Swabian Country Hunter Sausage
The Landjäger is a Swabian dry-cured sausage pressed into rectangular shapes in pairs and cold-smoked. It is one of Germany's oldest preserved sausages, originally made as a durable provision for hunters and travelers.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Preparation
1 StundeChill meat and fat close to 0°C. Grind pork shoulder and beef through 4mm plate, back fat through 3mm plate. Mix all ingredients including spices and starter cultures thoroughly until the mass is well bound.
Pre-curing
24 StundenCover the mixture and let it mature for 24 hours at 4°C in the refrigerator. This promotes color development and flavor.
Filling and Pressing
12 StundenFill mixture into pork casings caliber 26/28, twist into pairs of about 90 g each and tie with kitchen twine. Place pairs between two smooth wooden boards, lightly weight and press for 12 hours at 4°C.
Warming and Fermentation
48 StundenFerment the pressed sausages at 22-24°C and 90-95% relative humidity for 24-48 hours until pH drops below 5.3. Then allow the surface to dry.
Cold Smoking
4-6 TageCold smoke with beech wood at max. 20°C for 3-4 rounds of 8 hours each, with 12-hour breaks between smoking sessions. Sausages should develop a golden-brown to dark-brown color.
Drying and Maturing
3-4 WochenAfter smoking, mature at 12-15°C and 70-75% humidity for 3-4 weeks. Sausages should lose at least 30% of their original weight and become firm and slice-stable.
Pro Tip
After filling, tie the sausages in pairs with twine and press them between two wooden boards under light weight for about 12 hours to achieve the characteristic rectangular shape.
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