Gilbert's Craft Sausages

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (John Fox)

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:18:18 GMT

http://triblocal.com/st-charles/2011/06/13/pair-bring-gourmet-franks-to-the-midwest/

Nice article about Gilbert's Craft Sausages. I'll say to Mr. Underwood that the Froman isn't only as good as Best Kosher (not to be confused with Best's from Newark, N.J.) but it far surpasses it in terms of taste and quality.

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (Foodbme)

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:27:59 GMT

Gilberts Sausages

It just so happens that Chris and I are still avid homebrewers....although the Wisconsin winter that goes until June has slowed us down as of late. It's actually more or less how we got started. Initially had a dream to open a brewery, but then realized that there were about 20 millions other guys with the same dream, and half of them beat us to the punch. So we turned our craft brewing hobby and passion into sausage instead.

The long-term goal is to actually have a storefront where we're selling a whole variety of craft sausage, and brewing up some of our craft beers on a small scale. John, maybe some day you'll have to take your hot dog tour through Chicago or Milwaukee (or wherever we end up) and make Gilbert's the anchor leg!

Why not bring your Sausage Stuffers out here to Gilbert AZ? That way you can be Gilbert's Sausage of Gilbert AZ!!. There's a void of anything that resembles good European Ethnic Foods out here. Over 3 million people in Metro Phoenix, the 5th largest metro area in the nation, and only 2 Crafted Sausage Makers that I'm aware of. They are:
http://www.stanleys-sausage.com/
http://www.schreinerssausage.com/
And three meat markets that make sausage but their not their major products:
http://www.midwesternmeats.com/
http://www.vonhansons.com/locationsHours.html
http://theporkshopaz.com/
There's a good number of Upper Midwesterners, MN, WI, SD, ND, IL, MI, WY, MT, IA, NB and 2 Canadians out here and in the Winter the snowbirds arrive in large flocks! There's a market for your products out here-- C'mon Down!

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (Benzee)

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:03:21 GMT

Hey Gilbert ,
Now that would be a long road trip for sure !!
Benzee

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (Gilberts Sausages)

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:41:47 GMT

It just so happens that Chris and I are still avid homebrewers....although the Wisconsin winter that goes until June has slowed us down as of late. It's actually more or less how we got started. Initially had a dream to open a brewery, but then realized that there were about 20 millions other guys with the same dream, and half of them beat us to the punch. So we turned our craft brewing hobby and passion into sausage instead.

The long-term goal is to actually have a storefront where we're selling a whole variety of craft sausage, and brewing up some of our craft beers on a small scale. John, maybe some day you'll have to take your hot dog tour through Chicago or Milwaukee (or wherever we end up) and make Gilbert's the anchor leg!

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (Foodbme)

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:13:21 GMT

annpeeples

All I was indicating, Foodbme, is that sausage making is a dedicated craft that takes alot of time and the end result may not be worth all of that. Gilbert sausages and others have taken all the hard work out of it for us!

You're right; it's a craft and hard work. Back in the mid 80's, I bought and operated a smoked meat company. We smoked hams, bacon and made sausage. The company was called Pitts Home-made Country Smoked Meats. Our slogan was, "If it's the Pitts, It's the Best!" Ran it for a couple years and sold it. Lousy cash flow businss.

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (Foodbme)

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:05:46 GMT

John Fox

Foodbme,
Have you made this recipe yet? As I've gotten older, I've gotten lazy and no longer even make beer. I'm not much of a cook either. Last time I tried to make dinner I burned the salad!

No, I've not made it. I'm like you, easy is better. I even buy wines with the Easy Screw Off Cap so I don't have to mess with a cork screw!

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (ann peeples)

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 10:15:14 GMT

All I was indicating, Foodbme, is that sausage making is a dedicated craft that takes alot of time and the end result may not be worth all of that. Gilbert sausages and others have taken all the hard work out of it for us!

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (pnwchef)

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 10:00:29 GMT

John, your a good eater, you can't be expected to do both.

John, when I lived in Ct, there was no shortage of good quality Italian sausage in the markets, is that still the case ???? I don't remember a lot of smoked sausage, we used a lot of fresh. The only thing I remember is Kielbasa being smoked, and it was to die for.............

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (John Fox)

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 06:17:02 GMT

Foodbme,

Have you made this recipe yet? As I've gotten older, I've gotten lazy and no longer even make beer. I'm not much of a cook either. Last time I tried to make dinner I burned the salad!

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (Foodbme)

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 02:58:08 GMT

JRPfeff

Foodbme, the sausages have landed.

Bless your Heart!
I feared the TSA people would sequester them as contraband!
They're a little touchy & frown on smuggling stuff into AZ!
Please send me a PM and let me know when it would be convenient for me to come over and pick them up. Any time except Thursday evening works for me. I have your S & H Fee on Ice!

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (JRPfeff)

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:42:47 GMT

Foodbme, the sausages have landed.

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (Foodbme)

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:19:00 GMT

annpeeples

Yes, you can make dogs, but are they good?

Who knows until you make them and taste them?

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (ann peeples)

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 21:17:41 GMT

Yes, you can make dogs, but are they good?

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (Foodbme)

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 21:01:50 GMT

John Fox

http://www.jsonline.com/features/food/118808559.html

An article I found about Gilbert's. I like the craft beer comparison. I often say a well crafted frank is similar to a well crafted beer. Like Chris, I was a homebrewer for about 5 years. I appreciate good beer and good hot dogs though I wouldn't attempt to make a hot dog. Much more complicated than making beer.

C'mon John,
Cowboy Up!!
If you can make Beer, you can make Hot Dogs. Especially with your intimate knowledge of all things Dog. It's a No Brainer! The first thing you do is make the beer so you have something to drink while you're making the hot dogs. Dog making is a thirsty process. This may be a whole new career for you! I looked up a recipe for you.
DIY HOT DOGS
Hot dogs or frankfurters are nothing more than ground meat with seasonings. (See, I Told You!)
They are easy to make at home with about an hour of time invested. You can make these all beef or all pork, if you wish. Feel free to adjust the seasonings to suit your own personal tastes. Plan ahead to find the casings, usually available at your local butcher shop. Prep Time: 1 hour Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Ingredients:

3 feet sheep or small (1-1/2-inch diameter) hog casings (First you need to catch a Sheep!)
1 pound lean pork, cubed
3/4 pound lean beef, cubed
1/4 pound pork fat, cubed
1/4 cup very finely minced onion
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon finely ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard seed
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon freshly fine ground white pepper
1 egg white
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 cup milk

Preparation:
Prepare the casings (see instructions below). In a blender or food processor, make a puree of the onion, garlic, coriander, marjoram, mace, mustard seed, and paprika. Add the pepper, egg white, sugar, salt, and milk and mix thoroughly.

Grind the pork, beef, and fat cubes through the fine blade separately. Mix together and grind again. Mix the seasonings into the meat mixture with your hands. This tends to be a sticky procedure, so wet your hands with cold water first.

Chill the mixture for half an hour then put the mixture thorough the fine blade of the grinder once more. Stuff the casings and twist them off into six-inch links. Parboil the links (without separating them) in gently simmering water for 20 minutes. Place the franks in a bowl of ice water and chill thoroughly. Remove, pat dry, and refrigerate. Because they are precooked, they can be refrigerated for up to a week or they can be frozen.

Preparing the Casing
Snip off about four feet of casing. (Better too much than too little because any extra can be repacked in salt and used later.) Rinse the casing under cool running water to remove any salt clinging to it. Place it in a bowl of cool water and let it soak for about half an hour. While you're waiting for the casing to soak, you can begin preparing the meat as detailed above.

After soaking, rinse the casing under cool running water. Slip one end of the casing over the faucet nozzle. Hold the casing firmly on the nozzle, and then turn on the cold water, gently at first, and then more forcefully. This procedure will flush out any salt in the casing and pinpoint any breaks. Should you find a break, simply snip out a small section of the casing.
Place the casing in a bowl of water and add a splash of white vinegar. A tablespoon of vinegar per cup of water is sufficient. The vinegar softens the casing a bit more and makes it more transparent, which in turn makes your sausage more pleasing to the eye. Leave the casing in the water/vinegar solution until you are ready to use it. Rinse it well and drain before stuffing.

Source: Home Sausage Making by Charles G. Reavis (Storey Books)
Reprinted with permission.
Source for Sheep Casings - http://www.sausagesource.com/catalog/cas-s2022hnk.html

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (Benzee)

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:59:18 GMT

Hello all ,
Welcome aboard there Gilberts !!
Many of us would consider John the foremost authority on NJ Hot Dogs and others as well . I rely on his opinions and he has a wealth of info regarding everything hot Dogs .
Benzee

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (John Fox)

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:07:28 GMT

http://www.jsonline.com/features/food/118808559.html

An article I found about Gilbert's. I like the craft beer comparison. I often say a well crafted frank is similar to a well crafted beer. Like Chris, I was a homebrewer for about 5 years. I appreciate good beer and good hot dogs though I wouldn't attempt to make a hot dog. Much more complicated than making beer.

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (Foodbme)

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 11:55:15 GMT

Gilberts Sausages

Hey gang,

Just to clear up any confusion, if you're within 2-day shipping from Wisconsin, you can order them direct on gilbertssausages.com. Click on Buy Gilbert's, there's a map right there. It includes New Jersey too. Only reason for the 2-day limit is we use ice packs and obviously want your dogs to arrive still cold.

If you're outside the 2-day zone, you can order from entreestoexcellence.com. They can ship anywhere since they use dry ice, but charge a premium for the sausages. They display shipping charge info too...hover over Customer Service and click "shipping info". Sorry, Roadfood is blocking my direct links for some reason.

Hope this helps,
Eric

The reason it block your links is because you're a Newbee and you need to be here 30 days or post 30 times or something like that. Done to avoid spammers. I printed your email to me above with the link to www.entreestoexcellence.com

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (Foodbme)

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 11:50:25 GMT

Gilberts Sausages

PNWCHEF

Eric, John did the taste test against some pretty stiff competition. I would say his evaluation of your product is some thing you should be very proud of..................pnwc

Believe me, I know. We were blown away by John's evaluation, especially since it's coming from a guy who clearly knows his stuff. It's like having Elvis tell you you make an amazing peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwich...

In the Hot Dog Kingdom, John is BIGGER than Elvis!!

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (Gilberts Sausages)

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 10:22:24 GMT

PNWCHEF

Eric, John did the taste test against some pretty stiff competition. I would say his evaluation of your product is some thing you should be very proud of..................pnwc

Believe me, I know. We were blown away by John's evaluation, especially since it's coming from a guy who clearly knows his stuff. It's like having Elvis tell you you make an amazing peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwich...

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (Gilberts Sausages)

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 10:16:15 GMT

Brad-

Great question, but no we don't plan to offer a raw version. Our cooked-in-package process that we use allows us to make a sausage without all the artificial additives usually used to treat things like listeria...we don't need them and would rather not have to add any!. The result is an even fresher tasting sausage than a raw version, not to mention a cleaner looking ingredients list, and an extraordinarily safe product.

Eric

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (pnwchef)

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 10:06:21 GMT

Eric, John did the taste test against some pretty stiff competition. I would say his evaluation of your product is some thing you should be very proud of..................pnwc

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (ScreamingChicken)

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 09:35:25 GMT

Eric,

Do you have any plans to sell a raw version of your Shebeergan brat and/or other sausages?

Brad

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (Gilberts Sausages)

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 09:07:44 GMT

Hey gang,

Just to clear up any confusion, if you're within 2-day shipping from Wisconsin, you can order them direct on gilbertssausages.com. Click on Buy Gilbert's, there's a map right there. It includes New Jersey too. Only reason for the 2-day limit is we use ice packs and obviously want your dogs to arrive still cold.

If you're outside the 2-day zone, you can order from entreestoexcellence.com. They can ship anywhere since they use dry ice, but charge a premium for the sausages. They display shipping charge info too...hover over Customer Service and click "shipping info". Sorry, Roadfood is blocking my direct links for some reason.

Hope this helps,
Eric

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (pnwchef)

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 21:03:05 GMT

Great report John, thanks

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (Foodbme)

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 20:39:51 GMT

mar52

Thanks for the website. But...
$29.95 for 16 links.
I'm too depressed to even look at the shipping charge.
There's also the fact that they want all of my personal information before giving me a shipping charge. All they really need is my zip code.

Look at it this way. that's $1.87 a dog + maybe a $1.00 Shipping = $2.87 a serving. If you bought a hot dog at Carney's or Pinks or off a cart, you'd pay at least that much maybe more. PLUS the gas to get there!
Go for it!

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (Foodbme)

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 20:24:17 GMT

joerogo

John Fox, How did you get your hands on these dogs?

That's on another thread. He had them shipped to him.
http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/Divulging-the-DogThere-Ought-to-be-a-Law-m183899.aspx

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (joerogo)

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 19:14:30 GMT

John Fox, How did you get your hands on these dogs?

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (JRPfeff)

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 19:11:53 GMT

Foodbme - I'll buy them, but cannot guarantee they won't be eaten before you see them.
Jim

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (Foodbme)

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 19:08:13 GMT

JRPfeff

Thanks John, I'll be looking for these tomorrow (& there may be some flying to AZ on Tuesday, Jim - what is your order?).
Jim

If I understand you correctly, you're going to the store to pick some up tomorrow? If so, would you be so kind to pick up one package of "The Fromans" and one package of "The Shebeergans" for me? I'll gladly pay for the product and a S & H charge of one 6-pak of your favorite beer!

Re:Gilbert's Craft Sausages (mar52)

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 19:05:23 GMT

Thanks for the website. But...

$29.95 for 16 links.

I'm too depressed to even look at the shipping charge.

There's also the fact that they want all of my personal information before giving me a shipping charge. All they really need is my zip code.