Some people believe that making your own sausage is a complicated and daunting undertaking. But making your own sausage is easier than you might think. Here is a step-by-step guide that explains how you can make delicious homemade sausage in your own kitchen.
Though you may purchase ground meat from your local butcher or grocer, it's usually best to buy the cuts of meat you want to use to make sausage and grind it yourself. You may also be making sausage from cuts of deer meat (venison) or other wild game. The first step is to use a sharp knife to remove the meat from the bone, as well as any unwanted fat and any skin. Chop or slice up the meat you will be using into usable chunks for feeding into a meat grinder. Though you may be tempted to remove all of the fat, a great deal of sausage flavor comes from the fat, so leave a good portion of fat on the meat. Using a food scale, weigh out the appropriate batch weights according to the sausage recipe you are using. Grind each batch using the appropriate grinding plate for the type of sausage you are making. The grinding plates with smaller holes make finer ground meat, while the grinding plates with larger holes make a more coarse grind. If you will be using natural casings (hog casings, sheep casings, beef casings, or collagen casings), soak the casings in a bowl of cold water. After about 30 minutes, change the water and soak for another 30 minutes. Hold one end of the casing up to a tap and add some cold water. Now pinch off that end and slosh the water around inside the casing, working your way to the other end. Empty the water completely from the casing and collect in a bowl for use on stuffer. Measure out the seasonings according to the sausage recipe you are following or the instructions that came with the sausage seasoning mix you are using. Thoroughly mix the seasonings with the ground meat. It's easiest to use a meat mixer, but you can also wear plastic gloves and do the mixing by hand in a large mixing bowl. Before stuffing the sausage into casings, cook a little of the seasoned sausage in a small frying pan to test the flavor. Adjust the seasoning if necessary and repeat until seasoned to taste. If not stuffing, either make into patties by hand or with a patty maker or store in a meat storage freezer bags. Sausage is excellent to use as loose meat in recipes such as lasagna or anything requiring ground beef. Ground sausage meat certainly adds more flavor to a recipe instead of plain ground beef! Now you are ready to stuff the seasoned meat into the casings using a sausage stuffer. With a paper towel soaked with a little vegetable oil, coat the stuffer tube with oil. This makes putting on and taking off the casings easier. Close off the end of the casing with a metal clip, called a hog ring, cotton butcher twine, or just tie a knot into the casing itself. Using a sausage pricker, prick the end of the casing so that the trapped air can escape. Stuffing the sausage into the casings is much easier with two people. One person can control the sausage stuffer, passing the meat through the stuffer and into the casing. The second person can control the casing by moving the sausage along and monitoring air pockets that may form in the sausage. If any air pockets show up, just use the sausage pricker to release the air. When you reach a desired link length, twirl the link a couple of times to form a link. Continue stuffing until another link length has come out. Now turn this link a couple of turns the opposite direction as the first. This will keep the links from unraveling. If you go the same direction, you'll un-do the first sausage link. Alternatively, instead of making links right out of the sausage stuffer, the whole casing could be filled first and a closed off at both ends to make a long coil. It could be kept this way as a single coil, or the links could be made at this time. Just remember to always twirl the next link the opposite way. The links can also be tied off individually with hog rings or cotton butcher string. Place each coil on a large parchment paper lined tray. The sausage is now ready for smoking in a meat smoker, drying in a food dehydrator, cooking, or freezing. If you will be freezing the sausage, it's best to seal the sausage in a vacuum bag using a vacuum sealer to prolong the shelf life.
Who knew sausage making was so easy? Enjoy!
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What is a Kitchen?
A kitchen is where people prepare meals for themselves or other people. The parts of a kitchen are the scullery, the prep areas, bread room, store room, meat room, the lunch room and the office.
Different parts of a kitchen.
-The scullery (wash up area, is where you wash the utensil, pots and pans).
-The prep area is where you prep the food. Vegetables prep (where you prep the vegetables carrots and cabbage etc) meat room (where meat only is prep)
-The bread room the prep area for the bakery, the bakery (where you bake all the cakes, pie and bread rolls). The storeroom (where the all the foodstuff is stored).
-The main kitchen is where the hot side is located the stoves, fridges and the tables.
-The office is (Where the Manager and supervisor work from).
-Equipment use in a kitchen stove, where the main meals are cooked, fridges freezers (where you keep cold or frozen foods, cold foods and prep foods).
-Mixers you use to cream and mix cake.
Food Preparation.
Food preparation can vary according to the business you are working in. You can prepare from vegetables to meat once you have a large freezer and the staff. You can bulk prep and store making sure you use the FIFO method, First in First Out.
Safe Food Preparation
Food preparation must be safe to produce food free from food borne illnesses, Food can be easily contaminated. Leaving food uncovered for even a short time may not seem harmful, but in that space of time, flies can get on the food and deposit their eggs. You cannot see the fly eggs with your naked eyes, but after you digest the food in a couple of hours, you can feel sick.
Everyone loves salads, but salads are one of the most dangerous and one of the most easily contaminated foods .They should be kept on ice at all times. Leaving salads that have mayonnaise or salad dressing on them without chilling can be potentially dangerous.
Leaving salads at room temperature builds toxins. The incubation period is 1-6 (meaning in 1-6 hours after eating the food you will fell sick). There will be no fever just a slight tummy ache.
In the incubation period, which is 6-72 hours, the bacteria invade the tissues and fever is present. There is also vomiting and diarrhea, you must treat these symptoms or they can result in death.
Personnel in a kitchen for a food establishment: manager, supervisors, cooks, prep cooks, general workers and porters.
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Seemingly infinite in size, shape, color and taste, there is one thing all of the different varieties of squash share: flavor! But when it comes to cooking different squash varieties, many are in the dark. Fear not - let this guide on How To Cook Different Types of Squash: 4 Low Calorie Squash Recipes show you the wonderfully healthy possibilities of squash recipes.
Sweet Butternut Squash and Apple Casserole
Butternut squash is packed with nutrients, so give it a try instead of the usual sweet potato casserole. It gives you the same great taste with less fat and calories, plus there are tons of tart apples in this dish!
Serves: 8
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 45 min
Ingredients
1 butternut squash, 2.5-3 lbs. 1/4 cup margarine 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt pinch white pepper 1 1/2 tablespoons buttery spread 2 pounds Granny Smith apple, unpeeled, sliced 1/4 cup sugar 3 cups corn flakes or Fiber One Cereal 1/2 cup chopped pecans 2 tablespoons melted margarine 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
Instructions
Measure 3 cups of cornflake cereal and then put through a food processor to make coarsely chopped crumbs. If you already have a box of crushed cornflake crumbs on hand, then use about 2/3 cup. Cut squash in half lengthwise. Scrape out seeds and steam 30 minutes, or bake on foil, cut-side down, in 350 degrees F oven until tender. (If baking, it will take approximately 40-45 minutes.) Scrape out pulp and mash or beat in mixer or processor until smooth. Add butter, brown sugar, salt and pepper; set aside. Slice apples very thinly. In skillet, melt buttery spread and add apples. Sprinkle with sugar and cover, simmering until barely tender. Spread in an 8 or 9" casserole and spoon squash mixture evenly over apples.
TOPPING: Mix all ingredients (corn flakes, pecans, melted butter and brown sugar) and spread over squash and bake in 325 deg. oven for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Flavor-Packed Squash Gratin
Summer never tasted so delish with this flavor-packed squash gratin. With a cook time of just 20 minutes, you won't be wasting your summer indoors cooking when utilizing this summer squash recipe.
Serves: 4
Cooking Time: 37 min
Ingredients
3 cups sweet potato, diced 2 tablespoons butter substitute 2 cups summer squash, zuchhini or butternut squash, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 4-6 scallions, chopped 1 1/4 cups milk, coconut milk or soy milk 1 cup cooked or canned red beans or cannellini beans, drained 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped or 2 teaspoons, dried 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon cloves, ground 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup Gouda cheese, shredded 1/4 cup bread crumbs
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the sweet potatoes in boiling water; cover and boil for about 5 minutes, then drain and cool. Melt the butter substitute in a saucepan and add the summer squash, scallions and garlic; saute for 5-7 minutes. Add the milk, beans and seasonings and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Place the potatoes in the bottom of a lightly greased 8-inch casserole or gratin dish. Pour the vegetable-milk mixture over the potatoes and sprinkle with the Gouda and bread crumbs. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until a crust forms on top. Remove from the oven and serve.
Summertime Squash
Summertime squash is a versatile summer squash recipe that you can either make in the oven or on the grill. This side dish features yellow squash and goes well with grilled foods.
Serves: 4
Cooking Time: 20 min
Ingredients
2 cups yellow squash, thinly chopped 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder Cooking spray
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Combine squash, oil, paprika, salt and garlic powder in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal bag; shake to coat squash. Place squash on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450 degrees F for 20 minutes, turning after 10 minutes. Yields 2 cups.
Heart Healthy Chicken Chili with Summer Squash
Chock full of lean hearty ingredients like skinless white meat chicken, summer squash, corn and great northern beans, this low calorie slow cooker recipe is a healthy dinner delight.
Serves: 8
Cooking Time: 7 hr
Ingredients
2 cups great northern beans 3 cups water 2 onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 pickled jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped 1 tablespoon cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken white meat, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 pound summer squash 15 ounces can hominy or corn, drained 1/2 cup low fat sour cream Salt 1 tablespoon lime juice 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
Instructions
Bring beans to a boil in enough water to cover. Drain. Combine beans with 3 cups boiling water in slow cooker. Add seasonings. Place chicken on top. Quarter squash lengthwise, seed and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces. Add to cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 7 hours or until beans are tender. Stir in hominy or corn, sour cream, salt, lime juice and chopped cilantro. Spoon into bowls. Garnish with sour cream, tomato and cilantro if desired.
