Sausage recipes

Are you looking for cured and smoked or cooked sausage?

The bratwurst recipe from Charcuterie (the book) is the best sausage I have ever had. It's mild but loaded with flavor. We make it with 100% pork- because we own way too many pigs right now but I imagine it would be great blended with Veal as is traditional with Brats. 

Calling @theyolksonyou !!!!

Tough casings, either air or not soaking long enough, to loosely filled, allow to air dry for at least an hour and release and air with a pin....make sure your at least 80/20 ratio, there are tons of great recipes online....make sure your meat is very cold, be sure you mix to where sausage starts to emulsify ( sticks to your hands )... To simply use ingredients you already have, salt pepper, italian seasoning , mix ingredients with some red wine, mix into your ground pork...Add fennel if you like or chili flakes to spice it up...have fun

CanadianAnvil said:

So what's everyone's thoughts on single grind or double grind and plate size?
I have 3/8, 1/4 and 1/8 plates. 
I've done the smallest before and it's like hotdogs after stuffing. And I've done double 1/4. It was better but still not the texture im looking for. 
Should I try 3/8 then 1/4 or a single 1/4? I am stuffing with the grinder if that matters. 

I don't double grind Italian or the like( fresh sausage ) if a kielbasa type I will do a double as that is less of a course texture

CanadianAnvil said:

I'm going to single grind through the 1/4. Could be 5/16 I don't remember. 

That'll work...cold is key, add a liquid to help the bind

Here is the Bierwurst recipe from a chef who used to have his own restaurant around here. I consider it a great all-purpose sausage recipe, and I can definitely vouch for it's being GOOD (since I've eaten quite a lot of it). You might want to cut the quantities in half for something more reasonable at home.

15 lb trimmed pork butt
7 lb trimmed lean beef
3 lb fresh bacon, diced
1 oz Prague powder #1
3 oz kosher salt
2 oz powdered dextrose
1 oz fresh ground black pepper
½ oz ground nutmeg
¼ oz ground cardamom
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 oz mustard seed (whole)

Grind pork and beef through a ¾ in plate, or dice by hand.
Dice bacon and keep aside.
Add Prague powder #1 and all seasonings to the beef/pork mixture. Mix lightly and pack, avoiding air pockets, into pans no deeper than 6 in). Cover and refrigerate 12 hours.
Grind beef/pork mixture through a ⅛ in plate. Grind bacon through a ¼ in plate. Combine bacon with beef/pork mixture. Mix again to assure a uniform forcemeat.
Stuff the prepared casings. Tie ends or use clips and hanging ties. Hang to dry at room temperature for a full hour after stuffing.

Hang sausages in 130°F smoker and dry for another hour or until it begins to color. Adjust to reach temperature of 165°F. Remove from smoker when internal temperature is 152°F.

Hang briefly to cool, then wrap for refrigerated storage. Ready for consumption after resting for one day.

By the way, this came from the chef's book, which I can highly recommend. Not cheap, but it's pretty much a complete education in one place:
https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Charcuterie-Sausage-Making-Terrines/dp/0471122378/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1477774379&sr=8-1&keywords=professional+charcuterie

@dopey love that link, found countless recipes that I want to try, thanks for sharing.  Bookmarked.