tasting fresh sausage

[nancydrum]

I was just wondering - I know when making fresh sausage, I can fry up a patty, and taste to see if I like it -

I have some kits for making summer sausage - once the casings are stuffed, can I fry up a bit of the leftovers, and see how it tastes?

I know this sounds like a dumb question, but the kits have stuff in them that I don't use in my fresh sausage - so thought I would ask the experts.

[watchdog56]

I would taste before stuffing them, that way if you need to add more spice you can or if to salty you could add more meat to your liking.

[NePaSmoKer]

Adding more meat is going to impart the flavor of the Summer as well as the cure amount. Read the label on the kit to see if there is dextrose, if its to salty add some dextrose to counter the salt. HM (High Mountain) kits are known to be salty and at times you need to add more mix to get the flavor.

[Mr Walleye]

When I test fry some sausage mix that I am going smoke/cook vs fresh sausage I always find the flavor and salt content to be very different in the test fry vs the final product so it can be a little deceiving in my opinion. When I try new recipes I like to do them as written once to get a taste of the completed product, then make adjustments from there. My experience with the commercial mixes is similar to others in that the salt content always seems to be a little high.

Mike

[Habanero Smoker]

I've noticed that frying a test patty does tend to make the sausage taste different and saltier then it is. When I make a test patty I wrap it in plastic wrap, and place it into simmering water (~180°F) until done.

[Mr Walleye]

When I make a test patty I wrap it in plastic wrap, and place it into simmering water (~180°F) until done.

Thanks for the tip Habs!  ;)

I'll have to try it that way next time I'm making sausage.

Mike

[OU812]

I've noticed that frying a test patty does tend to make the sausage taste different and saltier then it is. When I make a test patty I wrap it in plastic wrap, and place it into simmering water (~180°F) until done.

I do the same thing,,,,,,,,,,,,,minus the plastic wrap

Ive dome some test runs in the deep fat fryer too,,,,just cause it was there  ::)