My First Sausage

Sausage making and curing meats.

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Re: My First Sausage

Postby Rambo » Sat Jan 12, 2019 8:58 am

spacetrucker wrote:anytime I make sausage, whether it is pan sausage or stuffed, I always cook a cooks sample to test for seasoning. The way I do my seasoning it is difficult to adjust but can be done. I mix the seasoning in some water or wine depending on what I am making some times use a bit of chicken or beef stock, as it contains more flavor, the liquid seems to disperse the flavor through the meat better, plus after the mix- the whole bowl sits in the fridge at least 12 hours maybe more, to allow the seasoning a time to permeate the meat thoroughly before stuffing or forming into patties then smoking or freezing. It is a "labor of love" cause I love to eat it... :roll:


All sound advice; thank you.
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Re: My First Sausage

Postby Rambo » Sat Jan 12, 2019 9:08 am

OldUsedParts wrote:I'm proud of ya, Pal, but one last question and I'll s'hup - - - - were you completely happy by the way the "new" grinder/stuffer performed ?


Yes, Roy was point on: the Cabela's heavy duty deluxe did a great job. No clogs, easy cleanup. Another member in another thread said if you really got serious about it you might want to buy a separate stuffer.

We're also going to use it to make our own varities of ground meat.
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Re: My First Sausage

Postby Rambo » Sat Jan 12, 2019 9:17 am

It was Spacetrucker that gave the advice on the stuffer. Also thanks to Fishwater , The Dragon, Papa, Okie Sawbones, and any others that helped make this a success, thank you.
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Re: My First Sausage

Postby spacetrucker » Sat Jan 12, 2019 3:45 pm

stuffer or no stuffer is a personal choice, I started using the grinder to stuff, and later transitioned to a separate stuffer because I felt like the separate stuffer had less problems with air and I got better stuffed casings. :dont:
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Re: My First Sausage

Postby Rambo » Sat Jan 12, 2019 4:15 pm

spacetrucker wrote:stuffer or no stuffer is a personal choice, I started using the grinder to stuff, and later transitioned to a separate stuffer because I felt like the separate stuffer had less problems with air and I got better stuffed casings. :dont:


I'm going to graduate up after a few more practice runs
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Re: My First Sausage

Postby Txdragon » Sun Jan 13, 2019 9:07 am

Rambo wrote:
spacetrucker wrote:stuffer or no stuffer is a personal choice, I started using the grinder to stuff, and later transitioned to a separate stuffer because I felt like the separate stuffer had less problems with air and I got better stuffed casings. :dont:


I'm going to graduate up after a few more practice runs


I caught this thread kinda deep in and had read your initial post and thought, "Oh no, you CAN'T give up!!" I read through and am glad you got success! They turned out with great visual appeal and by your words, great on the plate! I'm ashamed to admit, my sausage game is not where it should be. It is tricky and I struggle with consistent results, primarily texture. Flavor is the easy part, stuffing is where you'll find the most problem. A piston style stuffer is not a bad investment. Trucker is spot on here. The biggest challenge with using the grinder to stuff is the fat being overworked by the auger. Air is the next. Test patties from each batch pre-stuff is highly recommended to check for seasoning adjustments. Lots of good pointers given to ya already!
PapaTom is a resident sausage expert I'm always willing to research info from, many of his posts have helped bring me out of a panic on many occasions! Lol. For the love of the craft, just don't get discouraged!!
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Re: My First Sausage

Postby Rambo » Sun Jan 13, 2019 9:11 am

Yes, PT posted a link to Amazon for a book he believes to be the best on the subject. It's $23 but I'm going to get it
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Re: My First Sausage

Postby Txdragon » Sun Jan 13, 2019 10:31 am

Rambo wrote:Yes, PT posted a link to Amazon for a book he believes to be the best on the subject. It's $23 but I'm going to get it

If he believes it, I believe it! I may get this myself. Lol
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Re: My First Sausage

Postby spacetrucker » Sun Jan 13, 2019 12:18 pm

Txdragon wrote:
Rambo wrote:Yes, PT posted a link to Amazon for a book he believes to be the best on the subject. It's $23 but I'm going to get it


$23 is nothing compared to what I have spent on various books; Some people read for pleasure I read to learn, I consider myself in the later of the two. For TD I was just reading on binders last night, (the wife is allergic to lactose) so me always trying to cook so she doesn't have to take a pill, (then she blobs on the cheese or like :angryfire: ) I discovered a binder made out of carrots, flavorless and colorless. It hold 10 to 12 times its weight in water and three times it weight in oil, so next time I will try that. Thus far I have not used binders for the specific reason mentioned above...if anyone wants to look follow the link below :D
https://www.waltonsinc.com/carrot-fiber-binder
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Good Cue to ya..
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Re: My First Sausage

Postby Rambo » Sun Jan 13, 2019 12:22 pm

Interesting; thanks ST
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Re: My First Sausage

Postby Papa Tom » Sun Jan 13, 2019 1:00 pm

Just .02 here.
I have nothing against additional ingredients including binders but they are not needed to make fine sausage.
Milk solids are a good addition if you want to make low fat sausage where they are added as a fat replacement for some of the fat. Milk solids can be added up to 1% by weight (that's more than you think because the stuff is light) to improve the texture in the absence of fat. Since the milk solids are almost totally protein they are a nutritionally good substitute.

Here are the tricks to good binding without additives.
1) After adding the spice mix and salts mix the meat thoroughly it will become very sticky trying to pull your rubber gloves off this is the indication the actomyosin has gone into solution now is the time to stuff or form patties or logs etc.
2) DO NOT OVERCOOK when the proteins reach about 170°F they will contract squeezing out the moisture and fat leaving a grainy dry texture. I know you all have experienced this but blamed the sausage not the cook.

The proper way to cook a bratwurst is to plop it into simmering water (NOT BOILING) until it plumps and cooks to about 150°F then sear quickly over very hot coals or in a hot fry pan just to brown the skin do not go so long that the case splits and spills the goodness.
tarde venientibus ossa....
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Re: My First Sausage

Postby claraholtz586 » Thu Jul 25, 2019 8:54 am

Thanks so much for this recipe I’ve been looking for a recipe like this for along time.Many years ago my uncle would come for Easter dinner and bring down this type of smoked polish sausage. he had a small deli on the west side of Chicago not sure if he made it or it was Stolkowski but it was fantastic. I too have a good smoker for Sausage making and i love it, I made smoked sausage, jerky, chicken breast,trout.
Last edited by claraholtz586 on Thu Jul 25, 2019 3:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: My First Sausage

Postby Copasspupil » Thu Jul 25, 2019 9:56 am

Sometimes you have to ask yourself where did this post come from or why didn’t I see this before. Either way, impressive sausage Rambo. There’s a guy up here that will make sausage for me for 0.54/pound that I recently found. With the cost of the machines, is it better to buy yourself or hire it out?
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Weber stainless gas grill when I want to cook a hotdog
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Re: My First Sausage

Postby Rambo » Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:02 pm

Copasspupil wrote:Sometimes you have to ask yourself where did this post come from or why didn’t I see this before. Either way, impressive sausage Rambo. There’s a guy up here that will make sausage for me for 0.54/pound that I recently found. With the cost of the machines, is it better to buy yourself or hire it out?


For me it would be hire it out and tell him how I wanted it done. No cleanup
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Re: My First Sausage

Postby Copasspupil » Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:12 pm

Totally get it. I buy hand tools like I have a problem but some kitchen tools need a greater understanding before I do it. Rubs not so much.
Danno

'66 GT350S clone
Custom built smoker named Seal Team
Santa Maria Grill names GrumpyD'sBBQ
Weber stainless gas grill when I want to cook a hotdog

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