- Meat, by which I mean lean muscle mass, makes up
the vast majority of a sausage, and the type you use is
important. Remember the general rule that the more a
muscle is used during the lifespan of an animal, the
tougher but more flavorful it will become—so there’s an
inverse relation between flavor and tenderness. While
relatively bland cuts like loin and tenderloin are prized for
their tenderness as steaks, chops, or roasts, for sausage
making, the tougher cuts are desirable. Grinding renders
tenderness a moot point, so you might as well go for the
most flavorful cuts you can get. Pork butt (shoulder), with
its plentiful marbling and connective tissue, is superior to
pork loin or tenderloin. Chicken thighs work better than
chicken breasts. Beef short ribs or brisket makes better
sausage than strip steak. All of this is good for us, because
the ideal sausage cuts are the ones that happen to be the
cheapest.
- Fat should not be feared. Every great sausage that’s
ever been made has been great in part because it is
dripping in fat—at least 20 percent of it by weight. Fat
adds juiciness and mouth-coating richness to a sausage.
Fat is where most of the flavor in meat comes from (try
eating a bite of beef steak cooked in lamb fat—you’ll
swear you were eating a lamb chop). Making a sausage
without fat is like having brunch without cocktails.
Where’s the fun in that? If you’re scared of fat, just eat
less sausage. One bite of a properly fatty sausage is
infinitely more enjoyable than any amount of a dry low-fat
version.
