sausage making questions/tips

Miked125

Hello All,

I am going to make some sausage for the first time, we have a pretty good supply store in town so I plan on hitting up there but just a couple rookie questions in the mean time:

Can you use BBQ rub as a seasoning mix? What would be the pro/cons about it?
Do most people buy prepackage spice mixtures or make their own?
and was wondering if anyone could share some beginner tips or recipes?

Thanks!

CTMike

This will provide you with a solid foundation for you to start with:

https://smile.amazon.com/Charcuterie-Salting-Smoking-Revised-Updated-ebook/dp/B00CF2MBB2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512480005&sr=8-1&keywords=ruhlman's+charcuterie

It will give you some of the science behind curing meats and some basic recipes to get started. 

caliking

Paging sausagemeister @20stone. 

lkapigian

You can use anything you like , but account for the salt in the seasoning......best advice I have 

Pork shoulder + another .25 lb hard fat or pork jowel per pound if pork

2% salt per pumd of pork ( 2% is my sweet spot) you can go +-

1 cup ice cold water per 5 pounds of meat

Hit your salt and water % the rest is seasoning however you like 

Mix to extract myosin , your primary bind, otherwise you have ground meat in a casing...

Keep everything cold cold cold

@20stone may chime in, these are my basic musts 

Pick a basic one to start, dimple ingredients ..salt red pepper flakes and fennel ...enjoy the ride 

20stone

Miked125 said:

I am going to make some sausage for the first time ... and was wondering if anyone could share some beginner tips or recipes?

Jump on in.  The water's fine

Miked125 said:

Can you use BBQ rub as a seasoning mix? What would be the pro/cons about it?

Do most people buy prepackage spice mixtures or make their own?

As @lkapigian wrote, if there is salt in the packaged rub it is difficult to account for what amount there is.  Further, the benefit of making your own sausage is you can flavor it however you like.  If you use a prepackaged mix, you won't know the precise proportions and won't know how to tweak it to make it better.

So, to directly answer your question - Yes, you can use a mix.  No, I have never used a mix, because I like to tweak the recipes

Miked125 said:

if anyone could share some beginner tips or recipes?

@lkapigian gave you some good tips.  To his I would add:

• Work clean - Bugs get into ground stuff faster than whole cuts.  Sanitize like you are using expired chicken from 7-11
• Use a good scale for your ingredients (including meat, water, spices, etc).  For salt, it is the difference between great sausage and inedible sausage.  Few other things are as critical, but if you know how much you put in, you can repeat it/modify it next time
• Salt quantity is critical - While @lkapigian likes 2%, we started there and have been working our way down.  We just made 134 lbs at 1.5%, and decided collectively to tweak it down again (Next time - 1.38%).  Also note that most casings are stored/preserved in salt, so rinse thoroughly or you can oversalt that way 
• Cold, cold, cold - Rest everything in the FREEZER between steps.  Grinder parts, liquids, meat, everything
  
• Post grinding mix - That "use your paddle mixer" step in most recipes to make the sausage sticky after grinding is critical (and one we skipped the first few times to our chagrin).  We normally do it by hand in a big bowl or tub, since I haven't yet purchased a commercial stand mixer.  By hand works fine, and mix it until a golf ball-sized gob sticks to your palm upside down.
  
• Tools - grinding - There are lots of options from hand grinders (that work great for modest quantities), Kitchen Aid attachments (for non-crazy quantities - http://smokehousechef.com/the-original-stainless-steel-meat-grinder-attachment-for-kitchenaid-mixer-plus-sausage-stuffing-kit/), or if you are NFA, you go bigger and get a dedicated grinder (http://www.lemproducts.com/product/big-bite-grinder-8-head-size/butcher-meat-grinders).  I hear great things about hand grinders, but work in quantities that make that impractical.
• Tools - stuffing - Most grinders also have a stuffing attachment.  Back in the day, folks just shoved it in casings with a funnel (but not me).  I prefer a manual stuffer, as it gives you a more consistent fill (at least at my limited skill level).  Something like this - http://www.lemproducts.com/product/mighty-bite-15lb-sausage-stuffer.  Also, we make two sausages that we don't case (breakfast and Italian) saving that step altogether
  
• Smoking - Some sausage recipes have a cold or hot smoke step after they are cooked.  They benefit from fridge drying overnight before you put them in the smoker to dry them out/firm them up.  Don't do this too hot (over 200F) as you will render the fat/make them tough.  180F is a good temp to hold.  The hot smoke recipes also have a chill step after they come out (to get in the cold end of the "safe zone" quickly).  I find the immersion method to messy (gobs of fat to clean up), and just stick them in my deep freeze for a bit to cool).  We haven't perfected a method on this yet, but you do need to cool them fast.  Also - smoked sausage should have Cure 1 added at 0.25% per weight.  Cure 1 is mostly salt, and will replace an equal amount of your regular salt
• Recipes - PM me your e-mail address and I will send you a few

Best of luck and have fun.

lkapigian

^^^^^this^^^^^^ @20stone  post.....most of all I have found it to be a favorite kitchen hobby. Once you have made it learn the art of cooking it, they like i t low and slow and not over a blazing fire, you will render out all the fat and juiciness you worked so hard to get

20stone

lkapigian said:

^^^^^this^^^^^^ @20stone  post.....most of all I have found it to be a favorite kitchen hobby. Once you have made it learn the art of cooking it, they like i t low and slow and not over a blazing fire, you will render out all the fat and juiciness you worked so hard to get

Agreed.  I will reedit my post to include that, so it's all in one place

westernbbq

Be sure meat is cold when grinding and do not under any circumstances add more spices than recipe calls for

Also be sure casings are soaked in water and pour a few drops of evoo in the tube younput the casings on in order to keep things smooth...

DMW

20stone said:

• Post grinding mix - That "use your paddle mixer" step in most recipes to make the sausage sticky after grinding is critical (and one we skipped the first few times to our chagrin).  We normally do it by hand in a big bowl or tub, since I haven't yet purchased a commercial stand mixer.  By hand works fine, and mix it until a golf ball-sized gob sticks to your palm upside down.
  
• 
  

This makes me smile. Can't wait to see you add a beast of a mixer.

danguba78

This site, http://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-making,   has a ton of useful info and recipes.  

Verndog

You might find this post helpful as well as these excellent tips.  Even includes a recipe.  Good Luck and please post your results!

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1209806/sausage-fest-making-croatian-kobasice-smoked-sausages-with-bge-ar

gregroscoe

Mixing well is another critical step. It seems if its not mixed well enough the texture is not right.  I happen to have a monster old school drill like this.  We used a stainless steel mud paddle with it.  It works great but you need a serious drill. My Milwaukee corded 1/2 drill got hot in just a few minutes.

20stone

A couple more simple tips (most eating patties related):

• Cook a patty of your sausage in a skillet (or, if you are in my driveway, over the firebox of a Karubeque) before you stuff it.  That way, if you forget something, you have a shot of fixing it before you go to all the trouble of stuffing
• You can drive yourself nuts getting that last bit out of the stuffer into the casing.  Just yank it out of the stuffer and use the handle of a wooden spoon to get it out, and toss it in a "Chef's Treats" tub with all the other ones you make that day.... and cook those Chef Treats in a skillet
• Alternatively, if you are making another batch of sausage (perhaps a different recipe), don't worry about cleaning out the tube.  Just put the next mix on top and know you will have some combo links for the first couple.
• Occasionally you will have casings burst, and you can drive yourself nuts putting that sausage back in the stuffer and squeezing out one more link.  If you loose a link to a broken casing, just tie off both ends and put the sausage in the Chef's (or Chefs', depending) Treats tub...etc.

This is supposed to be fun

caliking

DMW said:

20stone said:

• Post grinding mix - That "use your paddle mixer" step in most recipes to make the sausage sticky after grinding is critical (and one we skipped the first few times to our chagrin).  We normally do it by hand in a big bowl or tub, since I haven't yet purchased a commercial stand mixer.  By hand works fine, and mix it until a golf ball-sized gob sticks to your palm upside down.
  
• 
  

This makes me smile. Can't wait to see you add a beast of a mixer.

We all know its just a matter of time...

The Cen-Tex Smoker

caliking said:

DMW said:

20stone said:

• Post grinding mix - That "use your paddle mixer" step in most recipes to make the sausage sticky after grinding is critical (and one we skipped the first few times to our chagrin).  We normally do it by hand in a big bowl or tub, since I haven't yet purchased a commercial stand mixer.  By hand works fine, and mix it until a golf ball-sized gob sticks to your palm upside down.
  
• 
  

This makes me smile. Can't wait to see you add a beast of a mixer.

We all know its just a matter of time...

I love that he buys and stores all the heavy stuff. You do not want to get caught stealing from @20stones garage. he does not call 911 and your body will never be found. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

caliking said:

DMW said:

20stone said:

• Post grinding mix - That "use your paddle mixer" step in most recipes to make the sausage sticky after grinding is critical (and one we skipped the first few times to our chagrin).  We normally do it by hand in a big bowl or tub, since I haven't yet purchased a commercial stand mixer.  By hand works fine, and mix it until a golf ball-sized gob sticks to your palm upside down.
  
• 
  

This makes me smile. Can't wait to see you add a beast of a mixer.

We all know its just a matter of time...

I love that he buys and stores all the heavy stuff. You do not want to get caught stealing from @20stones garage. he does not call 911 and your body will never be found. 

“Anyone seen Charlie?”

Nope

CTMike

@20stone @The Cen-Tex Smoker

What grinder do you guys use? I am looking at buying the LEM #22, but would like some feedback before the purchase. Thanks. 

CarolinaQ

I have had a hard time with my sausage having a good "snap" in the casing. I've been using hog casings from butcher packer. I dry the sausages out in the fridge overnight after stuffing.  Have to cook them slow so they don't split (either braise or bake at 300 degrees before grilling). Do older casings have an issue with snap? Thinking mine might be close to their end date.

CanadianAnvil

I have found that longer soak time for the casings is better. I had a batch that the instructions said half hour soak and the texture just wasn't right after cooking. 
I start soaking the night before now, with one or two water changes. 

Steve

Botch

@Mike, I'm a neophyte also, have made sausage twice, posted here:
http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1161598/sausage-making-second-attempt#latest
(my first experience is linked in the first paragraph).  
 
I now have an LEM sausage stuffer, but haven't yet used it, one of my projects for this coming winter.  What equipment are you using for grinding, and for stuffing?  They make a big difference, as I found out above.  
Good luck, and post your experience!  

lkapigian

@CanadianAnvil @Carolina Q are your casings dry packed in salt or a salt brine? Dry packed can benefit from a very long soak , the ones I get are in a brine. I may flush and soak an hour or so...these things last forever so don't think its a shelf life issue ( unless you've had them forever) mine never see direct heat, o,my indirect , cook to an IT 155 to 160 and they pop just fine...

Carolina Q

lkapigian said:

@CanadianAnvil @Carolina Q are your casings dry packed in salt or a salt brine? Dry packed can benefit from a very long soak , the ones I get are in a brine. I may flush and soak an hour or so...these things last forever so don't think its a shelf life issue ( unless you've had them forever) mine never see direct heat, o,my indirect , cook to an IT 155 to 160 and they pop just fine...

You have the wrong @CarolinaQ (no space). @The_Buffalo was asked to change the pretender's name a couple of months ago, but I guess it hasn't happened yet.

CanadianAnvil

The ones I get are dry packed in salt, I get them a Hank at a time. 

lkapigian

Carolina Q said:

lkapigian said:

@CanadianAnvil @Carolina Q are your casings dry packed in salt or a salt brine? Dry packed can benefit from a very long soak , the ones I get are in a brine. I may flush and soak an hour or so...these things last forever so don't think its a shelf life issue ( unless you've had them forever) mine never see direct heat, o,my indirect , cook to an IT 155 to 160 and they pop just fine...

You have the wrong @CarolinaQ (no space). @The_Buffalo was asked to change the pretender's name a couple of months ago, but I guess it hasn't happened yet.

My bad sir...

lkapigian

CanadianAnvil said:

The ones I get are dry packed in salt, I get them a Hank at a time. 

I'm curious, on the dry packed...what they call a hank...how much are you really getting . a hank ( I be live ) is 100 yards which is every bit what I get, I see some youtube vids where people are saying a hank for 25 pounds ...I get closer to 100 

20stone

CTMike said:

What grinder do you guys use? I am looking at buying the LEM #22, but would like some feedback before the purchase.

I have what I thought was a big grinder.  It turns out that my LEM #8 is the #22's little brother. I am very happy with the #8, and don't know that I would want too much bigger.  However, that could really crank out tonnage if you have the room, and the back to lift it. 

CTMike

20stone said:

CTMike said:

What grinder do you guys use? I am looking at buying the LEM #22, but would like some feedback before the purchase.

I have what I thought was a big grinder.  It turns out that my LEM #8 is the #22's little brother. I am very happy with the #8, and don't know that I would want too much bigger.  However, that could really crank out tonnage if you have the room, and the back to lift it. 

Thanks for the insight. 

lkapigian

@CTMike, I have the LEM 12 Big Bite and its a beast and handles anything I've thrown at it

CTMike

20stone said:

CTMike said:

What grinder do you guys use? I am looking at buying the LEM #22, but would like some feedback before the purchase.

I have what I thought was a big grinder.  It turns out that my LEM #8 is the #22's little brother. I am very happy with the #8, and don't know that I would want too much bigger.  However, that could really crank out tonnage if you have the room, and the back to lift it. 

Thanks for the insight guys, guess I will save myself a little money and get the #12. 

lkapigian

#12 Big Bite and 20# Motorized Stuffer ...takes up some space

Miked125

Wow, thanks for all the help!