Sausage Making - Resources

[illini40]

Hello

Can you point me to any resources for a beginner interested in making sausage?

I think I am initially interested in making some summer sausage, snack sticks, and other sausages that can be either smoked or froze. If I am understanding correctly, this would not be getting into curing (I’m looking to either cook it or be able to freeze for cooking later).

I have a smoker, but no other equipment. From some quick initial reading, it sounds like a stuffer would be a first needed piece of equipment? I’m not concerned about needing to grind meat on my own initially.

 

[indaswamp]

Good resources:

Read the introduction to sausage making here:
http://lpoli.50webs.com/page0001.htm

Wealth of info here:
https://meatsandsausages.com/

 

[indaswamp]

Hello

Can you point me to any resources for a beginner interested in making sausage?

I think I am initially interested in making some summer sausage, snack sticks, and other sausages that can be either smoked or froze. If I am understanding correctly, this would not be getting into curing (I’m looking to either cook it or be able to freeze for cooking later).

I have a smoker, but no other equipment. From some quick initial reading, it sounds like a stuffer would be a first needed piece of equipment? I’m not concerned about needing to grind meat on my own initially.

You would be curing if you do smoke sausages (using cure #1), but you would not be dry curing (using cure #2) and end up with a product that has 30% or more weight loss.

You can make small 5# batches without a stuffer using the stuffer tube on a kitchen grinder, but you will get a lot of air pockets in the links. You will need to pop quite a few pin holes. And it is a slow going process. I highly recommend using a dedicated stuffer. A 5# model is relatively inexpensive.

If you buy ground meat, it MUST be ground that day and used immediately to make sausage-especially when smoking.
Store bought ground meat is the most unclean meat you can buy from a store. I suggest buying a whole cut of meat and have the butcher grind it for you so you know it is very freshly ground.

 

[oddegan]

Rytek Kutas - Great sausage recipes and meat curing.

 

[indaswamp]

Forgot about that great resource...

 

[indaswamp]

I recommend starting with a fresh sausage recipe like brats or Pops sage breakfast patty sausage. You can learn the sausage making process before tackling the smoking step.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Follow the Len Poli link, easy user friendly recipes for all types of sausage/salumi/charcuterie.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Any of the Marianski books are great. And one more major source...Right here at SMF! Every sausage recipe here has been peer reviewed for safety. Have often been made buy other members with their opinion on taste and ANY question you have will be generally be answered promptly even in the middle of production...JJ

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Any of the Marianski books are great. And one more major source...Right here at SMF! Every sausage recipe here has been peer reviewed for safety. Have often been made buy other members with their opinion on taste and ANY question you have will be generally be answered promptly even in the middle of production...JJ

Its peer pressure i tell ya....lol

Wife: So where did you get that new stuffer?

SMF Member: The SMF made me do it.....Baaaahahahaha

 

[illini40]

Wow - thanks for all of the quick responses! So maybe I need to be educated more...

What can I accomplish with a stuffer and no grinder to start with?

Good resources:

Read the introduction to sausage making here:
http://lpoli.50webs.com/page0001.htm

Wealth of info here:
https://meatsandsausages.com/

Thank you. I will check these out!

You would be curing if you do smoke sausages (using cure #1), but you would not be dry curing (using cure #2) and end up with a product that has 30% or more weight loss.

You can make small 5# batches without a stuffer using the stuffer tube on a kitchen grinder, but you will get a lot of air pockets in the links. You will need to pop quite a few pin holes. And it is a slow going process. I highly recommend using a dedicated stuffer. A 5# model is relatively inexpensive.

If you buy ground meat, it MUST be ground that day and used immediately to make sausage-especially when smoking.
Store bought ground meat is the most unclean meat you can buy from a store. I suggest buying a whole cut of meat and have the butcher grind it for you so you know it is very freshly ground.

So curing and dry curing are different? Is the dry curing the art of curing without cooking to a certain IT (which I assume is more of a challenge to ensure food safety?)?

From the little that I have seen, it looks like a stuffer is a necessity. We have a KitchenAid, but I really don’t think my wife would be excited for me using it like this.

Thanks for the tip on store bought ground meat. What types of whole cuts would work well?

Rytek Kutas - Great sausage recipes and meat curing.

Thank you.

I recommend starting with a fresh sausage recipe like brats or Pops sage breakfast patty sausage. You can learn the sausage making process before tackling the smoking step.

Thank you. Can you direct me to finding those? Are the brats ground meat stuffed into a casing?

Follow the Len Poli link, easy user friendly recipes for all types of sausage/salumi/charcuterie.

Thank you.

Any of the Marianski books are great. And one more major source...Right here at SMF! Every sausage recipe here has been peer reviewed for safety. Have often been made buy other members with their opinion on taste and ANY question you have will be generally be answered promptly even in the middle of production...JJ

Thank you. Is there a sub forum for sausage stuff? I couldn’t find anything directly.

Its peer pressure i tell ya....lol

Wife: So where did you get that new stuffer?

SMF Member: The SMF made me do it.....Baaaahahahaha

Haha. I can see this being a new hobby of getting new gear. Sweet.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Oh yeah, Sausage has its own forum with over 100,000 posts...JJ

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forums/sausage.130/

 

[indaswamp]

So curing and dry curing are different? Is the dry curing the art of curing without cooking to a certain IT (which I assume is more of a challenge to ensure food safety?)?

Yes. curing and dry curing are different processes. Curing uses only cure #1 (sodium nitrite), and no bacteria starter culture and you will be cooking the product. Dry curing uses cure #2 (sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite), a bacteria starter culture, and either umai bags or a curing chamber where temperature and humidity can be controlled and manipulated for the drying process. No cooking the product. The bacteria produce acid and drop the acidity of the meat. This combined with the drying make the product an inhospitable environment for bad bacteria to grow.

If you have a kitchenAid, they make a grinder attachment. This is the best route to go because you can control the size grind you want, and you can grind the fat smaller than the meat for a better distribution and texture.

Yes, brats are fresh sausage stuffed into hog 32-35mm casings. Usually not cured and smoked. These are usually grilled or simmered with beer and onions.

Yes there is a subforum for sausage.

 

[indaswamp]

Pop's sage breakfast sausage recipe:
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/fassetts-breakfast-sausage-seasoning.83939/#post-382480

 

[daveomak]

When you buy casings, may I suggest avoiding home packs... The are usually odds and ends from trimming full intestines that don't make the grade for a full hanks... generally will stuff +/- 125#'s.... packed in kosher salt and kept in the refer at 34-38 F, they will last years...

 

[SonnyE]

These are usually grilled or simmered with beer and onions.

Beer... Onions.... Brats....

I knew there was a reason I ordered 32 mm casings....

(I only ordered 19 and 32 mm to start with. Got to start somewhere...)

 

[illini40]

I’ve been doing more research. Couple of new questions:

- Am I understanding that an actual stuffer is a better option than relying on a grinder that can also stuff?

- Any suggestions on brands to consider for stuffers and/or grinders? I’m looking for good value - not cheap, but also this is just a start.

- Is 3/4hp plenty for a hobby operation?

- How critical is it to grind your own meat, versus purchasing ground meat from a butcher?

 

[SmokinAl]

I would start out making fresh brats, Italian sausage, breakfast sausage.
You can buy ground pork at the store & make a batch. We make breakfast sausage patties a lot of times, so you don't need a grinder or stuffer. Then you can graduate to grinding your own. I have a Cabela's Carnivore, it's only 3/4 hp, but it is a beast. The next step would be to get a stuffer. I have a LEM 5# with metal gears & have used it a lot without any problems, but then I rarely make more than a 5# batch, and in most cases I only make 2 1/2 lb. batches. There are a lot of places to get casings. I get mine from TheSausageMaker, but a lot of the guys get theirs from Butcher/Packer. There are hundreds of sausage recipes on here & you can buy the seasoning mixes already to go. After you have made a few batches of fresh sausage then you can start making smoked sausage which will require you to use cure #1. Then the next step is dry cured sausage which uses cure #2. So if it were me just starting out on my sausage making journey I would buy a couple of pounds of fresh ground pork & make some breakfast sausage patties. I will say that TheSausageMaker has an excellent breakfast sausage blend called "Morning Edge". It's spicy, but we add a little extra cayenne to it to really wake you up!!
Good luck!
Al

 

[chef jimmyj]

You will save a lot of cussing getting a stuffer.
As AL mentioned a LEM 5# is a great start. And their #12 Big Bite Grinder is one of the best available. Cabela's grinders are a good choice as well.
I use Syracuse Casing. The pre-tubed casing is easy to work with and are generally of high quality.

Grinding your own is cheaper as when Butts are on sale for $1.59, Ground Pork is usually $3 and change per pound. Plus you control the grind. Coarse for Kielbasa or super fine for HOT Dogs....JJ

 

[SonnyE]

I made my very first Snack Sticks over the last 2 days.
Never did it before, and it went surprisingly well. I used our KitchenAid Mixer, with an aftermarket SS grinder, and stuffing tube.
But... I did have second thoughts, and I ordered a stuffer even before my first attempt day before yesterday. Because after watching many, many videos about stuffing your own, it is quite apparent a stuffer gives the best control.
My stuffer is on back-order right now. That's OK, I got a 5 pound stuffer for $99.99, free shipping (Special Offer), and NO sales Taxes. I can wait.
Meanwhile, I'm practicing (and succeeding) using the grinder on the KA which is also my meat mixer.

So why didn't I cancel the stuffer?
Well, I'm still convinced it will be a good investment. And when studying the many brands out there, and seeing many in actual use ( I don't just watch the video, I watch the background), I was studying the frames and structure.
The vertical, handle driven, gear drive, has the ratio advantages over the others. And a simple partial back turn stops the mixture flow.
The frames of the most popular brands have a commonality. The one I bought from Northern Tool for $100, is identical to the LEM 5#. NT 5#
But you might prefer the dowel pin type. But either way, you have to raise the plunger up to clear the tank to remove it for filling.

Separate items may be your preference. Grinder of choice, Meat mixer, Stuffer. But we already have a KA mixer, so I chose to economize and use it for more than cookie dough.

I just saw where you too can match the NT deal I got. They took the same stuffer, marked it down $20 to $79.99, and you pay shipping of ~$20. Same price, but plastic tubes. Mine will have SS tubes. Might be a moot point, but I felt I wanted the SS tubes.

I prefer to grind my own so I know what is in the grind.

 

[illini40]

I would start out making fresh brats, Italian sausage, breakfast sausage.
You can buy ground pork at the store & make a batch. We make breakfast sausage patties a lot of times, so you don't need a grinder or stuffer. Then you can graduate to grinding your own. I have a Cabela's Carnivore, it's only 3/4 hp, but it is a beast. The next step would be to get a stuffer. I have a LEM 5# with metal gears & have used it a lot without any problems, but then I rarely make more than a 5# batch, and in most cases I only make 2 1/2 lb. batches. There are a lot of places to get casings. I get mine from TheSausageMaker, but a lot of the guys get theirs from Butcher/Packer. There are hundreds of sausage recipes on here & you can buy the seasoning mixes already to go. After you have made a few batches of fresh sausage then you can start making smoked sausage which will require you to use cure #1. Then the next step is dry cured sausage which uses cure #2. So if it were me just starting out on my sausage making journey I would buy a couple of pounds of fresh ground pork & make some breakfast sausage patties. I will say that TheSausageMaker has an excellent breakfast sausage blend called "Morning Edge". It's spicy, but we add a little extra cayenne to it to really wake you up!!
Good luck!
Al

Thanks Al! This is helpful. For the breakfast sausage patties, using pre ground pork, are you just adding the seasonings and then vacuum sealing?

You will save a lot of cussing getting a stuffer.
As AL mentioned a LEM 5# is a great start. And their #12 Big Bite Grinder is one of the best available. Cabela's grinders are a good choice as well.
I use Syracuse Casing. The pre-tubed casing is easy to work with and are generally of high quality.

Grinding your own is cheaper as when Butts are on sale for $1.59, Ground Pork is usually $3 and change per pound. Plus you control the grind. Coarse for Kielbasa or super fine for HOT Dogs....JJ

Thanks JJ. You are confirming my thoughts that a LEM 5# stuffer is the place to start, and then consider a LEM or Cabelas grinder.

I made my very first Snack Sticks over the last 2 days.
Never did it before, and it went surprisingly well. I used our KitchenAid Mixer, with an aftermarket SS grinder, and stuffing tube.
But... I did have second thoughts, and I ordered a stuffer even before my first attempt day before yesterday. Because after watching many, many videos about stuffing your own, it is quite apparent a stuffer gives the best control.
My stuffer is on back-order right now. That's OK, I got a 5 pound stuffer for $99.99, free shipping (Special Offer), and NO sales Taxes. I can wait.
Meanwhile, I'm practicing (and succeeding) using the grinder on the KA which is also my meat mixer.

So why didn't I cancel the stuffer?
Well, I'm still convinced it will be a good investment. And when studying the many brands out there, and seeing many in actual use ( I don't just watch the video, I watch the background), I was studying the frames and structure.
The vertical, handle driven, gear drive, has the ratio advantages over the others. And a simple partial back turn stops the mixture flow.
The frames of the most popular brands have a commonality. The one I bought from Northern Tool for $100, is identical to the LEM 5#. NT 5#
But you might prefer the dowel pin type. But either way, you have to raise the plunger up to clear the tank to remove it for filling.

Separate items may be your preference. Grinder of choice, Meat mixer, Stuffer. But we already have a KA mixer, so I chose to economize and use it for more than cookie dough.

I just saw where you too can match the NT deal I got. They took the same stuffer, marked it down $20 to $79.99, and you pay shipping of ~$20. Same price, but plastic tubes. Mine will have SS tubes. Might be a moot point, but I felt I wanted the SS tubes.

I prefer to grind my own so I know what is in the grind.

Thanks for the info Sonny. How did the KitchenAid grinder work for grinding? We have a KitchenAid mixer, but I’m afraid to abuse it too much with trying to grind with it.