WaltonsTV: Correct Fat to Lean Ratios Meat Hacks: Using the Best Fat to Lean Ratio In Making Sausage

How much fat should you use when making sausage? Watch the full video below, read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below.

What Is The Best Fat To Lean Ratio In Making Sausage?

Using the correct lean to fat ratio when making sausage is going to help in several different aspects towards making a better meat product. The first thing it is going to do is help with flavor. Simply put, fat equals flavor. So, the more fat you use the more flavorful the final meat product is going to be. You don’t want to use too much fat though because too much fat will have a different flavor and consistency in the final product that people are not familiar with or prefer. Too lean of meat can cause the final product to be dry and crumbly with a low amount of flavor. Then, it also helps out with the appearance of your meat products and having a good looking particle definition in the final product. Fat is also cheaper than lean meat, so using more fat will make your products less expensive as well. Sausage is also easier to make, process, and stuff into casings when the fat content is correct. If the meat is too lean, stuffing smaller diameter meat snacks will be a lot more work for you and your sausage stuffer (especially hand crank sausage stuffers).

What Lean to Fat Ratio Does Walton’s Recommend?

It does depend on the meat product you are making, but as a general rule of thumb, we recommend using a ratio of 70% lean to 30% fat (or 70/30). You can go up to a 60/40 ratio for many meat products, but that would be the maximum we’d recommend. An 80/20 lean to fat ratio can be used in some instances and can still work out well, but if you get up towards a 90/10 lean to fat ratio, problems with the meat being dry, crumbly, and keeping an outstanding flavor will become difficult to manage.

So as a general rule of thumb, start out with a 70% lean to 30% fat ratio when making sausage for what would be considered best practice for most types of sausage.

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WaltonsTV: Using a Scale to Measure Seasoning Meat Hacks: Using a Scale To Measure Seasoning for Smaller Batches

Learn how to breakdown a bag a seasoning for smaller batches. Watch the full video below, read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below.

Why Use a Scale to Measure Out Seasonings & Spices

Using a scale is very important and extremely helpful when measuring out individual seasonings and spices, to be very accurate and precise and consistent in your sausage making.

How to Use a Scale to Measure Seasoning for Smaller Batches

Supreme Pizza Bratwurst Seasoning comes in a package that is meant to season 25 lb of meat, but what if you only want to make 5 lb of bratwursts?
Simply follow a couple simple calculations and use a scale to weigh out exactly how much seasoning to use.
In our example below, we used the Supreme Pizza Bratwurst Seasoning which contains 1.125 lb of seasoning and is meant to be used with 25 lb of meat, but we’ll divide it out to make only a 5 lb batch of sausage.

Take the weight of the seasoning and divide it by the number of pounds it is meant to season - 1.125 / 25 = 0.045 Take the result from step 1 and multiply it by the number of pounds you want to make - 0.045 x 5 = 0.225 The result from step 2 is your weight of seasoning to use, so simply weigh out 0.225 lb using a scale Or, convert your weight to ounces by multiplying it by 16 (0.225 x 16 = 3.6 oz) and weigh out 3.6 oz using a scale What Kind of Scales are Available?

There are so many different types of scales available. Check out the entire selection of scales at waltonsinc.com
Walton’s favorite scale to use in the kitchen for measuring small portions of seasoning and spices is the Compact Digital Kitchen Scale, and it is available for less than $20.

So if you want to make the most consistent product, always measure out seasonings and spices using a scale. And to measure out seasoning for smaller batches, simply take the weight of the seasoning, divide it by the pounds of meat it is meant for, and multiple it by the number of pounds you want to make!

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WaltonsTV: Creativity In Using Seasonings Meat Hacks: Creativity In Using Seasonings Outside Their Intended Purpose

Can I use a seasoning for a use besides what it says on the label? Watch the full video, read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below.

Using Seasonings Outside Their Intended Purpose - Be Creative

Just because a seasoning is a labeled as a snack stick seasoning, doesn’t mean that you cannot use it for something else like summer sausage or jerky. Be creative and don’t be afraid to use a seasoning for something other than what is was originally developed for. For example, if you really like the Sriracha Flavored Snack Stick Seasoning, but you would prefer making summer sausage or jerky, there is nothing wrong with using the snack stick seasoning in a different product like summer sausage or jerky.

So if you like the sound of a certain seasoning flavor, but it’s not labeled for the meat snack you wanted to make, don’t be afraid to still try it out and use it in any type of meat snack!

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WaltonsTV: Cleaning vs Sanitizing Meat Hacks: Difference Between Cleaning & Sanitizing

Watch the full video below, read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below.

What Is The Difference Between Cleaning & Sanitizing?

A lot of people don’t realize that cleaning and sanitizing are actually two separate steps. Cleaning is where you first remove any dirt, grime, or fat residue or meat particles leftover on your equipment or work surfaces. Then, you sanitize by killing bacteria and disinfecting your work surfaces and equipment. Cleaning and sanitizing is very important because maintaining a clean environment will help you make a safer product, and then safer products will lead to a longer shelf-life.

What Kind of Cleaners and Sanitizers Are Available for Meat Processing?

What we recommend and use are some of these products…
Cleaning larger areas - Neutra Sol Cleaner
Cleaning smaller areas - Power Foam Cleaner
Sanitizing larger areas - Bi-Quat
Sanitizing smaller areas - Hard Surface 60 Second Sanitizer
Both of the cleaners listed above are degreasers so they will help breakdown any leftover fat particles or meat leftover on your equipment or other working surfaces and make them easy to rinse off completely. And then the Hard Surface Sanitizer is Walton’s favorite option for a sanitizer because it works in 60 seconds, and is a no-rinse sanitizer so it doesn’t need to be rinsed off and can just be left on the product to dry until your ready to use your equipment or working surfaces next time.

So always remember that cleaning and sanitizing are two different steps and by doing both properly, you’ll keep your equipment, work surfaces, and environment safer, you’ll make a safer product, and that will ultimately lead to a longer shelf-life in your meat products.

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WaltonsTV: Cold Meat Meat Hack Meat Hacks: Using Cold Meat for Making Sausage

Does the temperature of meat matter when making sausage? Watch the full video below, read the highlights here, and then post your comments or questions below.

Always Use Cold Meat

Whenever you are making sausage whether that is snack sticks, summer sausage, brats, or any type of smoked sausage, make sure you use as cold of meat as possible. What we do before we make sausage is to put the meat in the freezer for an hour or so before processing. This helps get the meat even colder than the temp of just being in a refrigerator, but keeps it from being completely frozen. We want the meat to be as cold as possible and putting in the freezer for an hour or so will get it really cold and even start to make the outside layers even slightly frozen. The colder the meat, the better it will grind and have better particle definition in your final sausage. Cold meat will also help with meat safety. The colder the meat is, the less likely we’ll have bacteria grow. And, lastly, protein extraction is more efficient at colder temps.

So whenever you are making sausage, just remember to have your meat temperature be as cold as possible and you will make a better and safer overall product!

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