Meat, Salt, and Time
So I’ve come out and said that good sausage can’t be
made without salt and that the salt takes some time
to work its magic. But you don’t have to take my
word for it, prove it to yourself. Here’s how:
Materials
1 pound boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch
chunks
- Kosher salt
- A meat grinder or food processor, grinder parts
or processor bowl well chilled
Procedure
Divide your meat mixture into thirds and place each
portion into a zipper-lock plastic bag. Add 0.1 ounce
kosher salt (about 1 teaspoon) to one bag and toss
until the salt is evenly distributed. Seal all three bags
and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, add 0.1 ounce salt to one of the
unsalted bags and toss the meat to coat it evenly.
Then immediately grind all three batches of meat,
one after the other, and mix each one separately in a
bowl.
Weigh out 1 ounce of meat from each batch and
form it into a small patty, then fry all three side by
side in a skillet. Weigh the patties after cooking and
take note of their weight loss. Finally, taste, taking