# 2022 Sausage and Jerky Making Thread



## etrade92

I know the topic has been discussed on here before, and we all loathe the search function so I figured an updated thread was needed to discuss recipes and techniques. Feel free to add your recipes and pictures. 

I am planning on diving into the sausage making world this year. I already screwed up and purchased a $30 meat grinder attachment for my wife's Kithchenaid mixer. I don't have high hopes but we will see. It had mixed reviews, with some people saying they do multiple deer a year with it. We will wait and see once I put it to the test. 

I have not taken a deer yet but I did have a family member bring me a few hams and some ribs off a wild pig that was killed in a bottomland hardwood. The fat was a nice bright white. I smoked the ribs and had them for dinner, the fat was mild and not rancid so I decided to cube the hams into 2x2" chunks in preparation for grinding. I have also been saving fat caps from Boston Butts for around a year and have stockpiled 10-15lbs of pure pork fat to use in the sausage. Planning on grinding in a few weeks when I get some time and starting with breakfast sausage. Also plan on doing quite a bit of venison jerky this year too.

Are the 2x2" chunks too big or too small for a grinder?


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## MrFish

I have that grinder attachment and it is slow going. I only use it for small jobs. Have a big grinder for deer and there is no comparison. Put your meat in the freezer to make it easier to grind. Don't freeze it, just firm it up. On the big grinders, we put the throat, plates, etc in the freezer before grinding. Once the fat and sinew heat up, they start gumming it up.


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## MrFish

And you can use whatever recipe you want, but nothing beats A.C. Leggs. I might have a pack or two here at the house. I'll check and let ya know.


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## etrade92

Yep been researching techniques about freezing the attachments. For the meat, I will probably thaw it out completely then throw it back into the freezer for about an hour to firm it up. I am thinking I will start in batches of around 5lbs at a time until I get it right.


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## stevenattsu

The master will teach you 









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www.pensacolafishingforum.com


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## jack2

MrFish said:


> I have that grinder attachment and it is slow going. I only use it for small jobs. Have a big grinder for deer and there is no comparison. Put your meat in the freezer to make it easier to grind. Don't freeze it, just firm it up. On the big grinders, we put the throat, plates, etc in the freezer before grinding. Once the fat and sinew heat up, they start gumming it up.


this is excellent advice. also, cutup the tough pieces against the grain. when the ligaments and tendons firm up with cold, they cut easier and don't gumup the grinding.
jack


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## MrFish

And everyone should have to use a manual grinder at some point in their sausage making career. Nothing like sweating up a storm in below freezing weather grinding 50+ lbs of meat.


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## huntnflorida

MrFish said:


> And everyone should have to use a manual grinder at some point in their sausage making career. Nothing like sweating up a storm in below freezing weather grinding 50+ lbs of meat.


I’d hate to know how much deer meat I ground with one of those. My father was cheap, god rest his soul.


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## jack2

MrFish said:


> And everyone should have to use a manual grinder at some point in their sausage making career. Nothing like sweating up a storm in below freezing weather grinding 50+ lbs of meat.


i have two hand grinds made by universal, all of the plates, and 4 sizes of sausage tubes. it is a nice workout.
i don't usually grind over 4-5 lbs. at one time.it takes about 30 min. to grind and another 30 min if i'm making links.
jack


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## jwilson1978

MrFish said:


> And everyone should have to use a manual grinder at some point in their sausage making career. Nothing like sweating up a storm in below freezing weather grinding 50+ lbs of meat.


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## KPTN

If you are going to process your own meat do yourself a favor and get a good #22 grinder, maybe split one with a few friends to make the cost more appealing. Buy a titanium knife and grind well chilled meat and you will eliminate much of the problems, get a kidney plate and it will chunk large pieces of meat up quickly so that is easier to season and save you a ton of knife work and time.


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## etrade92

^ Nice set up there!


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## jack2

hey, kenneth, tell us what you do with the meat. is it smoking? did you make all that sausage?
jack


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## KPTN

jack2 said:


> hey, kenneth, tell us what you do with the meat. is it smoking? did you make all that sausage?
> jack


that was 14 Boston butts that I deboned and cold smoked before I ground it and it all went into breakfast sausage, 125lb worth. Most folks use cloth bags when they make smoked sausage but they are not great to freeze and keep long term so I just smoke it before I grind it and I don't have to worry about dealing with cloth bags.


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## halo1

If your planning on going into the sausage world, get a dedicated electric grinder and stuffer! And get a second pair of hands when stuffing the casing!


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## SH27GameFish

As Mr Fish said Leggs seasoning is the best and i use a 50/50( venison/pork) mix on most all sausages , breakfast, sweet italian and smoked , just my preference . Keep everything cold and when i mix i let it marinate overnight before putting in casings or vac bags and a good LEM grinder and sausage stuffer are a must.


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## halo1

Jasper is the summer sausage king on the pff


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## MrFish

halo1 said:


> If your planning on going into the sausage world, get a dedicated electric grinder and stuffer! And get a second pair of hands when stuffing the casing!


Get a 20 lb vertical stuffer and it's a one man job all day. Just remember to back the handle off half a turn when you're putting new casing on.


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## halo1

I quit sausage making when I couldn’t close to conecuh or best stop!🤣 now burger grinding I ain’t bad, I buy them skinny a9 brisket points when their marked down at the butcher shop and grind with some choice ribeyes and and chuck. 1/3 each. Makes a good smashburger


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## jaster

Halo, I can only assume you ment me, hahah. I wouldn't say Master, but JJ just killed a little buck tonight and I plan to order my cheese this week and make a batch next weekend! I have a few threads on it, will try to go inyo detail again when I do!







o


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## etrade92

Some good info here. This is why I am going into it. Last years deer was just shy of $400, ohh, and they had less flavors to pick from.


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## MrFish

I paid about that for a 1 hp #22 grinder about 12 years ago. More than paid for itself.


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## halo1

etrade92 said:


> Some good info here. This is why I am going into it. Last years deer was just shy of $400, ohh, and they had less flavors to pick from.


Which of those snack sticks did you like best?


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## jwilson1978

halo1 said:


> Which of those snack sticks did you like best?


Damn near 400 buck bet they all leave a little bad taste in your mouth LOL


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## etrade92

halo1 said:


> Which of those snack sticks did you like best?



Teriyaki for sure. The J&C flavors are my wife's favorite. 
I know no one is perfect but I have found more bits and pieced of bone in that batch than any before.


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## halo1

Theirs a fb group called sausage ,snack sticks and Jerky making group that has a ton of info


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## MrFish

halo1 said:


> Theirs a fb group called sausage ,snack sticks and Jerky making group that has a ton of info


Facebook is the devil.


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## halo1

MrFish said:


> Facebook is the devil.


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## YELLOWCAT

MrFish said:


> And you can use whatever recipe you want, but nothing beats A.C. Leggs. I might have a pack or two here at the house. I'll check and let ya know.


This is the best advice you can get. Best sausage seasoning and foolproof.


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## jack2

i've been thinking about going to academy in prattville and getting some sausage spices. here recently, the spices i use have not had much aroma and the flavor of my sausage has not been like it used to be. i think i'm buying old spices.
fresh spices do make a difference in the amount you use, also. like the souse i just made, i had to add a lot of sage just to get the flavor. i think it was old. but in selma, you ain't gonna find top-of-the-line anything so academy sport it's gonna be.
jack


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## etrade92

Got my $30 amazon special. Everything turns as it should, the plates feel ok, and the worm drive is solid. The metal tray up top is flimsy as hell but we will see when I put it to the test. Stand by a few days for some updated reviews.


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## jack2

nice
i'd say roughly $500 invested? it will pay for itself this year. good deal.
jack


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## jwilson1978

etrade92 said:


> Got my $30 amazon special. Everything turns as it should, the plates feel ok, and the worm drive is solid. The metal tray up top is flimsy as hell but we will see when I put it to the test. Stand by a few days for some updated reviews.


Do not put that in the dishwasher unless you want it oxidized and black. I’m sure I’m not the only dumb ass that found out the hard way lol


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## halo1

etrade92 said:


> Got my $30 amazon special. Everything turns as it should, the plates feel ok, and the worm drive is solid. The metal tray up top is flimsy as hell but we will see when I put it to the test. Stand by a few days for some updated reviews.


Buy a pasta attachment for that mixer! it will make you never buy dried pasta again.


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## etrade92

jack2 said:


> i'd say roughly $500 invested? it will pay for itself this year. good deal.


The mixer was the wifeys before we got married. I do use it though, outside of baking. It will take a freshly coked boston butt and shred it in seconds with the hook attachment. 



jwilson1978 said:


> Do not put that in the dishwasher unless you want it oxidized and black. I’m sure I’m not the only dumb ass that found out the hard way lol


If you click on the thumbnail, there is a big azz sticker on the side of the grinder to warn about not putting it in the dishwasher. It was also posted all over the Amazon page for it. However, people still complained in the reviews that it ruined after they ran in through a dishwasher. lol 



halo1 said:


> Buy a pasta attachment for that mixer! it will make you never buy dried pasta again.


Not a big pasta guy, my wife would probably like it, but I can also see her making a complete mess in the kitchen. Its already bad enough making home made pizzas!


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## huntnflorida

23lbs of deer hotdogs
30lbs of deer bologna


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## MrFish

Anyone paid attention to the captions that this forum puts at the bottom of pics?


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## jwilson1978

MrFish said:


> Anyone paid attention to the captions that this forum puts at the bottom of pics?


Well one could have fun with that


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## Splittine

huntnflorida said:


> 23lbs of deer hotdogs
> 30lbs of deer bologna



You got me curious with the bologna. Sounds amazing. What all do you use to make it?


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## huntnflorida

Splittine said:


> You got me curious with the bologna. Sounds amazing. What all do you use to make it?


Last year I got deer bologna made by Covington Meats. He did a great job and I was hooked. After successfully doing summer sausage, I tried bologna. I’ll let you know tomorrow after the smoke if it’s as good. I used the High Mountain seasoning kit.


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## etrade92

Can you elaborate more on the ratios you used for the bologna? Agreed, it is interesting and sounds amazing!


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## huntnflorida

etrade92 said:


> Can you elaborate more on the ratios you used for the bologna? Agreed, it is interesting and sounds amazing!


No secrets. It’s all in the bologna kit by high mountain seasonings. Halls in Milton has it or the internet. The kit tells you exactly how much meat and you use the pre packaged seasonings accordingly. I believe it was 20lbs venison to 10lbs pork.


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## specktackler57

The deer bologna and hotdogs sound good.


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## etrade92

25lbs of chunked and cleaned deer meat going in for a cold nap. Might start grinding on Sunday.


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## jack2

just a suggestion, trader. when i freeze the cleaned meat, i lay it flat to freeze so when it starts to thaw out, i can cut it up and it's still slightly frozen. goes in the grinder and makes the grinder frost over, too. that's what you want is a cold grinder.
jack


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## jaster

Got a delivery today. Plan to clean, grind, mix and stuff Saturday smoke Sunday!!!


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## jack2

jaster said:


> Got a delivery today. Plan to clean, grind, mix and stuff Saturday smoke Sunday!!!


if i had an invite, i just might take it.
jack


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## jaster

Going to have to make enough small batches to share with everybody in this thread I reckon, hahaha. I have shared some with everyone I have met and remembered to. I have to get Bruce some for some Loctite, haha.


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## etrade92

The maiden voyage happened this morning. Took 5lbs and thawed over night. Separated the 5lbs into 2 and 3 lbs respectively. Sliced into cubes then stuck in the freezer for 2 hours with the associated grinder bits and pieces. First grind was just venison on coarse, second grind was medium with the fat caps. Put in mixing bowl, added seasoning, and mixed with a hook for a few minutes using Jack's #3 recipe. Ground a third time through the coarse plate again, but I am not sure this is needed. Mixed one more time in a bowl and put in the fridge to firm up. Tested 4 small pieces and was wonderful! Measured out into 1lb portions, bagged, and sealed. 

Start to finish - 3 hours, for a complete newbie I will take it. It is so satisfying when it all comes together and taste good to boot! Will start on the remaining 3 lbs around lunch time.. 20 more lbs to go after that. 

Also - the cheap-o meat grinder purchased from Amazon works fine but I will be looking to upgrade eventually. Kind of slow, and works the kitchen mixer really hard.


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## jack2

can't go wrong with #3, that's just good olefashion country sausage. looks like you've got the sausage-making bug. looks and sounds really good. did you change the recipe or go with it?
jack


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## etrade92

jack2 said:


> can't go wrong with #3, that's just good olefashion country sausage. looks like you've got the sausage-making bug. looks and sounds really good. did you change the recipe or go with it?
> jack



We only tweaked it slightly. We added just a hair more garlic, and also added some red pepper flake for some heat. 10 of 10!


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## jack2

so i was cheking my grinding setup yesterday to make some more polska kielbasa and noticed the grinding was getting more difficult. i said to myself, "self, when's the last time you sharpened your knives and plates." i gotta do that tonight.
it makes the manual grinding a lot easier. if you have elec., check your plates and knives. it makes the sausage have a less grainy texture.
jack


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## Corpsman

No one is talking Jerky. What's a good marinade? I'm going to fire up the dehydrator.


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## stevenattsu

Corpsman said:


> No one is talking Jerky. What's a good marinade? I'm going to fire up the dehydrator.


My favorite is Teriyaki Sauce Veri Veri | Soy Vay


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## huntnflorida

I’ve never been able to make jerky that tastes any better than a mid grade baseball mitt. I’d be happy with like a Muzuno, but I struggle to get any better than a Rawlings.


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## jack2

i use my copycat blend of chachere sprinkled liberally on the strips, layered, and smoked the next day.
jack


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## etrade92

jack2 said:


> i use my copycat blend of chachere sprinkled liberally on the strips, layered, and smoked the next day.
> jack


Jerky?


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## jack2

etrade92 said:


> Jerky?


yep, give it a go.
jack


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## jack2

etrade92 said:


> Jerky?


yep, give it a go.
jack


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## jwilson1978

jack2 said:


> i use my copycat blend of chachere sprinkled liberally on the strips, layered, and smoked the next day.
> jack
> View attachment 1086880


Damn Jack you have to much fun! That's the sh-- ! I Love doing stuff like that.


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## etrade92

Probably make some up this weekend myself.


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## jack2

etrade92 said:


> Probably make some up this weekend myself.


post some pics, trader.
jack


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## stevenattsu

jack2 said:


> i use my copycat blend of chachere sprinkled liberally on the strips, layered, and smoked the next day.
> jack
> View attachment 1086880


Damn!!! You still have that thing!!?


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## SH27GameFish

for jerky i use 1 cup soy sauce ,1/4 cup sirracha, 1 cupbrown sugar ,1/4 worchestire let marinate over night.
this week im doing Breakfast(leggs), sweet italian (Leggs) bacon deer burger with blue cheese and a small batch of andouille and some smoked , all small batches since we are still living in the RV, waiting on the barndo


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## etrade92

Dropped some Jerky off this morning. Too lazy to get the slicer out, so no uniformity to the pieces. Also prepped some breakfast sausage to be ground later.


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## etrade92

Put up 7 more pounds of breakfast sausage. Think I am going to venture off into summer sausage world now.


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## jack2

etrade92 said:


> Put up 7 more pounds of breakfast sausage. Think I am going to venture off into summer sausage world now.
> 
> View attachment 1087075


call that guy called jaster on here. he can tell you bout summer sausage.he da mane.
jack


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## GROUPERKING




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## stevenattsu

A project I started over the weekend after getting two cabbages from a neighbor. The robust odor is about to run the wife out, so its a win win!! It'll b








e ready for sausage in two weeks


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## jwilson1978

stevenattsu said:


> A project I started over the weekend after getting two cabbages from a neighbor. The robust odor is about to run the wife out, so its a win win!! It'll b
> View attachment 1087129
> 
> e ready for sausage in two weeks


You gona have Jack and Mark speaking German again Lol


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## stevenattsu

jwilson1978 said:


> You gona have Jack and Mark speaking German again Lol


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## etrade92

stevenattsu said:


> tting two cabbages from a neighbor. The robust odor is about to run the wife out, so its a win win!! It



That is some serious fermentation! I just assumed you sealed kraut up in a jar like pickling.


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## MrFish

etrade92 said:


> That is some serious fermentation! I just assumed you sealed kraut up in a jar like pickling.


If you want to give that a shot, let me know. I have a bunch of buckets and airlocks.


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## stevenattsu

etrade92 said:


> That is some serious fermentation! I just assumed you sealed kraut up in a jar like pickling.


You can do it in open crocks to. Pretty simple fermentation process


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## H2OMARK

jwilson1978 said:


> You gona have Jack and Mark speaking German again Lol


Sag was? Ich würde nicht auf die Idee kommen, so etwas zu tun


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## jack2

H2OMARK said:


> Sag was? Ich würde nicht auf die Idee kommen, so etwas zu tun


me too, mark.
jack
oh, mir auch. lol


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## jwilson1978

H2OMARK said:


> Sag was? Ich würde nicht auf die Idee kommen, so etwas zu tun


Oh but what you say and do are not intertwining


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## etrade92

MrFish said:


> If you want to give that a shot, let me know. I have a bunch of buckets and airlocks.



Appreciate the offer! However, Kraut and my gut do not go well together, and that is a shame because I love it!

Semi relate side note - want to get into wine making one day.


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## stevenattsu

etrade92 said:


> Appreciate the offer! However, Kraut and my gut do not go well together, and that is a shame because I love it!
> 
> Semi relate side note - want to get into wine making one day.


My father in law is real big into wine making, everything from fruit, berries and herbs. But he's the only one that will drink the swill he brews. He gave a bottle to an ol local boy at the camp that's a full blown alcoholic and it gave him a 3 day hangover, if that tells you anything


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## etrade92

stevenattsu said:


> My father in law is real big into wine making, everything from fruit, berries and herbs. But he's the only one that will drink the swill he brews. He gave a bottle to an ol local boy at the camp that's a full blown alcoholic and it gave him a 3 day hangover, if that tells you anything




oooofff! That is rough. I have been fortunate to have drank pretty decent home made fruit wines. Use to buy it by the gallons as a teenager. I do stay away from the shine tho.


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## stevenattsu

etrade92 said:


> oooofff! That is rough. I have been fortunate to have drank pretty decent home made fruit wines. Use to buy it by the gallons as a teenager. I do stay away from the shine tho.


Im very leery of shine and who makes it, but I bought and drank plenty during college at Troy. I was telling my cousins husband over the weekend about how I bought it. The person had a real nice house and if you knew the gate code, you'd go to a metal building where you'd buy it on the honor program. Must've been 100 gallons in milk jugs on the floor, throw $10 in the box and grab you a jug and go


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## jack2

stevenattsu said:


> Im very leery of shine and who makes it, but I bought and drank plenty during college at Troy. I was telling my cousins husband over the weekend about how I bought it. The person had a real nice house and if you knew the gate code, you'd go to a metal building where you'd buy it on the honesty program. Must've been 100 gallons in milk jugs on the floor, throw $10 in the box and grab you a jug and go


that was my cousin.
jack


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## SH27GameFish

deer bacon burger, sweet Italian and breakfast sausage done , I will finish the andouille today and start on the smoked


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## etrade92

SH27GameFish said:


> deer bacon burger, sweet Italian and breakfast sausage done , I will finish the andouille today and start on the smoked


Looks awesome!!!


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## jack2

deer bacon burger, sweet Italian and breakfast sausage done , I will finish the andouille today 

can you share your andouille recipe?
jack


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## SH27GameFish

I use AC Legg Andouille mix , 50/50 deer /pork and natural casings. dry in oven or on the smoker


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## SH27GameFish

finally done for the year smoked with pepperjack cheese in sheep casings, smoked with pepperjack in collagen casings and andouille in pig casings .


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## etrade92

SH27GameFish said:


> finally done for the year smoked with pepperjack cheese in sheep casings, smoked with pepperjack in collagen casings and andouille in pig casings .



Damn, Damn, Damn!!! Been shopping bonafide meat grinders this morning. For sure buying one now.


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## SH27GameFish

i have an LEM #8 , i'll go bigger on the next one , also look at a stuffer (much easier)


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## jack2

man, that sausage really looks good. how much did you end up with?
jack


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## SH27GameFish

Thanks 
i started with 32 lbs of ground deer added 32 lbs ground pork and 5 lbs ground bacon ends and divided into 18 lbs of smoked, 9 Lbs andouille, 12 Lbs sweet italian(cook with this alot), 14 lbs deer bacon burger 1/2 has pepper jack cheese added and 10lbs of breakfast


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## jack2

got a tray of pork trim for $.88/lb and thought i needed some breakfast sausage.
this lb probably cost me $1. i'm checking the slice i cut for salt and spices.
jack


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## halo1

jack2 said:


> got a tray of pork trim for $.88/lb and thought i needed some breakfast sausage.
> this lb probably cost me $1. i'm checking the slice i cut for salt and spices.
> jack
> 
> View attachment 1087208


Jack is this you after making a big bunch of sausage with that antique grinder?


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## jack2

naw, that's a white guy.
jack


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## SH27GameFish

Jack 
Looks like good breakfast sausage ,
i got some left over pork and thinking about smoked with pepper jack and pineapple but it will be a few weeks !


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## H2OMARK

halo1 said:


> Jack is this you after making a big bunch of sausage with that antique grinder?
> View attachment 1087209


It's not from turning that antique ginder........


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## jack2

mark likes to watch.
jack


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## jack2

a friend of mine asked me for some deer burger and i told her i was out. but, i would have some in a couple hours. what say ye?
this is about 6lbs.
jack


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## etrade92

SH27GameFish said:


> i have an LEM #8 , i'll go bigger on the next one , also look at a stuffer (much easier)



Word. I think I am going to pull the trigger on the #5 Big Bite, as well as the sausage stuffing nozzles and probably an extra set of plates and knives. 

On those bigger units, how long do you grind before you do a refreeze on the plates?


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## jaster

etrade92 said:


> Word. I think I am going to pull the trigger on the #5 Big Bite, as well as the sausage stuffing nozzles and probably an extra set of plates and knives.
> 
> On those bigger units, how long do you grind before you do a refreeze on the plates?


The stuffer tube on it works ok, but nothing like an actual stuffer. Worth the coinage if you use it a time or 2


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## H2OMARK

jack2 said:


> mark likes to watch.
> jack


Only when you're old avatar is involved!


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## SH27GameFish

etrade92 said:


> Word. I think I am going to pull the trigger on the #5 Big Bite, as well as the sausage stuffing nozzles and probably an extra set of plates and knives.
> 
> On those bigger units, how long do you grind before you do a refreeze on the plates?


i never freeze my plates just keep meat cold. I have stuffing tubes for the grinder ,PIA, so i bought a sausage stuffer , much easier in my book ! and i wash everything every time i change from deer to pork to bacon,etc.


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## etrade92

SH27GameFish said:


> i never freeze my plates just keep meat cold. I have stuffing tubes for the grinder ,PIA, so i bought a sausage stuffer , much easier in my book ! and i wash everything every time i change from deer to pork to bacon,etc.



Good info. May skip on the nozzles then and buy the old school crank stuffer.


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## MrFish

etrade92 said:


> Good info. May skip on the nozzles then and buy the old school crank stuffer.


Vertical stuffer. Big one too. Buy once. Otherwise, you'll be upgrading every so often til you finally end up with a 20 lb vertical stuffer.


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## huntnflorida

Just finished 100lbs of breakfast sausage…long day


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## H2OMARK

Holy Moly!


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## etrade92

New toy arrived. Cant wait!! 

Couple of questions for you veterans:

Looking at making some link sausage (think Conecuh, Monroe, etc.) Figure the 25.5 mm (1") OD tube is the ticket. Having problems sourcing 25.5 mm (or close to it) casings. It seems to be either 21 or 32 mm in sizes. Can I use the 21 or 32 mm size? Secondly, where is the best place to get casings? Been surfing various websites.


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## jack2

i get mine from academy sports in prattville. the 19 is for snack stiks and the 32 is for boudin, andouille, country sausage, etc. this is collagen. they have natural hog casings in brine and i have used that also for andouille and country sausage. check the academy website.
jack


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## jack2

oh, and if you want to size the product, just use the size tube you want and let the air dry and smoke process work if the casing is too big. it will shrink around the meat as you process it.
jack


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## halo1

etrade92 said:


> New toy arrived. Cant wait!!
> 
> Couple of questions for you veterans:
> 
> Looking at making some link sausage (think Conecuh, Monroe, etc.) Figure the 25.5 mm (1") OD tube is the ticket. Having problems sourcing 25.5 mm (or close to it) casings. It seems to be either 21 or 32 mm in sizes. Can I use the 21 or 32 mm size? Secondly, where is the best place to get casings? Been surfing various websites.


i always bought my casings at the butcher shoppe, this was years ago though and you had to ask Kevin for them. I retired from stuffing links and when I do get an itch nowadays I just make loose sausages. I had some rage issues on stuffing sausages as I would get an almost perfect link and then the end would explode. looking back beer may have played a small part in it.


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## jack2

beer plays a role in my sausage making with my antique grinder cause when my finger gets pinched in the stuffer, i quit grinding and go to bed. lol
jack


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## SH27GameFish

i used sheep casings for the first time they are 21-25 mm and on my andouille i used hog casings , you can order from LEM or Butcher Packer, bass pro or academy .


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## etrade92

Lol, you better believe there will be some beer drinking involved! Good info here.


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## etrade92

Ordered some 32 mm casings and enough seasoning for 10lbs. Now to wait..

Academy was out of stock of the seasoning and had bad reviews on their casings, so I passed.


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## MrFish

etrade92 said:


> Ordered some 32 mm casings and enough seasoning for 10lbs. Now to wait..
> 
> Academy was out of stock of the seasoning and had bad reviews on their casings, so I passed.


Just use natural casings. Collagen casings suck.


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## jack2

MrFish said:


> Just use natural casings. Collagen casings suck.


the natural hog casings do work better than the collagen. you have to peel off the collagen anyway cause you can't eat it.
that's prolly what the reviews were saying.
but like trader said, academy can't keep the hog casings on the shelf. 
jack


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## etrade92

Called Elberta Grocery. They do have hog casings, I will swing by and pick some up.


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## loadtoad1a7

I get most of my casings and high temp cheese from either PS seasonings or the sausage maker. I also use Walton’s meat online as well for snack stick seasonings and brat seasoning.


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## MrFish

Let's meet up and make some sausage. I'll bring the drinks.


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## stevenattsu

MrFish said:


> Let's meet up and make some sausage. I'll bring the drinks.
> View attachment 1087849


Smoked flavor?


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## MrFish

stevenattsu said:


> Smoked flavor?


Nah, that's nasty. I have standards.


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## stevenattsu

I guess the sponsorships are coming in


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## halo1

stevenattsu said:


> View attachment 1088200
> 
> I guess the sponsorships are coming in


Lol


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## jack2

ok, let's get back on track. here's a recipe i'm making today. any suggestions?

1 cup onion, diced
1 tablespoon lard or peanut oil
3 1/2 pounds venison, pork, beef or other meat
1 1/2 pounds pork belly or fatty shoulder
33 grams kosher salt, about 3 tablespoons
4 grams Instacure No. 1, about a heaping teaspoon
25 grams dry milk, about 1/3 cup (optional)
3 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
2 teaspoons cayenne
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon clove
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon powdered mustard
1/2 cup red wine or beer (put in fridge to keep it cold)
Hog casing


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## halo1

Looks like a great recipe though where it says add beer. Id use a good beer, no reason to kill the animal twice using one of your nattys.


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## jack2

halo1 said:


> Looks like a great recipe though where it says add beer. Id use a good beer, no reason to kill the animal twice using one of your nattys.


lmao, mostly i think the beer is for liquid. on other sausage recipes i have, it suggests using ice water. you think a bud light would change the flavor? lol.
jack


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## halo1

What kind of sausage are you making jack?


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## stevenattsu

Couldn't








find my tablespoon so I guess I'll have to weighing out salt and dried milk the old fusion way


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## jack2

halo1 said:


> What kind of sausage are you making jack?


this is one version of andouille. it came from a country store in lafayette, la. well, that's what my friend said.
jack


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## jack2

stevenattsu said:


> Couldn't
> View attachment 1088206
> 
> find my tablespoon so I guess I'll have to weighing out salt and dried milk the old fusion way


steven, don't forge that tsp., tbs., cup, etc, is volume and not weight. you can't mix the two up.
28. 35 grams to an ounce. a quarter is about 7
jack


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## halo1

Anybody have a good breakfast sausage recipe ?


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## etrade92

I used Jack's #3 and made about 15lbs of it. I really liked it! I will see if I can find it...


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## etrade92

halo1 said:


> Anybody have a good breakfast sausage recipe ?


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## jack2

that's some heavy garlic. i think i'll try that. i usually add about 1 tbsp.
jack


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## etrade92

It stinks the house up but is mighty tasty! Also, we like heat so we add red pepper flake accordingly.


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## loadtoad1a7

Made 10 pounds of sausage today, 2.5 pounds of brats, 2.5 pounds of cheddar brats and 5 pounds of jalapeño cheddar smoked sausage.


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## jack2

fantastic.
that looks like real hog casings.
jack


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## stevenattsu




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## jack2

there are literally thousands of boudin recipes out there. there is one thing that makes them all different:
the ratio of meat to liver to rice. for example, the recipe i use has a ratio of 2-.5-2. this is considered a ricey mix. the posted recipe has a ratio of 4-1-3. if you ever get into making boudin, it will confuse the hell outta ya till you figure out what you like. then you have to consider the amount of liver. do you want that liver taste, add more. start out with 1 lb. of cooked meat without the liver and just start mixing until you get what you like. seasonings don't vary that much as well as the amount of green onion at the end of the process. 
jack.


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## loadtoad1a7

jack2 said:


> fantastic.
> that looks like real hog casings.
> jack


Yes natural hog casings 29-32 i believe. 

Dan


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## jack2

yep, 32 is the perfect size for boudin. i got the collagen last time i was at academy cause they were out of natural.
jack


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## halo1

Any of y’all cure and smoke a ham? I’m looking to try and make a homemade one. Any tips or internet resources that are helpful? Thanks


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## jack2

i started a thread on that. i'll look for it today.
jack


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## etrade92

halo1 said:


> Any of y’all cure and smoke a ham? I’m looking to try and make a homemade one. Any tips or internet resources that are helpful? Thanks



I've done deer hams before and they are good. Can't speak for curing, but a couple of days in a brine and a low smoke is wonderful!


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## jack2

i can't find that curing/smoking post so i'll start the script now and download the pics tonight.
if any of you remember back in 2020, this is the salting/curing and subsequent smoking process for the hams and shoulders, and then the bacon.
every 5 lbs of hog use 1lb salt, 1lb brown sugar, about 5 oz black pepper, and 1-2 oz sodium nitrate. mix this thoroughly and rub down the meat. store the meat (hock down) for 2-3 months 40 degrees or below. do not freeze. i started mine sometime in jan of 2020 and started the smoke sometime in march. i think it was cured a total of a little more than 60 days. i had a couple of 40lb hams and a shoulder. smoked this for 3 days with oak, hickory, and pecan. continuous all day and left the smoke going until the next day when i added more wood.
while the hams/shoulder were smoking, i brined the pork belly and when the ham was taken up, i hung the belly to smoke for the day. i took it up the next morning.
jack


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## etrade92

Time for a good summer update to this thread. After being postponed by a freak accident involving a champagne bottle, I finally got around to making my first attempt at link sausage. 

I ground up around 5lbs of deer and 1.25lbs of pork fat (shooting for a 75/25 ratio). Once through the coarse plate then again through the fine plate. Once ground I emptied into a mixing bowl and added LEM's pre measured Cajun mix. Added 1oz of water per lb and gave it a quick mix (approx 1 min on low). After mixing I immediately added it to my 5lb vertical stuffer. Was running i think 32mm natural hog casings on a 1" tube. Split my first casing, but semi got the hang of it afterwards. Wife was cranking on the stuffer while I hap hazardly tried to get uniform links. 

Once the meat was tied in the casings, I pricked them all several times and got the Egg ready. Put them on from a cold start with lots of hickory. Took about an hour to take the sausages to an IT of 155, while the egg barely reached 250. Pulled from the egg and straight into an ice bath for two hours, and now are currently drying and resting at room temp.

In the first pic, far right was my first run and the only busted casing. I did not redo it and decided to keep it as my taste testing sausage. Second from right was the last of the meat I had and just made one long sausage. Kind of sloppy and had some air pockets. The two on the left were the middle batches.

Some thoughts:
Sausage casing are a bitch to work with and took alot of patience to get it on the nozzle. 
Was kind of disappointed that the casings weren't longer.
Leave alot of tag casing at the end of a run for tying.
Practice is key. I was winging it trying to get uniform sausages in diameter and length. Definitely need work in this department.
Flip once on smoker to get an even color.
This is a longggggg process start to finish.

Some questions:
What is your blooming process? I have seen several different takes. 
How do I improve the finished color? Currently looks like shit, literally. 

A freezer count shows around 15lbs of deer and 10lbs of wild hog left. So plenty of room for improvement!


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## SH27GameFish

One thing i do after mixing meats and seasoning is to refrigerate for at least 12 hrs ( so it can marinate) , then i will stuff the casings and dry in the oven at 200 degrees for 2 hours or so , next year i will smoke some again.


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## FishnLane

(First, Etrade92, your champagne cork story was a horrible accident! And a learning experience as well. So glad you have recovered!) I have been following this sausage making post for a while as I have been interested in making sausages including some relatively unique versions I've created in my mind. I would entertain, if an interest, a small get-together of like-minded persons to learn/practice/make/share...possibly in the fall. I recently purchased a machine. Used the grinder but not yet the stuffer. I will be glad to offer my house (Gulf Breeze NonProper) and limit to about 10ish people. Just an idea!


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## jack2

lane, 
i would def. come if i can schedule the big event at your house. share ideas/get ideas sounds great to me. we could even grind up some and see how it tastes on your grill. i'm down.
trader,
i usually fry up a small patty to check my ingredients in the final mix. it helps to get the right ratio when you're packing the casings. once in the casings, it's all over.
jack


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## halo1

i can bring a grinder and stuffer.I suck at sausage making so I’m interested in learning . I want mimosas from E*trade though🤣


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## halo1

Fall is prob best as it ain’t so hawt


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## jack2

halo1 said:


> Fall is prob best as it ain’t so hawt


i bet lane will turn the ac on for us. just a thought.
jack


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## etrade92

I could see said event breaking the sausage making world with a meeting of the greatest minds in one room! 🤣

I believe I got my mix a tad too spongy (?). Grilled some up this morning. Casing had a great snap, taste was spot on Cajun, but the texture was that of a hot dog… an odd culinary sensation at 0730.


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## SH27GameFish

etrade92 said:


> I could see said event breaking the sausage making world with a meeting of the greatest minds in one room! 🤣
> 
> I believe I got my mix a tad too spongy (?). Grilled some up this morning. Casing had a great snap, taste was spot on Cajun, but the texture was that of a hot dog… an odd culinary sensation at 0730.
> [/QUOTE


Did you use 1/8 in. plate ? i like to use 1/4in.


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## lastcast

How many times did you grind it?


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## jaster

etrade92 said:


> Time for a good summer update to this thread. After being postponed by a freak accident involving a champagne bottle, I finally got around to making my first attempt at link sausage.
> 
> I ground up around 5lbs of deer and 1.25lbs of pork fat (shooting for a 75/25 ratio). Once through the coarse plate then again through the fine plate. Once ground I emptied into a mixing bowl and added LEM's pre measured Cajun mix. Added 1oz of water per lb and gave it a quick mix (approx 1 min on low). After mixing I immediately added it to my 5lb vertical stuffer. Was running i think 32mm natural hog casings on a 1" tube. Split my first casing, but semi got the hang of it afterwards. Wife was cranking on the stuffer while I hap hazardly tried to get uniform links.
> 
> Once the meat was tied in the casings, I pricked them all several times and got the Egg ready. Put them on from a cold start with lots of hickory. Took about an hour to take the sausages to an IT of 155, while the egg barely reached 250. Pulled from the egg and straight into an ice bath for two hours, and now are currently drying and resting at room temp.
> 
> In the first pic, far right was my first run and the only busted casing. I did not redo it and decided to keep it as my taste testing sausage. Second from right was the last of the meat I had and just made one long sausage. Kind of sloppy and had some air pockets. The two on the left were the middle batches.
> 
> Some thoughts:
> Sausage casing are a bitch to work with and took alot of patience to get it on the nozzle.
> Was kind of disappointed that the casings weren't longer.
> Leave alot of tag casing at the end of a run for tying.
> Practice is key. I was winging it trying to get uniform sausages in diameter and length. Definitely need work in this department.
> Flip once on smoker to get an even color.
> This is a longggggg process start to finish.
> 
> Some questions:
> What is your blooming process? I have seen several different takes.
> How do I improve the finished color? Currently looks like shit, literally.
> 
> A freezer count shows around 15lbs of deer and 10lbs of wild hog left. So plenty of room for improvement!
> View attachment 1091262
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 1091263



What are you going for? As mentioned, let the mixture rest in an air tight container 12-24 hrs. Add a tad more water before stuffing if need be. Soak the casings 30 minutes atleast. Once stuffed If its links/bratts cook em up. Not sure there are any ways to bloom cooked libk sausage, lol. Color means nothing except presentation, how it tastes is all that matters!


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## etrade92

Ground twice with the coarse then fine plate then mixed. Honestly think I over did it a tad. Looking for a texture like Conecuh since that’s what we are used too.


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## FishnLane

I'm "game" for a sausage learning event. I'm good most dates with exception of Sept 16-19. I prefer daytime. Once we have some that commit, we can converse in a private group to map-out details. And yes, I do have AC as well as inside bathrooms. Come by boat or car!


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## jack2

anybody like polska keilbasa?




























hit the heat to em on the last hour to make em bust. peppers and onions are cooking.
jack


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