Water is essential for creating a “great” sausage batter, ultimately improving quality and consistency. By using distilled or filtered water, we can ensure that all of the impurities have been removed that may otherwise cause off flavour or colour.
Protein extraction from the lean muscle is utilized for binding meats, fat and water together to create the “snap” and texture of the sausage. Adding water will effectively distribute and dissolve added ingredients, improves texture & tenderness, enhance juiciness and increase product yield. Properly mixed batters will hold the water in a protein suspension, maintaining a superior final product.
Most ground meat for sausage should use a minimum of 10% added ice water. Cold water will maintain a lower temperature of the meat, creating more mixing time for the protein extraction that binds all other ingredients together.
