First Sausage....Not so good!...Redemption!!!

[chef jimmyj]

Among other things that Shannon taught me during my Kielbasa lesson was...Mixing until the meat is Very Sticky is super important...getting a good natural bind as Martin mentioned. I have had your exact same result before, Dave, and can remember not mixing enough now that I know better. I would definitely re-mix with some Fat or Ground Bacon and even make Patties, unless you want to practice stuffing...JJ

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Oh just bring it to me and i will make good use of it.

Dave

Go to Publix in the morning and the meat guys will give you all the fat trim you want, they give me beef and pork fresh trim. Cost for me is $0.

If you buy the salted back fat you see here you will need to soak it (get the salt off) and cut the hard skin off before you use it in sausage.

I dont know if Ogeechee Meat mkt still sells frozen back fat.

Remember SALT acts as a binder

 

[s2k9k]

Thanks Rick I will go check them out!

 

[smoke happens]

Good link,

Dave, I have found this list helpful when searching for stuff to improve on my sausage...  At least it is a starting point...   Sausage Maker has excellent descriptions also but this list is easier before you go there to purchase their great products at excellent prices...   Dave 

http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?674-SAUSAGE-INGREDIENTS

Good link, thanks!

 

[s2k9k]

Thanks to all the Great people here and all their experience I think I was able to redeem myself. I took everyone's advice and added more fat to it, I really liked Dave's idea and got some bacon ends & pieces. I squeezed the sausage back out of the casings and had right at 7 lbs so I reground it with 1.5 lbs of the bacon fat then mixed it until my hands were frozen and numb. I threw a patty in a pan and fried it up and it was so much better, nice and juicy and a really good flavor. Since I mixed everything up together I am naming this one Triple B, bacon breakfast bratwurst!

I didn't restuff it, was going to patty it but it was so sticky I gave up on that and just bagged it up in 1 lb bags and I will patty it as I use it.

Thanks everyone for your advice and before I try it again I will be going to Publix and stocking up on some fat so when I do a fry test if it is dry I can stop there and grind some fat into it.

 

[s2k9k]

I did learn a lot doing this, I learned you guys sure make it look easy! 

My main goal here really was to learn how to use my equipment and that I did accomplish. I thought I would have a real hard time with the stuffer and working with the casings but that actually was pretty easy. I got the hang of it real quick and just so you know here are a couple of pictures:

102_1135.JPG

• s2k9k
• Jan 20, 2013

102_1136.JPG

• s2k9k
• Jan 20, 2013

Hot off the grill...they sure look good...too bad they weren't:

102_1139.JPG

• s2k9k
• Jan 20, 2013

I took all the cooked ones and chopped them up and they are simmering in a pot of spaghetti sauce right now.

I also stuffed some snack sticks today...didn't think I would mess these up. Just 80/20 ground chuck with a Lem mix stuffed in 19mm mahogany casings:

102_1140.JPG

• s2k9k
• Jan 20, 2013

Again Thanks everyone for your advice and support!!!

 

[DanMcG]

The sticks look great, and looking back at your stuffed sausage they do look on the lean side.. Welcome to the sausage family...:sausage::sausage:

 

[themule69]

it looks great. i make a lot of wild hog and deer sausage. i don't stuff it i roll it in a log about 2 to 2.5" in diameter. with both of them being very lean meats. i add the bacon ends and pieces. like what was said. i also will get 73% lean ground beef. add 50% wild to 50% beef. it is still a little dry. i do a lot of Italian sausage. it goes good in spaghetti and lasagna or on pizza with home made CB with smoked cheese. OK now I'm hungry.

happy smoken

David

 

[shannon127]

Looks very good!

 

[fpnmf]

Looks good Dave..

I put bacon scraps in sausage whenever I have it..

Wont be long and you will be making all kinds of delicious sausage..

We all get stuff that doesnt come out perfect..

The dogs in my neighborhood dont mind eating rejects and bones..

  Craig

 

[smoking b]

Hey Dave - glad to hear you got the sausage fixed. The sticks look good too. Just a thought - if you ever have some again & don't want to make spaghetti you can always make sausage chili  

  & as Craig said you will be cranking out primo stuff in no time

 

[s2k9k]

Thanks B! Well after simmering for 4 hours in the sauce the sausage wasn't dry anymore. Was a very interesting sauce, different but very good! I also threw in 1/2 lb of pulled pork!

I haven't given up and I learned a lot on this one so it's just got to get better from here on!

 

[smoking b]

Thanks B! Well after simmering for 4 hours in the sauce the sausage wasn't dry anymore. Was a very interesting sauce, different but very good! I also threw in 1/2 lb of pulled pork!

I haven't given up and I learned a lot on this one so it's just got to get better from here on!

I may have to try that out next time I make some spaghetti.

Exactly! The main thing is that you've started & got your first batch under your belt 

 

[themule69]

what ^he said.

i have cooked smoked grilled fryed stewed all kinds of stuff. i still have stray dogs. so it's all good! even back smoke is pretty good. bad to me = good to a lot. i just want the best. that's why i am here to learn from the best............thanks to everyone here i still have stray dogs!

happy smoken.

david

 

[driedstick]

Those look great Dave

 

[driedstick]

Dave, I have found this list helpful when searching for stuff to improve on my sausage...  At least it is a starting point...   Sausage Maker has excellent descriptions also but this list is easier before you go there to purchase their great products at excellent prices...   Dave 

http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?674-SAUSAGE-INGREDIENTS

Hey D.O. good info

Thanks