Sausage Making Resources?

[caleb]

I'm looking at 25 pounds of venison that needs to get made into sausage. I've always hauled it to the butcher before, but I want to do it myself this time.

Does anyone have experience making their own sausage? Are there any standard books or websites I should read to get a handle on the basics?

[Noteddy]

I can't help you, but I'm acutely interested in the answers. Small batch sausage making is moving close to the top of my to-do list. Let us know how it works out.

[yngpunk]

Are there any standard books or websites I should read to get a handle on the basics?

This is a good starting point : "Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing" by Micahel Ruhlman.

You might also want to check out: Rytek Kuta's "Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing" or "The Art of making fermented sausages" by Stanley Marianski if you're not making fresh (i.e. heat cooked) sausages.

[steve garro]

I grew up making sausages.
Whadda ya want to know?
You're going to need some pork fat for starters, it will never fry.
I've made sausages & chorizos out of many critters........
You need a grinder/casing stuffer to start, and casings.
Chili flakes, sage, salt, pepper.....
- Garro.

[maunahaole]

If you have a kitchenaid stand mixer, there is a sausage making/meat grinder attachment for it. That and some casing and you should be good to go.

[Dorman]

Caleb, Penzey's sells spice mixes for venison brats, italian and breakfast sausage that works great for venison.

Make sure you trim ALL of the fat and silver skin off your scraps (really tastes like crap). I use pork shoulder for most stuff in a 50/50 mix. I think the venison brat recipe gets part beef as well. I do a course grind on all the meat (make sure it is cold), blend in the spices and chill overnight. Then I do a finer grind the next day and form it into 1/2 lb. patties or stuff in casings and freeze. Really comes out great. The actual recipes are on the spice packages.

If you are looking to make summer sausage you will need to be proficient with a cold smoker and really careful. I don't do that.

[rowdyhillrambler]

Well, well.. Welcome to my world. Tell me what you need, a package will arrive. I have a special summer sausage blend that we have a local guy make for us. I set up and sell equipment to folks getting into the world of processing. This was all by accident, but really got into it..
My family used to own a large custom butcher shop, it is where my welding shop still is. So, people stop in all the time wanting product and info. As a side, i keep a lot of sausage supplies on hand. From spices, casings, to Biro AMGF 3430 mixers, just in case you want to mix 200 lbs. at a time.

As an aside, i was vegetarian for 20 years. I just processed 90lbs. of venison, today. I literally just washed my hands from putting it in the freezer.

Share, Share, share. I am willing to listen to others, or answer questions. Give and take ya' know.

[caleb]

This is a good starting point : "Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing" by Micahel Ruhlman.

You might also want to check out: Rytek Kuta's "Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing" or "The Art of making fermented sausages" by Stanley Marianski if you're not making fresh (i.e. heat cooked) sausages.

Those are the sort of resources I'm after at this point. I don't even know what I don't know.

[caleb]

If you have a kitchenaid stand mixer, there is a sausage making/meat grinder attachment for it. That and some casing and you should be good to go.

I do. Is the $50 version good enough, or is the stainless steel $150 one a good investment?

Also, does anyone do a mincemeat sausage - minced, not ground?

[YO!!!]

Michael Ruhlman's book is excellent...

This one is pretty good:
Aidells Sausage Store

One helpful hint is to keep everything and I mean everything cold. That's meat, grinders, containers.

Not a bad idea to take a small sample and fry to check seasoning before you finish entire batch

I also prefer to not use casings.

[caleb]

Okay, Kitchenaid grinder attachment and Kutas' text shipped this afternoon. I already have the Kitchenaid stuffer attachment. I'll be dialing up Penzy's soon.

My local grocery store doesn't have a fresh head of romaine, but they have three different styles of casings in the meat cooler ready to go.

Thanks for the start, guys. More to come.

[rowdyhillrambler]

Seriously, if you get into it and find you need something PM me the details, and i will do what i can to send you what you need. That kitchenaid will be one of the better purchases of your culinary life. When you outgrow the basic, step up and get the better one. It seems like you like to cook, and that is $199 well spent. My wife used to own a bakery here in town. When she sold the only thing, other than her purse, she brought home was her kitchenaide. She thought that much of it.

[rowdyhillrambler]

Oh yea.. When you make your first spice order, or when you plant next year.. SAGE!!!

[caleb]

Seriously, if you get into it and find you need something PM me the details, and i will do what i can to send you what you need.

Very cool - thanks. I'll be in touch as I get my bearings.

[HSTFixed]

I have 1 experience using the Kitchen Sausage Stuffer. I found it to be inadequate and frustrating to use. This was a few years ago and I should give it another try. There is not a tight enough seal between the plunger and the tube you're plunging the meat into and it keeps squeezing up and never actually stuffs. I've since seen some one do it correctly and succesfully process 8# or so of sausage. Like I said I need to give it another try. Northern Tool has a dedicated sausages stuffer for around $100 if it's something you think you'll be doing more/lots of that is the thing to get. The kitchen aid grinder is excellent and I use it regularly. Brian Polcyn and Michael Ruhlman have a new book out called Salumi which focuses more on Italian dry cured meats than sausages but both books are Excellent resources. Fritz Sonnenschmidt who was a CIA professor and a CMC wrote a book about Charcuterie which is supposed to be excellent but it's pricey (75 dollar paperback) because he's a CMC.

[maunahaole]

I've never used the sausage attachment, only the meat grinder. I can say for sure that it grinds like a champ. As the one that I have used is the same one from my childhood, I can only speak to experience with the metal one. The main thing that I remember is that you need to go through the coarse die first.

[steve garro]

I've never used the sausage attachment, only the meat grinder. I can say for sure that it grinds like a champ. As the one that I have used is the same one from my childhood, I can only speak to experience with the metal one. The main thing that I remember is that you need to go through the coarse die first.

That's all I recall is the old metal ones.
Man, I may have to make some sausages, been so long.
What are you all using for casings?
- Garro.

[maunahaole]

A fb pal of mine is doing venison sausage now. His report on the kitchenaid attachment is that it is a champ on grinding, slow on filling the sausage. Sounds like he is going to a higher power device to fill casings.

[liv2bike]

Attachment 49147

This is what we use. We make many many pounds of Italian sausage every Christmas. We will be making our Christmas sausage this Sunday. It is a family affair. My Dad and Uncles made it when we were younger. Now my brother, bro-in-law and myself help Dad make the sausage. Recipe is a family recipe. We have carried on the tradition. I figure we will prep and produce at least 50 lbs this weekend, probably more. We all get some. We freeze it and it usually lasts everyone most of the year. Part I hate, cleaning up. Part of the deal tho. If I have a chance, I will take some pics this weekend.

[liv2bike]

That's all I recall is the old metal ones.
Man, I may have to make some sausages, been so long.
What are you all using for casings?
- Garro.

Pig intestines. We source them from a local butcher.

Just spoke with my Mom...making at least 100 lbs this weekend. This will require more beer.