How To Fix Dry Sausage? (Raw and Cooked)

Have you ever cooked sausage and had it not turn out as well as you wanted it? Well, in most cases, you may find that the sausage becomes dry after cooking.

Some people like their sausages cooked over high heat until they’re cooked through. Others like theirs are cooked on low or in the oven. And still, others just prefer their sausages fermented. If you have any of these sausages, you probably know how to fix them, so they’re delicious and healthy. But how to fix dry sausage?

Well, we’re here to help. We’re going to talk about fixing dry sausage using a few different methods. We’ll expect the sausage to be fixed by the end of this post.

Why Is My Sausage Dry And Crumbly?

If your sausage is dry and crumbly, it might not be cooked through. There are a few reasons why this could happen. Let’s explore.

1. Wrong Meat To Fat Ratio

Sausage dried due to unbalanced meat to fat ratio is a common problem that results in a dry, crumbly. The perfect fat and meat ratio is essential to ensure that the sausage remains moist and flavorful.

This happens when there is not enough fat in the sausage mix. When this happens, the moisture in the sausage mix evaporates, and it becomes hard to store. That is why experts suggest that you should add 30% fat to your sausage.

This percentage is necessary for lean meat such as chicken or lamb if you want to mix your meat with pork fat.

2. Amount And Type Of Liquid

The type and the amount of liquid may also lead your sausage to dry. For example, if you cook with vinegar or wine, your sausage may result in dryness. So, using these liquids may not deliver you the expected taste and flavor due to dryness.

3. Grinding Methods

Inappropriate grinding might be another reason for your sausage dryness. If your grinder and meat mixer is not cold, it may lead to friction and enhance heat. As a result, the moister may dry out while making the raw sausage.

4. Failure To Mix the Sausage Meat Properly

After grinding the meat, you should keep in mind that you have to make the sages sticky using different spices. If your meat falls off during the sausage-making process, you may need to knead your meat until you see it sticky. Also, should not be in a hurry.

Can You Cook Dry Sausage?

Yes, you can cook dry sausage. However, usually, the dry sausage is considered uncooked. So, you can cook it further to fix the dryness.

How To Fix Dry Sausage?

If your sausage dried unexpectedly, you could work on fixing it instead of throwing it out. There are multiple methods to fix it. Here is what we recommend.

1. Add Gelatin Powder

If your sausage is not stuffed yet and looks dry, adding a bit of gelatin powder can help you out.

Gelatin works on holding the liquid that is available inside the sausage.

2. Add Ground Bacon

If your sausage has lesser fat, it can be dried. So, you can add ground bacon or fatback while cooking. Bacon is super fatty, so it can work actively on reversing dryness.

The fatback is a kind of fatty meat taken from the pigs’ backs, and it is high in fat. So, adding fat back will enhance the juiciness and increase moisture.

3. Steam The Sausage

Before cooking, you can steam meat to confirm the moisture and softness. Steaming the sausage for 30 minutes will help to retain the moisture. Using this method will give you complete control over your meat and allows you to cook until you get desired one.

4. Cover With a Moist Towel

You have to do this before placing it in the fridge. Take a moist towel, wrap the sausage and keep it like that for some days. This process will soften the sausage and moisten it. However, you may need to change the towel daily depending on the weather.

Fixing The Cooked Dry Sausage

While you have different methods for raw sausage, the options are slim for the cooked dry sausage. But, there are a few effective methods. 

You can soak the dry sausage in wine, water, or meat stock. You can try the following steps.

• Mix a cup of wine and a cup of stock in a pot or saucepan and boil the mixture.
• When it boils, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the dried sausage.
• Next, cover the pot with a lid and let it bubble for around 10-15 minutes.
• Check the hardness and moisture by taking the sausage out. If you find it too hard, put it back and let it simmer for another 10-15 minutes or more than that if required.
• Once it becomes soft and moist, you can chill it in the fridge before serving.

You may also steam like the raw sausage we have discussed earlier. Besides, the moist towel method also works on fixing cooked sausage.

Another popular method of fixing the cooked sausage is cooking with other ingredients. You may use gumbo, chili, soups, or stews to make the sauce for the sausage. Also, you can try cooking with curry.

Further, serving with pasta and bolognese sauce may also reduce the dryness. Besides, you may show your creativity by trying different cooking methods.

How To Prevent The Sausage From Dryness?

From the above discussion, it is clear that the sausage-making process can help prevent dryness. Hence, your grinder and mixer play a significant role here.

Your grinder should be cold before you grind the meat. To make it cold, put the grinder neck in the freezer for around 25 minutes before you start working with it. 

Your meat should be cold too. The meat should be at fridge temperature and partially frozen. You can do it by freezing the ground meat for around 30 minutes before grinding. Stuffing should also be cold like the meat.

Apart from this preparation, you should be tricky while operating the grinder. Start with coarse grinds, and after that, work with smaller to advance grinds to get a good fat texture. You can try STX Turboforce 3000 Heavy Duty 5-In-1 grinder for the best result. 

How Much Water Do You Add to Sausage?

Adding water to sausage can make it softer, juicier, and more flavorful.

However, too much water can lead to a tough end product. Start with 1/2 cup; add more if needed. However, if you want to know the exact proportion, we recommend adding 1 cup or 8 ounces of water to 5-pound sausage meat.

You might be interested to read also our another comprehensive article of; Does Italian Sausage Have Nitrates? – All You Need to Know and How Do I Know if My Jimmy Dean Sausage Is Bad?

Final Words

How to fix dry sausages? A kitchen question you sometimes ask when sausage-making goes wrong.

By following the tips mentioned in this article, you can fix your dry sausage and enjoy it again. Hope you have got your answer on how to fix dry sausage.

Remember to always store your sausage in a cool, dry place to keep it from going bad.