Salsa and Hawaiian Brats

[Jonathon]

I popped into work for a few hours today to use our test kitchen and made Some of the new Salsa Brats and Hawaiian Sausage! I made some of pork for both of them and the Salsa Brat I made some out of a mix of Chicken Breast and Thighs. For the Chicken ones I also used some Cold Phosphate and Carrot Fiber to make them hold more water.

First, the Hawaiian was very good, we picked this seasoning up because gadahl was looking to try to make something that he had had on a vacation he had. It was a nice taste, a little tropical and definitely picked up some pineapple in it. All in all a very good taste without anything too exotic, at least I think, I had already eaten a lot of the Salsa Brats at this point!

The Salsa Brat is AMAZING! Seriously this is going to be my new go-to for Chicken Brats, I added some fresh Cilantro (it does not have any in the ingredients) and they are unreal. After eating 4 of the chicken brats (I’m a pig) I had one of the pork ones and that might have been even better! I can’t wait to cook some of these up on Monday and let the Walton’s Employees try them and bask in the adulation! At least that’s how I see it going in my mind but I might have delusions of grandeur!

[gadahl]

Jon: I received my last “Care Package” from Waltons and was delighted with the Hawaiian seasoning. Thank Austin for ordering it! Made 10 lbs of pork brats in natural hog casings, added 1 can of crushed pineapple to the meat. I added a No. 1 cure and let the sausages chill overnight. I smoked them with apple wood for four hours (one hour no smoke, then smoke for three). A few minutes in the oven took the internal temp to 165 F then cold water shower and bloom at room temp.
The sausages turned out great. The flavor is mild, but still reminds me of vacation dinners in Maui. My wife said she liked these better than almost anything else I’ve smoked.
The Excaliber Hawaiian seasoning is not the same as the sausage that I wrote to you and Austin about–that sausage is a Portugese-Hawaiian version with a similar flavor profile but with more paprika and a little more heat. I’ll keep working on it, and let you know how it goes.
G.

[Jonathon]

gadahl Awesome, I’m glad they came out so good! I’d agree that the flavor was mild on them, I didn’t even add the pineapples (was rushing and forgot) but I still enjoyed it. It tasted like a really well balanced pork brat with just a hint of sweetness. I definitely think this was something we are going to be selling a lot more of in the future!

[gadahl]

Jonathon The Hawaiian seasoning does have a mild, slightly sweet, good porky flavor. I think I’m going to use it in the next batch of breakfast sausage I make; something a little different than the normal “country sausage” flavor profile. It should be good as a breakfast link in natural sheep casings.

I also think it would be good as a brat with pineapple added and just a splash of Chinese Soy Sauce. Sliced about 3/4 inch on a diagonal cut as the meat in a Chinese stir fry with onion, celery, bok choy and noodles. It would be a spectacular asian dinner centerpiece. Serve with ice cold Chinese beer.
You guys should hire me for recipe development!
Greg.