Homemade Sausage Making

ssorllih wrote:I often wonder what people do with so much sausage as they make here.

Ross - I've got 7 kids. Does that answer your question?

One of them just im'd me - Daddy, are there any snack sticks left?

That helps to explain a lot. Thanks.

I have an old Hobart! This things a work horse and plates and knives are readily available.


[/img]

That would be very easy to keep clean.

ssorllih wrote:I often wonder what people do with so much sausage as they make here.

Ross, when I first started making sausages, I soon discovered that whatever amount I made (started with 3-5 pound batches) quickly disappeared. My three sons plow through whatever I've make so quickly that I've stopped vac-sealing most of what I produce.

My new minimum is 10 pounds. I've also requests from a number of folks in our congregation that are now on my list of 'to-do's-everything from braunschweiger to kielbasa.

Kevin

ssorllih wrote:
"I often wonder what people do with so much sausage as they make here."

I like to be able to bring something to a social function that'll feed a crowd if need be, and not be a burden on my wallet. I have found, as I'm sure most of us have, that our homemade sausage is greatly appreciated by our friends and family. More than once a service call has been made to my house and when a guy sees my mounted wild hogs on the garage wall it instigates some conversation that will lead to me walking over to my freezers and getting a couple of packs of sausage for the fellow to take home. Some sausage that I paid 99≠ a pound for the pork butt can wind up saving me hundreds on a bill, a bit of good will can go a long way.

I do 10lb batches of sausage to test new recipes, and usually like to do 25 pounds at a crack with something that's been road-tested before. RAY

Using a 3/4 HP #12 Tor Rey

Could we share similar information on stuffers?

Based on a couple of Ross's notes, I use a home-built "Russ-n-Ross Ramrod" stuffer based on 2" PVC pipe and fittings, squeezed by an oversize caulk gun. It works for small volumes of sausage (2 kg or so), has very little 'heel' left after use, and cleans up in the dishwasher. However, for more than a 2-kilo batch, I wouldn't recommend it.

I bought a 5 lb. horn stuffer from Sears. Chill this guy down and it STAYS chilled. However, it leaves about a two pound heel, which is not good. I'm considering using it for a boat anchor, this spring.

I currently use my grinder with stuffing attachment for larger batches. I need a foot switch, according to what I've read. Yet, others recommend NOT using a grinder for stuffing. I'd love to hear the pros and cons.

Many people seem to like the 5# and larger vertical stuffers (hopefully with metal gears). (LEM and the like...) What do you guys recommend? Are there any reasonably priced options?

...and there are several plans floating around the internet for hydraulically boosted PVC stuffers. Has anyone used one? What recommendations...?

As always, thanks for sharing.

The basic problem with using a grinder for stuffing is the lack of positive displacement in the feed auger. I made a cheese press for my sister that could be used as a make shift stuffer. This is a 3 inch diameter cylinder9 inches long. The mechanicals could easily handle a 5 inch cylinder.

Grinder:



Stuffer:



The on / off foot-pedal makes it a hands-free operation that one person is all it takes. Both work perfectly every time. RAY

I have two, my main grinder at my main house is an old Toledo




my second grinder at the winter house is a #12 Kitchener

I use an industrial meat grinder on wheels. It's powered by a Chev 427 with
headers, high rise manifold, with three dueces. It's very quick!

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

How does it work for emulsifying?

Looks like you're making your world-renown high fiber recipe. That, or your ex is missing some of her prized furniture about now. Oh! Sorry! I wasn't supposed to... uh...

...wonder what the "brown gargle" machine looks like. ...and does it have espresso + cappuccino buttons? Man, these modern day chuck wagon rigs are all integrated with text messaging and foot massaging and barristas named "Bunny." I tell ya, it jes' ain't the same.

but maybe that's good.

Chuckwagon wrote:Image
I use an industrial meat grinder on wheels. It's powered by a Chev 427 with
headers, high rise manifold, with three dueces. It's very quick!

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

Would the three dueces be Stromberg 97's?