Pizza sausage ?

[ZekeTheCat]

Luca Pizza di Roma is a local pizza (mall) chain in the Indianapolis area and in some other surrounding area's of the mid west.  I really like there sausage pizza and was wondering if
any of you have ever worked for them and know what brand of sausage topping they use and where they get it from ?

There is a large pizza sausage topping  purveyor (Fontanini) in the Chicago area and suspect that it may come from there but am not sure : http://www.fontanini.com/pizza.html

I've made attempts at trying to make homemade pizza sausage with dismal results generally and I don't like grocery store / meat market  sausages very well - they don't seem to have that unique pizza spicy flavor.

[lilbuddypizza]

I've never worked for them, so I don't know what kind they use, but if it was Fontanini, you are in good hands. Fontanini ( or Capitol Meats) is very good for such a big company. They have great meatballs too. They make a lot of cooked sausage for pizza places (what we call rabbit pellets), and fresh Italian Sausage as well. It's good stuff.

[apizza]

Well I don't know how it is where you live but here in central CT sausage is all over the place. Even the small markets can produce sausage that I feel is not up to par. I need fennel, salt, black pepper and hold your breath, fat. I find a lot of markets use too lean a mix resulting in dry cardboard sausage. All the spice in the world will not make up for the proper amount of fat. Sorry, but it's part of the true product. Yes it's bad for me but when the desire hits that's what I want, and will have. Moderation my friends, and enjoy.

[lilbuddypizza]

Well I don't know how it is where you live but here in central CT sausage is all over the place. Even the small markets can produce sausage that I feel is not up to par. I need fennel, salt, black pepper and hold your breath, fat. I find a lot of markets use too lean a mix resulting in dry cardboard sausage. All the spice in the world will not make up for the proper amount of fat. Sorry, but it's part of the true product. Yes it's bad for me but when the desire hits that's what I want, and will have. Moderation my friends, and enjoy.

NEVER be ashamed of your love for pork fat. If one is going to use a lean sausage, might as well use cardboard.
There is no room in pizza making for health conscious decisions.

[ZekeTheCat]

What percentage fat should be in the sausage ?
I've been basically using ground pork from the supermarket and adding spices to try and get the flavor - to no success so far. Not sure what the fat content is from the ground pork.

[Bill/SFNM]

I make a lot of sausage and will never use the ground pork from the supermarket. You just never know and it's usually way too lean. You might want to consider grinding the pork yourself. Pork butts (aka Boston butts) are perfect for most sausages. The ones that have been boned often have some of the excess fat trimmed off, so I try to get bone-in, non-injected butts with as much fat as possible. Better to err on the side of too much fat. You can always cook it out later and it makes the remaining sausage tastier.

For premixed spices that you can just dump in that contain all the cool chemicals the pros use:

http://www.theingredientstore.com/generalstore/product_details/690.htm


Bill/SFNM

[Ronzo]

That sounds yummy, Bill.


Do you use a meat grinding attachment for your mixer, or do you use a dedicated grinder - manual or electric?

[Bill/SFNM]

Yes, I use the meat grinding attachment for my KA. But I never use the stuffing tube attachment - does an awful job. I have a dedicated stuffing device.

Bill/SFNM

[lilbuddypizza]

Pork butts or shoulders are perfect.

[bnebel15]

Im pretty sure it is Fontanini. We have been using Fontanini for as long as i can remember at have had great success.  We use the raw bulk.  A lot of places are afraid to use the raw bul because of cross contamination, but if you can keep a clean and safe environment the raw bulk is where you are going to get the best result as well as the best possible flavor. You dont want to use rabit pellets. Thats what the chains use like Pizza Hit or Dominos. Keet it classic and true and try to learn from the mistakes of the chains, although they are making a ton of money mostly due to great marketing, they still make a %$# pizza. 

[Myron33]

Hello try Scalla in Chicago some of the best all natural sasuge you will ever find

[lilbuddypizza]

Hello try Scalla in Chicago some of the best all natural sasuge you will ever find

I find their beef and sausage a bit pricey, but then again, it's been a few years. It is good though.

[RockyMarciano]

you gotta use the Italian sausage from Camillo's in sloan

[ZekeTheCat]

Anybody have a good recipe for homemade Italian pizza topping sausage ?

[Bill/SFNM]

I've got a few pretty good recipes, but must admit that this seasoning mix makes sausage as good if not better than any:

http://www.theingredientstore.com/generalstore/product_details/690.htm

It contains no salt which allows me to adjust it to my taste. This is a really great site for all kinds of sausage making. Joe Ames, the owner, is a terrific guy and will bend over backwards to help. I have no commercial connection; just a very satisfied customer for many years.

Bill/SFNM

[Aaron]

I will second Bills recomendation.Joe is a great guy to deal with,you can order Rytek Kutas sausge book from there also,it is considered the bible on that subject.
Aaron