Pork sausage and spaghetti sauce question

[Anonymous]

Question for the experts:
Pork sausage that is pan browned or made into meatballs. Flavor is great but once introduced into sauce the meat takes on an "old" flavor. Best i can describe it.
Doesnt matter if its put in sauce hot or cold. If eaten by itself its great also
Any reason why the meat is doing this/taking on the off flavor?

 

[1982vett]

what are the spices in the sausage? My guess is one of them isn't complementary to the spaghetti sauce spices....(Thinking along the line of sage and oregano.....)

 

[highgrit]

Hook, we must be using the same spices mine does the samething. I use Legg's Old Plantation seasoning. Had a butcher tell me the pork fat I used was turning rancid after being frozen for a few months.

 

[Anonymous]

Dont really know. Theres oregano in the sausage i can tell and oregano in the sauce. Could be sage but hard to say because sage takes on a different flavor when cooked.
Highgrit: how did you deal with that?
This has been in a deep freezer but its pushing a year now. Double wrapped butcher paper

 

[slick4591]

Can't tell you why it does, but I have to make my spaghetti sauce with the Italian sausage on the side because of the undesirable flavor it causes.

 

[Anonymous]

Dang im glad its not just us.
Wifey says that when simmered for about 4-5 hrs in the sauce ( home made) that the offending flavor goes away.
Also. When eaten by its self the sausage is great.
I sure wish we could narrow down whats happening with the flavor.
3way, Jogeephus, HD, Kathie, Gale. Anyone????

 

[3waycross]

Dont really know. Theres oregano in the sausage i can tell and oregano in the sauce. Could be sage but hard to say because sage takes on a different flavor when cooked.
Highgrit: how did you deal with that?
This has been in a deep freezer but its pushing a year now. Double wrapped butcher paper

There's your answer

 

[Anonymous]

3 way? But its fine eaten by its self?????

 

[hillsdown]

Geesh Hook I have no idea, you have me confused and as far as spices oregano is very complimentary to a tomato based sauce. :?

I made italian meatballs (beef and chorizo sausage) last night and homemade ravioli with it as well ,baked it altogether with pomodoro sauce and it all tasted really good, no odd tastes at all. I just don't know what would cause that old taste .

Could be the fennel maybe causing an off taste. I have to use fresh fennel and not dried ,or it gets kinda bitter .

 

[Anonymous]

Its got me confused too HD. I think its something in the sausage sauces clashing with the tomato base in the spaghetti sauce. But seeing that i dont grind and mix the sausage my self i dont mnow whats in it. Ill have to ask my processor i guess.

 

[3waycross]

Geesh Hook I have no idea, you have me confused and as far as spices oregano is very complimentary to a tomato based sauce. :?

I made italian meatballs (beef and chorizo sausage) last night and homemade ravioli with it as well ,baked it altogether with pomodoro sauce and it all tasted really good, no odd tastes at all. I just don't know what would cause that old taste .

Could be the fennel maybe causing an off taste. I have to use fresh fennel and not dried ,or it gets kinda bitter .

What part of those meatballs was Italian. Beef and a Mexican sausage? You made Albondigas! :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

 

[3waycross]

Dont really know. Theres oregano in the sausage i can tell and oregano in the sauce. Could be sage but hard to say because sage takes on a different flavor when cooked.
Highgrit: how did you deal with that?
This has been in a deep freezer but its pushing a year now. Double wrapped butcher paper

Never heard of putting Oregano in Italian sausage. Salt, Fennel, Garlic,Red pepper(chili pequin and chili caribe) and maybe some red wine .[/b] That's what goes into Italian Sausage! BTW the best way to incorporate Fennel into Italian sausage is to grind it in a coffee mill until it is powder. The flavor is distributed better and the seeds don't kill anyone with diverticulitis like me.

and Hook I guarantee that if you have had that sausage with pork fat in it in the freezer, for a year, it is starting to get rancid.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

We don't raise/process pork. I buy either mild or hot Ital. sausage depending on what I'm fixing, but it never gets any heavier than 1/2 to 1/2 in the mix w/super lean burger.

THEN, I'll add garlic, basil, oregano . . .

 

[hillsdown]

Geesh Hook I have no idea, you have me confused and as far as spices oregano is very complimentary to a tomato based sauce. :?

I made italian meatballs (beef and chorizo sausage) last night and homemade ravioli with it as well ,baked it altogether with pomodoro sauce and it all tasted really good, no odd tastes at all. I just don't know what would cause that old taste .

Could be the fennel maybe causing an off taste. I have to use fresh fennel and not dried ,or it gets kinda bitter .

What part of those meatballs was Italian. Beef and a Mexican sausage? You made Albondigas! :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

Sorry 3way, it wasn't cherizo it was Capacolla(sp?) . This steer we did is the best one yet, the flavor of the meat is phenomenal .

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Dang im glad its not just us.
Wifey says that when simmered for about 4-5 hrs in the sauce ( home made) that the offending flavor goes away.
Also. When eaten by its self the sausage is great.
I sure wish we could narrow down whats happening with the flavor.
3way, Jogeephus, HD, Kathie, Gale. Anyone????

I usually get Ital. sausage links; skin them; slice them, and brown them first; then add the lean GB plus chopped onion and some fresh garlic. After that, into a big pot w/ tomatoes, tom. paste, more or plus spices; and I simmer for hours. . . . . . don't know what else to tell 'ya. ??

 

[alisonb]

Any reason why the meat is doing this/taking on the off flavor?

Is it an almost 'metallic' taste? If so it could be freezer burn, especially after such a lengthy period of being frozen. Another factor could be the use of salt in the sausage, salt accelerates the onset of rancidity after a time. The use of salt, spices, marinades etc. will also influence the freezing point of the sausage so you may want to drop the temp a notch or two to get a good solid freeze. I usually freeze pork sausage for no longer than 3-4 months but I'm sure one could extend that a little.

 

[Anonymous]

Well i guess ill be giving away more sausage in the future. We can only eat but so much. And as you all know theres nore sausage on a single pig than you can shake a stick atand we usually do 2

 

[Crazy Farmgirl]

Hook...I had the same issue, more sausage than anything else. I started getting half in plain ground pork and using in place of burger in dishes or mixed half and half with venison or any other super lean burger to make hamburger patties and meatballs. Worked out very nicely for me, might be worth a try.

 

[Gale Seddon]

3way, Jogeephus, HD, Kathie, Gale. Anyone????

Hook is asking ME a cooking question? You must be VERY desperate! (Remember, I'm the one who won't follow a recipe over one page long, won't make anything with difficult to find ingredients or a recipe within a recipe, and I need pictures!) :lol: :lol: :lol:

That being said, I will read this thread until the end and see if I can follow it.

 

[Anonymous]

Ill try that too CFG
Gale, you are one funny chica