Any sausage makers out there???

[JEV]

The weather is finally ripe to start making the hanging dried sausages. Just sent a text to a friend so we can do a bulk buy together for cures and seasonings and save some shipping costs. I'm planning on 25# of dried Sopressata and a 8# batch of fresh Italian mild to get started. Anyone else making any??

 

[Galvatron]

I have for many years wanted to learn the fine art of making and curing good quality sausages....i did read some place 80% quality meat and 20% fat content...does the ratio sound correct??

 

[300 H and H]

JEV,

Waybomb makes lots every working day. I would suggest a PM...

He definately can help you out if you need any. I can only help you out with the eating part....

Regards, Kirk

 

[bczoom]

JEV - Is Con Yeager spices in your grocery stores?
http://www.conyeagerspice.com/

We really like their sausage spices.

We make a little sausage ourselves but we just make it then eat it. We do pretty close to Galvy's meat/fat but sometimes a bit leaner. Without the fat, it just isn't right.

We grind our own meat but if we're freezing it, we don't add the spices until it comes out and is going to get eaten. The salts and such in the spices seem to mess it up when freezing since it freezes at a lower temp.

 

[BigAl]

I do a whitetail or Elk Summer Sauage every year , here at the ranch and give as gifts to my hunting friends . It don't last long. Last batch was 60 pounds and it was eaten up in weeks .

 

[joec]

I make both cased sausage and patty type. I make Italian (mild and hot), boudin (cajun pork/rice sausage), breakfast type using either beef, pork and venison when I get some, I've also made some others as well. Not really hard to make just a bit time consuming is all.

 

[waybomb]

Thirteen million pound in 2012.
But no drying capabilities. Cooked and semi dry only.

 

[luvs]

may well make non-casing sausage this year. got a freezer of meats that ought soon be used.

 

[JEV]

Thirteen million pound in 2012.
But no drying capabilities. Cooked and semi dry only.

Impressive! My butcher called this morning and finally found some hog middles so I can make the dried Sopressata salami. Nobody around here makes any salamis anymore, so that means no mids casings (beef or pork) available for purchase. Will be in Thursday, so I can get them Friday with a couple more Daisyfield butts. Looks like I have my sausage making party on Saturday.

Tried out my new electric meat grinder and it works great. I just coarse ground some chuck and made 4oz burgers. We'll have a couple of them tonight for dinner. I like a burger with some tooth.

Happy New Year to all.

 

[JEV]

Well, the casings came in, but I had to buy 70' of casings at a cost of $20...OUCH! I have a call into a couple of friends who make sausage to rty and unload half of it. Today me and DW managed to stuff all the Sopressata that I mixed up yesterday and refrigerated overnight. Now it needs to hang in the attic for 30-60 days.

Here's my birthday present from the family back in October, and it's finally getting a workout. I ground 14# (trimmed weight) of pork butts in nothing flat with this baby. It's rated at 170# per hour. I was going to make 25#, but scaled it back to just three butts. I have two more in the freezer, and will use them for Italian sausage and breakfast sausage. They're 9# each.

Here's the 15# hanging wt. of "SuperSot" ready for "the hook!" Each is tagged with description, today's date and the hanging weight of each unit.

They're in the attic for the next 30-60 days where they will lose about 30% of their weight while they dry. Cardboard under them so whatever drips off doesn't remain in the attic.

I'll be back in early February with an update on the weight loss. I have one sausage that came out exactly 1#, so that will be the benchmark.

 

[JEV]

The Sopresatta is officially ready. I vacuum sealed all of them last night, and now have a one-year supply in the freezer. The sausages lost 57% +/- of their hanging weight in seven weeks.

Now it's time to make some fresh Italian sweet sausage for the freezer. I'll post that when I do it. We're moving DD into her apartment this weekend, so it will be at least another week before we do it.

 

[JEV]

After cooking at the fish fry last night I cut up a 8-1/2# butt and ground it up with my spice mix. Fried a small amount to verify the spices and put it in the fridge overnight. Got up early and made 3# of links and the rest into bulk pack of a little over a pound each. It's all in the freezer now, but I can see some coming out Sunday once the kids see the picture I post on facebook. I won't say a word, but they'll all be here for dinner tomorrow, and will be wanting pasta and sausage. I still have another butt in the freezer that I got for $1.29 back in January. Attached Images

 

[muleman]

Now you have me wanting to make some sausage Joe. Miss butchering in the cold of early spring and running the smoke house. I will probably end up buying a half of a hog from the local guy who does my butchering.