I don’t have my tamale recipe in front of me, but the first time I tried to make them they wouldn’t hold together. I called my mother-in-law, a first generation Mexican-American woman, and her advice to me was “just keep adding more lard. They’ll stay together when you get enough”. Still laugh each time I make them.

processhead Thank you for that very informative article! You may be onto something, as I seem to remember the sausages had a nice pink color to them. The article mentioned that Sodium Ascorbate could be used as a replacement.

Hi everyone! I’m new to the forum, but have been making sausage and smoked food since I was a kid. I have an old turkey sausage recipe that’s been in my family since “the Olden Days”. It makes 50lbs. and uses ground turkey and pork. Along with the salt and flavoring, it calls for 2 oz. of “freeze preservative”. I have never heard of this and unfortunately, everyone that used to make it when I was young, have all since passed away. This recipe comes from a family of German descent from the upper Midwest. Have any of you ever heard of this, or have an idea what it could be?