Question for anybody that makes sausage

[Tiny Tim]

Yesterday I asked a guy that has mixed the sausage that my grandparents (both are deceased) used to make, what the recipe was, and he gave me the info.  But, I think he mixed up the measurement on sugar and salt.  The amount of salt he said is over 4 times the amount of sugar, and I think it should be the other way.  Am I correct that you'd want more sugar than salt?  With the lower salt amount, it falls in line better with the rest of the ingredients, and with other recipes I've seen for cures and rubs (recipe also calls for cure, which I have, in the ratio I've seen).

[acords]

Without really seeing the recipe, it's tough to say.  I will tell you that in the sausage recipes I use salt is used in bigger quantities than sugar (when sugar is called for).  These are in uncured sausages though.  My advice is to try it and see how it tastes.  I know that salt is a very good binder. 

[Habanero Smoker]

The recipe is probably correct, but as Accord pointed out without seeing the recipe it is hard to give advise. Most of the sausage recipes I've done, don't have any added sugars. I would ask the person about the amounts, to make sure he gave you re right recipe. Although the recipe may be right, if he mistakenly wrote down the wrong amount of salt and you do make it; the only way I know how to correct adding too much salt is to add more meat and adjust the other seasonings. I believe a rough guideline is 1.5 ounces (of 3 tablespoons kosher salt) per 5 pounds of meat.

[NePaSmoKer]

Salt

When making a sausage the non-iodized salt should be used as it is purer. Iodized salt includes extra ingredients for example, anti-caking agents are used to prevent salt lumping. If you fill one glass with iodized salt and water, and the other with pickling salt and water, you will see that after a while the solution of pickling salt will be much clearer.  Our American salts are manufactured to the highest standards but keep in mind that in other countries salts can be mined under different conditions or made by evaporation from sea-water. Quality of the final product will vary and may have some impurities present. What is important is that salt should be always perfectly dry (no bacteria) when used for curing. 

For brining purposes both table salt and kosher salt will work equally well in terms of providing the desired effects, though kosher salt –and in particular Diamond Crystal kosher salt dissolves more readily. What is important to remember is that kosher salts are less dense than ordinary table salts and measure quite differently from a volume standpoint. Kosher salt has larger crystals and is bulkier. For example, a given weight of Diamond Crystal takes up nearly twice the volume as the same weight of table salt.

The list below shows approximate equivalent amounts of different salts:

Table Salt                               1 cup     (10.3 oz)
                   

Morton Kosher Salt                   1 cup     (7.9 oz)
                 

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt       1 cup     (5.5 oz)


One cup of table salt is equivalent to 1-1/3 to 1-1/2 cups of Morton Kosher Salt or 2 cups of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt.

1 Tablespoon             

1 teaspoon               

1 Tbs = 3 tsp     
Make sure the salt is dry otherwise you may introduce some bacteria into the brine. Besides, moist salt weighs much more and your results will be off. Salt used in brine should be as pure as possible. Common impurities found in salt are calcium chloride, magnesium sulphate, or nitrates.


Sugar

As a flavoring ingredient, sugar plays a little role in making sausages. No more than 2 Tblsp of sugar is added to 2.2 pnds of meat otherwise it can be noticeable. If after mixing meat with ingredients you find that the mixture tastes too salty, you can try to save the product by adding a little sugar. Not too much though as it should not be felt in a ready to eat sausage. Adding sugar is very important when making fermented and air dried sausages as it provided food for bacteria and helped to form the lactic acid. Now we have commercially prepared and ready to use starter cultures and adding sugar is less important. Sugar also helps to preserve red color of meat.  Often dextrose is used, but keep in mind that it is only 70% as sweet as sugar.


Hope this helps some


nepas








                   

[West Coast Kansan]

Iodine in USA table salt right.  I dont know why but have been told since I was table high not to smoke with table salt  ??? Is this something is real or just a tale i been told and never questioned?

[Habanero Smoker]

Iodine in USA table salt right.  I dont know why but have been told since I was table high not to smoke with table salt  ??? Is this something is real or just a tale i been told and never questioned?

You can use what is called pickling salt, the crystals are the same size as table salt. Pickling salt was developed for use in canning and pickling. It is pure salt; no additives. I generally use pickling salt in brines and rubs, because I feel it dissolves faster, and mixes with the other ingrediants better. If you are making your own cures, the size of the crystals, are closer to the size the cure powder you add. Some times I go one step further, and put the table salt in a mini grinder and pulverize it to more of a powder consistancy, when I am making a dry cure.

[Tiny Tim]

Thanks for the info, guys.  The recipe calls for 2.25# salt, .5# sugar, 6 oz. Pepper, and 4 oz. cure for 100# of sausage.

My biggest batch will probably be 25#, and thanks to NePa's breakdown of the salt weights, the salt doesn't seem like near as much today (little better than a cup for the 9 oz. that 25# would call for).

[PigOut]

Whats the scoop with sea salt ? Is it good ?

[Wildcat]

Sea Salt is all I use, including on the table. :)

[jaeger]

Tiny,
The amount of salt looks about right to me also. The sugar looks a little on the light side if anything.  I would suggest a smaller batch, (5# or so) for your first test and adjust if needed.

[Tiny Tim]

Got a scale on the way, so I'll make the call on the sugar once I see how much it is. :D  When the guy gave me the recipe, I saw the 2.25# and was imagining this HUGE pile of salt, which is why I got nervous.