"Tea" sausage is familiar to many since childhood. Indeed, they began to produce it in the 19th century, and until today it has not lost its former popularity, although it has undergone some changes in composition.
Why such a name
According to legend, the sausage got its name due to the fact that earlier it was served in noble houses exclusively for tea.
There is a second version, more mundane: tea leaves ground into dust were added to the composition of the first “Tea” sausage. For lack of chemical dyes, natural ones were used at that time. Tea gave a dark, noble shade to the product, but at the same time did not change the taste, its content was small and equated to spices. In addition, before it was not as widespread and accessible as it is now, which made the product made with its addition elite.
Today, tea is not used as part of the product, but the name of the meat product is firmly entrenched.
Appearance
On the shelves of shops you can find many packaging options, but they are one in one: sausages should be in the form of a straight or curved loaf with a dry surface and an elastic consistency. In the context, the sausage has a pink or light pink color with interspersed white pieces of bacon. The moisture content in the finished product should not exceed 72%. Photo "Tea" sausage presented in the article.
In the classic version, the shell uses pork or beef worms (intestines) with a diameter of 35-40 mm. Currently, artificial shells (collagen, cellulose) have gained great popularity.
GOST and TU
Cooked "Tea" sausage is made in accordance with GOST R 52196-2011 "Cooked sausage products. Specifications ”and refers to sausages of category B. This category includes sausages with a mass fraction of muscle tissue of 40-60%.
The name of the product made in accordance with GOST is boiled Tea sausage. Any other additions to this name mean that the preparation was carried out according to the developer's own specifications (TU). Manufacturers are introducing their technology with recipes, and the grade and content of meat in such sausages can be no lower than that of products with a recipe according to GOST.
Structure
A distinctive feature of this meat product is the combination of the taste of seasonings such as coriander, garlic, pepper. The composition of the "Tea" sausage is regulated by GOST, it includes:
- pork;
- beef;
- pork fat;
- coriander;
- ground black pepper;
- salt;
- water;
- garlic;
- sugar;
- nitrite salt.
The last ingredient is added so that bacteria that cause botulism do not develop in the product.
Sometimes phosphates are present in the composition (they have a preserving effect, increase emulsification and water binding of meat product proteins). As a rule, they are not indicated on the packaging. In Europe, the addition of phosphates is prohibited not only in products, but also in washing powders, citrates are added instead. Permissible additives to sausages are considered E338-E431, E450-E452.
Pork fat is chosen from the abdominal, cervical and scapular parts, sometimes from ham. The standard allows the addition of not more than 2% starch to the “Tea” sausage.
Calorie content of the product
Animal fats contained in cooked sausage are better absorbed than, for example, smoked sausages, and their caloric content is lower.
100 grams of sausage contains:
- proteins - 11.7 grams;
- fats - 18.4 grams;
- carbohydrates - 1.7 grams.
Energy value is 216 kcal. Given the fact that a person needs to consume 2,000 kcal per day, it can be argued: the calorie content of the “Tea” sausage is quite high. The proportion of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in it is 1: 1.6: 0.1 and is shown in the diagram.
Therefore, if there is a desire to become slimmer, it is better to abandon sausages in your diet or try to combine them with cereals. Although it is worth noting that the “Tea” boiled sausage has a relatively low calorie content compared to other cooked or smoked food groups.
Beneficial features
Tea sausage is rich in:
- Vitamin PP - improves skin condition, normalizes the functioning of the nervous system and gastrointestinal tract.
- Phosphorus - promotes energy metabolism, necessary for healthy bones and teeth.
- Sodium - supports the neuromuscular activity of the body, the work of the kidneys.
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine), which plays an important role in carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. It protects cell membranes from the effects of toxins, oxidation products, improves brain function, memory, and attention.
- Folic acid (vitamin B9) - affects the growth and development of tissues, supports the immune and cardiovascular systems.
- Iron - supports hemoglobin, protects against bacteria, participates in the synthesis of thyroid hormones.
- Calcium - is responsible for blood coagulability, activates the work of enzymes and hormones, affects muscle contraction and nervous tissue excitability.
- Potassium - regulates the water balance in the body, helps to supply the brain with oxygen, reduce allergic reactions.
- Magnesium - is responsible for the work of the cardiovascular and endocrine systems.
Cooking technology
The manufacture of “Tea” sausage takes place at meat processing enterprises and includes several stages:
1. Processing of raw materials. Meat (beef, pork) is cleaned of veins and fat, their content in the residue should not exceed 30%. Lard and pork fat are cut into cubes of 6 mm.
2. Primary grinding. Using a meat grinder with holes of 2-4 mm at the outlet, the raw material is crushed. Salt beef per 100 kg of meat - 3 kg of salt, 70 grams of saltpeter and 100 grams of sugar. The resulting minced meat is aged for 2-3 days at a temperature of 4 ° C. Pork, as a rule, is used in unsalted or slightly salted form. Both types of meat are laid in containers of not more than 15 cm each and maintained for 2 days at a temperature of 2-4 ° C.
3. Secondary grinding. Aged and salted meat is subjected to secondary grinding in a meat grinder with a lattice size of 2-4 mm.
4. The confusion. Ground beef and pork are mixed with bacon, spices and other ingredients from the recipe in a mixing machine until smooth.
5. Stuffing with special syringes and tying.
6. Roasting the loaves obtained in a suspended state in special chambers. The process is carried out at 90-110 ° C for about an hour.
7. Cooking. It is produced either with water vapor or in water at a temperature of 80 ° C for about 40 minutes. Sausage loaves are cooled in a ventilated room at 10-12 ° C for 12 hours.
8. Product quality control. It is carried out by the commission on the following indicators:
- freshness;
- defectiveness (by organoleptic analysis);
- chemical and bacteriological composition.
How to choose a quality sausage
Factors that speak of a quality product when buying Tea Sausage:
- The surface of the loaf is dry and smooth, without damage.
- The shell is tightly attached to the product, otherwise, stale goods are in front of the buyer.
- The color of the loaf in the context of pale pink. The bright pink surface indicates an excess of dyes or sodium nitrite.
- The expiration date should be printed by the manufacturer, and not indicated on the price tag of the store.
- Pay attention to storage conditions. If it is a refrigerator, then the temperature regime is sustained and the product is suitable for use.
Reviews
"Tea" sausage is one of the most beloved among our compatriots. Mistresses note that due to its bright flavor and soft texture, this cooked sausage is successfully used as an appetizer, an additive to the first and second courses.
Some do not imagine their morning without a sandwich with slices of “Tea” sausage. Often among the recipes you can find options for the filling for pies, for example in combination with potatoes. The fried Tea tea sausage boasts special accolades.