DIY Sausage making

[craigster59]

Well, my ADHD is kicking in (another damn hobby dammit) and it's going to be sausage. I've been brewing beer and I'm thinking this a a good sideways slide. I can't find a decent Neurenberger sausage so time to take matters into my own hands. Any pelican sausagites who have experience? Dry curing, recipes and all that stuff?

[svandamme]

I for one do not want to know about any sausage, experienced by anybody here..
Some stories should just remain in the closet k?tx!

[JMPRO]

Some equiptment here.
http://www.grizzly.com/products/searchresults.aspx?q=sausage

[fingpilot]

It has been widely said, and I do believe it......

The two things you do not ever want to see being made are sausages and airplanes.

[mattdavis11]

60/40 60 venison, 40 pork with Plantation seasoning. I forget the name of the casings, but it's pig intestine. You can add what ever you want to it, jalapenos, chunks of cheese, etc., but I leave it alone. Hang 'em to dry smoke, freeze them for later, or grill them up.

The last time we made sausage we stuffed 200lbs of meat. That was a long process!

[PorscheGAL]

A great book is Bruce Aidell's Complete Sausage Book. I highly recommend this book. There are about 100 pages of sausage recipes and how tos. Great recipes and even better recipes using the sausage you make. As far as equipment I own a KitchenAid Mixer. There is an attachment that plugs into the front that grinds the meat and an attachment for casings.

[JMPRO]

The standard casings for sausage are 32-35 mm hog casings. Most any good butcher shop can order them for you. They use to cost about $13.00 a hank. A hank is enough to do about 120 lb. of sausage. I don't know what the current cost is but you can probably double that. You can order a whole bunch of different kinds of sausage seasonings from South Bay Abrams in Huntington Bch. Ca. You can also order the casings from them.
Happy stuffing
Jerry

[craigster59]

My Wife has a Kitchenaid mixer and the grinder attachment. I'll use that to grind the meat but supposedly the sausage stuffer attachment isn't so great so I bought one of these. Who knows, maybe I'll do some wine and cider also.

[tangerine911S]

Originally Posted by fingpilot

It has been widely said, and I do believe it......

The two things you do not ever want to see being made are sausages and airplanes.

Anyone ever see how hotdogs are made on How Its Made? It should make me never want to touch another one, but it doesnt

[JMPRO]

Originally Posted by craigster59

My Wife has a Kitchenaid mixer and the grinder attachment. I'll use that to grind the meat but supposedly the sausage stuffer attachment isn't so great so I bought one of these. Who knows, maybe I'll do some wine and cider also.

Those old style sausage stuffers are still great to use and many are still being used by professional butchers today. One note is that they need to be firmly attached to a sturdy table or bench to use them. They can require a strong arm to crank and you don't want the machine sliding all over the place while cranking.
Here, stuff this!
Jerry

[mattdavis11]

The kitchen aid stuffer is just fine, it depends on the size nozzel you have, and what diameter you want, however. To get it right with the kitchen aid stuffer, it's a two person process, unless you can load and stuff at the same time.

[red-beard]

Dan Rostenkowski used to be called the "Sausage Maker"

[MichiganMat]

There is a Good Eats episode on this, check it out if you can find it.

[trekkor]

KT

[aigel]

I hunt and a lot of my prey ends up stuffed in a casing ...

The kitchenaid grinder attachment is good. But stay away from the sausage stuffer. It will drive you insane unless you only make 4 links at a time. For the stuffer I recommend a 5+ pound piston driven job. You can get them reasonably cheap from Grizzly tools. www.grizzlyindustrial.com I only do my own spice mixes passed down to me from the town butcher. But recipes are all over the web. Also, my casings are all natural hog from www.makincasing.com

Be generous with the fat. If you do venison or wild pig, add domestic fat (I know it is a shame). Unless you have 40% of fat, the sausage will be dry. This also tells me that that juicy store bought sausage may have 60+ % fat.

Enjoy - sausage making is a great hobby - almost as good as eating the stuff joined by a tall cold one.

[Soterik]

Originally Posted by craigster59

My Wife has a Kitchenaid mixer and the grinder attachment. I'll use that to grind the meat but supposedly the sausage stuffer attachment isn't so great so I bought one of these. Who knows, maybe I'll do some wine and cider also.

We're making 240 lbs tomorrow and stuffing using that "exact" stuffer. Came across the plains in a wagon according to my father in law.

We use 90% beef, 10% pork, adding only salt, brown sugar, and some garlic.

We'll put an applewood smoke on it for about 3 hours, and then let it hang overnight before we wrap it and throw it in the freezer. We'll also keep about 40 lbs not smoked to use for spaghetti sauce etc.

If you want the exact specs on our mixture, I'll be happy to get them and post... it's awfully good, and have never had a complaint from anyone. A lot of the 240lbs is for friends who buy it by the lb from us.

e

[on2wheels52]

A buddy gives me deer sausage every year, I'll have to pull on his coat for the technique. Can't be any worse than butchering chickens. A guy told me "never sleep with a woman who knows how to butcher chickens". I've gotten away with it for over 20 years.
Re a 'hank', I better google that. Only usage I know is "gotta hank of hair and a dog of bone...."
Jim

[gtc]

This is one of the best books I've seen on the subject.

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by gtc

This is one of the best books I've seen on the subject.

I'll have to check that one out. I want to try making some "exotic" stuff, one of the reasons for getting into this. That and controlling additives and stretching the food budget. We've joined a co-op Autumn Harvest Organics with fresh vegetables, meat and dairy delivered every Saturday from the San Jouaqin Valley.