Some of you may remember I made a batch of Reuben sausage last Spring. They ate real good but were real wet and hard to stuff. Thought I'd try again and take to Iowa this weekend for evaluation. Used corned beef brisket, shredded swiss and kraut again. This time at OU812's suggestion I added four slices of dark rye bread to try and sop up some of the moisture. Beef ground coarse and the ingredients mixed in, ready to stuff into hog casings.
(http://i1278.photobucket.com/albums/y510/Banset1/3ca2a7f8-28eb-4fa8-bfc2-1568f044c97c_zpsc22f6712.jpg) (http://s1278.photobucket.com/user/Banset1/media/3ca2a7f8-28eb-4fa8-bfc2-1568f044c97c_zpsc22f6712.jpg.html)
Still seemed a little wet so I added 6 TBS NFDM, mixed again and let it all sit in the frig for a while. The stuffing went much better this time, but still a little wet. I thought the fried up leftover tasted pretty good. Looking forward to the experts' opinions this weekend.
(http://i1278.photobucket.com/albums/y510/Banset1/36662da9-6d59-492d-b9bd-d7f2eab729ec_zpsd8055ea1.jpg) (http://s1278.photobucket.com/user/Banset1/media/36662da9-6d59-492d-b9bd-d7f2eab729ec_zpsd8055ea1.jpg.html)
I'm watching this ragweed, my mouths been watering since your first post.
goodluck this wkend
I'm no expert, haven't even gotten past fresh breakfast sausage yet, but I can't wait to try it. :)
I sure am going to miss a lot of great treats!
well hide one till I get there, can't to try them !!! look real good.
Quote from: lilharv on August 07, 2013, 09:48:17 PM
I'm watching this ragweed, my mouths been watering since your first post.
goodluck this wkend
Not too late to drive down and join us!
Would you do us a favor. Have your camera handy when you grill these up and give us a cut shot after they are grilled. I would like to see the texture of the finished product. I love Reuben sandwiches and this sure sounds good.
KC
Kirby if we dont get a picture here look in the MWSO thread. I have a experimental sausage to try this weekend as well
I love experiments !!! glad I'm going to Cascade. You're so right Kirby hard to beat a good Reuben.
Oh gosh! Now the pressure is on. Hope I don't forget to bring them. ;) Now I'm worried if the casings will be too tough, if I stuffed them properly, if they even taste like Reubens! Here's the $ shot of the first attempt. Hope this batch is better!
(http://i1278.photobucket.com/albums/y510/Banset1/50b80eda-7ada-4405-8cad-8cc93bbe0a9f_zpsf51527d3.jpg) (http://s1278.photobucket.com/user/Banset1/media/50b80eda-7ada-4405-8cad-8cc93bbe0a9f_zpsf51527d3.jpg.html)
That looks pretty good to me. You say it was too wet. Did you think of using one of the salad spinners or even patting the sauerkraut with paper towels to reduce the moisture. I am looking forward to the next results. It would be great to have these work out. Just think you could have these frozen in the freezer and just have to cook one up to have a Reuben.
Quote from: pikeman_95 on August 08, 2013, 06:35:09 PM
That looks pretty good to me. You say it was too wet. Did you think of using one of the salad spinners or even patting the sauerkraut with paper towels to reduce the moisture. I am looking forward to the next results. It would be great to have these work out. Just think you could have these frozen in the freezer and just have to cook one up to have a Reuben.
I was thinking on the same line as you. One thing that I do with tofu to get the excess moisture out, is to line a half-sheet pan with a few sheets of newspaper then a layer of paper towel. In your situation you would spread a layer of sauerkraut over the paper towels, cover that with a paper towel and finally a couple of sheets of newspaper. Finally place another half-sheet pan on top, weight it down with a few books, or a couple of large cans of tomatoes. This will press out the excess liquids. For tofu I leave it this way for about 15 minutes, but for sauerkraut five minutes should be plenty of time to press out the excess liquids. With sauerkraut, you may not need the newspaper, just use a couple of layers of paper towels on top and bottom.
That sounds like a great idea, Habs. I sorta did that on the beef but didn't think to do it on the kraut. Next time I'll towel the beef after it's cut for grinding and use your idea on the kraut. Thanks expert!!
Using store bought beef that is injection cured. I ground it then pressed some of the moisture out of it. When I make it again. I am going drain the kraut. Then dump into the sausage stuffer and push it through a horn that should expel most of the moisture. I will reserve some of the liquid for flavor and add it back into the sausage when mixing.
I think I mentioned this on the first batch but not sure. Most restaurants I think fry it first and that dries it out some and then you get pretty little browned ends on the kraut.
Quote from: cobra6223 on August 09, 2013, 07:55:00 AM
I think I mentioned this on the first batch but not sure. Most restaurants I think fry it first and that dries it out some and then you get pretty little browned ends on the kraut.
I think that might be a good idea. If you cook the sauerkraut a little it changes the taste. I think it makes it better when it is cooked. I would think if you fried it a little with a little of the corned meat the juices would mingle then it could be mixed with the rest of the ingredients and stuff. Most of the Reuben sandwiches that I have had the kraut has been cooked a little. It does not appear to be raw out of the jar. Frying it some would drop the moisture.
kc
Quote from: Tenpoint5 on August 08, 2013, 06:29:12 AM
Quote from: lilharv on August 07, 2013, 09:48:17 PM
I'm watching this ragweed, my mouths been watering since your first post.
goodluck this wkend
Not too late to drive down and join us!
just didn't work out 10.5, I tried. smoked 50 lbs of butt for sons graduation. daughter and I havn't even tried your jerky yet u know how busy 16 yr olds are. lol
Quote from: pikeman_95 on August 08, 2013, 06:48:13 AM
Would you do us a favor. Have your camera handy when you grill these up and give us a cut shot after they are grilled. I would like to see the texture of the finished product. I love Reuben sandwiches and this sure sounds good.
KC
Here's a cut shot.
(http://i1278.photobucket.com/albums/y510/Banset1/09610450-bfe3-424d-a575-6ca53faaf07c_zpsa0283e57.jpg) (http://s1278.photobucket.com/user/Banset1/media/09610450-bfe3-424d-a575-6ca53faaf07c_zpsa0283e57.jpg.html)
I can personally attest to how good these sausages are. Joe brought some to the Midwest Smokeout over the weekend. I had the pleasure of eating one of these and they are great! Ask him about the chicken sausage he brought that were equally as good.
You did a great job on those sausages Joe.
Joe
Thanks for the picture. They look great. Have you written a recipe for these. I would like to see exactly what you have in them and some proportions. Other then the sauerkraut, corned beef and cheese, do you add any other spices? I defiantly want to add this to my list. It seems this would be a good batch to do when I have something else going on.
thanks again
KC
Kirby
Talked with Joe and also got to taste test them. Very good, he says no spices just the kraut, corned beef, cheese and some rye bread. He also said he would make up the amounts for us. There was also a sundried tomato one that I was told he did and that may have been chicken but I almost liked it better than the Reuben and I like you love Reuben's. So Joe if that sundried one was yours could we have that recipe also please. Very good job of making them an cooking them. ;D
PS
I should read all the posts first, they were yours and I found the recipe!! Thanks Joe.
Quote from: cobra6223 on August 12, 2013, 08:26:19 AM
Kirby
Talked with Joe and also got to taste test them. Very good, he says no spices just the kraut, corned beef, cheese and some rye bread. He also said he would make up the amounts for us. There was also a sundried tomato one that I was told he did and that may have been chicken but I almost liked it better than the Reuben and I like you love Reuben's. So Joe if that sundried one was yours could we have that recipe also please. Very good job of making them an cooking them. ;D
PS
I should read all the posts first, they were yours and I found the recipe!! Thanks Joe.
They were both Joe's, the other one was chicken, basil and sun dried tomato I believe, and for everyone who couldn't make the smokeout and taste them they were as good as they look.
Ok folks. Here's what I did. But I first must say that the chicken recipe was copied from one KevinA posted. Reuben sausage, too, has been made before. I am just the most recent to post.
5.9 lbs Buckley Farms Corned Beef Brisket Points. Drained, dried w/paper towel, ground coarse. Included the spice packets that came with the meat.
4 slices dark rye bread. Dried out but not toasted. Ran that through the grinder after the meat.
1 x 14 oz can sauerkraut. Drained well.
16 oz shredded swiss cheese.
Mixed everything together, placed in frig uncovered while I cleaned up.
About an hour later, it still seemed a little wet so I added ~6 tbl spoons of NFDM, mixed and returned to the frig for another 45 min.
Stuffed into hog casings that were rinsed then soaked overnight. This step is where I had the problems. Extreme the first time, not so bad this batch. The trick, I think, is to get enough of the moisture out so they can be stuffed properly, but not so much that they are dry and you've lost all that good flavor.
When you say "5.9 lbs Buckley Farms Corned Beef Brisket Points. " Do you mean "points" or is it "flats". The reason I ask is that I have only seen corned beef in flats around here.
I don't think it really matters, but the label said "points". They had some that said "flats" too. For some reason, I bought two that said points totaling 5.9 lbs after trimming off a little of the fat.
I just noticed you soaked the casings overnight....would that add extra moisture? I usually only soak them about 45mins to an hour. Just a thought. Thanks again for brining them to the smoke out Joe they were very tasty.
It may matter to some extent. The points have a lot more fat then the flats. I have seen both cuts commercially corned and for sale at supermarkets, but the flats are the most popular.
Joe, I enjoyed the sausages you made very much. Not sure which I like better the Rueben or the chicken. May have to make both. (Try anyway)