38 Base Fresh Poultry Sausage

Ingredients

• 3½ pound chilled, well-trimmed dark meat of poultry
• 1 pound chilled fresh pork fatback with no rind
• ½ pound chilled, well-trimmed raw poultry fat
• 1 3/4 ounce Kosher salt
• Seasonings
• 6 ounces chilled water or other liquid
• As needed casings (desired type)

Steps

Day 1: Fabrication and pre-seasoning

1. Cut the poultry into about 2 inch diced pieces.
2. Cut the fats into about 1 inch diced pieces.
3. Mix the poultry and the seasonings in a nonreactive container.
4. Cover the poultry and refrigerate for 24 hours.
5. Mix the fats in a plastic bag and refrigerate until needed.

Day 2: Grinding, mixing, and encasing

1. Spread the seasoned poultry in a thin layer on a sheet tray and set the tray, uncovered, in a freezer about½ hour, or until the exterior of the cubes stiffens slightly. Do not allow it to freeze solid.
2. Repeat day 2, step 1 with the fats.
3. Refrigerate all parts of the grinder that will contact the meat. Refrigerate a mixer bowl and the paddle attachment.
4. Grind the poultry through the coarse die into a bowl placed in an ice bain-marie. Grind it again through the medium die.
5. Grind the fat first through the coarse die into the bowl, then through the medium and fine dies.
6. Place the poultry and fats in the chilled mixer bowl. Using the chilled paddle, mix the forcemeat on low speed 2 minutes.
7. Turn the machine speed to medium power and slowly add the chilled liquid in a thin stream.
8. Blend the forcemeat until the water is completely absorbed and the mixture is smooth and sticky.
9. Perform a poach test.
10. Make any necessary adjustments to the forcemeat.
11. Use the forcemeat as bulk sausage, or encase the sausage using the type of casing and the desired shaping method.
12. Place the sausage in a freshly sanitized, covered container or in plastic bags.

Refrigerate up to 2 days, or freeze up to 3 months.