CHICKEN-BEER SAUSAGE
YIELD: 3 LB/1.4 KG
Boneless, skin-on chicken thighs, cut into 1-in/2.5-cm cubes
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 3.90 lb
- GRAMS: 1,044
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 76.65
Lager-style beer
- U.S. MEASUREMENT:
3
/
4
cup
- GRAMS: 157
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 11.50
Eggs
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 2
- GRAMS: 62
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 4.55
Heavy cream
- U.S. MEASUREMENT:
1
/
4
cup
- GRAMS: 57
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 2.50
Fine sea salt
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 2 tbsp
- GRAMS: 45
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 2.00
Finely diced dried apricots
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1
1
/
2
tbsp
- GRAMS: 22
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 1.60
Whole mustard seeds
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 2 tsp
- GRAMS: 8
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.60
Coarsely ground black pepper
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1 tsp
- GRAMS: 5
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.35
Whole fennel seeds
- U.S. MEASUREMENT:
3
/
4
tsp
- GRAMS: 3
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.25
Hog casings, rinsed
This is the first sausage I developed, back before I opened 4505 Meats. Based on a boudin blanc, it has a fluffy texture, which I achieve by whipping the sausage farce in an electric mixer until it's creamy and light. I use chicken thighs and skin, which makes a juicy sausage, and I add diced dried apricots because I think the sweet-tart flavor cuts the richness of the meat. As for the beer, we use the Blue Bell Bitter from Magnolia Pub, a small brewery in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. It's light but flavorful, and not too hoppy or bitter, which would overpower the delicate flavor of the chicken.
- Â Â
1.
Place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet, transfer to the freezer, and chill until crunchy on the exterior but not frozen solid
(see page 23)
.
- Â Â
2.
In a medium bowl, add the beer, eggs, cream, salt, apricots, mustard seeds, black pepper, and fennel seeds and set aside.
- Â Â
3.
Nest a large mixing bowl in a bowl filled with ice. Grind the chicken through the small die of the grinder into the bowl set in ice
(see page 24)
.
- Â Â
4.
Add the beer mixture to the meat and stir with your hands until well incorporated; the mixture will look homogenous and will begin sticking to the bowl
(see page 25)
.
- Â Â
5.
Transfer the meat to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until fluffy and creamy, about 4 minutes.
- Â Â
6.
Spoon 2 tbsp of the meat mixture into a nonstick frying pan and spread into a thin patty. Cook the test patty over low heat until cooked through but not browned. Taste the sausage for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
- Â Â
7.
Press a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly on the surface of the meat to prevent oxidation, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Alternatively, you can vacuum-seal the farce.
- Â Â
8.
Stuff the sausage into the hog casings
(see page 31)
and twist into links
(see page 36)
.
- Â Â
9.
Poach the links
(see page 41)
in a light beer, such as a lager or pale ale, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of a sausage registers 150°F/65°C. Eat immediately, or chill them fully in an ice water bath and refrigerate, or freeze for longer storage
(see page 46)
. When you're ready to eat the sausages, grill them or cook in a pan until browned and heated through.
FOIE GRAS BOUDIN BLANC
YIELD: 3 LB/1.4 KG
Boneless pork shoulder (or a combination of cuts, about 75% lean, 25% fat), cut into 1-in/2.5-cm cubes
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1.70 lb
- GRAMS: 741
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 54.39
Beaten eggs
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 2
- GRAMS: 90
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 6.61
Nonfat dry milk powder
- U.S. MEASUREMENT:
1
/
3
cup
- GRAMS: 68
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 5.00
Heavy cream
- U.S. MEASUREMENT:
1
/
4
cup
- GRAMS: 54
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 4.00
Fine sea salt
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1 tbsp
- GRAMS: 31
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 2.30
Mustard powder
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 2
1
/
4
tsp
- GRAMS: 5
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.40
Ground anise
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 2 tsp
- GRAMS: 4
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.30
Black pepper
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1
1
/
2
tsp
- GRAMS: 3
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.20
Ground coriander
- U.S. MEASUREMENT:
1
/
2
tsp
- GRAMS: 1
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.10
Cure No. 1
(see page 15)
- U.S. MEASUREMENT:
1
/
2
tsp
- GRAMS: 3
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.04
Crushed ice
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1 cup
- GRAMS: 204
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 15.00
Goose or duck foie gras, cleaned and cut into
3
/
4
-in/2-cm cubes
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 0.40 lb
- GRAMS: 159
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 11.66
Hog casings, rinsed
This is a classic sausage with a political agenda. In the summer of 2012, the State of California banned the production and sale of foie gras, the fattened livers of duck and geese, on grounds of animal cruelty (the animals are force fed to fatten their livers, a time-honored French technique called
gavage
). Before the ban took effect we wanted to showcase foie gras one last time with this sausage, a rich boudin blanc studded with cubes of creamy, rich foie gras. We cut the foie gras into larger cubes so it doesn't melt away; you want to see (and taste) it in each bite.
- Â Â
1.
Place the pork on a rimmed baking sheet, transfer to the freezer, and chill until crunchy on the exterior but not frozen solid
(see page 23)
.
- Â Â
2.
In a small bowl, add the eggs, milk powder, cream, salt, mustard powder, anise, black pepper, coriander, and Cure No. 1 and stir to combine.
- Â Â
3.
Nest a large mixing bowl in a bowl filled with ice. Grind the meat through the small die of the grinder into the bowl set in ice
(see page 24)
.
- Â Â
4.
Add the spice mixture to the meat and stir with your hands until well incorporated; the mixture will look homogenous and will begin sticking to the bowl
(see page 25)
.
- Â Â
5.
Press a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the meat to prevent oxidation, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Alternatively, you can vacuum-seal the farce.
- Â Â
6.
Transfer the meat to the bowl of a food processor, add half of the crushed ice and process until the liquid is incorporated into the meat and the mixture begins to look sticky, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining crushed ice and continue processing until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Note: The temperature of your meat during this mixing step is critically important. Its temperature should never rise above 40°F/4°C; work efficiently during this step of the process. Depending on the size of your food processor, you may need to do this in batches. Fold in the foie gras.
- Â Â
7.
Spoon 2 tbsp of the meat mixture into a nonstick frying pan and spread into a thin patty. Cook the test patty over low heat until cooked through but not browned. Taste the sausage for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
- Â Â
8.
Stuff the sausage into the hog casings
(see page 31)
and twist into links
(see page 36)
.
- Â Â
9.
Poach these sausages
(see page 41)
in water or an off-dry (slightly sweet) white wine until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of a sausages registers 148°F/65°C. They can be eaten immediately, or chill them fully in an ice-water bath and refrigerate, or freeze for longer storage
(see page 46)
. When you're ready to eat the sausages, cook them on a grill or in a pan until browned and heated through.
LAMB WIENERS
YIELD: 3 LB/1.4 KG
Boneless lamb shoulder (or a combination of cuts, about 75% lean, 25% fat), cut into 1-in/2.5-cm cubes
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1.30 lb
- GRAMS: 574
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 42.11
Lamb hard fat, cut into 1-in/2.5-cm cubes
- U.S. MEASUREMENT:
1
/
3
cup
- GRAMS: 70
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 5.14
Boneless lean beef, such as round, sirloin, neck, plate or shank (about 95% lean, 5% fat) cut into 1-in/2.5-cm cubes
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 0.90 lb
- GRAMS: 420
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 30.81
Chopped Garlic Confit
(page 182)
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 3 tbsp
- GRAMS: 28
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 2.05
Fine sea salt
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1 tbsp
- GRAMS: 25
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 1.85
Fennel seeds
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 2
1
/
4
tsp
- GRAMS: 6
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.41
Finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1 tbsp
- GRAMS: 5
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.38
Coarsely ground black pepper
- U.S. MEASUREMENT:
3
/
4
tsp
- GRAMS: 3
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.21
Onion powder
- U.S. MEASUREMENT:
3
/
4
tsp
- GRAMS: 2
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.13
Cure No. 1
(see page 15)
- U.S. MEASUREMENT:
1
/
2
tsp
- GRAMS: 3
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 0.06
Crushed ice
- U.S. MEASUREMENT: 1 cup
- GRAMS: 230
- % OF TOTAL (100%): 16.85