Thread: Sausages

Originally Posted by Cappa

Still struggling a bit to get good real texture in straight veni snags. They end up real soft and a little crumbly. How many times do you guys run mixture through grinder and on what plate size to achieve a good bind? Not using fillers either

I had the same problem when I started. You need a good binder. Ask your butcher and they will help you out with what to use. Extra grinding wont help a whole lot.

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Cheers R93. Any difference between a binder and a filler? Have chatted with a ex butcher and he talked about sausage 'meal' but didn't elaborate much. Have seen on here guys throwing in bread crumbs and milk powder - is this what you mean by a binder?

Originally Posted by Cappa

Cheers R93. Any difference between a binder and a filler? Have chatted with a ex butcher and he talked about sausage 'meal' but didn't elaborate much. Have seen on here guys throwing in bread crumbs and milk powder - is this what you mean by a binder?

I think they give the same result. I have for now stopped making my own sausages when I found out my local butcher does it almost as cheap (And better) than I can when I am supplying the meat.
I use Dunningnams meal prepper. I think it cost around $10 for a kilo and a little goes a long way. You can get different flavours etc. My sausages improved a lot when using it.

For me, 25% pork fat, meal prepper and a heap of chilli and garlic works wonders.
Chamois mixed with other wild meats make the best sausages I have eaten.
Wild pork and paradise duck is awesome as well.
I do a lot of bull thar and mature ones have a unique taste at all times of the year. All that meat goes into sausages.

Great way to utilise the whole animal.



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Originally Posted by R93

I had the same problem when I started. You need a good binder. Ask your butcher and they will help you out with what to use. Extra grinding wont help a whole lot.

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We tried making snags a couple years ago. Yeah nah pay for the experts I reckon. My understanding is that veni needs fat to help it bind and also cook as it is a lean meat. Good luck.


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Yeah using plenty of fat (30-40% wt/vol). Could try more i guess... Find most of fat seems to render out during cooking but it still keeps inside moist but just no snap or bind between meat as it were. Reading up they talk about need to get emulsification of fat to lean hence thought that extra grinding might help. This was also suggested when i emailed sausage by design and explained my process. Haven't tried any unique fillers or binders though so will look some up. Nah no point in quitting after a couple of minor set backs - that just wouldn't be DIY

Originally Posted by Cappa

Yeah using plenty of fat (30-40% wt/vol). Could try more i guess... Find most of fat seems to render out during cooking but it still keeps inside moist but just no snap or bind between meat as it were. Reading up they talk about need to get emulsification of fat to lean hence thought that extra grinding might help. This was also suggested when i emailed sausage by design and explained my process. Haven't tried any unique fillers or binders though so will look some up. Nah no point in quitting after a couple of minor set backs - that just wouldn't be DIY

Do you grind your fat and meat from slightly frozen? I just use the smallest sized plate my machine has. Sometimes grind it all twice but really no need.

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Yeah have always used fat and meat from frozen. Thaw it for an hour or so just enough to easily cube up with a knife but still pretty much frozen. I have just been running the coarse plate (8mm diam holes) as find this works really well for mince. Have a med (5mm diam) and fine (3mm diam) plate but have never used em. Usually try alternate cubes when mincing to help spread fat and lean throughout mix and to keep mincer head from being bound up with fat. Always try to keep mincer head cold to stop this also. Mix by hand for 10min or more to try get the sticky bind

Originally Posted by Cappa

Yeah have always used fat and meat from frozen. Thaw it for an hour or so just enough to easily cube up with a knife but still pretty much frozen. I have just been running the coarse plate (8mm diam holes) as find this works really well for mince. Have a med (5mm diam) and fine (3mm diam) plate but have never used em. Usually try alternate cubes when mincing to help spread fat and lean throughout mix and to keep mincer head from being bound up with fat. Always try to keep mincer head cold to stop this also. Mix by hand for 10min or more to try get the sticky bind

Maybe try using 3mm plate. I think my smallest plate iirc is 6mm and the last batch I made turned out pretty good. Not mealy like they usually were.
You will get it sussed. My mealy ones were not that fun to deal with but tasted good enough. The binder/filler helped a lot as it was the only change I made.

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Thanks - Will give that a crack next time!!