My definitive answer to bratwurst

[merkaba93]

So, I've been working on perfecting bratwurst for a while. Have been through a number of recipes lots of trial and error. I think I'm finally done. Not to say that it's perfect for everyone. But I think for me, it's just right.
Chill all your grinder pieces. And make sure your meat is very cold. Grind with a large die:

3.5 lbs pork shoulder butt
1 lb venison trim
8 oz fatback

Then mix in by hand (it should be so cold this hurts):

3/4 cup pale ale (well chilled)
1.5 tbs sea salt
1.5 tsp sugar
1.5 tsp Caraway seed
1.5 tsp fresh thyme leaves
3/4 tsp dry mustard powder
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Stuff into a 32-35mm Hog middle natural casing.

Preferred way to cooking: Place a few brats into a pan and fill with beer so it goes at least halfway up the side of the brat, add some sliced onion, poach at a sub simmer for about 10 min turning once. Then finish out on a grill over med/high heat.

Serve with sautéed onions or homemade kraut (most recent batch was an apple caraway flavor) or homemade mustard (this was a stone ground beer mustard).

Don't be afraid of maybe some cream cheese on the bun. Kind of like a Seattle dog. Anyone enjoy a Seattle dog?

[Timberstalker]

Looks most excellent. Thanks for sharing.

[7mmfan]

Tag. Been wanting to try venison brats this year

[hollymaster]

Now I’m hungry 

[Bigshooter]

Looks good. 
A buddy and I have been trying to come up with a good bratwurst recipe for awhile.  The one thing that we have found is we like them best when the fat is around 30%.

[X-Force]

 

Looks good

[Humptulips]

You had me until you turned it into an onion dog.

[Ghost Hunter]

That look good 

[Stein]

Thanks, I've never made brats that are what I would consider stellar and will give yours a try.  Many are good, but they don't make the final grade.

Mayer's in Battleground is my gold standard, their garlic brats are by far the best I have ever had.

[7mmfan]

You had me until you turned it into an onion dog.

Then you can just leave, don't let the door hit you on the way out! 

[lamrith]

Thanks for the recipe and tips!

So what are you using to do the stuffing, are you running it back thru your grinder (if so, same large plate?) or do you have a dedicated device?

[Whitpirate]

Looks great.  I'm going to use up some left over elk and try a similar application.  Got any great chicken sausage recipes?  I've got about 20lbs of chicken trim that I'm trying to make into a green apple and green chili but haven't found the right mix yet.

[Eric M]

Thos looks really good. Thanks!

[Gringo31]

Looks great, glad you figured it out and shared it.   

Problem is, personally speaking, I'm more of the fat rat on Ratatouie and will eat almost everything. 

[merkaba93]

Thanks for the recipe and tips!

So what are you using to do the stuffing, are you running it back thru your grinder (if so, same large plate?) or do you have a dedicated device?

I use a LEM brand vertical sausage stuffer the 5 pound version. If you really want to get the best sausages or salami you should get a dedicated sausage stuffer.
The risk you run running the meat through the screw again is that it might emulsify do to heat/friction. When you're making an emulsified sausage that's not a big deal, but when you want defined meat/fat separation, you don't want your sausage to look like cat food.

That was always the code I would use when we used our bosch universal to help stuff sausage back when I was a kid. If something got caught or things where getting to warm and I could see the meat texture changing I would just call out "cat food" and we would stop, Clean out the machine and re chill the parts and the meat.

It's just easier to buy a stuffer.

[merkaba93]

Looks great.  I'm going to use up some left over elk and try a similar application.  Got any great chicken sausage recipes?  I've got about 20lbs of chicken trim that I'm trying to make into a green apple and green chili but haven't found the right mix yet.

Nope, that is my one place I won't go when it comes to sausage. No chicken. It's just in my head and I can't do it.
I've done a lot of pork and beef. Sometimes seafood sausages. The best example of that would be a Vietnamese style sausage with pork/shrimp/fish sauce/cilantro/basil/shallots. Then put it on a bun with a jicama slaw with some lime juice, cilantro, basil and then a peanut satay sauce. Now that was good!

[Rubenation1981]

Looking good! 

Love cream cheese on a brat.

[Whitpirate]

Looks great.  I'm going to use up some left over elk and try a similar application.  Got any great chicken sausage recipes?  I've got about 20lbs of chicken trim that I'm trying to make into a green apple and green chili but haven't found the right mix yet.

Nope, that is my one place I won't go when it comes to sausage. No chicken. It's just in my head and I can't do it.
I've done a lot of pork and beef. Sometimes seafood sausages. The best example of that would be a Vietnamese style sausage with pork/shrimp/fish sauce/cilantro/basil/shallots. Then put it on a bun with a jicama slaw with some lime juice, cilantro, basil and then a peanut satay sauce. Now that was good!

That sounds interesting.  I've got the salt measure down but I keep looking for the right spice mixture to punch up the chicken and chiles.  I'm probably headed toward currywurst type seasoning next as an experiment.  Obviously I've got quite a bit of pork to work on.