The Four Phases of Sausage Production

Appears in
Professional Garde Manger: A Comprehensive Guide to Cold Food Preparation
Professional Garde Manger

By Jaclyn Pestka, Wayne Gisslen and Lou Sackett

Published 2010

  • About
There are four distinct phases in sausage preparation.
  1. Grinding reduces meats and fat to small particles. (Puréeing, which is a slightly different action from grinding, is included in this phase and also accomplishes the mixing process.)
  2. Mixing is a process that includes both protein development and emulsification. The production of bulk fresh sausage is complete after the mixing phase.
  3. Encasing is the process of stuffing the forcemeat into the casing. The production of encased fresh sausages is complete after the encasement phase.
  4. Finishing procedures are the final production steps for various sausages. The basic procedures are cooking, smoking (both hot and cold), and drying. These procedures may be done singly or in combination.