First time sausage maker here

[Bill The Grill Guy]

Okay Wittdog any idea on what someone needs to get started? I have a meat grinder, what else do I need to make case sausage?

 

[wittdog]

Bill an idea/recipe of what kind of sausage you plan on making.
A piece of meat with a high enough fat content..
A sharp knife...
Non-Iodized Salt and what ever spices/flavors you need.
A big bowl or like to mix the meat and spices..
Casings...the type of sausage you are making and your personal preference will determine what type and size of casings to use.
The stuffing attachments for the grinder.
A few hours of time...
Those are the general things you need...depending on what type of sausage you decide to make the list will grow.

 

[Bill The Grill Guy]

How about supplies? Where is the best sorce of sausage making stuff?

 

[bigwheel]

Whoa Nelly..dont be buying no stuffing attachments for grinders. Less maybe you own a Hobart or something equally unlikely. Trying to stuff with a grinder is an excercise in futility and will get you disillusioned about the hobby quickly. If you have a serviceable grinder or mincer as the limeys are prone to call em (which it would be nice know whut you got to work with here) the next step on your journey should revolve around acquiring a gizmo called a "stuffer." Best place to get one is right here.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/ ... _200308623

Other than that you just need to figger out the best places to buy spices and casings. Being from ole Virginny looks like cases be easy to find. Them is hawg folks aint they? Should be plenty of guts laying around. Same with cures and such things. Now Joe Ames is my pal and I buy all my bulk spices and various addendums from him. He also sells guts if you cant find none local. I would recommend him highly as you one stop shopping place for spices...etc. Sometimes his spices come in so fresh you have to slap em. Another critical item is some plastic meat lugs/busing trays or whutever they call em in your area. You can get em for about 5-8 bucks each at Acemart. Other than that..think old Witt Dawg gave you some good advice

http://www.theingredientstore.com

bigwheel

 

[Wittdogs B]

We have a separate stuffer, have never used the grinder attachment for stuffing-- don't know how aggravating it is... maybe if it's not too bad the $$ saved would be worth it at least for the start (?) If you are going to get a separate stuffer, you might want to stay away from the horn style; it is more difficult to deal with, especially for one person. The one we have now has gears that press the meat out of a bucket-like thing (dave can fill in the technical details ) It's easy enough that the kids can do it, and dave can manage it by himself/with the boys-- the other was always a two-person operation.

Our favorite supply store is the Sausage Maker:
http://www.sausagemaker.com/


We have purchased all our supplies there from ingredients to the electric smoker we use for smoked/cured meats and have never been disappointed.

Don't know how prices compare to BW's site choice and don't know about shipping b/c the store is local and we just go in person...

 

[DATsBBQ]

Don't forget the BEER

 

[bigwheel]

Well I can only digress so far but having had the honor of trying to stuff with an attachments for several grinders..will give my unequivocal opinyawn..aint none of em worth a caca. Now will testify to one other factoid..the horn stuffer you mention..which I always call the 3 lb lever action model..is the only one to fly for a one man operation which do not require a peremant style anchor. I know it dont make sense but when you press down on the lever all the pressure goes down for some reason. I been using one for years and love it to death. You hold the gut string with hand B and push on the lever with hand A. Wimmen do not ever get near enough to biotch about touching hawg guts etc. Now you start trying to stuff with a grinder...you need six pair of dainty hands and the links still come out looking like a scraggly string of coyote turds which has been dining on haw berries. Just my .002 of course.

bigwheel

We have a separate stuffer, have never used the grinder attachment for stuffing-- don't know how aggravating it is... maybe if it's not too bad the $$ saved would be worth it at least for the start (?) If you are going to get a separate stuffer, you might want to stay away from the horn style; it is more difficult to deal with, especially for one person. The one we have now has gears that press the meat out of a bucket-like thing (dave can fill in the technical details ) It's easy enough that the kids can do it, and dave can manage it by himself/with the boys-- the other was always a two-person operation.

Our favorite supply store is the Sausage Maker:
http://www.sausagemaker.com/


We have purchased all our supplies there from ingredients to the electric smoker we use for smoked/cured meats and have never been disappointed.

Don't know how prices compare to BW's site choice and don't know about shipping b/c the store is local and we just go in person...

 

[wittdog]

Well I can only digress so far but having had the honor of trying to stuff with an attachments for several grinders..will give my unequivocal opinyawn..aint none of em worth a caca. Now will testify to one other factoid..the horn stuffer you mention..which I always call the 3 lb lever action model..is the only one to fly for a one man operation which do not require a peremant style anchor. I know it dont make sense but when you press down on the lever all the pressure goes down for some reason. I been using one for years and love it to death. You hold the gut string with hand B and push on the lever with hand A. Wimmen do not ever get near enough to biotch about touching hawg guts etc. Now you start trying to stuff with a grinder...you need six pair of dainty hands and the links still come out looking like a scraggly string of coyote turds which has been dining on haw berries. Just my .002 of course.

bigwheel
That 3lb lever action works fine if your making just fresh sausage...if you plan on "cool smoking" the sausage and plan on using a binder in the recipe...the meat set's up and and that makes it a lot harder to git it to work...I learned that the hard way...As far as using the grinder attachements for stuffing you are correct...but I was trying to give an assement of the least amount of equip...needed to start making sausage...For my money the bucket syle stuffer is the way to go...put a non skid pad under it and a small piece of wood under your table and a coule of welding clamps and u are on your way...the only downside to the bucket style stuffer is the price...

We have a separate stuffer, have never used the grinder attachment for stuffing-- don't know how aggravating it is... maybe if it's not too bad the $$ saved would be worth it at least for the start (?) If you are going to get a separate stuffer, you might want to stay away from the horn style; it is more difficult to deal with, especially for one person. The one we have now has gears that press the meat out of a bucket-like thing (dave can fill in the technical details ) It's easy enough that the kids can do it, and dave can manage it by himself/with the boys-- the other was always a two-person operation.

Our favorite supply store is the Sausage Maker:
http://www.sausagemaker.com/


We have purchased all our supplies there from ingredients to the electric smoker we use for smoked/cured meats and have never been disappointed.

Don't know how prices compare to BW's site choice and don't know about shipping b/c the store is local and we just go in person...

 

[bigwheel]

Well for an economy minded person sure wouldnt blame em for using whut they already own or can buy cheapest in the grinder/stuffer department. Never owned a bucket type stuffer but know several who snagged that 5 lb model from Northerntools and have had heard but glowing reports on how good it worked. Very hard to beat the price at 79 bucks. On stuffing..think the operational factoid is this: The meat will cure in the cases just as well as outside the cases. Know there are a lot of recipes floating around out in cyber space which calls for the meat to be ground and seasoned with the cure added then left in the ice box all night or all week in loose pack form before stuffing or re-grinding or whutever. This is not a good plan cuz once the cure "set ups" we are then dealing with a batch of meat similar to portland cement in its handling properties. Very hard on the equipment and the sausage maker. Best bet is get it ground..seasoned/cured and in the cases while it is still workable then let it set in the icebox as long as you want. Sure this workable window varies with the temps..but I like to plan on having it in the cases within 30 mins of adding the cure.

bigwheel

>That 3lb lever action works fine if your making just fresh sausage...if you plan on "cool smoking" the sausage and plan on using a binder in the recipe...the meat set's up and and that makes it a lot harder to git it to work...I learned that the hard way...As far as using the grinder attachements for stuffing you are correct...but I was trying to give an assement of the least amount of equip...needed to start making sausage...For my money the bucket syle stuffer is the way to go...put a non skid pad under it and a small piece of wood under your table and a coule of welding clamps and u are on your way...the only downside to the bucket style stuffer is the price...

 

[wittdog]

BW I agree with you inregards to adding the cure mixing and stuffing..it was using a binder like soy protien...that I was talking about...once you add the Soy Protien..the meat sets up quick..

 

[bigwheel]

Hmmmm dont think I ever got around to using any of that soy protein stuff but I do own some. Just been too chicken to try using it Have used powdered milk on several occasions and didnt seem to add much if any to the set up time. Knew there bound to be a good reason I been reluctant to use the soy.

bigwheel

BW I agree with you inregards to adding the cure mixing and stuffing..it was using a binder like soy protien...that I was talking about...once you add the Soy Protien..the meat sets up quick..