Meats and Sausages
Saucisson de Lacaune / Saucisse de Lacaune
Saucisson de Lacaune and Saucisse de Lacaune are dry sausages carrying PGI (26.11.2015) European certificate of origin. Lacaune is a commune in the Tarn department in southern France. The certificate lists two names, however, it is the same sausage. The difference is in the size: the diameter of Saucisson sec Lacaune is larger than the diameter of Saucisse de Lacaune. Selection of materials and spices as well as the manufacturing process is the same for both sausages, however, drying times will be different due to difference in size. Depending on a type of natural casing it is stuffed in, the sausage acquires different forms and sizes: curved sausage: curved into a u-shape, weighing between 200 g and 500 g, straight sausage, not curved, weighing between 200 g and 500 g, coiled sausage, it is presented in a series of loops of no specific number or weight (around 2 kg).
Saucisson de Lacaune – 80% lean meat, back fat.
Saucisse de Lacaune - 70% lean meat, back fat, pork belly is also permitted.
Seasonings – salt, pepper, nutmeg, sugar. The addition of sodium nitrite or nitrate (saltpeter), fermenting cultures and flour (for surface coating) is allowed.
Sausage slices display particles of meat and fat which are minced coarsely (minimum 8 mm, 3/8”).
| Meats | Metric | US |
|---|---|---|
| Pork, lean | 700 g | 1.54 lb |
| Back fat | 300 g | 0.66 lb |
Ingredients per 1000g (1 kg) of meat
| Salt | 28 g | 5 tsp |
| Cure #2 | 2.5 g | 1/2 tsp |
| Pepper | 4.0 g | 2 tsp |
| Nutmeg | 1.0 g | 1/2 tsp |
| Dextrose | 3.0 g | 1/2 tsp |
| Sugar | 2.0 g | 1/2 tsp |
| T-SPX culture | 0.12 g | use scale |
Instructions
- Cut with a knife or grind lean meat through 5/16” (8 mm) plate.
- Using a sharp knife cut partially frozen back fat into 5/16” (8 mm) cubes.
- Dilute culture in 1 tablespoon of de-chlorinated water around 30 minutes before mixing.
- Mix ground lean meat with salt and cure #2 until sticky.
- Add fat cubes, culture and spices and mix all together.
- Stuff firmly into 36 mm hog casings.
- Ferment at 20º C (68º F) for 72 hours, 90-85% humidity.
- Dry at 16 → 12º C (60-54º F), 85 → 80% humidity for 21 days. The sausage is dried until around 30% in weight is lost. The sausage should develop a white mold which is expected and desired.
- Store sausages at 10-15º C (50-59º F), <75% humidity.
