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1st attempt at making sausage

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Rick G
Rick G Posts: 185
in EggHead Forum
So  I'm going to attempt making sausage this weekend. Any advice? Some of the material I have read talks about rubbery skin or tough skin. How do I avoid that?  Any and all advice or help would be greatly appreciated
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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,765
    edited September 2019
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    We welcome to the Sausage Fray... @Sea2Ski @20stone and others will hopefully chime in... keep It Cold keep it simple....salt is IMO the most important ingredient, everything else is flavor, I shoot for 1.5% , liquid is also important about 1 cup to 10 pounds of meat ice cold, I go about 20% fat to meat ratio, you can go less mix to a primary bind ( the meat should be stringy and stick to your hand when inverted) if your hands aren’t hurting when mixing, it’s to warm.....If planning on cold smoking use cure 1 ( I use it no matter )...let your sausage air dry before cooking or storing, prick out any air pockets...binders like powder milk do help and I sometimes use ....if you mix and stuff the sausage well the skin should be fine just don’t under or over stuff....Check out the sausage recipe thread

    have fun post results, I’m no expert but feel free to pm me
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,088
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    lkapigian said:
    I’m no expert but feel free to pm me
    Yes he is. Do not let him fool you....

    Everything @lkapigian said is dead on.  (I might correct him and state that if you are mixing by hand and you are not in pain because of it being so cold, it is too warm.). Seeing it is Wednesday and you said you are making it this weekend, we can get more info to make make sure this is a big success. 

    What kind of sausage are you making?  (Italian, brats?)
    What kind of casings are you going to use? Natural?  Collagen?
    What is the source of your meat? Meaning, are you grinding your own? What cut are you grinding?
    About how much are you planning on making?

    Lets start with those questions and we build on what Lkapigian already told you.

    You got this....
    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • Rick G
    Rick G Posts: 185
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    Thank you guys for the good info.  Sea2ski... Those are all very good questions lol.  I was thinking Jalapeno cheddar sausage. I was planning on using natural casings but I'm looking to you guys for the advice on how to do it right the 1st time.   Do you recommend natural casings over collagen?   I did plan on grinding my own but if it would be easier to do it using pre ground I would be open to that.  
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  • Rick G
    Rick G Posts: 185
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    And I figured I would use a combination of port but and Chuck roast
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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,765
    edited September 2019
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    Just my opinions I don't like collagen casings, but I have easy access to natural and many prefer collagen  , I would grind my own, but you can use pre ground or have it ground...Grinding your own is just part of the experience ...there is a tried and true Jalapeno Beef Sausage from @The Cen-Tex Smoker at https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1210397/sausage-recipe-thread-post-em-here

    I'm not a fan of cheese in sausage but that's preference and could be tricky on your first try unless using high temp cheese which ( to me ) has an off taste

    If it were me on my first try , Stick to Pork and is go with an Italian Sausage, you can always add Jalapeno 

    at the end of the day the sausage you make will be better than off the shelf store bought, the biggest struggle at first texture IE crumbly sausage 
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,088
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    I too prefer natural. In fact, that is all I have ever used.  
    Tip:  run water through them to see if there are any holes. Start filling it like a water balloon, then add a cup of water or so.  Identify and holes and cut there. 

    I also would start with something easy like a simple Italian (add cayenne to the second half to make a “hot” Italian) or sweet fennel sausage.  I would also make about 5-10 lbs of it.  Not much, but enough to make the venture worth it.
    I would go with grinding a pork butt and add a bit of belly with it. If you want less fat, you can certainly skip the belly. Get the feel for how to make it and stuff the casings. There is no way to explain how they should feel. Slightly full but not firmly stuffed. 

    Oh and remember to do a fry test.  Once all is mixed, take a tablespoon or two and fry a small patty in a frying pan as a taste test.  Add seasoning as needed. 

    I think if you do do these things, you will be successful. 
    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • MacPa
    MacPa Posts: 20
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    The only thing I can add is to have a helper when stuffing. I'll bet they will save you a whole lot of clean up 

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  • Rick G
    Rick G Posts: 185
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    Awesome.  Thanks guys.  I will let you know how it goes.  
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