My first shot at sausage.

[wes w]

Edit:  Ok, so I spelled Sausage wrong....... :-)

So here is my first shot at sausage.   I invested in a electric grinder that has a stuffer thingy.  Something to learn another day.  

Funny how when you start something like this the house becomes empty.    Wife went somewhere, so I was on my own.  I even cleaned up.

I cut and ground two 8lb shoulders.    I can tell you, I won't be making that much next time.

I used sage, salt, pepper.

I ended up using 1/2 oz. of rubbed sage.  The salt and pepper I just added what looked good.   Finally taste was really good.   Maybe a bit to much sage, but I loved it.   The taste was just outstanding.  I won't be eating store bought sausage again.  I don't think my father made his quite this strong, but being I was in the kitchen myself,  It goes to my taste.  :-)

Cubed and ready to go.

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• wes w
• Jan 26, 2013

First run through the grinder.   Sample taste.

Final  season, approved taste test.  One more run through grinder finer.

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• wes w
• Jan 26, 2013

Ready to  bag

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• wes w
• Jan 26, 2013

I started making patties.  Screw that!.  At this point I was ready to be done.    I made 5 piece portions.   Bagged, sealed, freezer!

This is good sausage.   Its simple and taste great!

Next, research stuffing.   

Hope everyone has a great evening!

 

[smoking b]

Hey Wes - Looks like you did a great job with your first sausage! 

  You won't be able to go back to store bought now that you've tried the good stuff 

   

   to the sausage making side of things & to your new habit! 

     Looks like you used picnics for the sausage - are you gonna fry up some skin?

You can edit the title of your post too if you want to...

 

[wes w]

How do I edit the title?  I didn't see it wrong till I posted it.  Yeah, I love pork skins.  When I was little my parents would build a fire around a big  cast iron kittle  and render the lard.  We would eat the cracklings. 

They had shoulders for .99.  To good for sausage.  To cheap to pass up.  Freezer is stuffed now.

I agree.  It blew me away how good it tasted.   I'm sold!

Edit:  I found it.  Thanks.

 

[boykjo]

How do I edit the title?  I didn't see it wrong till I posted it.  Yeah, I love pork skins.  When I was little my parents would build a fire around a big  cast iron kittle  and render the lard.  We would eat the cracklings. 

They had shoulders for .99.  To good for sausage.  To cheap to pass up.  Freezer is stuffed now.

I agree.  It blew me away how good it tasted.   I'm sold!

Edit:  I found it.  Thanks.

Right below the heading of your thread there is a selection of unread post, subscribe, search this thread, prferences and edit thread... Click on edit thread and you can do it there....

Sounds like you were busy.... I here crickets all the time when I make sausage...LOL

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Right below the heading of your thread there is a selection of unread post, subscribe, search this thread, prferences and edit thread... Click on edit thread and you can do it there....

Sounds like you were busy.... I here crickets all the time when I make sausage...LOL

 

[wes w]

Thanks guys.  I finally figured it out.   Yeah, I hear crickets too.  I hear them because I'm half deaf. :-)   Occupational hazzards of old.    This puter stuff ain't for me but  I guess its a must anymore.

 

[stevensondrive]

it is amazing how good homemade sausage taste and how lean it is!  Welcome to the obsession

 

[venture]

Oh, the joys of sausage making?

I like cutting the meat.  I don't mind grinding the meat. 

Without a stuffer, stuffing the meat is a little less fun. 

Stuffing with a stuffer is easier.

Pattying not so much fun, kinda like stuffing.

Vacu sealing, even a little less fun?

Then the cleanup?  I might be a little and tired and irritable then.  Is there any beer in the fridge, and, how many times have I washed my hands by then?

Later the eating?  Then it all becomes worth it.  So we do it all over again.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[wes w]

steven,  I was really surprised when I did my sample fry.  There was no grease at all.  The taste was just awesome!   I love it

Merv,  I started patting them out and said screw this.  I just made about what we eat per meal.   I too enjoy cutting it up  and grinding.   By the time I got to vac sealing, I was ready to be done.   Haha, yeah, I probably washed my hands at least 20 times today.   When all done and cleaned up, I probably had a couple to many drinks.   Tomorrow morning at breakfast it will be all worth it!

The grinder I got has a stuffer with it.  I need to do more research where to get the casings and how to do it.    

 

[couger78]

Then the cleanup?  I might be a little and tired and irritable then. 

The clean-up is the biggest pain.

I need to communicate to the, ahem, chief sausage maker in the household that he needs to be more conscientious about the messes he makes....

Kevin

 

[kathrynn]

Way to go Wes!  Isnt that sausage the bomb?  We are trying mine out in the morning with my home made buttermilk biscuits!

I even checked out the chuck roasts today to compare the price per pound compared to the price of ground chuck. They were the same. Still going to check into grinding my own burger meat too.

 

[wes w]

Haha,  I've been told that before.   I did get my big cutting board out, so my mess was pretty confined.   

 

[wes w]

Kat, I also fried some up this morning.  Wife loved it!   Home made biscits and gravy homemade sausage store bought bacon.   Gotta try and find me some pork belly and a slicer.   

I owe my awesome results to Pops.  Just like my father used to make.   I got a bit heavy on the sage but still awesome!

Fired the smoker for some ribs.  Got a late start and smoker is slow to warm up this freaking cold morning.    Gotta love cooking in the great outdoors!   :-)

 

[mvincent42]

I put a little (fake) maple syrup and brown sugar in mine along with the salt pepper and sage. I also get those little packets of red pepper flakes when we order pizza and add one of those per pound for some kick. And of course garlic because I am an addict. Yours is nice and simple which is often best but if you want to experiment there are a few ideas. I haven't bought sausage since I got my grinder 2 years ago. I have my breakfast sausage and italian sausage down pat.

I also grind my own beef. I keep an eye on sales or get the $2 off packages that are about to go out. Chuck is great, round is great, and lots of times I can find beef for stew or fajitas for $2 off or whatever and it already fits in my grinder. I just buy whatever is cheapest when I need beef. Now that we got a chest freezer I can really plan ahead.

You will be really happy grinding your own meat. You can always add fat in if you want. I mix with pork for meatloaf or add blue cheese crumbles to my burgers to keep them moist. If you are making tacos or something no fat needed really! So much better even than what they call 98% lean. And you know there is no pink sludge or sawdust.

Stuffing sausage isn't horrible but it is better if you have an extra set of hands to help. The first time I stuffed casings I went to the butcher shop and talked to a guy who made 100lbs of sausage or so every day. He was great with pointers and the casings are super inexpensive. He even ground my meat for me so I didn't have to.

Have fun with your grinder! I use mine at least once a week!

 

[daveomak]

Mornin'  Wes....  Nice job on the sausage.....   FWIW... for breakfast patties, we put about 1 lb. in quart freezer bags.... mash it flat and freeze... then cut into quarters for 4 breakfast patties.....   easy to store flat packs and sometimes 2 patties leftover.... I guess that beautiful smoker has led you down the addictive path found on this forum.....     Dave 

 

[robbieh]

Nice looking Sausages!  Any pics of how they came out?  By the way, your brick smoker looks great!

 

[pgsmoker64]

Good looking sausage Wes!

Check out Pop's recipe.  He gives you an idea of how much seasoning to use per pound and it comes out perfect every time! See below.

8 oz. salt
2 oz. black pepper
1 oz. sage
put in ziploc and shake thoroughly, then use ½ oz. per lb. of meat

However, this time, for those that don't have scales, I also dumped the contents of each into appropriate measuring cups and come out with:

¾ cup salt
½ cup black pepper
½ cup sage
put in ziploc and shake thoroughly, then use 1 tbsp. per pound of meat
 

Great job!!!

Bill

 

[roller]

You will enjoy that sausage for sure... Cleaning the equip. is the worst part for me...lots of Hot water...

 

[wes w]

Mornin'  Wes....  Nice job on the sausage.....   FWIW... for breakfast patties, we put about 1 lb. in quart freezer bags.... mash it flat and freeze... then cut into quarters for 4 breakfast patties.....   easy to store flat packs and sometimes 2 patties leftover.... I guess that beautiful smoker has led you down the addictive path found on this forum.....     Dave 

It has indeed Dave.   Its everything I grew up with minus the smoker and "electric" grinder.    It feels good to go back to what used to be a way of life.   Back then we didn't know any better and were richer for it.   

I didn't realize how much the two shoulders would make.   I may give some of it away to keep it from getting old.  

Dave, haven't seen your picture in the  "show  yourself thread"  

Nice looking Sausages!  Any pics of how they came out?  By the way, your brick smoker looks great!

I was going to take some this morning.   Between keeping the gravy stirred and not burning the biscits I didn't get any pictures taken.  I will next time!

Good looking sausage Wes!

Check out Pop's recipe.  He gives you an idea of how much seasoning to use per pound and it comes out perfect every time! See below.

8 oz. salt
2 oz. black pepper
1 oz. sage
put in ziploc and shake thoroughly, then use ½ oz. per lb. of meat

However, this time, for those that don't have scales, I also dumped the contents of each into appropriate measuring cups and come out with:

¾ cup salt
½ cup black pepper
½ cup sage
put in ziploc and shake thoroughly, then use 1 tbsp. per pound of meat
 

Great job!!!

Bill

This is very helpful!  Thanks for showing me this Bill.  Already bookmarked it! 

You will enjoy that sausage for sure... Cleaning the equip. is the worst part for me...lots of Hot water...

Roller I washed my hands so many time I thought the hot water was going to peel the hide off.   Clean up wasn't to bad.   Everything rinsed fairly good.   Did it while it was still fresh.   Wife washed them later.

Vince,  How does the garlic taste with the sage.  I love garlic.  Just don't want to mix the wrong spices together.   I'm not much on spicy.   I'm just a pansy toward spicy food.

 

[daveomak]

Quote: (Wes W).....  Dave, haven't seen your picture in the  "show  yourself thread"......

Let me see if my new camera will handle it....   Then there's the question of liability when your computer screen fractures...