow a few minutes rest between batches to prevent overheating. Good luck.
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Chuckwagon
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Post by Chuckwagon » Mon Jun 30, 2014 20:51

Hi Ped,
My favorite is a Kitchen Aid food processor with sharpened blades. I used a new Nicholson file to sharpen each blade on the top side only. (The bottom of the blade in a processor MUST be flat.) I actually removed a little of the bulk on the blades but made sure they were balanced. They are sharp as razor blades and here's the reason: When a dull blade "cuts" into fresh meat, it RIPS, RUPTURES, and TEARS it. It smashes particles of meat together and makes nothing but a danged mess! On the other hand, using super-sharp blades, they will cut and slice evenly and trim fibers to length, allowing the proteins to develop. Add cold water and soft ice chips slowly and you'll have a great emulsion in no time at all. However, if the emulsion "develops" too much, the meat will have a rubbery, chewy, texture when it should have just a nice "bite". Keep it cold and don't "whip" it. Use just enough hoo-haw and giddy-up to promote the actin and myocin proteins. :razz:

I've seen folks try to make emulsion with a belt-driven (less expensive) processor. Forget it! :roll: If Mama won't let you have a Buffalo Chopper, buy HER a heavy-duty Kitchen Aid processor, then "borrow" it once in a while. :lol: Here's the plan:
1. Be crafty and trim & wax your mustache so it's almost as good-lookin' as mine!
2. Tell Mama that she has lost weight and now resembles Jennifer Anniston!
3. Tell Mama you are buying an early anniversary gift to make her work in the kitchen much less tedious and by giving it to her "ahead of time", (heh, heh, heh...), you are saving her hours of work! :razz:
4. Make sure you clean the danged thing after each use... and be sure to put it away so she doesn't have to lift it.
5. If you actually get away with this crap... let me know! :roll:

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
Last edited by Chuckwagon on Tue Jul 01, 2014 11:35, edited 2 times in total.
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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Post by el Ducko » Mon Jun 30, 2014 22:38

6. Don't get yer moustache caught in th' dang thing, or that much power will bounce you off the walls and you'll wind up like... er... not calling any names, but...

...you know who.
:mrgreen:
Experience - the ability to instantly recognize a mistake when you make it again.
ped
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Post by ped » Tue Jul 01, 2014 06:32

Love your vocabulary CW, almost made me want to buy some Chaps and wear them whilst I'm using my food processor!! But I'm afraid us Brits only wear a stiff upper lip don't you know :wink:
Will buy an extra blade and use exclusively for this, it's not in front of at the moment but I think it is serrated would that pose a problem when sharpening (suppose not if I sharpen the serration out?)
ped
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Post by ped » Tue Jul 01, 2014 06:35

Another thought?, should I run the processor at full/highest speed when emulsifying?, wouldn't that warm the meat more quickly than if slower? But then again if slower it would take longer and don't know if that is worse?
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Post by crustyo44 » Tue Jul 01, 2014 08:57

Hi Ped,
I use a Breville Whiz Professional. I use 1/2 the liquids initially and feed the other 1/2 of the liquid in ice flake form. This seems to keep the meat mix cold enough.
On other occasions I do also mince twice through a 3mm plate. Par freeze the mix for the second mincing though.
My 2 cents worth.
Good Luck,
Jan.
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Chuckwagon
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Post by Chuckwagon » Tue Jul 01, 2014 11:43

El DuckO wrote...
...you know who.
Who? Who? Who?
Have you turned into an Owl now? You, you... you crazed, meshuga, loon!
Dang Rabid Duck!Image
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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