BRADLEY SMOKER | "Taste the Great Outdoors"

Smoking Techniques => Sausage Making => Topic started by: pjplovedog on February 15, 2014, 03:17:55 PM

Title: My Bratwurst experiment
Post by: pjplovedog on February 15, 2014, 03:17:55 PM
Well Hi there,
I decided, due to some health issues/reasons, to try to adapt a Bratwurst recipe to make them a little healthier, without sacrificing too much in flavor/texture, etc.  So I usually make my Brats with 100% pork shoulder.  This time, I used 50% boneless, skinless chicken thighs, and then half pork shoulder.  I kept the  half pork because I did not want to lose the pork flavor altogether. I used my usual recipe without any other adjustments. 
  So, here's after the meat was all ground up
(http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p790/Paulajill/Bratwurstaftergrinding_zpsf287b142.jpg) (http://s1351.photobucket.com/user/Paulajill/media/Bratwurstaftergrinding_zpsf287b142.jpg.html)

And here's the final stuffed sausages: 

(http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p790/Paulajill/Bratsafterstuffing_zps2e0316af.jpg) (http://s1351.photobucket.com/user/Paulajill/media/Bratsafterstuffing_zps2e0316af.jpg.html)

The quenelle taste test seemed good, but I'll cook some up for dinner a bit later and post results. ( My man doesn't yet know that they are half chicken).  I think it will be a good test. 

:)
Title: Re: My Bratwurst experiment
Post by: ragweed on February 15, 2014, 04:48:06 PM
Lookin' good pjp!  I'll bet he won't know the difference.  Unless he likes them better  :) :) :)
Title: Re: My Bratwurst experiment
Post by: pjplovedog on February 15, 2014, 05:42:38 PM
So here is the verdict: He didn't know they were part chicken, and neither did I (if I didn't know)  They were super moist, delicious, and I am happy that they turned out so great.  In fact, if I hadn't known myself, I still would've said they were some of the most delicious sausages I had ever eaten in my life, and so did he....
Here is a shot of our dinner.  I made some hot german potatoes, there is some home-made sauerkraut there and a home brewed beer to accompany the Brats. 
Yum. 

(http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p790/Paulajill/Bratdinner_zps6f371bc7.jpg) (http://s1351.photobucket.com/user/Paulajill/media/Bratdinner_zps6f371bc7.jpg.html)

Title: Re: My Bratwurst experiment
Post by: NorthShoreMN on February 15, 2014, 06:43:29 PM
Looks very good. Nice job


Title: Re: My Bratwurst experiment
Post by: tailfeathers on February 15, 2014, 07:46:49 PM
Those look goooood!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)
Title: Re: My Bratwurst experiment
Post by: cobra6223 on February 16, 2014, 01:39:35 PM
Hey PJ
If you want a healthier great tasting brat try ragweed's chicken tomato basil. In my opinion it's a great brat that uses chicken also. We cooked a bunch up and didn't eat them all so the wife vac sealed them and froze them. Took them out the other day and they were as good as the day we first made them. I believe the recipe is online here and if you can't find it I'm rags would be more than happy to share it with you. Yours look great but it's just another option.
Title: Re: My Bratwurst experiment
Post by: ragweed on February 16, 2014, 03:47:07 PM
Not my recipe, but they sure taste good!  http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=28901.0.  I originally made these with wild turkey meat.  Fantastic but the raw material has been tough to get lately.  :(   Chicken thighs work though.   ;)  I've been buying the tomatoes packed in OO.  So that's saved some work. 
Title: Re: My Bratwurst experiment
Post by: pjplovedog on February 16, 2014, 09:33:56 PM
Thank you both for pointing that chicken sausage recipe out.  I will keep that on my radar list, for sure.  I have a list over 20 items to try at this point!!  LOL.