Pork Sausages

When a pig is cut up in the country, sausages are usually made of the trimmings, but when the meat has to be bought the chump end of a fore loin or blade bone will be found to answer best. The fine, well-fed meat of a full-grown pig, known in London as "hog-meat," is every way preferable to that called "dairy-fed pork." The fat should be nearly in equal proportion to the lean, but of course this matter must be arranged to suit the taste of those who will eat the sausages. If young pork is used, remove the skin as thinly as you can (it is useful for various purposes), and then with a sharp knife cut all the flesh from the bones, take away all sinews and gristle, and cut the fat and lean into strips. Some mincing machines require the meat longer than others - for the "Combination" cut it into pieces about an inch long and half-an-inch thick. To each pound of meat put half-a-gill of gravy made from the bones, or water will do, then mix equally with it two ounces of bread-crumbs, a large teaspoonful of salt, a small one of black pepper and of dried sage. The seasoning should be well mixed with the bread, as the meat will then be flavoured properly throughout the mass. Arrange the skin on the filler, tie it at the end, put the meat, a little at a time, into the hopper, turn the handle of the machine briskly, and take care the skin is only lightly filled. When the sausages are made, tie the skin at the other end, pinch them into shape, and then loop them by passing one through another, giving a twist to each as you do them. Fifteen to twenty minutes should be allowed for frying sausages, and when done they should be nicely browned. A little butter or lard is best for frying, and some pieces of light bread may be fried in it when the sausages are done, and placed round the dish by way of garnish.

Sausage skins, especially if preserved, should be well soaked before using, or they may make the sausages too salt. It is a good plan to put the skin on the water-tap and allow the water to run through it, as thus it will be well washed on the inside.

Beef Sausages

Although good sausages may be made from the coarser parts of prime beef, it will be found best to use "buttock steak," or, failing that, any tender, juicy steak. Take six ounces of beef suet to a pound of lean beef, two ounces of bread-crumbs, a large teaspoonful of salt, one of black pepper, and of sweet herbs dried and sifted: proceed as for pork sausages. Fry them slowly, but for rather less time than those made of pork.

Veal And Ham Sausages

It will be necessary to have cutlet or the best end of the neck for veal sausages. To each pound of veal use half-a-pound of ham or bacon, about three ounces lean and five ounces fat. Season with a small teaspoonful of pepper, be careful not to use too much salt, as the ham may give almost enough: in any case a very small teaspoonful will suffice. Moisten the meat with water, or gravy made from the trimmings of veal and ham, and proceed as for pork sausages. An ounce of bread to the pound of meat can be used if desired.