Day 1 of 4 making sausage

[Bearcarver]

I can't believe this thread eluded me for 6 days!!!

Everything looks Great !!

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Nice Job!

Bear

 

[mowin]

Care to share your hot dog recipe?
My buddy made these first I tried them and loved them. Super simple.
I used hi mountains hot dog seasoning. What I did different from the recipe is went 2/3 venison and 1/3 pork. 17pds venison, 8pds pork,and added 3.5lbs shredded cheddar cheese. And used sheep casings instead of hog casings. Way better casings. I've made hot dogs before and can't beat there's. So I don't actually have a recipe it came from a box.

What consistently did you get the hot dogs to? Just double grind? Trying to figure out how to get the mixture smoother.

 

[joshua brede]

I may have read it wrong, but I thought you used collagen casings for the hot dogs. I have always used sheep casings, but as you say they are a little hard to work with. My question is, if you used collagen, weren't they a little chewey? If not they are so much easier to use.

I did use collagen and sheep casings for the hot dogs. Had to go to work and have not been able to try them cooked yet.

 

[JckDanls 07]

I may have read it wrong, but I thought you used collagen casings for the hot dogs. I have always used sheep casings, but as you say they are a little hard to work with. My question is, if you used collagen, weren't they a little chewey? If not they are so much easier to use.

:yeahthat:

I read it that way too ....

 

[joshua brede]

What consistently did you get the hot dogs to? Just double grind? Trying to figure out how to get the mixture smoother.

I've never had to double grind any sausage, sticks, hot dogs, or brats I've ever made and they turn out fine. But I'm guessing that's because I use a grinder to stuff them not a stuffer. My grinder has another auger in the stuffing tube which basically squishes the meat/cheese going through it. Consistency turns out perfect. I still don't think even if i was using a stuffer I would double grind it. I'm thinking it would still turn out fine grinding it once. Just my opinion.

 

[tjmitche]

Which grinding plate you use for the sticks?  Doing first time sticks and using Collagen this weekend.

Thanks!

Todd

 

[joshua brede]

Which grinding plate you use for the sticks?  Doing first time sticks and using Collagen this weekend.
Mine has 1/4in holes and that's the one I use for everything. I have 2 other plates but have never bothered with them. Because if your stuffing with a grinder the finer you grind it the slower it will stuff. Keep your meat almost frozen! Stuffs way easier that way

 

[highlife4me]

Joshua, I sent you a PM.

 

[smokin' burt]

I've never had to double grind any sausage, sticks, hot dogs, or brats I've ever made and they turn out fine. But I'm guessing that's because I use a grinder to stuff them not a stuffer. My grinder has another auger in the stuffing tube which basically squishes the meat/cheese going through it. Consistency turns out perfect. I still don't think even if i was using a stuffer I would double grind it. I'm thinking it would still turn out fine grinding it once. Just my opinion.

Josh,

First of all I'd like to say a big KUDOS for what you've done with just your grinder. I still stuff some sausages with my Hobart grinder as it is much faster if I'm making a large volume of sausage in a natural casing. I found early on that ingredients I added like peppers, onions, cheese, etc. tend to get mashed when done with a grinder. I tried using my 7/16" plate, which is the largest I have, as a stuffing plate (after my meat was ground and mixed) and it still chopped the ingredients finer than I liked. I then bought a stuffer plate (a spacer) and although it worked better, I still wasn't satisfied with the result. A stuffer works best for producing sausage when you want chunks of other ingredients incorporated in the sausage rather than having it mashed into the meat. Just my $.02.

As for the size of plate for a fine texture, I use a 1/8" plate... very fine consistency and no need to double grind.

Keep up the awesome work... and I think we all would LOVE to see some pics of your home built smoke house!! 

SMB

 

[joshua brede]

Josh,

First of all I'd like to say a big KUDOS for what you've done with just your grinder. I still stuff some sausages with my Hobart grinder as it is much faster if I'm making a large volume of sausage in a natural casing. I found early on that ingredients I added like peppers, onions, cheese, etc. tend to get mashed when done with a grinder. I tried using my 7/16" plate, which is the largest I have, as a stuffing plate (after my meat was ground and mixed) and it still chopped the ingredients finer than I liked. I then bought a stuffer plate (a spacer) and although it worked better, I still wasn't satisfied with the result. A stuffer works best for producing sausage when you want chunks of other ingredients incorporated in the sausage rather than having it mashed into the meat. Just my $.02.

As for the size of plate for a fine texture, I use a 1/8" plate... very fine consistency and no need to double grind.

Keep up the awesome work... and I think we all would LOVE to see some pics of your home built smoke house!! 

SMB

Thanks. There's a bunch of pictures of the smokehouse on a different thread. Search new smokehouse build on this site and mine is the top one that shows up on that search.

 

[smokin' burt]

OK Josh.... WILL DO!!!

Enjoy your sausages, you definitely earned them!

SMB

 

[HalfSmoked]

 Man what a fine looking job. haven't been on the sight for a couple weeks but glad I didn't miss this. Keep up the great work. 

 

[mowin]

My issue is with hotdogs, i wan't a smoother more emulsified mix. I can't get that with my #22 hobart even when double grinding. I like the taste, but not the texture.