Sausages and Cured Meats

Salt concentrates on both inside and outside of the food. Moisture is drawn out and dilutes the salt to cure to the food.

The salt also absorbs into the cells to increase concentration.

2. Nitrite has strong preservatie powers, and gradually breaks down. Nitrate is a stronger chemical. It breaks down more slowy

than nitrite, but is more effective.

3. It help to prevent the sausages from spoilage. Since this process done happened, the sausages could be sold raw or

cooked.

4. Fresh sausages contains no nitrates or nitrites. Cured sausages contains nitrates or nitrates or sodium. Smoked

sausages are cured before smoked. The cure mixture is mixed directly into the meat.

5. The four basic ingredients are: lean pork, pork fat, salt, and spices. Pork is most commonly used in sausages, but there are

plenty of other meats you can use such as: beef, veal, lamb, chicken, turkey, etc. Mixtures of pork and plus one more meat are often

used. Pork fat can be replaced with beef fat.

6. The meat must be kept cold, because when it get warm the fat becomes soft. When the fat becomes soft, it starts lose its structure.

It may cause shrinkage, dryness, and poor texture.

7. Remove the casings one at a time carefully from the salt pack. Unravel them and seperate them in their own row. Partially

fill a large bowl with clean water and set it under the sink faucet. Take one end of the casings and drop the rest into the bowl. Run water into

it to flush it out. Look for large holes. If you are making a small quantity it can be put on the stuffing horn. If not fill container

with cold water and refreigerate until needed.