I made my first batch of sausage in years. Breakfast sausage stuffed
into sheep casings. I decided to precook some of it so I put some in a
pan of water, turned the fire on low and let temp slowly rise to 155F.
I then rapidly cooled them off in a sink of cool water. The result? It
seems like all the flavor got sucked out. The sausage was very bland,
almost like I only used 1/4 of the amount of seasoning I needed. When I
took some that I did not boil and fried it up it tasted great. What gives?

Brian Shafer

Brian Shafer > wrote in
:

> I made my first batch of sausage in years. Breakfast sausage stuffed
> into sheep casings. I decided to precook some of it so I put some in
> a pan of water, turned the fire on low and let temp slowly rise to
> 155F. I then rapidly cooled them off in a sink of cool water. The
> result? It seems like all the flavor got sucked out. The sausage was
> very bland, almost like I only used 1/4 of the amount of seasoning I
> needed. When I took some that I did not boil and fried it up it
> tasted great. What gives?
>
> Brian Shafer
>
>

I think you answered your own question... The flavor went out with the
water! Why would you want to boil them anyway?

Wayne Boatwright wrote:

> Brian Shafer > wrote in
> :
>
>
>>I made my first batch of sausage in years. Breakfast sausage stuffed
>>into sheep casings. I decided to precook some of it so I put some in
>>a pan of water, turned the fire on low and let temp slowly rise to
>>155F. I then rapidly cooled them off in a sink of cool water. The
>>result? It seems like all the flavor got sucked out. The sausage was
>>very bland, almost like I only used 1/4 of the amount of seasoning I
>>needed. When I took some that I did not boil and fried it up it
>>tasted great. What gives?
>>
>>Brian Shafer
>>
>>
>
>
> I think you answered your own question... The flavor went out with the
> water! Why would you want to boil them anyway?


Water does not boil at 155, unless you are at many thousands of feet
elevation. Precooking sausages in hot (not boiling) water is perfectly
reasonable.

I would smoke the too-mild sausage to dry it out a little (concentrate
the flavors) and to give it some smoke taste. Don't let the smoker get
too hot.

-bob

Brian Shafer wrote:
>
> I made my first batch of sausage in years. Breakfast sausage stuffed
> into sheep casings. I decided to precook some of it so I put some in a
> pan of water, turned the fire on low and let temp slowly rise to 155F.
> I then rapidly cooled them off in a sink of cool water. The result? It
> seems like all the flavor got sucked out. The sausage was very bland,
> almost like I only used 1/4 of the amount of seasoning I needed. When I
> took some that I did not boil and fried it up it tasted great. What gives?

pierce the sausages and half-cover with water. Bring the water to
boiling to render the fat. Let the water evaporate and then fry in the
rendered fat. The flavor will reinfuse.

Your problem is you threw out the flavored water. Which a thrifty
person would have saved anyway for either stock making or to use in a
legume soup.

B/

zxcvbob > wrote in
:

> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>
>> Brian Shafer > wrote in
>> :
>>
>>
>>>I made my first batch of sausage in years. Breakfast sausage stuffed
>>>into sheep casings. I decided to precook some of it so I put some in
>>>a pan of water, turned the fire on low and let temp slowly rise to
>>>155F. I then rapidly cooled them off in a sink of cool water. The
>>>result? It seems like all the flavor got sucked out. The sausage
>>>was very bland, almost like I only used 1/4 of the amount of
>>>seasoning I needed. When I took some that I did not boil and fried
>>>it up it tasted great. What gives?
>>>
>>>Brian Shafer
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> I think you answered your own question... The flavor went out with
>> the water! Why would you want to boil them anyway?
>
>
> Water does not boil at 155, unless you are at many thousands of feet
> elevation. Precooking sausages in hot (not boiling) water is
> perfectly reasonable.
>
> I would smoke the too-mild sausage to dry it out a little (concentrate
> the flavors) and to give it some smoke taste. Don't let the smoker
> get too hot.
>
> -bob
>

I'll grant you that 155 is not boiling, but I still think the water
could leach out some of the flavor. Besides, in his last sentence the
OP did say what he did not "boil" but fried instead was flavorful. It
must have had something to do with the water. I do like the idea of
smoking it.

Wayne