About to tackle 1st venison sausage, many newb questions.

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jbomx363

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Nov 19, 2010
125
12
Denham Springs, LA.
Trying to find answers to beginner questions.

I bought an electric meat grinder for obviously grinding and to make venison sausage with.

I plan to make hot italian sausage with the backwoods seasoning from bass pro and maybe another type, just haven't figured that out yet. I have a cabelas close by too, suggestions on what other store bought seasoning is good?

I'll tackle using recipes on here at a later time once I get the gist of doing this.

When I went to the butcher before, I just told him 70% venison, 30% pork, which I'm assuming is boston butt. I've also read where folks are getting pork fat from their favorite butcher for CHEAP (free usually) and grinding it with the venison at 80% venison to 20% pork fat.

I like cheap but have never had sausage with pork fat only. Pros/cons?

Also, when grinding the venison and if doing boston butt, what grinder plate should it be and does it depend on what type of sausage you make? I won't be doing summer sausage right now, just the plain ol stuff. So would that be coarse, medium or fine?

If using pork fat, do you grind it at the same time as the venison or do it separately and mix it together by hand? If using boston butt, same time or by itself and mix in tub?

The grinder did not come with a sausage stuffing plate, so do I use the coarse one or none or go buy one from bass pro?

I'm using hog casings, again from bass pro... after watching a video, they make a whole length of it then twist it opposite ways. I get that part, but do you tie the ends of each link? If so, do you use string or just tie the casing like a balloon on each end? IF you don't tie each one, how does it not untie when you are grilling them up?

I have about 70#'s of venison to grind up and make sausage with and will be freezing it all for future use. 
 
Trying to find answers to beginner questions.

I bought an electric meat grinder for obviously grinding and to make venison sausage with.

I plan to make hot italian sausage with the backwoods seasoning from bass pro and maybe another type, just haven't figured that out yet. I have a cabelas close by too, suggestions on what other store bought seasoning is good?

I'll tackle using recipes on here at a later time once I get the gist of doing this.

When I went to the butcher before, I just told him 70% venison, 30% pork, which I'm assuming is boston butt. I've also read where folks are getting pork fat from their favorite butcher for CHEAP (free usually) and grinding it with the venison at 80% venison to 20% pork fat.

I like cheap but have never had sausage with pork fat only. Pros/cons?

Also, when grinding the venison and if doing boston butt, what grinder plate should it be and does it depend on what type of sausage you make? I won't be doing summer sausage right now, just the plain ol stuff. So would that be coarse, medium or fine?

If using pork fat, do you grind it at the same time as the venison or do it separately and mix it together by hand? If using boston butt, same time or by itself and mix in tub?

The grinder did not come with a sausage stuffing plate, so do I use the coarse one or none or go buy one from bass pro?

I'm using hog casings, again from bass pro... after watching a video, they make a whole length of it then twist it opposite ways. I get that part, but do you tie the ends of each link? If so, do you use string or just tie the casing like a balloon on each end? IF you don't tie each one, how does it not untie when you are grilling them up?

I have about 70#'s of venison to grind up and make sausage with and will be freezing it all for future use. 
I use High Country Snack Foods you can find them here.http://www.hicountry.com/

I normally mix 50/50 but for say 30# I would use 15lbs game, 13lbs pork butt and 2lbs pork fat. This is a good mixture for me, if I dont add the 2lbs fat it seems a bit lean to me.

I always cube everything up and mix the meat types before grinding and try to keep it even when grinding, it makes mixing a little easier. So grind through the coarse plate first, add seasonings and mix well...mix until your hands are numb, then mix some more. Then go through the medium plate for the final grind, this helps mix the seasoning into the meat some more and gives you a nice final grind texture.

It is hard to say if you need a grinder plate, consult your grinders owners manual, I would think you would need one to keep everything tight but again hard to know how your grinder is meant to work. But assuming you figure that out. load the casing on the stuffer, I have found that if you run water through each casing before you get started it makes loading the horn easier. but even still dip the casing in some water to get about 3tbs of water in the casing to help keep it lubed up while loading the horn. tie the end of the casing like a baloon, stuff/twist until it is almost full then tie the other end like a baloon.

I normally then smoke the sausage wrap and freeze, but if you are making fresh I am not sure how it works when grilling.

If this is your first run I wouldn't get too carried away, start with 15lbs to get things figured out, you will get the hang of it. If using the kits follow the directions to a "t" and adjust as you see fit the next time. Stuffing sausage with a grinder is a PITA but it can be done with some patience, and some help from a buddy. Don't for get to add beer and a football game, make it fun!
 
I agree with coffe_junkie. Try about 15lbs first to see how it comes out first. I just read someone did a whole lot of elk sausage, ruined it and threw it out.

I grind the meat seperatley through a 3/16ths disc. mix the meat together in a tub with the seasoning and set in the fridge overnight then stuff the next day. add little water to get the powdered seasoning to mix well with the meat.

When stuffing I do not add water to make it easier to get the meat go throught the stuffer because I have found this to make your sausge wrinkly and not plump. I guess the water evaporates in the sausage when cooking. I do not prefer a fine disc when making sausage. tried it a few times and always was dissapointed in the sausage texture.

I add boston butt to the game meat. try to find one with the most fat on it and grind it and mix. I used just fat with game meat once and the fat didnt break down and it was like gamey fat sausage.

80% game 20% boston butt

I would not stuff through a disc. get a stuffing plate or your stuffer should have come with these

dbf10aed_stuffingassembly.jpg


This is how I would do it

Fill out yer profile and dont forget the qveiw
 
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Thanks for the help! Especially the pork fat dealio, cuz I didn't know if I'd dig that or not. Now I know, nadda for me.

I'll be doing a small batch 1st to get the hang of it. Still not sure on the tying of the links thing though. More youtube viewing I suppose is in order.

I have the STX Megaforce 3000 grinder... couldn't resist getting a grinder with "COWL INDUCTION".. .haha.. the hot rod in me. Couldn't pony up the xtra for a LEM/BPS/CABELAS version.

Will get profile filled out and see what a "qview" is.

Instructions aren't so hot though. Will have to relook tonight at them.

It came with these stuffer attachments.

e6c01228_Megaforce3000_007_Sausagekubbeswitches.jpg


moz-screenshot.png
moz-screenshot-1.png
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icon_cool.gif


Now I have always used about 20% pork butt to 80% venison. Now I have also used the hi-mountian brand of summer sausge and it's off the chain good. Now theres nothing saying that you can't play with the spice mixtures now.
 
your grinder should have come with the with the stri star part #30 in my last picture post or should have come with one of these

1593467d_stuffingdisc.jpg
 
Nope.. no special attachment for stuffing. I'm supposing I'll just add the the stuffing tube to the grinder plate and blade and regrind (using coarse plate) while stuffing? Or head to bps and get a stuffing plate to use.

Going to try 80 venison/20 butt.
 
The coarse grinding plate will work in your grinder for stuffing, or a stuffing star or stuffing plate.  You need something to keep the screw centered, and the bigger the holes for the meat to get by, the better.  If you must use the coarse grinding plate the meat will tend to back up behind it, so you will need to also use your knife.

As for qview, it's just pictures, so you've already got it going on.  We call it qview because we want to view your barbeque.
 
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Thanks que-ball..

Went to BPS to see what they had and picked up a stuffing plate just to have on hand. Glad I did. The seller of the grinder called me back and told me to use the coarse plate without the cutting blade. We tried that but the plate got gummed up pretty quickly and was agony. It started out well, with about a 3min. time to stuff one casing. Then the next was about 8 minutes, and finally 15mins for one run. Put in the stuffing plate and we ran right through things at about a 3min. clip for each run. Still had problems with air and sausage coming back at us, but were endured.

Made 25#'s of Cabelas italian with a few sprinkles of cayenne at 80/20 and it was pretty tasty and I was satisfied, but the wife said it was a little dry (had to tell her I overcooked it a little) so then last night ran 15#'s of backwoods brats at 70/30 and will try them sometime this week.

Overall? I love it. It was fun to do and I know that it is my meat and it's a bit cheaper than going to the butcher and getting it from him. Now that we got the basics down, I'll start looking at other recipes to try.

Thanks all for the advice!
 
I use a simple recipe for 25lbs of sausage (This is a simple family recipe that I learned from my Uncle. Measurements shown below are approx., because in an Italian house hold they do not use measuring cups, they use handfuls, palm full, and “That looks about right”)
  • ¾ Cups of Salt
  • ½ Cup of Sweet Paprika
  • ½ Cup of Black Pepper
  • ¼ Cup of Fennel Seed ( I do not like to see the seeds but I like the taste so I use cracked fennel and crush it into a powder)
  • ½ Cup of Red Pepper Flakes (can add more if you like it hotter)
  • We add about a half cup of red wine, you can also use water or skip this step completely
I always mix together and they fry up a couple of patties to taste. Then you can always add anything that that you feel is needed.

Another thing is make sure that you keep everything cool both when grinding and stuffing. The process for us usually takes (2) days. The first day we will grind and mix the sausage, then put in the fridge over night. The next day we will stuff into the casings.

We always make fresh sausage. You can stuff them (2) ways. Place the casing on the stuffing horn and tie off the end. You can stuff the entire casing, tie off the other end when full, and then twist the links. Or you make the links as you stuff. Done it both ways and I think it is easier to stuff the entire casing and then make the links after. A word of advice make sure you twist each link in an alternating direction, for example the first link you turn clock wise, the second you turn counter clockwise, and alternate. I always try to twist them at least 5 times around, this way they all stay in nice links and will not open up when you cut them when you are ready to cook them. Also just remember not to over stuff the casing because they will break. Once they are in casing and made into links, I poke holes with a tooth pick in the casing. This allows any air that may be trapped to escape.

I have smoked them and grilled them and they are fantastic!!!!!!!! Good luck and have fun. 
 
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