Getting ready to make my first ever batch of beer brats. (NEWBIE!!)

[matlocc]

I am using a Hi mountain kit.  I have been soaking the casings and changing the water for a cpl days now as it says to do in the sticky.  How long should I wait after I mix in the seasonings and beer before stuffing the casings? I have read to let it set for a cpl hours and other say stuff right away?

Plus any tips for a first timer other than keeping everything cold?

 

[chipmanbbq]

As far as letting the mix set, I've done both and haven't really noticed a difference. However, after stuffing and linking I like to let them rest in the fridge for awhile before cutting the links and vacuum sealing. Just my two cents.

I buy my casings from here: http://www.makincasing.com/

They sell tubes of preloaded casings. Makes it super easy to get the casing loaded onto the tube.

Good luck!
 

 

[mickey jay]

I think pre-tubed casings would have saved me a lot of frustration early on, but then I realized I can just size down the tube and they''ll go on super slick.

 

[crazymoon]

Ml, I always stuff immediately after the mix, the salt in the mix will help set-up the mix making it a bit harder to stuff. After stuffing I let them sit in the fridge for a day( or two) to let the flavors meld. Then off to the freezer or smoker depending on the sausage.

 

[matlocc]

Now the next big questions before I mess things up!! I am not smoking them. Do I need the cure or can I get away with stuffing and letting rest for a bit, then poach?  Do I need to poach?  Do I let them rest before or after poaching?  Does it matter if I use the cure anyway?

I am getting nervous, look at all my questions? I thought I had this figured out!

 

[SmokinAl]

As long as you are going to cook the sausage you do not need cure.

You can hot smoke it, or poach it, or grill it. 

You just cannot cold smoke it without cure.

When we make them we just let them dry out for a couple of hours, then put them on a cookie sheet in the freezer until they are frozen.

Then vac pack them, & back into the freezer.

If you vac pack them before they are frozen they get all smashed down.

We like to cook them in a cast iron pan with peppers & onions.

Al

 

[matlocc]

So if I want them like johnsonville type brats, do I skip the cure, stuff, rest, prefreeze and seal up and back in the freezer?  Not sure where the poaching comes in on  this.

 

[chewmeister]

 
So if I want them like johnsonville type brats, do I skip the cure, stuff, rest, prefreeze and seal up and back in the freezer?  Not sure where the poaching comes in on  this.

Skip the cure, stuff, pre-freeze, vac and freeze. To cook, simmer in beer and onions and then brown on the grill.

 

[matlocc]

Well i did it. I was planning on pics through the process. I couldnt stop swearing, trying to put the casings on the stuffer so My son came to help me at that point. It did work better with 2 people. Things i learned:
Prep helps ( i was ok on that)
Casings suck unless you have th meat at the end of the tube to load them. ( that helped a bunch.)
A sophmore in high school can crank the stuffer faster than you think!
Twisting is a memory process for links. (Couldnt remember what way to twist.)
Anyway, here is the final product.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[bmudd14474]

Well i did it. I was planning on pics through the process. I couldnt stop swearing, trying to put the casings on the stuffer so My son came to help me at that point. It did work better with 2 people. Things i learned:
Prep helps ( i was ok on that)
Casings suck unless you have th meat at the end of the tube to load them. ( that helped a bunch.)
A sophmore in high school can crank the stuffer faster than you think!
Twisting is a memory process for links. (Couldnt remember what way to twist.)
Anyway, here is the final product.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Looks great. A tip for you on casings is to get good ones that are slat brine packed and not just salt packed in the package. They work much better.

 

[matlocc]

Where do I get the ones in the container instead of the bag?

 

[betaboy]

Looks like some nice sausages you made there!

 

[aussiesmokering]

Those sausages look great! I'm attempting my first batch of Italian pork sausages tomorrow.

 

[uzikaduzi]

those look great... i do like to either let the meat mixture rest pre stuffed over night or stuff right away and let them rest over night before freezing... i don't see much difference (but i do like the second method because it also dries out the casings a little... that helps with both smoking them because you need dry casings or freezing since i don't have a vacuum sealer, a dry surface that is also pre-chilled is much less likely to get freezer burn.

but if you don't rest, the flavors don't meld together right IMO

 

[bmudd14474]

Where do I get the ones in the container instead of the bag?

There are several companies that you can get them from. I use Waltons Inc but there is also Butcher and Packer and Syracuse Casing Co. Also the Cash and Carry near me has the brine packed ones instead of the salt packed ones.