Smoked Sausage and stuffing Tutor

[deejaydebi]

Hi All-

I finally got to try out my new vertical sausage stuffer. Man this is great! I know a 5 lbs stuffer is small for some of you but after using mu old knuckle buster grinder stuffer for years that only accepts meatball sized chunks at a time this is a dream machine. Did 20 lbs of sausage in less than 30 minutes including washing between sausage types.

Did 10 pounds of pepperoni and 10 pounds of Italian sausage. Here are the pictures and a small tutor for using a vertcal stuffer:

Side note: My ECB held it's own under the styrofoam iglloo and it's only 15 degrees outside! Yahoo! I can't smoke all winter!!!!!!!!

:D

 

[larry maddock]

does your stuffer have a "pressure release valve"

if so --how does it work???

 

[cheech]

Nice work, when you have a real stuffer makes it fun to make a batch rather than all the work that it used to take

 

[salmonclubber]

debi

great job on the sausage you made me want to make some sausage but i have no casings right now i just made an order for some casings yesterday so when they get here i will be making sausage again i love the stuff well you take care
salmonclubber

 

[deejaydebi]

Larry -
Yes it does. It so simple it's great! It's a bolt with an attatched 3" circular disc and nut. That's it!

Theory of Operation

The meat presses the circular disc against the pressure plate keeping pressure in the canister.

The bolt, which is longer than the pressure plate is thick - is mounted through the pressure plate in a slightly enlarged hole and nutted on top.

To release pressure you simply press the nut on top which acts as a release button, and air escapes through the slighly enlarged mounting hole.

Is that great or what? I love simplicity!

 

[deejaydebi]

Thanks Guys -

Came out very tasty! Now I can make Pasta Fagioli the real way with smoked Italian sausage! Yum!

Cheech -

Yes this thing is wonderful! I've decided it will also make a great cheese press for cheddars ans such. I simply have to figure out how many turns are needed to reach a given pressure once resistance is met.

I had to smoke it in 3 sessions. A vertical smoker would be a major advantage for sausages! Didn't get done until 4:30am! By then the temps dropped to 5 degrees. BRRRRRRR

This is quite the obsession - I'm a sick girl!

salmonclubber -

I normally only make patties so I don't have to stuff. The ole knuckle buster was a PITA! This is fast

 

[vulcan75001]

Debi
Nice looking sausage.....I should have smelled that smoking...the wind must have been blowing in the wrong direction...again...

 

[deejaydebi]

Thanks Richard it sure was blowin last night/this morning! Brrrrrrrrrrrr The burnt charcol ash was blowning up on my sausages. Kinda glad I didn't do a 'Big Meat" last night - would've been gritty I think.

 

[tonto1117]

Debi, that sausage looks most excellent, Is there any way we can get you to share your recipe for Pasta Fagioli, ya know one Itailan gal to another :D :D

 

[deejaydebi]

Ciao Paisano Theresa!

Sure but this ones gonna be hard I've never measured it. I rarely measure anything. It's only a zuppa (soup) so it's not ctitical. Useully made from leftovers.

Best guess:

Everything is sliced or chopped into bite sized pieces. The smaller the mouths in you house the smaller the pieces!

1 - 1-1/2 quarts of stewed tomatoes
1- 2 lbs. of smoked Italian sausage or pepperoni
1-2 big onions
4 -5 celery stalks
1 celery heart the leafy part finely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves or about 1 tsp roasted garlic paste
1/2 bag of great Northern beans soaked
or 1 large can cannelloni beans
or any good meaty white bean- lima beans will work or green peas in a pinch
4-5 carrots
1 cup of cooked Swiss chard or spinach
salt
pepper
Cajun Spice (optional but I love it)
Basil
Oregano
3 Bay Leaves (I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t know why I just put 3 in all soups)

Slice sausages into little bite sized coins. Quarter if you have little kids.

Put a dribble of olive oil in the soup pot let it get hot and fry the sausage until they get browned and crispy and little bits get stuck on the bottom of the pot.

Throw onions and garlic in with the sausages and cook until they caramelize. Just keep stirring them around so they donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t burn.

Throw about 1-2 cups of water in the pot to clean up all the sausage stuff that stuck to the bottom of the pan – this will now come off and make a nice soup base.

Add the celery hearts and slowly add more water and a few cups so it doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t loose itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s heat to much and let simmer until the smell of sausage juices in the water fill the house and start to make you hungry. Maybe 15 minutes?

Add all other stuff and if you have any leftover veggies in the fridge - nowâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s the time to get rid of them.

Spices are tough – I just sprinkle on the top until I see a light coating floating on the surface. Salt and pepper to taste – being careful if you have little ones in the house! Even mashed potatoes it'll just thicken it a bit.

Oh almost forgot some kind of pasta egg noodles, elbows, spaggetti broken up whatever you got! Cook it first and strain it. AT leasta pound!


Vivi bene, ama molto, ridi spesso!
(Live well, love much, laugh often)

 

[larry maddock]

yo debi,
thanks for the info--
i now know why i couldnot see valve in catalog pictures
of a 5 lb stuffer....

 

[deejaydebi]

Yeah I kinda looked at it for a minute and started LMAO! It works well though!

I noticed the price jumped $7 on that stuffer since December! $67 now ...

 

[Dutch]

Debi, did you use a spice kit for your sausages or do you have your own recipes? If you mix your own spices, wanna share them with the rest of us?

Thanks.

 

[Dutch]

Debi, just saw your recipe on the Italian Sausage thread. Sounds great. What do you use for your pepperoni?

 

[deejaydebi]

Dutch

I haven't tried any of the pre-mixed stuff.. Kind of seems like making Ragu and calling it spagetti sauce to me - but I have this thing against what I call "instant food." Mama would frown on it for sure! I have to admit things have changed alot in the 25 years since her passing - who knows.

6 lbs ground pork
5 lbs ground beef
10 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons prague powder #1
mix meat salt and cure until sticky

1 teaspoon mustard seeds
8 teaspoons anise seeds
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
grind mustard, anise and fennel into to a fine powder

mix powdered spices with the additional items listed below
1/2 cup powdered milk
3 teaspoons garlic powder
4 tablespoons corn sugar
6 teaspoons ruby red paprika
10 teaspoons cayenne pepper
* optional: 2 tablespoons of Red Wine

Instructions:

Stuff into 30 - 38 mm casings for pepperoni or 21 mm casings for Snack Sticks.

If you find air bubbles poke pin holes into casing to remove air pockets.

Cook at 185° - 190° until an internal temperature of 150° is reached, this should take about 3 hours. If you choose to smoke pepperoni do so after it is cooked.

Then cool.

If needed you may dip pepperoni in boiling water for 20 seconds to shrink casings, then remove and allow to cool to room temperature.

You should refrigerate for at least several hours before eating.
For best flavor let sit uncovered in refrigerator for several days before eating.

 

[salmonclubber]

debi

your vertical stuffer should work fine for those 4 inch casings you might have to load the stuffer a couple of times but it will stuff them just fine good luck
salmonclubber

 

[deejaydebi]

Do I just hold it on an squish it in till it's full? My biggest tube is 1" do they come in 4" ?

 

[salmonclubber]

debi

your 1 inch tube will work fine put casing all the way on tube fill casing holding onto tube till casing is filled tight casing will push itself out while it is filling up i try and fill my casings as tight as i can get them this way i know that there are no air pockets in the meat once the casing is filled and tied off you will want to use your knife to poke holes in the casing where you see air pockets if you dont get the air out of your filled casing your sausage will get moldy where the air pocket is
salmonclubber

 

[tonto1117]

Grazie Debi!!

Will maken the zuppa this week, thank you for sharing the recipe.

Ciao,

 

[deejaydebi]

Ay Paisano -

Growing up my Mama and all La Ceis (the Aunts) always had a pot of soup on the stove except maybe it August. I love a good hardy soup - zuppa in Italain.

Here it is the authentic Pasta Fagioli with smoked Italian sausage the way it's supposed to be - topped with fresh grated parmesan and romano cheeses!

The smoked sausage makes it a totally different taste. I ate two bowls!Yummmmmmmmmm

:D