Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Food, Cooking, and Game Preparation Question on sausage making

Were taking a trip to a ranch in Texas to cull out some whitetail. Last year we came back with 9 and my processing bill was just short of a new vehicle. Well were making that trip again this and I'll be using a buddies grinder to process at least my ground meat. That will ease the pain some, but I would also like to start trying to make my own sausage. I'll set some meat on the side for "experimental" purposes, then mix with a boston butt. My question is for those that make their own sausage, do you use a stuffer, or do you run it straight off the grinder? Lem makes a 5lb stuffer for about $120. Could consider picking one up and play around after freezer is full.

If you are on a schedule, make sure that no one sits down on the grinder, or you will get behind in your work.

Use the right tool for the job and get the stuffer. Look around for a used one if you're on a tight budget. I tried using my manual grinder for stuffing sausage and the results were less than stellar. Even a cheap stuffer is a big jump ahead IMHO.

Have fun!
Doc Paul

There are good jokes...mediocre jokes...and bad jokes but I think you created a whole new category with that gem.


SDjr.......I use a stuffer but lots folks just run it through the grinder again with a stuffing attachment. I don't think it really matters.
The only reason I use a stuffer is because I have a manual grinder so it would take me forever to make a batch of sausage.

Yes, this will be a manual grinder. I did see a video of the LEM 5lb stuffer and what I liked about it was sure it was slow, but steady.

I have this one.

https://www.westonsupply.com/Weston-Manual-Sausage-Stuffers-p/manual%20sausage%20stuffers.htm

It's manual too but it works just fine for the size of batches that I make and it beats the hell out of cranking that grinder a second time.

I have the 3#er but you might want to splurge and spend another $10 on the 5#er if you're making a lot.
I have to fill mine twice once in a while but that only takes a minute.

Here's a pretty good source of recipe's..

http://thespicysausage.com/sausagemakingrecipes.htm#porksausage

The Hunters Sausage is pretty good but what isn't when you add beer and bacon.

Luck

PS....use a sausage pick or they'll pop when you cook em.
I was too cheap to spend $10 on a pick so I made one out of a wine bottle cork and a large needle. It works just fine.

I use an antique Enterprise stuffer with no problems. Just use natural casings, stuff the whole casing and cut to length. Get Rytek Kutas’ book on sausage making. I built my own grinder set up using a Chop rite grinder, a couple pulleys and pillow blocks and a 3/4 hp motor - grinds as fast as I can feed it. I need a masa mixer though for the mixing, now if I can just find one cheap.

Usually boston butts go on sale here for about $ .99 / lb. I know some have issues with freezing meat, thawing, then refreezing. Are there any issues with taking some frozen deer, thaw, grind andf mix with boston butt when they become available? Or wait until you can have a sausage making day with all the pork meat you just picked up? But that would require thawing the "Texas meat", grind it, cut up pork and grind it, mix together, make sausage and then re-freeze.

I do it regularly and have never seen an issue. Buying the pork when it is cheap and holding it in the freezer may not be a bad idea for you because the pork is usually the smaller part of the mix.

If I am doing a lot, I cut the game and pork into chunks and add the spice to the chunks. On the second grind I stuff with the grinder.
To push the last of the meat out of the grinder use old bread.
When you add salt to meat, it will stiffen up the meat and will be a bit harder to stuff, so stuff right away. After stuffing I always let the sausage rest a day chilled to let the spices bloom. Then I typically smoke most. I really believe that allowing the stuffed sausage to sit a day adds to the quality of the flavor.
I always add about 1/2 cup powdered milk or soy powder to help retain moisture. I also add 1 cup of cold water for moisture and to help the sausage flow when stuffing.

I've got the 7# version of this stuffer. My only regret is I didn't buy it sooner, and that I didn't by a larger capacity. Once I started stuffing with a stuffer, trying to do it from the grinder seemed foolish.

https://www.amazon.com/Weston-86-1101-W-Vertical-Sausage-Stuffer/dp/B00A318LNO

I have the 5 pounder, I would probably recommend a bigger one. I buy ground pork/beef and just use the stuffer. No grinder to clean, so I don't feel compelled to make a ton.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWZ6AE...d_r=86e62808-e435-11e8-963e-55bdcc3215cb

Get a 10lb stuffer

I have a 20lb stuffer wit motor...wish I had a 30 ......u buy small and make some meat up ...then refill ...then clean up and u will know what I'm talking about....

Yes go big on the stuffer. Some butcher shops here and most in Mexico do everything by hand but it is a learned skill and time consuming. A good stuffere by passes the learning curve to some extent. Also at some point you will want to motorize the grinder especially if doing multiple deer.

Freezing is fine until you shoot a hog or pork goes on sale. The meat will cut and grind better if partially frozen, thawed just to the point it can be worked. I don't like to freeze fatty meat for long periods of time like over two months as the fat can change or go rancid even if frozen. Partially frozen meat works better for jerky too. It's easier to cut more uniformly.

Get a stuffer. I order all my sausage seasonings from allied kenco and they have some interesting “how to” pages on the website as well. Just smoked 25 lbs of polish, 25 lbs of Dobesh (too peppery), and 10 lbs of bratts. Looking forward to making summer sausage next.

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