My First Sausage

[Worble7]

Never used Sure Gel or ECA.
I also never have done collagen casing snack sticks or summer sausage that would benefit from it.

I would suggest picking a simple sausage first before going into those extra things.

LEM's Fresh Brats makes the best brats I've ever had (tried a lot of brats too) - https://www.lemproducts.com/product/backwoods-bratwurst-fresh-sausage-seasoning/sausage-seasoning
My notes have me doing 27.3gm per 1 pound for their Brats (that's a little higher than their instructions per pound, so if you want to do 5lbs buy the 25 pound pack because the 5 pound pack will leave you short a few grams and you will bland).
You grill these.

Lem's Cured Franks also makes best Franks I've ever had - https://www.lemproducts.com/product/backwoods-franks-cured-sausage-seasoning/sausage-seasoning
My notes have me doing 14gm per 1 pound of Franks (that's a little lower than their instructions per pound).
You cured smoke these or grill them like they are fresh.

These are 2 options that definitely don't need sure gel or ECA.
If you figure out what kind of sausage you want to do it will help us recommend casings and other options that are best for you to start with :D

Thanks very helpful. Jeff

 

[Fueling Around]

Whoa horsie, Jeff.
Slow down and FOCUS on 1 method to get your feel for making sausage.
My suggestion is to start with patties of fresh meat . I make the majority of my fresh sausage in patties as that is what my wife and I prefer for cooking and serving for a meal.
Once you get familiar with meat and seasoning then start into the next steps of stuffing.

What's everyones thought on casing? Does it really matter like if sheep better then pig or collagen casings? Are some thicker then others? Thanks Jeff

The majority of my stuffing is hog (and probably the best start) as I usually make standard brats or my creation of breakfast brats which are both fresh (non cure) meat.
Hog casing is relatively forgiving.
Anything smaller is a learning curve to work with the stuffing process.

 

[Danblacksher]

Dont be afraid to experiment on small batches to get the flavor you want. The main thing is keep everything really cold. I got a hand crank mixer because my fingers were freezing. That was right after i did a batch that was not cold enough and the sausage came out crumbly because of the fat emulsifying before I smoked it then it just ran out of the meat when I smoked it. Like everything the more you do it the better you get, and the more confident you become.

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[indaswamp]

That brings up another tip. buy some cheap polypro liner gloves and wear those under your rubber glove. This will act as insulation and prevent your hands from freezing. Will also slow down your hands warming up the mince.

I buy them at Wally World...3 pairs for less than $3 bucks.

 

[Worble7]

That brings up another tip. buy some cheap polypro liner gloves and wear those under your rubber glove. This will act as insulation and prevent your hands from freezing. Will also slow down your hands warming up the mince.

I buy them at Wally World...3 pairs for less than $3 bucks.

Do you have a link to the gloves at wally world I looked on there website and they show discontented? Thanks Jeff

For breakfast sausage it’s sheep hands down. Pig casing doesn’t go small enough for traditional breakfast sausage but then again I’m fine with a good breakfast sausage that is bigger, still eats fine just not as fast to cook. I’m not a fan of collagen casings as a rule but do use them for sticks. I’m making some 16mm right now.

SmokinEdge can we talk a little about casings and stuffer tubes? Not jumping ahead of the game just yet but my brain has cleared some cache and I would like to take on more info :)
I looked for a chart online and could not find a tube to casing chart. I did get the 2 that I had posted somewhere on the thread LEM Sheep 19-21 casings and 15mm collagen casings from
china I don't feel really good about this one like you have said also but no choice on Amazon. I'm still waiting for my friend to let me know when he's coming to my house to start this hobby. How do I find my threads I started I can find them when I click on my name. Thanks Jeff

 

[SmokinEdge]

Do you have a link to the gloves at wally world I looked on there website and they show discontented? Thanks Jeff

SmokinEdge can we talk a little about casings and stuffer tubes? Not jumping ahead of the game just yet but my brain has cleared some cache and I would like to take on more info :)
I looked for a chart online and could not find a tube to casing chart. I did get the 2 that I had posted somewhere on the thread LEM Sheep 19-21 casings and 15mm collagen casings from
china I don't feel really good about this one like you have said also but no choice on Amazon. I'm still waiting for my friend to let me know when he's coming to my house to start this hobby. How do I find my threads I started I can find them when I click on my name. Thanks Jeff

Here are my stuffing tubes, the three plastic ones came with the stuffer the small stainless one I bought off Amazon for doing sticks.

Most tubes are tapered so you want to measure up higher on the tube for the largest diameter. We want something close to our casing but still be smaller so the casing will easily slide on and off.
From left to right these tubes measure, 9.5mm, 18.75mm, 23.54mm and 26.22mm.

I use the small stainless for sticks it’s a bit small but works fine. The 18.75mm I use for sheep casings, the 23.54mm I use for hog casings in that 30mm range, the 26.22mm I use for everything bigger than 39mm such as beef middles 40mm plus and even my 4.5 inch bologna casings. You just want to pair the tube to the casing size but be comfortably smaller not to small though.

As for finding your threads, top left on the main page is a menu button, click that and then click on “Forums” there you will see your threads, threads you’ve posted on etc.

 

[Worble7]

Here are my stuffing tubes, the three plastic ones came with the stuffer the small stainless one I bought off Amazon for doing sticks.
View attachment 677924
Most tubes are tapered so you want to measure up higher on the tube for the largest diameter. We want something close to our casing but still be smaller so the casing will easily slide on and off.
From left to right these tubes measure, 9.5mm, 18.75mm, 23.54mm and 26.22mm.

I use the small stainless for sticks it’s a bit small but works fine. The 18.75mm I use for sheep casings, the 23.54mm I use for hog casings in that 30mm range, the 26.22mm I use for everything bigger than 39mm such as beef middles 40mm plus and even my 4.5 inch bologna casings. You just want to pair the tube to the casing size but be comfortably smaller not to small though.

As for finding your threads, top left on the main page is a menu button, click that and then click on “Forums” there you will see your threads, threads you’ve posted on etc.

Thanks SmokinEdge I have not opened my LEM stuffer box yet so I don't know what they look like but I can now guess. I also bought the 3/8 SS one like yours. Jeff

 

[indaswamp]

Do you have a link to the gloves at wally world I looked on there website and they show discontented? Thanks Jeff

Sorry, no I do not have a link for the gloves. I have seen the 3 pair packs at other places though. And with winter coming, they should be hitting the store shelves soon.

 

[cptnding]

Worble7 These have worked very well for me:

https://www.amazon.com/EvridWear-Polyester-Protection-Industrial-Construction/dp/B082BJSBRK/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=Knit%2BGloves&qid=1696709126&sr=8-16&th=1

Just cover with rubber or latex gloves.

 

[Worble7]

Sorry, no I do not have a link for the gloves. I have seen the 3 pair packs at other places though. And with winter coming, they should be hitting the store shelves soon.

Thanks. Jeff

Worble7 These have worked very well for me:

https://www.amazon.com/EvridWear-Polyester-Protection-Industrial-Construction/dp/B082BJSBRK/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=Knit%2BGloves&qid=1696709126&sr=8-16&th=1

Just cover with rubber or latex gloves.

Thanks for the link. I will buy some of them. Jeff


SmokinEdge So my friend will be here later today. I will make the sausage I guess its called bulk if its not in a link?? The only problem is my seasonings have not shipped yet. Do you are anyone on here have a recipe that's tested that you found delish? I know everyone taste buds are differnt. What I like is regular sausage and mild heat maybe a little over on the heat but not burning but flavorful. TIA Everyone Jeff

 

[indaswamp]

Leave the green onion out if you want smoke sausage. Leave it in if you like it and want fresh sausage...

 

[SmokinEdge]

Here is a really good Nuremberg style brat recipe from our good friend JC in GB , I add sage to this and a little ginger and it makes real good breakfast sausage.

2 Kg (4.4 lbs) ground pork butt 80/20 to 70/30

Salt) 39g
Black pepper) 6g
White pepper) 2g
Marjoram) 2.5g
Cayenne) 1.5g
Nut Meg or mace) 1g

Then I add:
2g ground ginger
3-5g rubbed sage
To make a breakfast sausage. Mix it up and do a small fry test then if needed add more of what you think is missing. You can also do just 1 Kg of meat and cut all ingredients in half.

Im not sure what all you want to try ( flavor profile wise) but I have many others too.

 

[Worble7]

Leave the green onion out if you want smoke sausage. Leave it in if you like it and want fresh sausage...

Thanks

Here is a really good Nuremberg style brat recipe from our good friend JC in GB , I add sage to this and a little ginger and it makes real good breakfast sausage.

2 Kg (4.4 lbs) ground pork butt 80/20 to 70/30

Salt) 39g
Black pepper) 6g
White pepper) 2g
Marjoram) 2.5g
Cayenne) 1.5g
Nut Meg or mace) 1g

Then I add:
2g ground ginger
3-5g rubbed sage
To make a breakfast sausage. Mix it up and do a small fry test then if needed add more of what you think is missing. You can also do just 1 Kg of meat and cut all ingredients in half.

Im not sure what all you want to try ( flavor profile wise) but I have many others too.

Thanks

 

[SmokinEdge]

Thanks

Well so how did things go?

 

[Worble7]

Ju

Well so how did things go?

Just got back from Costco getting the pork shoulder. I think I might start early in the morning tomorrow doing sausage I should have been a little more prepared. But I'm smoking the pork loin Canadian bacon now. the smoke setting was in the 250-260 so I set it on the 180 setting and have the door cracked its staying around 150-160. Thanks Jeff

 

[mike243]

It's hard to beat a electric smoker for making bacon and sausage, lower temps are needed than my pellet smoker will run, most folks recommend a temperature step method to keep from running the fat out on sausages. cracking the lid to try to keep the temps down is guess work, good luck

 

[Worble7]

So my upper post was for the canaden bacon my back. So I will try a few recipes for my sausage SomkinEdge and the clone Jimmy Dean Clone my question if I'm making pattys do I still need to add water? So I waill cut the meat into chunks and freeze for a bit to get it nice and cold then grained it up then freeze again then add spices and mix then taste test add more spice if needed. any other info that might help me? Thanks Jeff

 

[Worble7]

It's hard to beat a electric smoker for making bacon and sausage, lower temps are needed than my pellet smoker will run, most folks recommend a temperature step method to keep from running the fat out on sausages. cracking the lid to try to keep the temps down is guess work, good luck

Mike,
I have an older cookshack electric smoker I should look and see what the temp settings are on that smoker I have not use it in years. Here are a few pics of that smoker. Adding more pics after a quick clean up. Also I can't believe its 21 years old now I can give it a drink :) Thanks Jeff

 

[indaswamp]

So my upper post was for the canaden bacon my back. So I will try a few recipes for my sausage SomkinEdge and the clone Jimmy Dean Clone my question if I'm making pattys do I still need to add water? So I waill cut the meat into chunks and freeze for a bit to get it nice and cold then grained it up then freeze again then add spices and mix then taste test add more spice if needed. any other info that might help me? Thanks Jeff

...generally, 3% water for fresh sausages, and 10% for smoked sausages.

 

[Worble7]

...generally, 3% water for fresh sausages, and 10% for smoked sausages.

Can you tell me how you do the math again for that I also forget this stuff? Thanks Jeff