She Strengthens

Discover the Art of Traditional German Sausage Making

Weisswurst, a traditional German sausage, is a delicate and flavorful treat that’s perfect for a late-morning snack. To create this culinary delight, you’ll need to combine high-quality ingredients with a bit of patience and practice.

Selecting the Right Ingredients

When it comes to choosing the perfect veal, opt for milk-fed veal from calves that are 12 weeks or younger. This will ensure that your sausage has a creamy, white, and fine-grained texture. You’ll also need pork shoulder, pork fat, nonfat dry milk, kosher salt, onion powder, white pepper, mace, ginger, lemon zest, Italian parsley, and crushed ice.

Preparing the Casings

To prepare the casings, soak them in tepid water for 30 minutes. Then, discard the soaking water, rinse the insides of the casing with running water, and soak them again in fresh tepid water for at least another 30 minutes.

Creating the Filling

To create the filling, trim the pork and veal shoulders of any excess fat, gristle, tendons, glands, silver skin, or blood vessels. Cut the meat into 1-inch pieces and mix them together with the pork fat. Place the mixture on a frozen baking sheet and refrigerate until stiff but not frozen solid, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Grinding and Mixing the Meat

Using a grinder attachment, grind the meat mixture into a coarse grind. Then, mix in the spices, nonfat dry milk, kosher salt, onion powder, white pepper, mace, ginger, lemon zest, and Italian parsley. Grind the mixture again until it’s well combined.

Stuffing the Sausages

To stuff the sausages, attach a cleaned and chilled grinder attachment fitted with a large stuffer tube to your mixer. Moisten the stuffer tube with water and feed the casing onto the tube, leaving a few inches of slack in between. Then, fill the casing with the meat mixture, making sure to pack it firmly but not too tightly. Leave enough room for sectioning off the sausages.

Aging and Cooking the Sausages

Once the sausages are stuffed, refrigerate them in a single layer covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container. Let them age for at least 2 to 3 hours before cooking and eating. You can roast the sausages at 450°F for 15 to 20 minutes, pan-fry them over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes, or poach them in simmering water until they reach an internal temperature of 155°F.

Tips and Variations

To ensure that your sausages turn out perfectly, make sure to keep the meat and equipment ice cold during every stage of the process. You can also experiment with different spices and seasonings to create unique flavor profiles. Additionally, be sure to cook the sausages within 3 days of making them, or freeze them individually wrapped in plastic for up to 2 to 3 months.

By following these steps and tips, you’ll be able to create delicious and authentic German-style weisswurst that will impress your friends and family. So why not give it a try and discover the joy of traditional sausage making?