Meat Processing And Products Q & A October 18th, 2009
I bought some seasoning from you last year and wondered if it would still be good. It has never been opened.It is Legg’s #105 & 110 and a salami kit. I use it with venison. I do need to order some sausage casings for smoking sausage and wondered if you would tell me the best kind to use?
Leggs special packaging allows the seasoning to remain fresh for up to twelve months so the seasoning should still be fine to use as long as it was stored in cool dry place.
For the #105 Smoked Sausage seasoning and the Fresh Cajun Sausage seasoning I prefer to use 32-35mm hog casings and this is about the standard casing and size for smoked sausage throughout the industry but some folks like a smaller diameter and use a 26-28mm sheep casing which is about the size of a regular hot dog.
Q: I will be using the Leggs Pork Sausage Seasoning and the Summers Bratwurst Seasoings; what tempeture do I need to use and how long for smoked sausages? I dont want them completely cooked as I will be be cooking or grilling them after I get them out of the freeze.
A: For smoked sausage and smoked brats: Mix and stuff, don’t forget the cure. 1 level teaspoon to 5 lbs of meat. Dissolve the cure in about a quart of very cold water for the mix. This ensures even distribution of the cure throughout the mix. After stuffing return to the cooler for at least overnight before going to the smokehouse. You can preheat the smokehouse to about 100 degreesF. Allow the sausage to dry for an hour or so. Raise the house temperature to 120 degrees F and hold for one hour. Raise the house temperature again and apply the desired amount of smoke at about 140-160. If you are not sure try 40 minutes of smoke (medium density) at 140 degrees. To finish you can raise the house temp to 180 or below. Temperatures of 185 and above can cause the fat to cook out. When you get an internal product temp of 155 its time to come out of the smokehouse. Shower or cold water bath to stop the cooking process. This will preserve the moisture content of the product, reduce shrink and prevent shriveled product. You will have a fully cooked product that will grill or cook well or can be eaten safely as is.
I don’t recommend partially cooking then storing as this can be potentially hazardous. For food safety it is necessary to fully cook the product to ensure the destruction of live pathogens that may be present in the meat.
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Q: Can hog casings be frozen for storage?
A: Pre-flushed casings come vacuum packed in a brine solution and tests show that they will hold refrigerated in this package for up to 4 years. If you have used some of the casings and need to save the rest they will keep fine for a couple of weeks refrigerated in fresh clean water. Even longer if you keep the water changed regularly. To store for longer periods you can drain the casings, remove any air bubbles in the casings, pack them in dry salt, and store in a ziploc or vacuum bag in the cooler or fridge. I have frozen casings in salt water for a couple of months without a problem but freezing for long periods can cause extraction of the natural oils in the casings resulting in a dryed and weakened casing.
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Q: What is the recommended ratio for pork to wild game for making sausage?
A:It is my opinion that the exact ratio of game to pork isn’t as important as the fat/ lean ratio of the product. I know some folks that use a litle game meat in their pork sausage just to stretch it. I know people that use 100% game meat. With some experimentation you will learn the combination that suits your taste. For a reference point 20 pounds of lean game meat and 5 pounds of fat pork, an 80/20 mix, will make a decent fresh sausage product.
I personally like to use 1/2 lean boneless venison (southern Indiana grain fed white tail deer) and 1/2 boneless pork butts to make a lean, great tasting fresh sausage. This is an excellent meat blend for bratwurst by the way.
For a smoked sausage I might try to find some butts with a little more fat, or replace some of the lean pork with fat. Using a little more fat along with some binder will help the product retain some of the moisture that would be lost during smoking.
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Q: How much is the shipping for a full case of Leggs Old Plantation Pork Sausage Seasoning Blend #10?
A: There are 24- 8 ounce bags in a full case of Leggs Old Plantation Pork Sausage Seasoning Blend #10 which puts the shipping weight at 13 pounds. Shipping cost will depend on the destination. This item ships from 47550. Click here for the USPS Postal Calculator
Please note that 20 bags of this item will fit into a medium sized USPS Flat Rate Box making the shipping charge $10.35 to anywhere in the US. 32 packages will fit into a large size Flat Rate Box and ships for $13.95. Please be aware that there are package size variations with different seasonings. THESE PACK QUANTITIES DO NOT APPLY TO ALL SEASONINGS. When ordering, flat rate shipping can not be selected as an option but whenever possible and cost favorable to the customer we ship using flat rate boxes. When your order is processed the adjustment is made and your card is charged appropriately. If you are using Pay Pal as your payment method a refund is issued via Pay Pal for the difference when the amount is $1.00 or more
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Q: What is the measurement in volume, cups or table or teaspoon for the Leggs Old Plantation Summer Sausage Seasoning Blend #114 to use per pound or per 5 pounds of ground meat. I can not make 25 pounds until I know I will like it.
A: 10 Level tablespoons of Leggs Old Plantation Summer Sausage Seasoning will season 5 pounds of summer sausage. Level the spoon off with the back of a knife and the measurement is almost exact weight. If you can weigh the spice you can figure .0452 per pound of meat. Properly processed this blend produces one of the most delicious summer sausages around. Try some and enjoy!
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