Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Sausage  (Read 87550 times)

Offline Delo

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 268
Re: Sausage
« Reply #120 on: June 04, 2012, 01:41:14 pm »

It was pretty easy handling and stuffing the casing. Thought it would be more slippery and out of control. It wasn't!

They look great.  Was this your first time making them? I just made sausage the first time about a few weeks ago and I felt the same way.  It was a lot smoother than I thought it would be. I made about 6lbs, half breakfast sausages and half Irish Bangers. Did you use a stuffer?
Mark

Offline euge

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8017
  • Ego ceruisam ad bibere cervisiam
Re: Sausage
« Reply #121 on: June 04, 2012, 04:24:41 pm »
It's too much work using the grinder with the stuffer attachment. I'll get a proper stuffer this week. I see now that it isn't essential but would make things a hell of a lot easier.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Sausage
« Reply #122 on: June 05, 2012, 12:14:57 am »
looks awesome euge, nicely done!
Tom Schmidlin

Offline redbeerman

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1849
  • On the banks of the mighty Susquehanna in MD
Re: Sausage
« Reply #123 on: June 05, 2012, 05:59:49 am »
I've heard that the red wine makes a huge difference in flavor.
CH3CH2OH - Without it, life itself would be impossible.

[441, 112.1deg] AR

Jim

Offline Delo

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 268
Re: Sausage
« Reply #124 on: June 05, 2012, 08:45:36 am »
It's too much work using the grinder with the stuffer attachment. I'll get a proper stuffer this week. I see now that it isn't essential but would make things a hell of a lot easier.
A stuffer would be a nice but we have had a number of our appliances we use everyday die recently so that wont be happening anytime soon.  The sausage attachment for my meat grinder works pretty well.  Here are some picks of the bangers I made.  I browned them and then cooked them with onions and Guinness.  Reduced the Guinness to make a sauce and ate it with cheddar mash.  Mmmmm.
« Last Edit: June 05, 2012, 01:53:49 pm by Delo »
Mark

Offline euge

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8017
  • Ego ceruisam ad bibere cervisiam
Re: Sausage
« Reply #125 on: June 05, 2012, 08:02:25 pm »
I found a "Butcher supply" a couple blocks from work. They have cure#1 for $3/lb and cure#2 for $7.80/lb. Bought some plus two large casing to make summer sausage.

They had a wide selection of grinders, mixers and stuffers from household variety to the commercial size. Mainly it was those three types of equipment and knives etc...

But I got the last 5# stuffer they had and for a good price! They quoted me $129 on the phone and only charged me $119 when I got there. The rest of the home models were badass and well-made with metal gears but for a hefty $300. Can skip that price for now. 

Excited.  ;D
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Sausage
« Reply #126 on: June 05, 2012, 11:30:57 pm »
I found a "Butcher supply" a couple blocks from work. They have cure#1 for $3/lb and cure#2 for $7.80/lb. Bought some plus two large casing to make summer sausage.
Wow!  I paid $5 for four ounces of cure (Heller's Modern Cure #47688).  I need to look for a butcher supply instead of a butcher shop.

I know I could have gotten it online for less, but I was impatient and wanted to try it out :)
Tom Schmidlin

Offline euge

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8017
  • Ego ceruisam ad bibere cervisiam
Re: Sausage
« Reply #127 on: June 05, 2012, 11:56:25 pm »
Sausagemaker.com has them for more but the break is 5# I think.

I think you'll do better locally. I still have to shmooze up some butchers for the good cuts and fat at a good price.



The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Sausage
« Reply #128 on: June 05, 2012, 11:59:11 pm »
I found a local place that has modern cure for $1.50 per pound.  I don't get down that way much, but I'll be going by Monday at the latest so I may have to swing by.  Not that I need that much really.

What kind of casings did you get?
Tom Schmidlin

Offline euge

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8017
  • Ego ceruisam ad bibere cervisiam
Re: Sausage
« Reply #129 on: June 06, 2012, 12:21:24 am »
The second type were those big brown synthetic summer beef sausage casings. I got two that are 20" long by 3" wide. Probably hold about 5#.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Sausage
« Reply #130 on: June 06, 2012, 12:27:54 am »
Which were the "lifetime supply for $7.99" ones? :)

I'll probably get something small to try it out, but I kind of like loose sausage too.  What are the relative merits of the different types of casings?  I probably asked that already . . .
Tom Schmidlin

Offline euge

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8017
  • Ego ceruisam ad bibere cervisiam
Re: Sausage
« Reply #131 on: June 06, 2012, 12:49:47 am »
Which were the "lifetime supply for $7.99" ones? :)

I'll probably get something small to try it out, but I kind of like loose sausage too.  What are the relative merits of the different types of casings?  I probably asked that already . . .

Well I bought a pound of natural hog-casings that are salted down like cod but on these hollow plastic strips. One of these strips will probably do 15-20 pounds of sausage. There are maybe 15 strips to the pound or even more. The plastic strips have a weight so if you can get casings without them it might better. However, they sure were easy to slip over the stuffing tube.

I think natural casings are preferable due to the crunch/snap and digestibility. They also take on smoke more readily than synthetic. When fermenting I think ultimately natural is the way to go. But for an intro basic unfermented summer sausage a synthetic casing probably will do for now. Mine will have cheddar and jalapeƱo...
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Sausage
« Reply #132 on: June 06, 2012, 01:20:02 am »
Thanks for the info euge, good to know.  I might do natural and see what I get.  I don't plan to ferment sausages yet, maybe after NHC :)
Tom Schmidlin

Offline phillamb168

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2351
  • Lardy, France
    • My Job
Re: Sausage
« Reply #133 on: June 06, 2012, 03:06:11 am »
I've got a hygrometer taking readings the basement now, and have already placed a bid on a used industrial meat slicer. Gonna be doing fermented sausage ASAP, that's for sure.

How do you guys stuff your sausage? Meaning, how do you get the right amount in there (I tend to overstuff, for example) and how to you get a good rhythm going . I find that I have problems in stuffing and keeping the casings going at the same time.

I just bought a 5 L vertical stuffer WITH A RELEASE VALVE. I think it's super important, they look like the release valves on corny kegs, use it to make sure you're not pushing air into the casings. Cost me ~200 eur, I have no idea how much sausage fits in 5 liters, I'm guessing around 5 kg/10 pounds?
I'm on twitter: phillamb168
----
morticaixavier for governing committee!

Offline MDixon

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2311
Re: Sausage
« Reply #134 on: June 06, 2012, 05:35:55 am »
I just let the casing slide more off the tube it appears I am overstuffing. 200 euro is a buttload, is it motorized?

I stuff the entire casing and then twist afterwards. I've seen some do it on the fly and I've never been able to pull that off.
It's not a popularity contest, it's beer!