To add to the meat block weight or not?
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What is the general consensus when adding things like cheese or maybe vegetables? Do you account for that weight in your meat block or do you only count the meat/fat? I’ve seen where some say yes and some say no. What do you guys do?
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What is the general consensus when adding things like cheese or maybe vegetables? Do you account for that weight in your meat block or do you only count the meat/fat? I’ve seen where some say yes and some say no. What do you guys do?
ND Mike I go by meat and fat only, don’t know if it’s right or wrong. But also I have been doing 22 lb meat block batches and using the full 25lb seasoning bag, so I guess it would cover itself.
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ND Mike I go by meat and fat only, don’t know if it’s right or wrong. But also I have been doing 22 lb meat block batches and using the full 25lb seasoning bag, so I guess it would cover itself.
twilliams I imagine using 22 lbs vs 25 lbs makes for a more flavorful sausage. Not too salty? I know salt is relative to the individual but do you find it on the saltier side or just right?
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twilliams I imagine using 22 lbs vs 25 lbs makes for a more flavorful sausage. Not too salty? I know salt is relative to the individual but do you find it on the saltier side or just right?
ND Mike as I said in the livestream, unfortunately I do not have a batch of 25lb mix vs 22lb mix as a true side by side comparison to tell saltiness or flavor profile difference. Salt quantity is personal preference. I like salt. I took some of last years when I was doing a full 25lb meat and seasoning batches to a guy at work and he really liked them, he let his wife have some and she said they were too salty but on the other hand she was not a fan when her husband finally told her it was venison and not beef. I hand out samples at work and this years batches another coworker says man you are really getting this down……I’m not doing anything different from last year to this year besides dropping off a little meat quantity and I am not putting any smoke to them….lol.
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ND Mike as I said in the livestream, unfortunately I do not have a batch of 25lb mix vs 22lb mix as a true side by side comparison to tell saltiness or flavor profile difference. Salt quantity is personal preference. I like salt. I took some of last years when I was doing a full 25lb meat and seasoning batches to a guy at work and he really liked them, he let his wife have some and she said they were too salty but on the other hand she was not a fan when her husband finally told her it was venison and not beef. I hand out samples at work and this years batches another coworker says man you are really getting this down……I’m not doing anything different from last year to this year besides dropping off a little meat quantity and I am not putting any smoke to them….lol.
twilliams lol! Well like I said salt is relative to the individual. I might have to try your way out on a smaller scale like 5 lbs batches and see what I like better. I always laugh when someone says the sausage is good when they think it is all beef. Then you tell them it is venison and they back peddle. Luckily here most people gladly eat venison!
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What is the general consensus when adding things like cheese or maybe vegetables? Do you account for that weight in your meat block or do you only count the meat/fat? I’ve seen where some say yes and some say no. What do you guys do?
ND Mike said in To add to the meat block weight or not?:
What is the general consensus when adding things like cheese or maybe vegetables? Do you account for that weight in your meat block or do you only count the meat/fat? I’ve seen where some say yes and some say no. What do you guys do?
for what its worth, I count only the meat and fat also
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Meat and fat only, when I was doing it professionally we only counted the meat block. The only exception could be something like Boudin where you have a lot of other ingredients, but that seems to be the exception more than the rule and would vary by ingredients. In those exceptions like Boudin cure would be by meat block and salt would be by the whole unless the rice and etc. was salted separately.
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I always use 25lb of meat and make no adjustments for extras. My usual additions are 1lb water and 2.5lb hi-temp cheese.
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Adding cheese shouldn’t affect seasoning too much. Most cheese already has some salt in it so not much dilution there, plus cheese is not usually added in excessive amounts. I think I would worry more about seasoning adjustment if adding a lot of bland ingredients or liquids that would “dilute” the overall mix.
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ND Mike said in To add to the meat block weight or not?:
What is the general consensus when adding things like cheese or maybe vegetables? Do you account for that weight in your meat block or do you only count the meat/fat? I’ve seen where some say yes and some say no. What do you guys do?
for what its worth, I count only the meat and fat also
kyle that is what we have always done too.
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Adding cheese shouldn’t affect seasoning too much. Most cheese already has some salt in it so not much dilution there, plus cheese is not usually added in excessive amounts. I think I would worry more about seasoning adjustment if adding a lot of bland ingredients or liquids that would “dilute” the overall mix.
processhead that makes sense.
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Meat and fat only, when I was doing it professionally we only counted the meat block. The only exception could be something like Boudin where you have a lot of other ingredients, but that seems to be the exception more than the rule and would vary by ingredients. In those exceptions like Boudin cure would be by meat block and salt would be by the whole unless the rice and etc. was salted separately.
mrobisr makes perfect sense…thanks!
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YooperDog thanks! I knew I could count on you guys!
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This!