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Ok, so in the instructions there is always a reference to partially freezing the meat to get a good grind. I have done this each time. I had purchased the meat fresh, cut it to size and then put in the freezer for an hour before grinding.
This time, I have a different situation. Earlier this week, I came across a good deal on the pork I will be using in this next batch of sausage. I have already cut the meat to size, froze loose on a cookie sheet and then bagged the meat. So, how do I best proceed this time. I figure I have a few options.
1) try and grind the meat fully frozen as is. I do have an LEM 1/3 hp grinder that we have used once to date.
2) partially defrost the meat before grinding (but middle will be most frozen instead of outside)
3) fully defrost meat and then partially refreeze, but I am always concerned about the rule of not freezing meat twice. I just don’t know if that does not apply in this scenario
Pointers would be great. Thanks
We have had many people tell us that they had their butcher grind the meat for dry sausage. They usually tell us this when trying to figure out why the sausage is not turning out (not drying properly, etc.)
There is a good reason why the dry sausage videos demonstrate cutting almost frozen meat and grinding it through a large plate in our kitchen. Low meat temperature and well mixed spices, culture and cure are extremely important when making dry sausage.
Butchers are usually not dry sausage makers and grind the meat mainly for people to make hamburgers. Hamburger meat is usually ground through a 4-6 mm plate (we recommend 8 -10 mm plate for dry sausage) and the butcher is not going to worry about meat temperature. After the meat is ground by the butcher, it would then be transported to the place where you would then have to mix in the ingredients and stuff it into UMAi Dry sausage casing. It may be very difficult to get a good mix of cure, spices and culture when the ground meat is thawed out and has a consistency of dough. Additionally the meat is likely to be higher temperature before stuffing which will inhibit even drying of the dry sausage.
Conclusion: Grind the semi-frozen meat yourself through a large plate, mix in the ingredients while the ground meat is still semi-frozen and stuff as cold as possible. Good results will follow.