Binder

[tas boy]

Hi all
Haven't been on here for a while ,hope you're all well . My question is does anyone use a binder when making sausages.Made some at the weekend and used some light powered milk as a binder and the results were amazing,never had much success making sausages but adding this binder seems to make a huge difference..Just wondering what you use as a binder .Cheers..

[Texas-Hunter]

Normally I do not use a added binder, if I am not mistaken Curious Aardvark uses oats that have been run through a spice grinder..

[DanMcG]

I sometimes use milk powder in some or soy protein powder, mainly in smoked sausages, But like Ken, I usually don't use any.

[Richtee]

I do not usually either. But it helps in leaner mixes, and when cooking reduces shrinkage, if that’s an issue. With smoked stuff.. it keeps a really nice tight casing.

[devo]

nonfat dry milk powder or soy protein powder but got away from using it. I find it drys the sausage out to much for my tastes.

[Mark R]

Usually do not. I do add buttermilk powder sometimes, but mostly for tang taste in summer sausage (A TH credit). It does bind some as well.

[curious aardvark]

used to add oats - NOT a binder just to soak up excess liquid.
It's a commercial holdover when adding lots of water made heavier cheaper sausages.
All that crap is essentially the same thing, it's there to soak up excess liquid: soya protein isolate, rusk, oats etc

These days I don't bother adding anything. If you grind while frozen and mix properly - the salt in the spice slurry will activate the meat's own proteins and you get a nice bouncy sausage that doesn't leak any liquid - even when microwaved.

The only things you could add that could be called 'binder' - would be eggs or transglutaminase (meat glue).

The biggest problem with people making sausage is they simply don't have the meat cold enough when they grind it.

[dward51]

I regularly use phosphate binders in my ground meat products. Usually either Butcher & Packer special binder #414 or AmesPhos. Makes a huge difference and this is what the commercial shops use. Measure carefully as a little goes a LONG way. I have also noticed less shrinkage in the casings when using binders so it is clearly retaining moisture.

Here is a cut view of some snack sticks with B&P 414. Excellent texture and moisture.

[Richtee]

Ahhh..that slipped my mind. Like when I do sticks..every time And I even have the stuff “stocked” The Nekkid Brine. Well, there’d be a little of the dehy honey then, but as you say...not much needed.

I need to remember this.