Mixing quite possibly could be the place where more opportunities for mistakes can occur than any other spot in the pre-cooked process. Mixing will define the final product texture, whether it is in a cooked or fresh sausage. Mixing is very important regarding how the protein is manipulated, and that affects the finished product.
“In many mixing systems, you are trying to manipulate the protein in a way that you can maximize protein extraction if you are trying to develop a product that has good texture and good bind,” explains Jeff Sindelar, extension meat specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “However, you also want to be careful that you don’t damage the protein. You can actually create protein smearing. You can create a situation where you actually lose some of the protein functionality, and that can actually translate into finished product texture and appearance.”