Here’s a way to transform lean turkey breasts into flavorful and juicy sausages by incorporating eggplants and mushrooms. These ingredients help absorb added duck or goose fat, deepen the overall flavor, and improve the texture of the sausage. This approach is particularly useful for adapting recipes that use meats with lower fat content.
Turkey breasts, especially with the skin removed, contain significantly less fat compared to traditional sausage meats. Skin-on turkey breasts have about 7% fat, while skinless breasts contain only 2%. In contrast, red meats commonly used for sausage-making—such as pork, beef, lamb, and veal—typically have a fat content ranging from 15% to 20%. Using turkey breast alone can result in a drier sausage unless additional fat is incorporated.
If turkey breast skins are available, including them in the mix increases the fat content and leads to juicier sausages. However, turkey breasts are most often sold skinless, making it necessary to add other sources of fat to achieve the desired texture and juiciness.
Mushrooms and eggplant, ingredients often used in vegetarian sausage recipes, make up about one-third of the total meat weight when properly strained and pressed. They are excellent at mimicking the flavors and textures of meat.
The technique involves extracting most of the water from these vegetables, then slowly cooking them in duck fat so that they absorb it. Afterwards, they are combined with ground turkey breast meat, raising the overall fat content to approximately 9% or 10%. While this is still less than that found in beef or pork sausages, it significantly improves the sausage’s texture and flavor.
The rest of the recipe is straightforward, featuring a blend of spices and herbs to enhance the flavor. A small amount of instacure pink curing salt may be added to support conservation and food safety, though this is optional depending on your preservation preferences.
This method provides a versatile option for sausage-making and can be adapted to suit different techniques and ingredients.
It’s a useful approach to explore in your own sausage-making adventures … :)
