The cost of sausage

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 13:44

There is a part of me that is a bean counter and I keep track of the cost of everything. I can purchase pork butts for 1.29 per pound and there is a bone in there that I remove and cure and smoke and use for soup stock.
However it weighs about a half pound so it reduces a 10 pound butt to 9.5 pounds and raises the price of the meat to 1.36 per pound.
I have a friend who gives me venison which I use at the rate of 2 parts pork to 1 part venison. Thus I get 3 pounds for the price of 2 that brings the price per pound down to about 91 cents.
Because I want the venison to keep coming I give my friend about a third of the batch so the price goes back to 1.36 per pound.
It costs about 20 cents per pound for collagen casings so that makes the cost per pound for the whole batch 1.11 per pound or 15.81 for the batch and my portion will cost $1.66 per pound.
Since it is made during hours when I could not otherwise be productive I don't count my labor.
I buy my spices in bulk so the cost per batch is less than fifty cents. It is still the best sausage that I can get at any price.

NorCal Kid · Post by **NorCal Kid** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 15:05

ssorllih wrote:It is still the best sausage that I can get at any price.

And this point, to me, is one of the key reasons I enjoy making my own.

Its not so much about the economics (although getting good deals is nice!), but the fact that the attention, care and love that go into making a more wholesome product to be enjoyed by family & friends, bring me joy and satisfaction-more so than any pack of store-bought Jimmy Dean can do.

Now thats something one can't put a price on!

Kevin

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 15:18

I do all of my own cooking with the exception of pasta sauce. I can't yet beat the taste of the better brands. But by keeping track of cost and minimizing waste I have kept our food cost far below the averages that I see published for families. We very rarely eat out because I just can't bring myself to pay the price of the food I serve in an entire week for one not so wonderful meal out somewhere.
My home cooking is always better than we can get out.

Baconologist · Post by **Baconologist** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 03:54

I look at it terms of value, rather than cost.
In some cases, I could make things at less cost, but the value wouldn't be there.
I want something that tastes very good at reason cost, that's value.
Garbage in=Garbage out
Better quality ingredients do make a difference.
I absolutely refuse to add anything to sausage that doesn't improve the flavor or quality, no soy protein, milk powder, etc, for me. That stuff is horrible tasting, does nothing to improve sausage when good technique is used and it's expensive!

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Fri Sep 21, 2012 05:42

Thank you . You have just saved me $$$. I have been thinking that sausage has been made for many hundreds of years without some of the "modern" ingredients why start adding them now?

sawhorseray · Post by **sawhorseray** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 21:58

I've read this post maybe ten times in the last two weeks and every time I pick up something more I've learned that I overlooked previously, seems every comment on every thread is relevant to me. Things are just starting to cool down here into smokin' season for me, won't have to start at midnight and get my wife and dog all upset. I'm slated to do more chickens next week after my shipment of Prague powder arrives, 8 instead of the four I did last week, they went fast. I've been perusing the site and was getting kind of ampped up to smoke some bacon, and then I started investigating the price of pork belly, which I find to be shocking. I read the bacon post from Norcal Kid, (great pics, post, and bacon!), and thought surely the prices couldn't be right, $3.99lb on sale. After calling 3-4 meat markets in my area I found that none of them sold pork belly, and they were having trouble finding them to make their own smoked products. I have a in at the largest meat supplier in North CA, I re-lined their walk-ins and then worked on the owners custom house with a buddy of mine who was the GC. They want $4.75 a pound, skinless. How can something that's half pure fat cost that much, I thought it would be a about a quarter of that price at most. I guess it's just lump it or leave it, but I don't have to like it. RAY

el Ducko · Post by **el Ducko** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 22:12

...know what ya mean, Ray. It's expensive everywhere.

I talked to several butchers at markets, and asked them to save their pork trimmings for me. Just about all of 'em said, "Oh, we don't do any trimming anymore. It all comes in from so-and-so, and all we do is package it."

I finally found one place who would do it, but I have to ask one guy, and catch him in a good mood. ...frustrating. For now, I'm sticking to grinding Boston butts and reading/envying you guys who do bacon and such. At least I can get 'em for about $1.95/lb. That $3.99 fatback is crazy.

sawhorseray · Post by **sawhorseray** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 23:44

I'll take a shot at doing some Canadian bacon before I'll throw down $4-$5 a pound for pig fat, it just rubs me the wrong way. I just don't understand how we can get butts and pork loins for $1.49lb and they want so much for pork belly, IF you can find them. I still refuse to pay more than $5lb for ribeye steak. I wait till Xmas every year when the prime ribs go on sale at $4.99lb, buy two whole primes, cut the rib bones for BBQ'd beef ribs, then cut the prime into steaks and shrink-wrap them into the freezer, good for the year. It's not just the money it's the princple, if people let them rip you off they will. Funny, I grew up eating steak 3-4 times a week till a few years back, now I eat a lot of chicken. RAY

angelwannaB · Post by **angelwannaB** » Fri Oct 05, 2012 00:35

I've literally been going thru the list on the first page of the beginners project B ... Getting the supplies and a few bacon hangers, this hobby is most definitely adding up to a chunk of change

With all the news stories how the cost of bacon is going to be sky high by next year because of the effects of the grain shortage from the drought in the US ... I'm hoping I'll come out eventually on my new found hobby.

I need to check around and see what the rate is for bellies ... Just barely made one, lol ... Batch of ground sausage with my Kithenaid grinder, hubby said it was good...didn't even try to stuff it ... Made patties, took me 2 and half hours to grind 3 # of butt, someone plz tell me thats too long... For justifying my purchase of the LEM #8 big bite...plz.

Certainly hoping the 2nd grind is much faster...now waiting for spices and other stuff...

sawhorseray · Post by **sawhorseray** » Fri Oct 05, 2012 01:06

That seems way way too long, I don't know what you are using, but CW or Ross will most likely get you straightened out, they've got infinite knowlege. As far as a chunk-o-change, it's the gift that keeps on giving, and worth every penny! RAY

angelwannaB · Post by **angelwannaB** » Fri Oct 05, 2012 01:15

Hi Ray,

Yes I hope the next batch is shorter, I used a stand mixer with a grinder attachment. I literally cramed it full...once I took the plate off I realized it was totally wrapped with white stringy sinuew or tendons

This was probably the main reason it took the grinder so long...I almost gave up until I read over everyone's comments and watched YouTube videos

Lol

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Fri Oct 05, 2012 02:23

Duckster, you wrote:

I finally found one place who would do it, but I have to ask one guy, and catch him in a good mood. ...frustrating.

Quack-up, your approach is all wrong.

Just gather a few pantry items and take them down to the corral fer` yer` hoss to munch on while you saddle him up. I`m talking about a box of chocolate laxative, a half a fifth of cheap whiskey , a couple of cans of Mamma Maria`s chile, two Scotch Bonnet peppers, a quart of prune juice, two bags of pitted prunes, a couple of pounds of broccoli, 12 ounces of castor oil, a medium bottle of magnesium hydroxide, some milk of magnesia, and a dose of Epsom salts. Mix the entire foul, disgusting, mess together and feed it to "Ol` Sparkey". Wait about 15 minutes, then ride the animal into the supermarket, down Aisle 15, right past the Rolaids, and confront your butcher who will be hiding behind the cold case. Remain in the saddle and simply "talk things over" with him while he changes his mind about life and reconsiders an "alternative attitude", re-defining his nature. You must be firm while you speak yer` mind. Tell him you`ve noticed his brusque outlook and surly manners, and you`ll have no more of it! Then, to convince him that you mean what you say, simply whisper into Sparkey`s ear, "The glue is on Aisle 5"! Try to remain in the saddle but be sure to wear yer` boots anyhow!

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

el Ducko · Post by **el Ducko** » Fri Oct 05, 2012 02:54

Last time I tried that, he shrugged and said, "No le hace."

...guess I gotta go back to using blasting caps. Nobody pays attention to me anymore.

(Naah! They still scare me to death.)

Gulyás · Post by **Gulyás** » Fri Oct 05, 2012 03:01

Here is something for you to read about bacon, an pork prices now at my place.

http://www.jsonline.com/features/food/a ... 97471.html

http://greenbayconsumer.com/2012/10/pig ... t-4-7.html

ursula · Post by **ursula** » Fri Oct 05, 2012 09:53

Went to the market last week to buy ingredients for my first sausages.
Pork butts (shoulder) was $4.99kg, pork loin $7.99 /kg. But pork belly was $10 a kg. (that's more than 10 US)
Reason? Masterchef and other television cooking programs have made it a really trendy cut. It's become really popular.
As for pork back fat - hardly anyone sells it around here!
Makes an expensive hobby - but boy, does it taste good!
Warm wishes Ursula

The cost of sausage

The cost of sausage

Re: The cost of sausage

the cost of sausage