Sausage?

[Fink]

Anyone make their own sausage, specifically Italian sausage and bratwursts? I won't make any venison sausage until this coming fall, but I'd like to try my hand at making some of my own sausages, to learn the process, so I'm not wasting any game meat down the road.
For those that 'roll their own', are you using a commercial seasoning package, or making your own seasoning? Any tips/tactics to share, other than the obvious - course ground meat, keep the meat really cold, etc.. Soak the casings, no soak? I'm a total rookie when it comes to this, but store bought sausage grosses me out, and I miss really good Italian sausages.

 

[go_deep]

I've just pulled a bunch of different recipes off the internet, lessen the seasonings to 2#s and make them and try them. A few things Ive learned is it takes way more seasoning in sausages than you think it should for the right flavor, if your going to use beer use something that has a really strong flavor so the beer flavor comes through.

 

[Work2hunt]

For hot Italian sausage I use Leggs Old Plantation Hot Italian sausage seasoning. I love it. When mixing with game I mix at 70/30, stuff it in natural casing or bulk pack in sealer bags.

 

[buckbull]

When I first started making my own sausage I found recipes off the internet. The problem I ran into is that I was buying a whole lot of spices that I may not every use again or may take years to use. I have now switched entirely to packaged kits. This provides already measured ingredients and probably fresher. I end up with better products with kits. Lately I have been buying all my kits from http://www.curleyssausagekitchen.com/. They have all been outstanding. I like the fact that you can buy 5, 25, and 50 lb kits. If I haven't tried a kit before, I buy the 5lb package. For tried and try I buy the 25 or 50 pound kits.

 

[go_deep]

If your not going to be making much a kit is the way to go. If you have leftover seasoning Just put them in the freezer, they'll last a long time that way.

 

[robsev]

Check out High Mountain products. They are awesome.

 

[Fink]

When I first started making my own sausage I found recipes off the internet. The problem I ran into is that I was buying a whole lot of spices that I may not every use again or may take years to use. I have now switched entirely to packaged kits. This provides already measured ingredients and probably fresher. I end up with better products with kits. Lately I have been buying all my kits from http://www.curleyssausagekitchen.com/. They have all been outstanding. I like the fact that you can buy 5, 25, and 50 lb kits. If I haven't tried a kit before, I buy the 5lb package. For tried and try I buy the 25 or 50 pound kits.

Nice, thanks, I think I'll order up some of this!

 

[6mm Remington]

Hi Country mixes out of Lincoln Montana make excellent sausage and jerky mixes. I use them all the time and they are fantastic!!

http://www.hicountry.com/products/products/

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I make 2 different types of sausage. Ground breakfast sausage. I use Hi Mountain Sage mix that my family really likes. I mix in about 10% bacon ends & pieces when I grind it. I also use Hi Mountain Brat casings and seasonings for my Brats. I smoke them and freeze. the thaw and put on the BBQ. My basic mix for sausage and hamburger is the same....80% defatted game meat & 20% pork shoulder roast. The only fat I use is what is on the pork roasts. I just add a little extra fat & flavor in the breakfast sausage when I add the bacon ends & pieces. I also make chorizo.

 

[swampokie]

I tried making sausage out of the local wild hogs here and it came out more like ham. I don’t think they had Enuff fat to make sausage I think beef fat may be needed to make it for breakfast.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

I use pork fat or groundpork. Just enough fat for perfect sausage.80%wild/20%pork.
Farmer John makes excellent "Sage" sausage.Works real well.
Believe it or not I use whole Javelinas for sausage.Great on the smoker!

 

[Work2hunt]

I also use pork shoulder butt. The meat to fat content and the marblizing of those two together makes a great cut to mix with.

 

[CrimsonArrow]

We recently tried a country sausage recipe from a spice packet my wife bought, and it was good. Mostly we just do an Italian sausage, ground bulk, in 50-75# batches. Thats a family recipe that can be tweaked with red pepper to make hotter or milder. We've tried several pork/venison ratios, and now go 50/50 on all our sausage. We also grind a second time after mixing

 

[buckbull]

For my hamburger I do 80% venison and 20% beef suet.

For sausage, summer sausage, polish sausage, ground formed bacon, breakfast sausage, salami, brats, etc. I do 40% venison, 40% lean pork (usually trimmed pork loin), and 20% pork fat. I do this instead of pork butts so that I know exactly what my fat content is. Consistency really helps to maintain quality. Maybe its not necessary to do this but the engineer in me doesn't like to guess.

I used to be one of the guys that always took my deboned meat to the processor. Started making my own jerky (cost was crazy expensive at processor). And that led to making other things. I don't take any meat to the processor now. I really enjoy making my own products and have been really impressed with the quality. Also gives us guys and excuse to get together and drink some beer and discuss the past season and the season to come. Good times.

 

[tdub24]

I just threw on some summer sausage like rolls without the casing for a friend, what internal temp do I cook them to? He did not use any pork, just ground beef brisket.

Sent from my LG-H910 using Tapatalk

 

[tdub24]

For those who need a picture.

Sent from my LG-H910 using Tapatalk

 

[dirtclod Az.]

Temp to 165'F. I cook some so they are still pink in center/later great in microwave to finish off for snacks.

 

[tdub24]

End result, let them rest then taste when my buddy shows up!

Sent from my LG-H910 using Tapatalk

 

[dirtclod Az.]

What is the coating you used for the ,sausage on the right?That looks interesting,would like to try that.

 

[tdub24]

What is the coating you used for the ,sausage on the right?That looks interesting,would like to try that.

I'm not really sure what seasonings he used, but those on the right were covered in black pepper. I know he had a ton of mustard seed too.

Sent from my LG-H910 using Tapatalk