Homemade Sausage
 

Has anyone here made their own sausage?

I am about to make my first attempt at it this weekend. (I finally found a local butcher who carries sausage casings.)

Re: Homemade Sausage
 

The last batch I made was a while back and they turned out a little on the lean side.
I used a whole pork shoulder and a piece of pork belly about 1/2 the weight of the shoulder after it was boned out.
Next time I make I will use 50/50 shoulder and belly.
For seasoning I just used salt and pepper to taste. I ground up a small test batch using the ratios above and did a test fry of a patty to check my seasonings.
The wife's Kitchen Aid got a good workout....:r

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Do you think a pork shoulder alone doesn't have enough fat?

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Not the one I got from my local butcher...ymmv
I don't know how lean you supply is.

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I've done a few batches in my time. The extra fat from the pork belly will help keep it moist, but as longas you have 30% fat to lean meat, you should be ok. Make sure to mix it well. A patty sized piece should stick to your palm when turned over. Also, fry up a small piece before stuffing to check your seasoning. The rule I learned in a class was 3% of the meat weight in salt. Start with a bit less then adjust as you see fit.

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Another thing is to put the grinder pieces in the freezer for about 30 mins before you grind. That'll help keep the fat from smearing. Same for the cut up pieces of meat. The colder the better, just a bit shy of frozen.

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Re: Homemade Sausage
 

Thanks, Darryl and Bobs. ;)

I have this book.
http://books.google.com/books?id=T7p...20book&f=false
And I've done a lot of reading online as well.

Sort of looking for "lessons learned"

Re: Homemade Sausage
 

I get the meat pre-ground, but all of the recipes I've tried from http://thespicysausage.com/sausagemakingrecipes.htm have been excellent.

---
edit: oh, you meant cured sausage. I got nuthin.

Re: Homemade Sausage
 

Good info above Peter. 30% or better fat to meat works best for me. I also talk to the butcher when I pick up butts and see if they have any good pork fat trimmings that I can use. Otherwise I grab a slap of fatback. Keeping the meat cold while grinding makes the grinding simpler and is also safer. I have a couple of stainless steel mixing bowls that nest together. I put ice in the larger, bottom bowl and then sit the smaller bowl in that one. that helps keep the ground meat cooler, especially if I am going ot be grinding 2 or 3 times.

Another trick is before you start stuffing, pull a little out, make a small patty and fry it up in a skillet. That way you can tell if your spice mix is good or if you need more (obviously it's easier to go lighter in the beginning and ad more if necessary).

Most important thing is just like mixing rubs and smoking meat, have fun and experiment. Worst case is you have to do another batch...darn!

I'm looking forward to hearing how it turns out!

:dr:dr

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This is my favorite book. Lots of tips and recipes in it.

http://www.amazon.com/Home-Sausage-M...0803183&sr=8-1

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99Ranch usually has ground pork in varying fat%. They also have belly pork and other off cuts that cant be found at the average market.

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Actually no, Adam.
I was looking to start with regular sausage. Curing it may come later after some practice.

Thanks for the link.

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Good to know, thanks Bob. My normal supplier for coarse ground pork is the university meat processing plant and while it's the same as what they use in their sausage, it's a tad on the lean side and they don't offer different fat percentages.


Ok. Nothing I can really add to all the aforementioned advice in this thread, it's been pretty well covered. All I can say is that it's really pretty easy, with the exception of using too much salt, it's a very forgiving process/recipe. After the first batch, I kind of looked back and said "That's it? That was too simple. Why the hell have I been buying it all these years?"

The recipes from that site that I happen to really like are the hot Italian, Italian fennel, Polish and especially the Bratwurst #1 with the addition of 1-2 tsp of ground mace.

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What'd you end up making Peter?

In the sausage cooking class I took a few years back, we made brats. The interesting addition we used was a lemon. Sounded strange at first but it works. Supreme and zest a lemon, putting the pieces/zest in a food pro, purée with half an onion. Add that to your ground pork and other seasonings.

Thanks for the link Adam. Going into my bookmarks.

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Bought some pork shoulder (.99/lb) cubed it. Added salt pepper and garlic. Chilling overnight. Grinding tomorrow. Adding red wine and then stuffing into casing.

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Wow, all serious responses.



I'm out. :lv :lr

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I have made a lot of fresh ground breakfast sausage (sage) in the past and have done links and brats a few times. I like 100% pork for fresh grind and I really like to add some red meat to the brats or other cased sausage. IIRC I mixed 60/40.(60% pork usually to wild game).I don't remember the source now but I got pre mixed seasonings online and really found that the best way for me as I did lots of experimenting and ultimately (IMO) wasting lots of good meat.

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Sounds good, can't wait to hear how it turns out.

If you're planning to twist into links, start at one end of the casing after you've filled it and tie it off. Measure off the first link, then pinch the casing at that point, measure off the second, pinch that end. Now grab the two pinched points, lift and flip the link over a couple of times. Repeat until youre at the end of the casing, skipping every odd link.

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Funny about the timing, Peter. I taped an old episode of "Good Eats" with Alton Brown last night that was on making your own sausage. Haven't watched it yet, but taped it in hopes of making my own sausage soon!

Good luck, keep us posted!

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Will do, Cliff.

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I make sausage about once or twice a year. Mine is all put into casings and smoked. Lots of good tips here so far. The only thing I can add is; I played with lots of seasonings but never found anything better than Legg's brand seasonings. Their "Hot" is my go to for smoked sausage, but the others are very good as well.

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So I have a rookie question.

The pork shoulder (picnic) has a layer of skin along one side. Can I use that in my sausage? Or should it be removed?

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I made sausage for about 20 years, Peter. There's really nothing to it, you already have the basics.
Preference is in the texture and taste. You might find you really like one seasoning blend with a courser grind, but not so much with a very fine grind. I always achieved a fine grind by running the meat through the grinder until I was happy with it.
Before you stuff the casings, try a number of seasoning preparations on/in little patties. I always found that simpler was better.
When the blend of seasonings was simple and we smoked with apple, the sausage took on an amazing flavor. (That was half venison/half pork sausage.)

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Thanks, Scott.
Any feedback on my previous question?

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Personal preference. It's fine to grind it.

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Ditto. It also adds to the "fattyness" imho.

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I have the same book, love it.

When stuffing, a couple more hands than your own will make the process MUCH faster. Don't overstuff. That's all I have.

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That is the same one I made for the first time. Flavor explosion happiness for me. I used a little more garlic, but I am a hound for it.

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+1 for this book I have done bacon and cured a whole ham in brine from the recipes from this book and it has been great. The bacon is the best I have every had even the wife agreed about the bacon.

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I make my own. Bratwurst, brekfast sausage, jerky sticks........

What kind of press or shooter you using and are you using a vacuum packer?

What kind sausage are you making exactly?

EDIT: Remember that you have to twist them too so if it seems like there isnt enough in the casing don't worry. When you twist them it will make them fill out. If you have to much in them and then you twist your gonna blow the wall out of the casing and your gonna be pissed off.

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I'm using a Waring meat grinder.
http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...sKmTWVWX8-Mdj9

I'm not sure what you mean by a vacuum packer. I have a Food Saver that I use for packaging foods for the freezer if that is what you mean.

I'm making traditional pork sausage for my first attempt. Start simple.

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What a pain in the ass! I sure hope it is because I am new at this.

The grinding and seasoning went fine. Trying to stuff the casing without air pockets is impossible or just takes practice. Don't know if I am doing something wrong or it's just inexperience. Portions look great but then there are major air pockets. :mad:

Re: Homemade Sausage
 

I also have that one, great grinder. Stuffing can be a challenge though sometimes. As someone else mentioned, it is helpfull to have an extra set or two of hands during stuffing.


Practice, practice practice :D

and remember, each time you try it, not only will it get easier and better, you have awesome food to eat along the way! That's how we learned BBQ'n. LOTs of practice!

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Thanks for the encouragement, Steve. I think you are right about the extra pair of hands when stuffing.

I did the coarse grind followed by the medium grind with the stuffer into the casing. Should I have removed the blade and die when using the stuffer?

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Good luck with that. I made up a batch of deer/pork butt that turned out pretty good.

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I do. I have heard other people using the fine plate and the blade when stuffing, but I have found it works better for me to do my grinding and then stuff it all at once. Usually, I either feed the meat into the grinder and Holly helps guide the casing or vice versa. I'm not coordinated enough to do it all myself. If I did it more than a couple of times a year, maybe.

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Next time I will remove the blade/die when stuffing. Also, I will get a second pair of hands.

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oooh. Creepy.
Cloned, surgical attachment, or some kind of really groovy Superhero method involving radiation, an orangutan bite, or a outer space ray of some nefarious nature?

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You can sometimes get rid of the air bubbles when you twist the links. They make a tool you can use to prick the casing to let the bubbles out, but a pin will work just as well.

That's one of the drawbacks to using the grinder to also stuff. You can't keep enough meat being forced into the casings to not get air in there. Maybe the second set of hands will work better. If you get serious about it, look at getting a good stuffer. I have two, the 5lb horn type which sucks, and a 20lb vertical type from Cabelas. It's a bit overkill for a 5lb batch, but makes it easy to use by myself.

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Peter having issues with air bubbles in his intestines? Ironic. ;):r

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Once you've mastered the basic pork snag, Peter, let me know, I'll dig out my boerewors recipe for you!

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Oh, a wise guy, eh?

:sl

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Aw, come on Peter, that made me giggle too.

:r

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Sorry Pete (and Tim).

I should have used :D, :r, or :lr.

Made me laugh

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I just had an epiphany.


Garlic/red wine/beano Sausages... A specialty of the Pnooner kitchen. Innovation in tube steak construction, brought to you by the Letters C and H and the number 4.

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Leaving it in will give you a product called "cotechino", an Italian sausage that has pork rind ground in. Personally I dont like it, but some people love it.

Just fill the casing while guiding it with your hand, "slowing it" if you will. Be careful, the casings are fragile.

At the deli we use corn cob holders to create small holes for the air pockets to escape, prior to twisting into links. Once you have your links portioned then you can go back over and get any pockets you missed.

We always let ours hang for a day before selling them, we find we get better marrying of flavors.

Word of caution, when you put them on the grill, the fat will render and squirt out of those little holes, so dont turn your back on them, they will flare up something fierce!

Another little tip, USDA requires that all sausage labeled as "Italian" sausage contains fennel. I personally hate the sensation of fennel seeds but enjoy the flavor, (and our original recipe does not call for it.) To circumvent this restriction we use 2 ounces of ground fennel in 100 pounds of pork. But my tip actually is you can grind your fennel if you like the flavor, but not the seeds.

If you would like, I can have my guys give you a little training session when youre out this way in May:tu

Re: Homemade Sausage
 

As stated, the key to the air pockets is a steady supply of meat and take your time. Control the casing with your hand to ensure it fills up properly. The casings are fragile but forgiving at the same time. You will break a few and then you will know your breaking point.

I use a sausage stuffer and it works great, I usually never have air problems.

It takes a little practice.

:np

Re: Homemade Sausage
 

Just an update.
I've made sausage a few times now. I'm still learning but the grinding/stuffing technique definitely requires practice.

My most recent effort this weekend was some chicken sausage that was really good. 4 pounds chicken thighs, 1 pound bacon, coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes and spices.

Sooooo good. :dr

Re: Homemade Sausage
 

:tu:tu:dr