Sausage suggestions?

[ifitsdeadsmokeit]

I'm planning on making sausage for the first time.  Anyone have any suggestions on the best type for a first time out?  I have a grinder, 5 lb vertical stuffer and just started reading Rytec's 4th edition....was thinking it would be best to make fresh and freeze the extra links.  not really set up to smoke sausage or just havent figured out the best way for it.  I have a reverse flow smoker.  thanks in advance.

 

[boykjo]

The easiest sausage to make would be fresh polish sausage........pork, (FRESH) garlic, salt and pepper but its all what your looking for and what ingredients you will need to get.

 

[princess]

I like fresh breakfast sausage. Patties, loose for omelettes, stuffed in small collagen casings. You can't go wrong and everybody likes a side of sausage with they eggs.

 

[DanMcG]

I'm with Princess, Do a simple fresh breakfast sausage, cased, pattied or both. 

I also tell newbies to start with a small batch so they are not overwelmed with the whole process and if you screw up you don't have to eat 20 lb's of not so good sausage. 

Good luck and let us know what you end up doing

 

[alblancher]

There really isn't any magic to the process. Follow a recipe for fresh polish, stuff into casings, let set in ref for a couple of hours, dry well and place on your smoker.  No one is grading your first try.  The best sausage I ever made was the first time I tried because I was just so proud that it was better then what I could buy from the bulk stores.

Al

 

[werdwolf]

Also, don't forget a quick "fry test" to make sure you are at least in the ball park with your spices.  They tend to become more "complex" and a little less harsh as you let them sit and then smoke them.

 

[chainsaw]

Some recipes I use-you don't need to stuff into a casing if you want to make patties. I usually cook about a silver-dollar size sample for tasting.

Polish Sausage 4-lbs ground pork 1-lb fine ground beef chuck 2-tsp sugar 1-tbsp marjoram 1 1/2-tbsp salt 1/2-tsp allspice 1-tbsp black pepper 1-tbsp caraway seeds 8-cloves garlic, minced 1-cup cold white wine Combine all ingredients; mix well & stuff into hog casing   Bratwurst #1 5-lbs ground pork, fine grind 4-tsp sugar 1-tbsp ground coriander 1-tbsp ground sage 1-tsp paprika 1-tsp cayenne pepper 2-tsp dried rosemary 1-tbsp dry mustard 1-tsp pepper 1-tsp nutmeg 4-tsp salt Combine all ingredients, mix well & stuff into hog casing

 

[rbranstner]

If you aren't going to smoke them I like going with breakfast sausage stuffed or just pattied and also we made a batch of potato sausage one year that I loved.

 

[big-guy]

Here are a few of my favourite recipes

Garlic Sausage


 


15 lbs. Pork butts

 4 Tbs.   salt

 2 Tbs. Black pepper

 1- 1/2 Tbs. Ground caraway

 1- 1/2 Tbs. Ground coriander

 1- 1/2 Tbs.   Garlic powder

 1- 1/2 Tbs.   Mace

1       1/2   cups ice water

1       Tbs. Special meat binder
[h1]1 Cup milk powder[/h1]
 

 

Grind all meat through a Medium plate. Add ice water then spices mix. Stuff into natural hog casings. Refrigerate overnight.

Italian Sausage

 

15lbs. Pork butts

4 Tbs. Salt

11/2 Tbs. Sugar

11/2 Tbs. Ground Coriander

11/2 Tsp. Fennel Seed

3 Tsp. Black Pepper

11/2 Tsp. Ground Caraway

1 liter Dry red wine

6 Tbs. Crushed Chile Pepper (optional) 3Tbs. for mild

3Tbs. Paprika

½ Tsp. Granulated Garlic

1  Cup milk powder


 


Grind meat through a Medium plate. Add wine and spices, mix well. Stuff in natural hog casings. Refrigerate overnight to blend in the spices.


 


Breakfast Sausage

15 lbs. Fat Pork butts

4 Tbs. Salt

11/2 Tbs. White Pepper

1 Tbs. Rubbed Sage

11/2 Tsp. Ginger

11/2 Tbs. Nutmeg

1 Tsp. Marjoram

1 quart ice water

1 tsp. Mapeleine

1 Cup milk powder

2 tsp. super binder

6 Tbs. maple sugar


 


Grind meat through a ¼ inch plate. Add ice water and spices. Mix well Stuff into natural sheep casings . Link into 4” sausages. Place in 180F water for 10 minutes. Rinse and soak in cold water 5 minutes. Separate links and package for freezer.

 

[ifitsdeadsmokeit]

thanks for the suggestions....I'm thinking to make some breakfast sausage and brats for the first go around.  What comes to mind is a spicy brat and sweet italian sausage for second time.  I just think for the first time it is better, faster, easier to stick with fresh uncured sausage.  In the future i'm sure i will try some smoked cured sausage recipes.  From what I read, for smoking sausage, it is done at real low temps with no smoke to start and work way up to higher temps with smoke.  Not sure how I would accomplish this on my reverse flow smoker.  Maybe borrow my neighbors propane smoker or buy one for myself...dont think the wife would go for a smoke shack unless I can disassemble it after each use and store it in the shed.....

 

[princess]

Loose italian sausage is nice on pizza, great in omelettes... and you know how good a red sauce with meat is over pasta, right... Mmmm...

 

thanks for the suggestions....I'm thinking to make some breakfast sausage and brats for the first go around.  What comes to mind is a spicy brat and sweet italian sausage for second time.  I just think for the first time it is better, faster, easier to stick with fresh uncured sausage.  In the future i'm sure i will try some smoked cured sausage recipes.  From what I read, for smoking sausage, it is done at real low temps with no smoke to start and work way up to higher temps with smoke.  Not sure how I would accomplish this on my reverse flow smoker.  Maybe borrow my neighbors propane smoker or buy one for myself...dont think the wife would go for a smoke shack unless I can disassemble it after each use and store it in the shed.....

 

[mballi3011]

Now there are as many good recipes for sausage then there is water in the seas. Now the best way to learn is to make it and then taste it. if you need to make any adjustment. do so and then you keep record of what you do and it will all start coming out right. Like everything else here trial and era is the way to learn I did. Then if you eat your mistakes you tend to learn alot quicker too.