Writer: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259, b-fannin@tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Dan Hale, 979-845-3935, dhale@tamu.edu
COLLEGE STATION – More than 25 meat processors and hobby sausage-makers recently attended the Aggie Processed Meat School held at Texas A&M University in College Station.
“The goal of this is to help meat processors and people involved in food service understand the science and art of making sausage products,” said Dr. Dan Hale, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service meat specialist, College Station.
The school was sponsored by AgriLife Extension and the department of animal science at Texas A&M. Corporate sponsors were DuPont food and nutrition division, Dewitt and Alamo Manufacturing. The Southwest Meat Association, North American Meat Institute and Texas Association of Meat Processors also partnered to conduct the school.
Hale said the school is popular among processed meat companies, who send their employees to receive added training and learn more about trends in the industry. Hobby enthusiasts also attend to learn more about sausage making and other products.
Aggie Processed Meat School participants learn how to make a number of meat products, including sausage. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Blair Fannin)
Aggie Processed Meat School participants learn how to make a number of meat products, including beef franks. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Blair Fannin)
“We also learn how to make ham and bacon products. The goal is to learn how to make a high-quality, very nutritious, safe product for the customer,” Hale said.
Each individual is put into a group, where they learn how to stuff sausage into casings and how to blend ingredients to improve the flavor and texture of the meat products.
“They also learn how to make a ham product that’s a whole muscle, very high percent lean product and very low in fat,” Hale said. “Then they make pan sausage, mixing different flavors and seasonings. They actually cook the product and eat it.”
Overall, Hale said the school is open to “anyone who wants to learn the basic science and art of making processed meat products.
“That includes people directly involved in processed meat production, as well as others in your company, such as quality control, business management, public relations and sales and marketing personnel, who need a thorough overview of how processed meat products are made and the how’s and why’s of the process.”
For more information about the school and to watch for upcoming dates, visit http://aggiemeatschool.blogspot.com/ .
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