Ever wonder if making sausage is cheaper than buying it? I have the answer

rio_grande · Feb 19, 2009

I was wondering if not counting equiptment it is cheaper for me to make my own sausage than to buy it I found it was, After some figuring including weighing waste such as bones.

What I found Buying breakfast sausage 2.50 lb
Making breakfast sausage 1.15lb

Buying our favorite brats 4.30 lb
Making Brats with a mix 1.62 lb

Next question is chrizo. I don't have the answer yet, but it is gonna be close as I get the chrizo here at a local mex store for 1.80 for just shy of a pound. While I think I will beat it we will have to see if it is worth the work.

Future batches are going to be a bit more expensive. I got the casings for these in a kit, so i just factored that in as part of the kit.

Love this stuff

pops6927 · Feb 19, 2009

Oh, absolutely it's cheaper! Your payback on your equipment is quick; it's an investment, not an expense. A hank of hog casings runs about $25-$30 and will last me a year, very minimal cost added. I've got reams of cutting tests to prove the profitability of the venture; didn't take much to convince the wife to spend the money for the equipment and she loves the finished product!

meat hunter · Feb 19, 2009

Definitely cheaper. Even if it was not, I would still make it as no store bought compares to fresh homemade and I KNOW what goes into mine. Since on this site, my Polish wife who loves the Kielbasy she buys back in PA, and has been bringing back to Minnesota every year for 10 years, now says mine is better. And no more store bought breakfast sausage, fresh homemade. You cant beat it. Besides, this hobby is cheaper than my other one. Plans for World DOMINATION. Wu ha ha ha ha, WU HA HA HA HA HA

harrylips · Feb 19, 2009

Great post, Rio. Plus, you get to make what you want...not what the market has.

fired up · Feb 19, 2009

Thanks for the info Jeff. Another reason for my wife to let me purchase the appropriate equipment. However you did not include the cost of labor. I usually charge around $25 an hour, time and a half on weekends.

hank · Feb 19, 2009

.........knowing what's inside the casing........PRICELESS

memphisbud · Feb 19, 2009

I got a Boston Butt on sale last week at .87 per lb...had them slice to inch thick slices (the easer to debone, and free besides), cubed, seasoned, partially froze, ground and voila! approximately $1 per lb with seasonings!! Good stuff too!

curious aardvark · Feb 19, 2009

yep it's definitely cheaper over here.
Plus You Cannot buy the sausages I make.
No added water, no rusk no added fat, no crappy seasoning mixes.

I just won't eat shop bought any more - period.

uncle_lar · Feb 19, 2009

cheaper and far better
I have chicago polish people that grew up eating authentic polish sausage from local polish deli and tell me mine is as good or better than they ever had! I used to buy the homemade garlic sausage from my local butcher, loved it , ate it allot. a couple weeks ago I ran out of sausage and picked up a package from him fresh made! had no taste anymore! Boy did I spoil myself! I think even if it wasnt cheaper, I could never go back to store bought!

oneeye · Feb 19, 2009

We have never considered price to be an issue. We raise the beef and pork and hunt/kill the venison that we make our sausage out of. As mentioned above, it is priceless knowing what is in what we eat!

justsmoke2 · Feb 19, 2009

Most importantly you maybe making a healthier brand of sausage. figure most breakfast sausage at 50/50 and most home made is more leaner. I figure my breakfast sausage at the 80/20 ratio. Also to me better flavor.

pops6927 · Feb 19, 2009

And I know all too well first hand it's what the market has LEFT, not just what it has... and it goes into sausage (you'd never want to eat it if you've seen what I've seen! - That's why I make my own!)

Pops Â§Â§

mjrodney · Feb 19, 2009

This thread is worthless without recipes!

Fess up!

(PS....I have a Boston Butt in the refrigerator....bought on sale for a pittance.......)

desertlites · Feb 20, 2009

yes cheaper-yes better-yes fresher-and YOUR in control-make what u want-most store bought sausage is from soon to be expired meats-if U have not made sausage or your own bacon yet-do yourself a fLavor and do it.

forluvofsmoke · Feb 20, 2009

OK...I'll bite on this one...

I only posted to keep an eye on this, 'cause I'm not sold yet on the actual costs. My pork is tough to find @ less than $1.15/lb (wife says $0.99/lb, twice/month at most, short sales, butts, or anything), so I'll hang out...

I've been planning to do a semi-home-built grinder and semi-home-built stuffer, so, I know what the equipment cost is... and if I figure in a little bit (say, 2 cents/lb) for my equipment for depreciation/maintenance, well, we'll see how the figures come out. (I know, the equipment can be pro-rated out over the expected life, then, figure in the lbs of meat). I'm a keen number runner.

My sausage thing is this: if I can make make my own for about 110% or less of what I would pay it for...I control what goes into it...for the most part...the curing, smoking, etc.

I'm not trying stir the pot here, Rio. This is a GREAT POST!!!

I will be waiting to read through this to the end...

Thanks, Rio

Eric

rio_grande · Feb 20, 2009

Math was never my strongsuit. I wrote off the equiptment from day one, Around 1000.00 invested and is money out the window. the way I see it now the only way it is a waste is if I dont use it. The prices above were based on a $.99 buts and spices I already owned (however I divided out the aproxamate cost of each ingredant and added the cost to the sausage) If i were to count the equiptment costs I would be in the red for quite some time. Someone on here also pointed me to Sams case pricing on boston buts, 1.04 daily @60lb.

Your not sturing the pot,, your having a conversation and that is what this is all about !! :)

forluvofsmoke · Feb 20, 2009

You are so right!!! I figure things just that way myself. Use it, if you have it, or you may as well not have it. And, me being the money pincher that I grew up being, if I can make my own (anything), then I will enjoy the benefits that much more. Nothing like homemade, no matter what it is...when the work is done with pride, the hand crafted workmanship always shines through. Gotta love it!!!

Eric

rio_grande · Feb 20, 2009

Well found the first bump in the road,, the cost of casings.. Pricey..

Where are you fellas getting yours?

uncle_lar · Feb 20, 2009

casings are kinda high right now all over. but they will come down again.
buy them by the hank from your loal butcher is probably the cheapest but there are a few good suppliers out there too.

forluvofsmoke · Feb 20, 2009

Yep, you found what I probably was looking at a few weeks ago on line...spendy @ around $0.27/lb of meat on the low end, then upwards of $0.50/lb for the good stuff.

I agree...local will ultimately be the best path, and when you get a friendly relationship built with your vender they tend to work harder for you to get you what you need...they like repeat customers. You might not save a huge amount of money from the start, though some folks are willing to work a few deals now and then.

I'll need to start checking out my local resources as well, before I get in over my head here. I've got time though, I'm not planning to get my grinder wheels turning for several more months. It's a time/money/ambition thing.

Good info

Eric

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