Spent the day making sausage.

[HuntTalk Freak]

Yesterday, started by cutting up a 8lb pork roast that had a good amount of fat on it. Already had about 15-16 pounds of venison cubed up and thawing in the freezer. Mixed both up and ran through the grinder.



Next I split it about evenly into two meat totes and mixed up two packets of Polish seasons from LEM for the first batch.



I then stuffed the Polish, then made a batch of bratwurst. Ended up with around 22lbs total. I can’t find my scale so just stood on a bathroom scale holding the meat totes. We had brats for dinner last night and I’m cooking up some Polish tonight. The LEM stuff is pretty good and bit easier than making my own seasons like of done in the past. The meat tote liners make cleaning up a breeze.

 

[Nick87]

The meat tote liners make cleaning up a breeze.

Worth every penny.

 

[mtmuley]

Yesterday, started by cutting up a 8lb pork roast that had a good amount of fat on it. Already had about 15-16 pounds of venison cubed up and thawing in the freezer. Mixed both up and ran through the grinder.
View attachment 297026
View attachment 297027

Next I split it about evenly into two meat totes and mixed up two packets of Polish seasons from LEM for the first batch.
View attachment 297028
View attachment 297029

I then stuffed the Polish, then made a batch of bratwurst. Ended up with around 22lbs total. I can’t find my scale so just stood on a bathroom scale holding the meat totes. We had brats for dinner last night and I’m cooking up some Polish tonight. The LEM stuff is pretty good and bit easier than making my own seasons like of done in the past. The meat tote liners make cleaning up a breeze.
View attachment 297031
View attachment 297032

Do you use a dedicated stuffer or your grinder? mtmuley

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

Do you use a dedicated stuffer or your grinder? mtmuley

Dedicated stuffer. It’s a 5lb, should have bought at least a 10lb version.

My grinder has the attachments but I’ve never even bothered with it.

 

[WildWill]

Looks awesome! I've got 18lb of pronghorn ready to go for summer sausage just waiting on a order of hi temp cheese to come in.

 

[Nick87]

It’s a 5lb, should have bought at least a 10lb version.

I feel your pain. But it was a free hand me down so I can't complain.

 

[brymoore]

Looks good

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

Looks awesome! I've got 18lb of pronghorn ready to go for summer sausage just waiting on an order of hi temp cheese to come in.

Luckily my order came in all at once this time around. Enough for 10lbs each of brats, polish, chipotle bourbon and jalapeño summer and the high temp cheese for it and the chipotle stuff.

Last time it was a month or two before the cheese showed up and I had already made everything. I sent a Karen email complaining, never heard anything.

Waiting for the temps to cook a little before I make the cured sausages.

I still have almost two deer in a freezer from last season and need to get them processed. Making jerky next week.

 

[JEL]

Yesterday, started by cutting up a 8lb pork roast that had a good amount of fat on it. Already had about 15-16 pounds of venison cubed up and thawing in the freezer. Mixed both up and ran through the grinder.
View attachment 297026
View attachment 297027

Next I split it about evenly into two meat totes and mixed up two packets of Polish seasons from LEM for the first batch.
View attachment 297028
View attachment 297029

I then stuffed the Polish, then made a batch of bratwurst. Ended up with around 22lbs total. I can’t find my scale so just stood on a bathroom scale holding the meat totes. We had brats for dinner last night and I’m cooking up some Polish tonight. The LEM stuff is pretty good and bit easier than making my own seasons like of done in the past. The meat tote liners make cleaning up a breeze.
View attachment 297031
View attachment 297032

Looks great. I will have to get some of those liners. I hate cleaning totes in our kitchen sink.

 

[Steiny77]

Good job !
We do Italian sausage like that.

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

Looks great. I will have to get some of those liners. I hate cleaning totes in our kitchen sink.

Same here that’s why when I saw them on the LEM site I decide to give them a try.

I still will clean around the handles of the totes and whatnot but it’s nice not having to worry about such a big mess.

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

Good job !
We do Italian sausage like that.

I typically made Italian too but I don’t stuff it, I make meat balls or just brown and crumble for spaghetti.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

Dedicated stuffer. It’s a 5lb, should have bought at least a 10lb version.

My grinder has the attachments but I’ve never even bothered with it.

I got a 15 lb stuffer and wish I woulda got a 20.

 

[millerkiller77]

Yesterday, started by cutting up a 8lb pork roast that had a good amount of fat on it. Already had about 15-16 pounds of venison cubed up and thawing in the freezer. Mixed both up and ran through the grinder.
View attachment 297026
View attachment 297027

Next I split it about evenly into two meat totes and mixed up two packets of Polish seasons from LEM for the first batch.
View attachment 297028
View attachment 297029

I then stuffed the Polish, then made a batch of bratwurst. Ended up with around 22lbs total. I can’t find my scale so just stood on a bathroom scale holding the meat totes. We had brats for dinner last night and I’m cooking up some Polish tonight. The LEM stuff is pretty good and bit easier than making my own seasons like of done in the past. The meat tote liners make cleaning up a breeze.
View attachment 297031
View attachment 297032

Are you using a meat mixer or just mixing these small batches by hand?

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

Are you using a meat mixer or just mixing these small batches by hand?

For now by hand. I mix until the meat becomes somewhat tacky, this is suppose to help in the breakdown of the proteins in the meat or something. It’s made a huge difference in the taste and texture of the sausages.

I also only grind once and try to get an even mixture of the pork and venison as I work. If I had more time and space I’d try a double grind to even it out more but as is I’m pretty happy with how they turn out now.

The first few times I made sausage most of it ended up as dog food. I’m still not that good at it but get better and learn a little each time.

 

[Nick87]

For now by hand. I mix until the meat becomes somewhat tacky, this is suppose to help in the breakdown of the proteins in the meat or something. It’s made a huge difference in the taste and texture of the sausages.

I also only grind once and try to get an even mixture of the pork and venison as I work. If I had more time and space I’d try a double grind to even it out more but as is I’m pretty happy with how they turn out now.

The first few times I made sausage most of it ended up as dog food. I’m still not that good at it but get better and learn a little each time.

I've got a mixer and I went back to mixing by hand. Seems to turn out much better. Just keep it under 2lbs Ata time for hand mixing seems to be the seet spot.

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

I've got a mixer and I went back to mixing by hand. Seems to turn out much better. Just keep it under 2lbs Ata time for hand mixing seems to be the seet spot.

Interesting. I’ve been doing 5lb batches and this was the most I’ve ever made in one day and I actually enjoyed it more. I think that was mainly due to set up and cleaning time being equal no matter the batch weight.

And I went into it with a bit of a different mindset than normal. I normally get stressed, this time I just went with it. Even took a nap between batches.

 

[Nick87]

Interesting. I’ve been doing 5lb batches and this was the most I’ve ever made in one day and I actually enjoyed it more. I think that was mainly due to set up and cleaning time being equal no matter the batch weight.

And I went into it with a bit of a different mindset than normal. I normally get stressed, this time I just went with it. Even took a nap between batches.

Like you said you get better everytime. Anymore I don't even have to read anything I've got written down just eyeball it you get a feel for what you need.