Any sausage making tips?

[ItemB]

Do you guys smoke the sausage till its a certain temp. or just smoke to get a smoker flavor then have to finish cooking it when its time to eat.

 

[KDM]

It's really your choice ItemB. I usually smoke my sausage until it reaches 165-170 degrees, then vac pac, and freeze. I have also put some in the smoker for an hour or so, then vac pac and freeze. It just depends on what kind of product you want to make and what the end use will be. Example: I have put breakfast sausage into the smoker spread on a cookie sheet for an hour to get that smoke flavor, then packed and frozen in 1 lb bags to be cooked when wanted. The summer sausage I smoke to 170 or so doesn't need to be cooked again.

 

[Allen]

Has anyone tried an attachment to a Kitchen Aid mixer to grind meat?


For 50 bucks seems like a way to ease into meat making.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/sto...YqESvlv-MQ0y8A7rfTKmyIBZV1a3oUK9LGRoC1q7w_wcB

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I like this site.

http://www.meatprocessingproducts.com/

Yep, once. That was enough of a lesson for me. I finally bought a small sausage stuffer a few years ago and will absolutely NEVER go back to using a grinder attachment for stuffing sausage. For really small batches of 10-15 lbs, the Kitchenaid will suffice, any more than that though and you will be disappointed at the amount of effort required.

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Back to the original post, hot Italian with some high temp cheddar rocks!

 

[Big J]

It's really your choice ItemB. I usually smoke my sausage until it reaches 165-170 degrees, then vac pac, and freeze. I have also put some in the smoker for an hour or so, then vac pac and freeze. It just depends on what kind of product you want to make and what the end use will be. Example: I have put breakfast sausage into the smoker spread on a cookie sheet for an hour to get that smoke flavor, then packed and frozen in 1 lb bags to be cooked when wanted. The summer sausage I smoke to 170 or so doesn't need to be cooked again.

170 is too much cooking for summer sausage KDM. 155 is where you need to be. Don't risk overcooking and drying out summer sausage getting it that hot, especially if it isn't shocked with ice water to stop the cooking.

 

[You]

Im gonna grind up a batch of 50/50 antelope pork fat sausage tmrw. Gonna use hot italian seasoning. Any cool tips or tricks to make the grinding/mixing/stuffing process easier?

Any suggestions on a good smoke for hot italian? Ive pretty much got it all but just wondering what would compliment that hot italian flavor well.

Also, gonna try to use the kitchenaid mixer with the grinder and stuffer attachments. Should be fun!

I hope u don't mean ' 50% pork fat. If you meant 50% pork butt, untrimed. Ud b right!

 

[deleted member]

I think the cure quits working once the meat reaches a certain temp. So if u use cure and don't get the meat to 155-160 in your smoking process, you need to make sure you let the meat cure for a while before smoking or I think you run the danger or bacteria form. Nothe as big a deal if you freeze right away and cook before you eat it. But, it would definitely matter with summer sausage or sticks. Then again, I might be wrong.

 

[You]

Pull pepper stix and smr ssg at 155. They'll hit just shy of 160 while sitting. 170 is no go

 

[Pigsticker]

Sausage is in for the smoke. Well, 1/2 batch is anyway. The kitchenaid grinder works like a charm however I'm very disappointed to say that the kitchenaid stuffer completely sucks (as some had already warned me). It took an hour to stuff 7lbs worth of sausage. That unit will never again see the light of day. Tomorrow i have to go to Scheels and buy a manual stuffer to finish the batch of sausage.

 

[Brian Renville]

Sausage is in for the smoke. Well, 1/2 batch is anyway. The kitchenaid grinder works like a charm however I'm very disappointed to say that the kitchenaid stuffer completely sucks (as some had already warned me). It took an hour to stuff 7lbs worth of sausage. That unit will never again see the light of day. Tomorrow i have to go to Scheels and buy a manual stuffer to finish the batch of sausage.

Definitely know that feeling. Coulda swore I took years off my arm pushing the plastic plunger down hard enough to actually get the meat into the casing. (Insert innuendo wisecracks below)

 

[WormWiggler]

How did the kitchen aid work for the grinding?

 

[3Roosters]

I have always weighed my wild game and then used half again as much pork trim. Ie...30lbs wild game with 15lbs pork trim for example. Boston butt..ie pork shoulder. If a guy ever thinks ahead.. order a box or case or whatever amount you think you will need from your local butcher. Frozen pork trim bought out of season is cheaper..or should be. Just gotta remember to pull it out of freezer a few days before sausage making!

 

[Kickemup]

I recommend this stuffer I have had mine for about 8 years now with no problems. It takes about 5 min to stuff 15lbs of sausage. And about 2 min to do summer sausage. I have the Gander guide series one but made the same.

 

[bigbrad123]

I always use boston butts as the pork mixture and do a 50/50 grind with deer. I don't think its too fatty. Perfect actually. I usually grind course the first time, mix in the seasons and then grind again course. A real stuffer is what I use now (not the grinder/stuffer). Best purchase I ever made, cuts the stuffing time in 1/2. I usually smoke with cherry and hickory mixed, but I've started only smoking for about 3 hours and then put it all in the oven about 225 to cook for another 2 or 3 hours. Seems to cook more evenly and not overly smoked (I have a propane smoker that smokes unevenly from top rack to bottom). I've had many compliments on my sausage.

 

[nxtgeneration]

Don't mean to highjack the thread but since we are discussing smoking and summer sausage would anyone care to share their recipe? Thinking about making a small test batch in the coming weeks.

 

[Kickemup]

I use grandpa Josh seasoning I have been happy with it so I haven't tried other brands.

 

[Pigsticker]

It worked awesome Worm! Id recommend that kitchen appliance to anyone!

 

[3Roosters]

recipe

Don't mean to highjack the thread but since we are discussing smoking and summer sausage would anyone care to share their recipe? Thinking about making a small test batch in the coming weeks.

Make sure to include garlic, wild rice and cheddar cheese in your recipe. Delicious. Enuff said. Your welcomeThumbs Up

 

[Pigsticker]

Wow, first batch turned out absolutely horrible. Has literally no flavor and is brown, I think from over smoking. Quite the learning curve after not having done this for years. Gonna have to add in some salt and more seasoning for the second batch even though the recipe only called for so much seasoning on the packet I bought.

 

[Big J]

Wow, first batch turned out absolutely horrible. Has literally no flavor and is brown, I think from over smoking. Quite the learning curve after not having done this for years. Gonna have to add in some salt and more seasoning for the second batch even though the recipe only called for so much seasoning on the packet I bought.

Meat is brown? That is a sure fire scenario that you didn't put cure in it or not enough.

 

[Enslow]

Meat is brown? That is a sure fire scenario that you didn't put cure in it or not enough.

Or try using less brown food coloring.