Anybody see the Tony Bordain show where the butcher was stuffing sausage with his bare hands?

alblancher · Jul 2, 2011

Just caught an old Tony Bordain show in Prague? it was where they butchered a pig, broke it down into primal cuts and made soups and sausage with the trimmings. The butchers cut the cleaned intestines into maybe 18 inch lengths, tied one end off and then stuffed them by hand, about as fast as I could stuff with a vertical stuffer. Absolutely amazing.

That was one of the most informative shows I have seen in a while. Just goes to show how much we have to learn from the old guys. Not sure I could handle the blood soup but how do you know you won't like until you try it?

Al

SmokinAl · Jul 2, 2011

Sounds like a great show. Sorry I missed it.

meateater · Jul 2, 2011

That old world craft is something else.

kielbasa kid · Jul 2, 2011

That's how I grew-up doing it. 5 lbs of meat uses 11' of casing, as six 18" rings, weighing about 3/4 lbs each. Read my thread to JimmyJ & Boykjo.

KK

solaryellow · Jul 2, 2011

I have wanted to see if I could figure out how to stuff them by hand like they did on the show. Keeping the casing open is what mystifies me.

kielbasa kid · Jul 2, 2011

I wish I could have seen his method. I am not familiar with the show and anyway, I do not have TV.

I wrote and illustrated an article on sausage making for a British magazine many years ago. Never kept a copy. I featured the hand stuffing method we used.

How about this: Slip the casing on the neck of the funnel/jug/horn.

Then hold it securely with one fist/hand while you stuff the meat into the opening and force it down into the throat with your thumb (like we stuffed geese).

When it appears in the casing, squeeze/fist it down, down, down into the far end of the casing.

Repeat this until the casing is stuffed.

Then flip it into a loop and tie it double knot with the free ends.

Does this help?

alblancher · Jul 2, 2011

He did not use a funnel or horn.

solaryellow · Jul 2, 2011

They didn't use anything other than their hands from what I can tell. The stuffing starts at 7 minutes into this video.

venture · Jul 2, 2011

I have seen it done with a funnel before, but this is truly amazing. Not something I will be trying soon?

Good luck and good smoking.

kielbasa kid · Jul 3, 2011

Thank you S-Y. The video finally opened. I do not have TV, so I put the U-tube collection in my favourites for future viewing. I appreciate your thoughtfulness.

I know what they are doing and I have done it that way too but not with such alacrity and only when finishing-up. It's not rocket science and I cannot see doing it solely as a method for stuffing. No BIG TRICK; just try it. It's a natural physical reaction to the given situation.

Now I am wondering, just how well known or common is this knowledge in use in rural Europe or "rural" wherever, for that matter?

One thing is for sure; I doubt that the stuffers were doing alot of drinking. Manual dexterity is necessary. Look at the speed. Second nature. Mind boggling!

KK

alblancher · Jul 3, 2011

I didn't see anyone in that show that wasn't doing a lot of drinking! I can have a few drinks and still be able to do some basic tasks, but normally they don't involve multi-blade knives and slippery, slimy intestines. HAH

SmokinAl · Jul 3, 2011

Thanks for the link SY that's just incredible.

BGKYSmoker · Jul 3, 2011

Some of the old order Amish around here still stuff by hand.

solaryellow · Jul 3, 2011

Kielbasa Kid said:
Thank you S-Y. The video finally opened. I do not have TV, so I put the U-tube collection in my favourites for future viewing. I appreciate your thoughtfulness.

I know what they are doing and I have done it that way too but not with such alacrity and only when finishing-up. It's not rocket science and I cannot see doing it solely as a method for stuffing. No BIG TRICK; just try it. It's a natural physical reaction to the given situation.

Now I am wondering, just how well known or common is this knowledge in use in rural Europe or "rural" wherever, for that matter?

One thing is for sure; I doubt that the stuffers were doing alot of drinking. Manual dexterity is necessary. Look at the speed. Second nature. Mind boggling!

KK

The squeezing of the meat is simple enough. It should be second nature to anyone who as a child jumped into a pool, pond, or lake and figured out how to squirt the other kids using just their hands. Opening the casing and keeping it open to be stuffed is the head scratcher for me.

alblancher · Jul 3, 2011

Solar

I had to read your post twice I thought you said '' anyone who has a kid in a pool and you squeezed them with your hands to squirt the other kids" Completely different meaning.

solaryellow · Jul 3, 2011

alblancher said:
Solar

I had to read your post twice I thought you said '' anyone who has a kid in a pool and you squeezed them with your hands to squirt the other kids" Completely different meaning.

Yes, completely different indeed.

exhaustedspark · Jul 3, 2011

Thank you thank you thank you

That is a great vidio. I will try that. It look like they use a lot more moisture so it is like a outmeal mix. Any way that was Bit%#en.

Love it.

Karl

captturbo · Jul 3, 2011

Enjoyed the video. Those folks know how to live!

chowderpants · Jul 5, 2011

It kind of looked like he had his right thumb in the opening of the casing the whole time has was using the rest of his hand to squeeze the sausage in to the casing. His left hand was pressing the casing to the top of his thumb keeping it in place. Hard to say for sure though

africanmeat · Jul 5, 2011

Thanks great video

Anybody see the Tony Bordain show where the butcher was stuffing sausage with his bare hands?

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