Starting Suasage Making

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Flatrate

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
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Jun 8, 2015
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Michigan
     Hello All,

First a quick story! (If you don't feel like reading please skip to the question).

     I was born in 1977, grew up West of Detroit, Michigan. I am Polish and Proud. My Grandfather made kielbasa since I don't know when, fresh and smoked. It was a staple growing up. Every holiday it was there, next to the Thanksgiving Turkey, the Christmas Ham, go over on Sunday for a visit, and he would send a couple rings home with the family. I grew up on it! Well Grandpa passed in 1992, and his recipe died with him.

A couple years ago I got thinking about it and asked my father, even though he helped make it really didn't know nothing. He directed me to my uncle, not much help either. Basically when it was made Grandpa was the Mastermind behind it all, they were just the labor. Well a few months ago I started thinking about it again, started looking around, started to gain more interest.

And two weeks I started looking at attachments for my Kitchen Aid mixer to pull it off, after some research I said NOPE!

I found LEM's website I thought they make some good equipment, so here is what I got.

LEM 5# Manual Stuffer

LEM 20# Meat Mixer

LEM 1/4hp Grinder

Also got 2 Weston 40# meat lugs

As far as equipment what else do I need?

Now some questions.

Casings- which are the best, and what size?

Spices- Are there some good premade ones to start with, or do you have something you wouldn't mind sharing?

Where is a good place to buy from? Was looking at The Sausage Makers website, but saw some things about casings from China?

The actual process of making it, I think I got that down. Just the mixing, seasoning, and casings got me confused.

I have read the stickys and a lot of threads here, part of my problem is most of the time I am my own worst enemy, I put to much thought into things.

So if anyone has any info that would be helpful, please let me know, weather it be a link to something, a thread that I should study, a video. Anything would be great!

Thanks in advance for the replies. I just need a simple start.
 
 
     Hello All,

First a quick story! (If you don't feel like reading please skip to the question).

     I was born in 1977, grew up West of Detroit, Michigan. I am Polish and Proud. My Grandfather made kielbasa since I don't know when, fresh and smoked. It was a staple growing up. Every holiday it was there, next to the Thanksgiving Turkey, the Christmas Ham, go over on Sunday for a visit, and he would send a couple rings home with the family. I grew up on it! Well Grandpa passed in 1992, and his recipe died with him.

A couple years ago I got thinking about it and asked my father, even though he helped make it really didn't know nothing. He directed me to my uncle, not much help either. Basically when it was made Grandpa was the Mastermind behind it all, they were just the labor. Well a few months ago I started thinking about it again, started looking around, started to gain more interest.

And two weeks I started looking at attachments for my Kitchen Aid mixer to pull it off, after some research I said NOPE!

I found LEM's website I thought they make some good equipment, so here is what I got.

LEM 5# Manual Stuffer

LEM 20# Meat Mixer

LEM 1/4hp Grinder

Also got 2 Weston 40# meat lugs

As far as equipment what else do I need?  Looks like a great start,,, Meat mixer would be my last purchase unless you do a lot at one time,,, but yes the grinder and stuffer you will need.... Grizzly and northern make a good stuffer also and a little cheaper, I have the lem and like it 

Now some questions.

Casings- which are the best, and what size? For what sausages,,,, ?? alot out there to choose from, Natural, fibours, collagen,,, and sizes 

Spices- Are there some good premade ones to start with, or do you have something you wouldn't mind sharing? I really like PS Seasonings or Mitchlitch spice, waltons,, Lem,, Sausage Maker, curlys, ect. 

Where is a good place to buy from? Was looking at The Sausage Makers website, but saw some things about casings from China? I get my casings from Waltons,,, last batch from Sausage maker?? and they worked fine,, 

The actual process of making it, I think I got that down. Just the mixing, seasoning, and casings got me confused. Use the search bar at the top,,,, lots of great ideas and techniques 

I have read the stickys and a lot of threads here, part of my problem is most of the time I am my own worst enemy, I put to much thought into things. Use the KISS method  "Keep it simple stupid" this is the one I use most often,,, I am the same way LOL 

So if anyone has any info that would be helpful, please let me know, weather it be a link to something, a thread that I should study, a video. Anything would be great!

Thanks in advance for the replies. I just need a simple start.
Welcome aboard,,, we are here to help that is for sure,,, alot of good folks here with great ideas and recipes.  

here is a great link

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/129813/kielbasa-start-to-finish-for-chef-jimmy

A full smoker is a happy smoker 
 
Last edited:
Welcome to your next addiction (sausage making)... you did the right thing in buying the proper equipment ... Your also gonna need a good digital scale that will weigh grams or oz's... up to 20 lbs or more and still be a very accurate scale...

Is it all gonna be fresh sausage (cooked hot) or will you be smoking some (a dumb question) ? I know it takes a long time to read and read and read ... but anything and everything you need to know can be found with the awesome search feature (magnifying glass at top right) ... Good luck with your new venture...


:sausage::sausage::sausage::sausage::sausage::sausage::sausage:
 
You got all that already or plan to? Stuffer & grinder are the main things. A mixer would be nice, but you need to mix by hand to really get the "feel" of it LOL!
Like JckDanls said, a digital scale is a must.
I have never bought a mix. There are a million recipes on the internet and at least half that on this website.
Start with a couple of "Home Packs" of casings to get used to it, then there are lots of options....
Read, read, and never be afraid to ask questions, no matter how dumb you think they may be. That's one of the perks of this place [emoji]9786[/emoji]
Welcome to the sausage addiction (I mean hobby...)
Dan
 
Thanks for the replies guys!

All the gear I listed, already purchased and sitting in the boxes.

I have a scale, that I use for pizza making, but I think only goes up to 6 or 8 pounds. So will start looking into a bigger one.

As for the casing, its Kielbasa all the way for now. I read the sticky on casings seemed very informative. But for me, info overload. This is my default, I get lost and confused when I see so much intel. It's kinda one says this one says that, Then I start guessing which way to go! I think for now I am going to go hog casing for the first go.

I plan on doing some fresh, but my main focus is smoked.

Thanks for the link from Chef Jimmy J, I have already learned a lot from his posts in the last year when I started smoking, and that I will read first thing when I get home from work in the morning.

Trust me I have been using that search bar for two weeks. But I see some using hot bathes, some cold bathes, some no bath. All the info here is great, but I am getting lost at the same time, LOL.

Thanks again!

Dave
 
GOOD CHOICE ON THE EQUIPMENT.,Sausage Maker or Waltons are my go to guys. Keep it simple,,salt,pepper, onion, garlic..till you get the feel of it.You will do just fine. Check out all of everyones posts and recipes here. Ask questions, will be glad to help with anything I can share.

HT
 
I  won't comment on LEM. You can follow the link in my signature if you'd like.

I  would check out Cougar78's, SmokinB's, and Chef Willies sausage threads. Lots of good information there! All three post very good step by steps that are easy to follow.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/ne...date&order=descending&type=35&createdbyuserid[]=43442

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/ne...date&order=descending&type=35&createdbyuserid[]=59861

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/ne...date&order=descending&type=35&createdbyuserid[]=41299
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the tip on Waltons, checked it out looks great. From there I have a quick question.

While there looking at things, I looked at there Kielbasa recipe and it was 80/20 beef/pork?

Also could someone please explain the bath thing? Either hot/cold. I keep seeing some with or without it being mentioned. Looking at some threads here, to me it looks like some do a grind/mix/stuff/smoke?

Blooming- From what I gather it is a resting period after the cook? Does this enhance the flavor, and color and such? And where and what are the best conditions for blooming as far as temp and humidity? Also how long is best?

Thanks again for all the help!

Dave
 
Don't forget cure #1. Very important when making smoked sausage. Use cure #1 at 1 level tsp per every 5lbs of meat.
 
Thank you Nepas, I am hip to that. Let me tell you Sir your last thread on Kielbasa......... I go to it almost daily and find myself staring at the pictures.
 
 
Thanks for the tip on Waltons, checked it out looks great. From there I have a quick question.

While there looking at things, I looked at there Kielbasa recipe and it was 80/20 beef/pork?

Also could someone please explain the bath thing? Either hot/cold. I keep seeing some with or without it being mentioned. Looking at some threads here, to me it looks like some do a grind/mix/stuff/smoke?

Blooming- From what I gather it is a resting period after the cook? Does this enhance the flavor, and color and such? And where and what are the best conditions for blooming as far as temp and humidity? Also how long is best?

Thanks again for all the help!

Dave
the meat mix is you call but 80/20 is just bout right.

As for the bath, some use hot water at 165-170 to finish their sausage for the IT of 151-152.

Blooming is just a fancy word for cooling the sausage. The sausage will darken. Your making smoked sausage where humidity is not a factor, cooling at room temp is good enough. My normal cool time is 2-3 hrs then into a brown paper bag and fridge for a day or two. Plastic zip lock bags create condensation...nasty
 
 
Thank you Nepas, I am hip to that. Let me tell you Sir your last thread on Kielbasa......... I go to it almost daily and find myself staring at the pictures.
TY

I done this a couple times

laugh1.gif
 
Thank you for your answers. And big thanks for the brown paper bag idea, makes perfect sense.

The reason why I asked about the 80/20 mix, was the way they had it listed as 80 beef/20 pork. From everything I have been reading its the other way around, so I was confused.
 
Hammer, morning.....

When making sausage, keep the meat really cold at all times....   Fat, almost freeze it and grind separately through the small grinding plate...   That makes it mingle better with the meat.....    Meat, you can grind part through the small plate, grind the rest through the middle plate for a tooth texture or small plate for a commercial type sausage.....    Mix VERY thoroughly until you get a very sticky paste...  that is the proteins "coming out" and that makes for a non crumbly sausage if you don't over cook it and have a "fat out" where all the fat melts and pools against the casing....

May I suggest a 0 - 100 gram scale for weighing cure and spices...   more accurate and repeatable for consistency between recipes....
 
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Mr.Omak,

Thank you for the great information. I do have a scale that will meet those standards. The one I use for pizza making is dead on. Thank you for your reply Sir!

And please let me say, just by your first name you must be a powerful and attractive man!

Dave
 
And please let me say, just by your first name you must be a powerful and attractive man!

And just what do you mean by that !!!    LOL....
 
H77, Check out Syracuse casing co if you don't want Chinese casings, Also a favorite size is the 32-35mm hog casing,have fun with the sausage making. Check out Stanley Marianskys' book on polish sausages for great recipes and tips.
 
Ok Fellas, I think I am ready to start gathering supplies for my first batch. Thanks For the nods to Waltons and Syracuse Casing Co. So I decided I am going to go with tubed 32-35mm natural hog casings. Also going to pick up the Cure #1. I chose those casings tubed since this is my first rodeo, plus read many reviews on how easy they are to use. So it sounds like a winner to me! However with the amount of casing at purchase, way more than I will use for first time. I am planning on roughly a 10-20lbs mix the first time. So I have another question!

Question- What I am looking at says stuffs about 110lbs of meat, which is way more for my first. The leftover, the man in the video says just to keep them refer for up to a year, that's it?

I don't mind spending some coin, but hate wasting it.

And as I make it, its just me and the girlfriend, so I plan to give some to family and friends! So for about $25 I will have a few making sessions.

Also Mr.Omak, that's just something I say from time to time, I think you took it the right way! It started last year around some family I was chatting with my cousins girlfriend whom I have only met, I think that was the second time. She said that I reminded her of her brother. And my reply was " Well he must me a powerful and attractive man", and when I encounter someone else named Dave I tend to say that as an ego boost for the both of us! Lol

Thanks again for all the replies and info!

Dave
 
I'm gonna use it....   OK....   

Salt the left over casings in Kosher salt...  you can't use too much....  store in the refer.....  They will keep for a lot longer than a year... 
 
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