Making your own sausages?

[TimboBBQ!]

Remember, there are a lot of enablers here.

You don't have to buy everything at once.

#1 - Grinder
#2 - Stuffer
#3 - Deep steel pans
#4 - Vacuum sealer

LOL for sure enablers.. Lots of good advice and I actually just found a buddy at work that makes his own and has one of the large LEM grinders. He invited me over to try it out so that's a huge plus.

 

[TimboBBQ!]

If you are on a budget, you can save money purchasing used equipment. FBMP is full of equipment listed by people getting out of the hobby or upgrading, and with very little use.

As always, perform your due diligence and check to see the equipment operates as it should before buying.

I have a shop full of equipment I purchased used, mostly commercial grade restaurant gear.

Thank you sir!

 

[TimboBBQ!]

LOVE the Duncan Henry stuff. Will check that out. Our own Pop's posted his family's recipe. It is EXACTLY like the stuff I can get at our local processors. I would call it a classic formula. Very old fashioned flavor. Good for breakfast but if you have recipes that call for sausage in them like Thanksgiving dressing, it is PERFECT for that.

Before I forget, get you a digital scale!

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/fassetts-breakfast-sausage-seasoning.83939/

Yes sir just found out my buddy at work makes his own and he said get the scale as well!

 

[Danblacksher]

LOL for sure enablers.. Lots of good advice and I actually just found a buddy at work that makes his own and has one of the large LEM grinders. He invited me over to try it out so that's a huge plus.

That is a huge plus getting to try it first. Most of my sausage is made from brisket trim and the cheap grinders take forever to grind brisket, and may times it stop. If you smell smoke while grinding that is not a good thing.

 

[TimboBBQ!]

That is a huge plus getting to try it first. Most of my sausage is made from brisket trim and the cheap grinders take forever to grind brisket, and may times it stop. If you smell smoke while grinding that is not a good thing.

I quit smoking awhile back so it would have to be the machine!!

 

[Fueling Around]

I also echo to start with store ground meats.

I started using store bought ground pork for a few years and made bulk (not stuffed in a casing) breakfast sausage and Italian sausage. The bulk Italian wasn't popular (prefer it in casings), but various breakfast patties is what I make the most and after adapting a Jimmy Dean clone that my wife really likes is 100% of my bulk.
Depending on your favorite recipe, bulk may be all you want to make as voyager 663rd pointed out.
This is almost 0 dollar starting point to delve into sausage making.

My wife wanted low salt so the popular commercial seasonings is a no.
I used this thread as a base and got it to 1/2% salt

Jimmy Dean regular Premium Pork sausage, breakfast clone by Dave in AZ

Someone was asking for Jimmy Dean clones, I thought I posted this here, but I posted it on meatgistics.waltons.com on 7Oct22. Here is a copy paste so I can link to it. Chasing a recipe and testing is like an adventure and detective story for me, I love the process... so this post is mostly...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

I have 2 hand grinders that came from each side of the family. I hand ground for a bit and decided that making great mince was better than store bought, but what a PITA so I jumped on a deal to get a Weston #8. Not as high quality as the Weston Pro, or a LEM or a Cabelas, but for the quantity of sausage I currently make in a year it sure beats the hand grind.
The meat grinder attachment to the KA stand mixer was ok. Looked at getting a better attachment, but I picked up the Weston for less money

I have an old cast iron stuffer that came from my wife's family. I love it. I got a new set of stuff tubes off Amazon and make a variety of cased sausage.

 

[TimboBBQ!]

I also echo to start with store ground meats.

I started using store bought ground pork for a few years and made bulk (not stuffed in a casing) breakfast sausage and Italian sausage. The bulk Italian wasn't popular (prefer it in casings), but various breakfast patties is what I make the most and after adapting a Jimmy Dean clone that my wife really likes is 100% of my bulk.
Depending on your favorite recipe, bulk may be all you want to make as voyager 663rd pointed out.
This is almost 0 dollar starting point to delve into sausage making.

My wife wanted low salt so the popular commercial seasonings is a no.
I used this thread as a base and got it to 1/2% salt

Jimmy Dean regular Premium Pork sausage, breakfast clone by Dave in AZ

Someone was asking for Jimmy Dean clones, I thought I posted this here, but I posted it on meatgistics.waltons.com on 7Oct22. Here is a copy paste so I can link to it. Chasing a recipe and testing is like an adventure and detective story for me, I love the process... so this post is mostly...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

I have 2 hand grinders that came from each side of the family. I hand ground for a bit and decided that making great mince was better than store bought, but what a PITA so I jumped on a deal to get a Weston #8. Not as high quality as the Weston Pro, or a LEM or a Cabelas, but for the quantity of sausage I currently make in a year it sure beats the hand grind.
The meat grinder attachment to the KA stand mixer was ok. Looked at getting a better attachment, but I picked up the Weston for less money

I have an old cast iron stuffer that came from my wife's family. I love it. I got a new set of stuff tubes off Amazon and make a variety of cased sausage.

Man that’s great info thanks!

 

[1MoreFord]

Here's a compilation of various JD "clones" that I've seen turned into one recipe listing. There are variable ingredient quantities and optional ingredients found in some but not all.

One thing missing from all of them except the Maple is a sweet ration and since I don't like hidden sugar never pursued that any further.

Mild and/or Sage
16 ounces ground pork
1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried ground thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon MSG (such as Accent flavor enhancer)
1/4 tsp cumin - optional
1/8 tsp cayenne - optional

Hot
16 ounces ground pork
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 - 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon MSG (such as Accent)
1/4 tsp ground cumin - optional

Maple
16 ounces ground pork
3 Tablespoons maple syrup - originally called for maple "flavored" syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon MSG (such as Accent)
1/4 ground teaspoon coriander - optional

I originally found the recipes in a post on the old Smoke Ring Forum and ran across other variations over the years. Then I kinda merged them into one of each flavor as they were found.

 

[TimboBBQ!]

Here's a compilation of various JD "clones" that I've seen turned into one recipe listing. There are variable ingredient quantities and optional ingredients found in some but not all.

One thing missing from all of them except the Maple is a sweet ration and since I don't like hidden sugar never pursued that any further.

Mild and/or Sage
16 ounces ground pork
1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried ground thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon MSG (such as Accent flavor enhancer)
1/4 tsp cumin - optional
1/8 tsp cayenne - optional

Hot
16 ounces ground pork
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 - 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon MSG (such as Accent)
1/4 tsp ground cumin - optional

Maple
16 ounces ground pork
3 Tablespoons maple syrup - originally called for maple "flavored" syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon MSG (such as Accent)
1/4 ground teaspoon coriander - optional

I originally found the recipes in a post on the old Smoke Ring Forum and ran across other variations over the years. Then I kinda merged them into one of each flavor as they were found.

Thank you! Much appreciated