Homemade sausage

So, I decided to get the meat grinder and sausage stuffer for my big KitchenAid mixer. The Italian sausage is great out here near Pittsburgh, but I'm always into improving things. Any of y'all make your own sausage? What kind? Will you share your recipes with me? Thanks!

I do!I just made forty pounds os Italian Sausage the other day for my restaurant.It will take you a couple of trys at first but it is realy simple,first you gonna need some seasonings.
Then some good casings.Some Boston Butts cut up in cubes.
Sread the seasonings over the cubed pork add a cup or two of burgundy wine let rest in the fridge a day or two and then grind with a coarse dice you dont want it fine but chunky.
Next you will need someone to help you while you are feeding the machine they will be holding the casings as the sausage shoots out.and this is where it gets fun.I will get bach to you if you need any more ?s.I am at work and have to go.

quote:

Originally posted by shortchef

So, I decided to get the meat grinder and sausage stuffer for my big KitchenAid mixer. The Italian sausage is great out here near Pittsburgh, but I'm always into improving things. Any of y'all make your own sausage? What kind? Will you share your recipes with me? Thanks!

I went the KA way but have since purchased a dedicated grinder and stuffer. Yours will be good for smaller batches and a good starter system. I suggest getting Rytek Kutas' book "Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing"
I strip cut my meat (pork shoulder) for grinder feeding and roll thinner cylinders of the mix to help feed into the stuffer tube to reduce air intake. I weigh my salt - about 6 oz per 25 pounds of meat is what I shoot for. I pre-mix all my spice and liquid and then add to my ground meat - mix well by hand - keep chilled. Poach fresh sausage is a good way to go.

Agree with all of the above. Can't stress enough the need to keep everyting ice cold -- the meat & fat should be right at the freezing point. Also, if you intend to do this regularly, a good stuffer (www.sausagemaker.com has several good ones) is a big help. Just avoid the cheap cast iron elbow shaped ones sold in hunting stores -- worse than useless.

Finally, make sure you have enough fat in your grind or you'll wind up with dry, crumbly porkburger in a casing.

Happy wurst.

When making a large batch, after mixing all the spices into it, I make a patty and fry it to see if it tastes right before proceeding.

I too have the meat grinder and sausage stuffer for my Kitchen Aid. Have only used the sausage stuffer a couple of times. Why? Those ^(&&%^*)!@ casings. Never have had anything turn out right. I can make a pretty good bulk (patty) sausage, but sausage in casing (and of course my favorite), always turns out (badly). Any suggestions, comrades?

quote:

Originally posted by Adjudicator

I too have the meat grinder and sausage stuffer for my Kitchen Aid. Have only used the sausage stuffer a couple of times. Why? Those ^(&&%^*)!@ casings. Never have had anything turn out right. I can make a pretty good bulk (patty) sausage, but sausage in casing (and of course my favorite), always turns out (badly). Any suggestions, comrades?

The stuffing part with the KA was always my dreaded task but now the one I look forward to with the F. Dick crank stuffer. The KA can turn out just as good a product but fighting to keep air out (remember to puncture the casings when necessary)and getting the right pressure and feed can be a challenge. After all, it's a p.t.o. attachment that is called a "stuffer". Hardly the best way to transfer the energy to make a stuffed casing. I use the natural hog casings which come dry packed or pre-rinsed. I'm not sure of the nature of your badly turned out product but I'll mention a few things here that may shed some light. I pretty much use pork shoulder for my Italian, bratwurst, cajun boudin, hot links, and
smoked kielbasa. The fat content is <20% but more than adequate for a juicy sausage. Compare this with the 35+% fat for store boughts. Where you get into trouble is too much heat too fast. This is why poaching you fresh sausages (180 degree water for about 20 minutes) pre-cooks and reduces the liklihood of the dried out texture when you grill them. I often use powdered dry milk as a binder at the rate of 1 cup per 5 pounds of meat, also at least one cup of cold water per 5 pounds of meat. The mixture should be loose enough to move through the stuffer without too much resistance. Be prepared to stuff your sausage right after you mix in the liquid, salt, and spices so the mix does not set-up and get stiff. A little water may be added and mixed again to return to the desired thickness. I pre-grind the meat and then add the liquid with all the spices, fresh garlic, etc. and hand mix with a nitrile glove on my mixing hand until the gummy feeling is attained then mix some more. A couple of large stainless bowls are really handy.
Fresh sausage needs no cure if cooked following safe temperature guidelines. If you plan on hot smoking kielbasa, e.g., where you cooking temps range from 100 to about 170 degrees over a 5 hour period, use a cure. Substitute Morton's Tender Quick for the salt amount is one way to go. The TQ has the nitrite and nitrate balance mixed with salt and sugar to make it easy. Prague Powder #1 for smoking and PP#2 for dry cure sausage is another way. Of course, you can always hot smoke cooked or poached sausages for a hour or so at a higher temp for a smoky taste without using cure.
Hope this helps

I recommend Bruce Aidells sausage cook book. It has sausage recipes from around the world in the front of the book and the back half is dedicated to meal recipes that use sausage. I have made some wonderful sausage and meals from that book.

My favorite is a lamb sausage with pine nuts and sundried tomatoes. I also love the sage breakfast sausage, chicken and the italian sausage with wine in it.

Unfortunately, I've been way to busy to stuff any lately....

quote:

Originally posted by Cosmos

I recommend Bruce Aidells sausage cook book. It has sausage recipes from around the world in the front of the book and the back half is dedicated to meal recipes that use sausage. I have made some wonderful sausage and meals from that book.

My favorite is a lamb sausage with pine nuts and sundried tomatoes. I also love the sage breakfast sausage, chicken and the italian sausage with wine in it.

Unfortunately, I've been way to busy to stuff any lately....

I've got the book also. Good indeed. One of my favorites is the Macedonian Leek Sausage.

I've been away for a couple of days, came back to find all these great suggestions from all of you. Thank you!!! I have a pork butt ordered, already have casings, ordered the Aidells book from Amazon. Almost ready to rock and roll. I will try all your suggestions. Especially interesting: the red wine marinating thing. I have a Sicilian sausage recipe that calls for red wine as well as Parmesan cheese. If I marinate the pork first in the wine, it should turn out great.
Will let you know how my stuffing process goes. From your comments, it may involve a few bad words. I think I'll enlist my hubby to help with this part, after all he will reap the rewards.
Thanks again!

You will definitly need an extra hand!Good luck and can you post a recipe for Seasonings for Italian Sausage?I am almost out of my spcial blend.

I've made it once so far with my hand grinder/stuffer. The casings were difficult to work with and the sausage was not cosmetically great, but the taste of my homemade Cajun sausages was excellent. I agree-----an extra hand is really nice!

Paul Bertolli, the guy who wrote the first few Chez Panisse books, has a book called Cooking By Hand, where he tells you how to make not only superb sausage(s) but other kinds of salumi as well.

Sicilian sausage: 4 1/2 lbs. lean pork butt, cubed; 1/2 pound pork fat, cubed; 2 1/2 tablespoons salt; 1 tablespoon coarse black pepper; 1 tablespoon fennel seed (I ground mine); crushed red pepper to taste; 2 cloves minced garlic (I think you could use the dried if you wanted to); and 1 teaspoon anise seed, which is optional. It tells you to grind the fat and meat together with the coarse disk and mix the other ingredients in, then tie off into links. Hope this is of some help to you. Like a dope, I forgot to order the little stuffing tube with the grinder so I'm still waiting for that. Will let you guys know the results!

This is something I've always wanted to try... I have an electric meat grinder with assorted chopping blades, just need a stuffer and case of patience.

Very good information posted here. Just a quick question, what type, size casings have you been using for Italian sausage? What type of preparation if any is used for the casing?
Thanks
Ed

Here's a good source for sausage recipes:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580081592/sr=8-8/qid=1141489791/ref=sr_1_8/103-1841982-1776661?%5Fencoding=UTF8

quote:

Originally posted by Big Butt

Very good information posted here. Just a quick question, what type, size casings have you been using for Italian sausage? What type of preparation if any is used for the casing?
Thanks
Ed

Ed,
The first web site gives a chart for the sizes. I use natural hog casings and have got them in the dry pack as well as the pre-soak. I use a smaller size for bratts and Italian and larger for the ringed kielbasa types. The second site from Allied Kenco gives some good casing tips. It is nice making sausage with about half the fat of store bought but remember too high a heat too quickly will make the result seem like not enough fat was used.


https://www.butcher-packer.com/pg_sausage_natural_hog.htm

http://www.alliedkenco.com/catalog/popup_text.php?fld=howto&tbl=howtos&key=17&osCsid=ffbb097786e6613c954ddc9287196f72

I am too lazy to bother with casing so I simplify by making patties.............that way, I can grill, fry, or bake them and they taste the same as when in a casing.

I have the book "Home Sausage Making" which has over 100 sausage recipes so if anyone is looking for a particular recipe, let me know and I will see if I have it in my book.

Trask,
Thanks for posting the websites. I have been using wet pack casings, pre-flushed and hand pulled. I place them in warm water 90 degrees and add a few drops of white vinegar then flush them out before using. For Italian sausage I have been using 35-38 mm casings. I use a little larger than normal grinding plate since I like the meat not as fine as most and the larger casing accomodates the coarser grind. For a little twist to Italian sausage try adding a little orange zest.
Once again thanks for the Info.
Ed

Check out this link, any question you can probably be answered here

http://www.sausagemaking.org/forum/

Mitch's Hot Italian Sausage, Southeast Chicago style,

My Uncle owned a Italian sausage and roast beef resturant on the southeast side of Chicago, this is his receipe the best I can figure.

10 lbs pork butt
6 tbls kosher salt
4 tbls course ground black pepper
2 cups ice water

freeze meat enough to stiffen it up
course grind with 3/8 inch plate
Mix ingredients
stuff in hog casings and cook over a charcoal fire
and smother in peppers and onions.

I also add 4 tbls of crushed red peppers to the meat mix to spice it up

This is a very simple sausage with a robust flavor.

Living in Florida I have developed a taste for Cuban food, so I Cubanized the peppers and onions.

I fry peppers, onions, garlic (one garlic for every 2 peppers)and olive oil and add a couple oz's of Mojo and cook utill the onions are turning translucent and finish cooking them on the grill.

serve on french or cuban bread, with lot's of beer.

A few more links,

http://home.pacbell.net/lpoli/

http://www.sausagemaker.com/

http://www.chemicaldynamics.adelaide.edu.au/gregstuff/sausage.html

http://www.alliedkenco.com/

http://www.oliveto.com/latimes.html

casing supplier

Seaco Casing Co.
847-462-8858, cool people


Regards,

Mitch

quote:

Originally posted by Big Butt

Trask,
Thanks for posting the websites. I have been using wet pack casings, pre-flushed and hand pulled. I place them in warm water 90 degrees and add a few drops of white vinegar then flush them out before using. For Italian sausage I have been using 35-38 mm casings. I use a little larger than normal grinding plate since I like the meat not as fine as most and the larger casing accomodates the coarser grind. For a little twist to Italian sausage try adding a little orange zest.
Once again thanks for the Info.
Ed

I'm doing the same thing and do grind only once with the coarse plate. I like the orange idea. I've had it in some bbq sauces and the citrus gives a nice extra. I also use a fresh squeezed lemon in my coleslaw instead of vinegar - gives a nice bright flavor.

Reaper,
That proves you don't need a whole mess of ingredients to make a good sausage. The extras that you use like peppers and onions makes it great. I do like to add mashed fennel seeds to the sausage although they can be sprinkled in with the onions while cooking. I'd think I would miss the fennel. I'll be in Florida next week and will make some Italian sausage with peppers and onions. Cheers!

quote:

Originally posted by jellybear

You will definitly need an extra hand!Good luck and can you post a recipe for Seasonings for Italian Sausage?I am almost out of my spcial blend.

Try[url='http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyssausageseasonings.html/']Penzey's[/url].