New toy

[Jamieb]

I'm going to give sausage making a try, useing a breakfast sausage kit the first time.
If it turns out ok then I have a recipy for polish sausage that I'll try.
Hopefully I dont end up throwing out a bunch of deer meat.

I've been reading some sausage making info on the web the last couple of hours, this is going to be fun.

[WCTaxidermy]

That grinder looks like it will handle the job just fine.  I think you will get hooked with sausage making right off the bat.  Make sure you take pic's of your first batch.  Good luck.  John

[Wea300mag]

Very nice, the one thing I suggest if you don't have something similar already are some meat totes.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Rubbermaid-Meat-Tubs-Per-3/715165.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dtotes%26x%3D19%26y%3D11&Ntt=totes

Don't be afraid to spice up standard sausage blends. There are lots of people on here who can help you with some suggestions.

[Jamieb]

The breakfast sausage we normaly buy is the jimmy dean hot.
What pepper should I use to add some heat to the boxed seasoning?
I've been thinking of giving sausage making a try for a while, posts on here is what pushed me over the edge.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Just follow the directions and all will be ok, its lots of fun and tasty.

[Wea300mag]

I use cayenne for heat, 3 heaping tablespoons per 25 lbs of meat. I've used jalapeno but don't like the taste as much. For breakfast sausage I like to use 50:50, venison to pork shoulder, but this is just a personal preference. Another thing you can do to make the batch just how you want it is to fry a couple patties up before you stuff it. If you want more heat/salt/sage/etc you can add too it before stuffing.

[carpsniperg2]

Looks like a great setup.

[dogtuk]

Jaimieb

the casings you got are collagen casings they will not link for ya you will have to use string and tie your links
i would add some red pepper flakes to kick it up some and mix your seasonings in a pint water for 10 pounds of meat before mixing into the meat this will help it mix evenly good luck your gonna love this new hobby it is very addicting and enjoyable

[Jamieb]

Thanks.
What kind of string do you use for tying off links?

[dogtuk]

Just use the plain old twine you buy at the hardware store the white stuff

[Bean Counter]

...your gonna love this new hobby it is very addicting and enjoyable

 

Crystal meth ain't got nothin' on sausage making 

[Jamieb]

I wonder if I can use that as a reason to throw in a extra out of state hunt
Need the meat to make sausage.
Think the wife will go for it?

[Jamieb]

The breakfast sausage was a hit this morning.

Deer

pork

mixed

A few links


I froze 14 lb's of patty and 5lb's of link.
I need to buy a good smoker that I can control the heat in and then it's polish sausage next.

[dogtuk]

Nice looking links good job now your hooked LOL
the kits are nice and i use a lot of the pre mixed seasoning but here is a polish kielbasa recipe that is great you will have to look it up I cannot copy and paste the link for some reason it is a PDF file
do a search for Pappa Poli's polish kielbasa recipe it is awesome

[Wea300mag]

It looks like you have caught the sausage making disease Jamie.

[WCTaxidermy]

That sausage looks great.  Good job.  By the looks and sound of your post, I would go out on a limb and say you are hooked. John

[Jamieb]

I didnt get a elk this year so ther only game meat in the frezzer  is deer and theres not much of that left.
I'll be trying recipies with 100% pork so by the time I have more deer or elk meat I should have a good recipe ready.

[WCTaxidermy]

If your short on meat, don't forget to look at some of the great deals on the lower quality cuts of beef in the store.  Your going to grind it anyway and on sale you can get it dirt cheap.  I have done that for years when I got short on game meat.  Give it a look, I thnk you will be surprised.  Good luck.  John

[Jamieb]

Godd idea, thanks

[huntlakewood]

The sausage is just the beginning.

[Jamieb]

Snack sticks this weekend.

[Mossy]

Yep, he's hooked.

[Jamieb]

Turned out great.

[CAMPMEAT]

I have a Bradley also. Never clean the walls, just the racks and the splash guard. It adds to the flavor. I've slow roasted in mine without the briquettes and you get a mild smoke flavor.

[Mossy]

Looks pretty close to the same setup as masterbuilts.  What I did when I started with snack sticks was, take the racks out, go to the hardware store and buy some dowels.  Mine you have to buy small enough diameter to fit between where the racks slide in.  With yours, you can get any diameter.  I can fit 3-4  rows on top area.  You just have to measure length so you don't have them hanging in water, pinch your casing to where they are dry and hang over dowels.  It saves weird shaped pieces and you don't have to tie anything.  Collagen casings you just have to twist at ends.

Another tip is to do a dry run with a brand new smoker.  No meat and smoke the heck out of it for a few hours.  I used strong smoke like mesquite.

[Jamieb]

I ran the smoker at 250* with smoke for 4 hours empty before the first use.
I tied the sticks to the top rack with somw string.

[Jamieb]

 

[Mossy]

The masterbuilt is a cheap clone of the Bradly.
I was going to buy a masterbuilt, trying to save a few bucks but after reading some reviews I decided to wait.
I got the Bradly on sale for 299. a couple of days ago.

Thanks, I appreciate that.  Good luck with your ventures.

[Jamieb]

Mossy.
Sorry if that offended you. I did a very poor job of wording it.
I spend more time with my foot in my mouth then without.
The masterbuilt would probably work fine for everything I would use it for and last many years but the bradly is built better, more expensive but put together better. I would have bought a masterbuilt but I found the bradly on sale at Wholesale sports the other day so I went that route.

[Mossy]

No worries, that seems like a really good price.  It's about the same as what she paid for mine I think.