Saucisson French Recipes

SAUCISSON EN CROUTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out pastry to a 14-by-12-inch rectangle, 1/8 inch thick. Using a pizza wheel or sharp knife, cut into one 12-by-9-inch rectangle and one 12-by-4-inch rectangle. (Reserve remaining dough, if any, for another use.)
• Apply a lattice roller cutter lengthwise along the smaller rectangle, rolling firmly to cut all the way through the dough. Brush the larger rectangle with egg wash. Stretch the smaller rectangle over the larger rectangle, opening the cuts to create the lattice pattern. Using a pizza wheel, trim overhanging edges. Transfer to a baking sheet (if dough becomes too soft, freeze 15 minutes).
• Flip the layered dough pieces so the lattice is on the underside. Brush one short end of the dough with egg wash. Place sausage at the other short end of the dough and roll tightly. Pinch ends to seal. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, seam-side down, and brush lattice with egg wash once more. Using the tip of a knife, cut a few steam vents in lattice.
• Bake until pastry is puffed and deep golden brown, about 40 minutes. Serve warm.

SAUCISSONS A L'AIL (FRENCH GARLIC SAUSAGES)

Steps:

• Cut the fatback into the thinnest possible slices. Cut the slices into the thinnest possible strips. Stack the strips uniformly and cut them into the finest possible dice, about 1/16th-of-an-inch cubes. There should be about three cups. Set aside.
• Put pork, beef, salt, pepper and garlic into a mixing bowl. Add the diced fatback. Blend the potato starch and ice water and add it to meat mixture.
• Cut the sausage casings into five lengths of about 18 inches each.
• Outfit a meat grinder (see an alternative technique for stuffing sausages) with a medium cutting blade and add the sausage stuffer, screwing it on securely. Slip the sausage casing onto the stuffer. Tie it at the end.
• Add the meat cubes with seasonings and liquid to the open feeder of the grinder, grinding constantly, allowing the casing to be filled to a length of 15 inches. Cut off the end of the casing and tie it on both ends. Repeat this action, cutting off each sausage with a 15-inch length and tying at the end. This will make about five sausages weighing about one and one-quarter pounds each.
• To cook the garlic sausages, bring enough water to the simmer to cover one or more sausages. Add the sausage or sausages and let simmer (the ideal temperature is 180 degrees) for 30 minutes. Serve sliced. The sausages could also be grilled until done or they may be smoked. If they are to be smoked, use a home smoker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.