Oxford Sausages (Chop a pound and a half) (II)

A classic skinless sausage mixture: equal parts pork and veal, bound with suet and soaked bread. The recipe stops at the mixing, so shaping and cooking are left to the cook.

• The penny loafA penny loaf was priced rather than weighed, so its size varied; the crumb of a small white loaf, torn out and soaked, might come to something like 4 to 6 oz. Soak in water, then squeeze out hard before mixing or the sausages will be sloppy.
• Weights and proportion1 1/2 lb pork, 1 1/2 lb veal, 12 oz beef suet: 3 3/4 lb of meat and suet before the bread goes in, enough for about 24 sausages of 2 1/2 oz each.
• SuetShredded beef suet from a butcher is best; packaged shredded suet works, though vegetable suet gives a drier result. If you cannot get it, substitute an equal weight of fatty pork belly, minced with the meat.
• MincingUse the coarse plate of a grinder, or pulse in a processor in short bursts. "Chop" here means a texture with some bite to it, not a paste.
• SeasoningThe original leaves the amounts to judgement. For this quantity, start with 1 tablespoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground pepper and 2 teaspoons dried sage; fry a teaspoonful of the mixture, taste, and adjust before shaping the rest.
• No casingsOxford sausages were traditionally made without skins, rolled in flour and fried. Chill the mixture an hour before shaping so it holds together, and turn them gently in the pan.
• Cooking and temperatureFry over moderate heat in a little dripping for 12 to 15 minutes, turning, or bake at 400F for about 20 minutes. Pork and veal should reach 160F at the centre.
• KeepingBecause there is no cure or preservative, treat this as fresh sausage meat: cook within two days, or shape and freeze.