The Texas BBQ Forum

I made about 9 pounds each of a Medium Breakfast Sausage and a Medium Italian Sausage.
I wish I had 22-26 mm sheep casings for the breakfast sausage for links, so I had to improvise. Hey, ya gotta make do with what's on-hand.
Both were done as follows:
Ground the Pork Butt through a 1/4" plate.
Weighed out 8.8 pounds (2kg) This was a 4X batch.
Mixed the dry ingredients.



Measured out the liquid and combined with the dry.



Put the meat in the mixer and added the seasoning. Mixed until it was sticky. (about 5 minutes)



Fried up a test patty and it just made me hungrier.



Lunch. Sausage, egg and smoked cheddar sammie.




Now I'm all fat and happy. I still gotta stuff the bags.
It all fit in my 8# horizontal.



Done.



The Italian




Breakfast Sausage Recipe
2.2 pounds Ground Pork Butt (1000g)
3 tsp Kosher Salt (18.0g)
1 tsp Butcher Grind Black Pepper (2.0g)
1 tsp Sage, Rubbed (2.0g)
1/4 tsp Nutmeg (0.5g)
2/3 tsp Ginger, Ground (0.5g)
1 tsp Thyme, dried (1.0g)
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper - 90K (0.5g)
3/8 Cup Cold Water (100 ml)

Stuff into 22-26 mm Sheep Casings for links or 1# bulk bags.
Grill or fry before eating.
Next time, I think I will double the Cayenne. Just a little more heat for me.


Italian Sausage Recipe
2.2 pounds Ground Pork Butt (1000g)
3 tsp Kosher Salt (18.0g)
1 tsp Butcher Grind Black Pepper (2.0g)
1/2 tsp Sugar, white (2.0g)
2 tsp Fennel, cracked (3.0g)
1/2 tsp Coriander (1.0g)
1/2 tsp Caraway (1.0g)
3/8 Cup Cold Water (100 ml)

For Medium Hot Italian Sausage add 2.0 g (1 tsp) cayenne pepper.
For Hot Italian Sausage add 4.0 g (2 tsp) cayenne pepper.
Stuff into 32-35 mm Hog Casings or 1# bulk bags.
Grill or fry before eating.
If you want to smoke the Italian, then go with a smaller casing.
You could even use a collagen on this and it would be good.
Be sure to add 2.5g Cure #1 or a scant 1/2 tsp.

The recipes came from wedlinydomowe.com
This is the best tasting sausage that I have made.
Thanks for lookin'. Now git to grindin'

Yea buddy!

Mmmmmm....Now that's a nice sammie. I'm going to be wanting one of those in the morning.

Thanks for the recipes.

Thank you Toby and David.
The thing about grinding your own is that you can control the amount of fat it contains.
That store bought crap can have up to 50%.
These batches came in around 17%, so they don't make any grease.

Gunny, you are the Sleeve Master. Lock and load.

Awesome lookin grub right there!

What tools are using for the process? I'm looking at doing my own sausage making this year from the hogs i kill instead of taking it to the processer but i need to get the tools to do it with.

Locked and Loaded, Boots, and all ready on the firing line. Thanks.

Crazy D, Thank you. Don't let the list below scare you off. You probably have some of it right now.
Check the scratch and dent, clearance, Amazon's Warehouse Deals (used), etc. I have bought a bunch of stuff from that deals site. Most are just a damaged box or a slight blemish in the finish. I tend to shy away from eBay because it would be impossible to get a part for an item if needed.

#12 Meat Grinder
Mine is branded Northern Tool (before Kitchener), looks the same.

Meat Mixer
I bought mine off of eBay for half of that. Looks the same. This is optional, but unless you like almost frozen hands from mixing, it is well worth it.

5# Stuffer
I have an 8# Horizontal (discontinued) from them. It takes up a bunch of counter when it's fully loaded. Over 3' of it. I wish it was a vertical.
Grizzly has one on sale right now. It looks the same to me.
If I had do-overs I would get the Dakota Water Stuffer.

2 Kg Scale
13# Scale
Ya gotta have em. The little one for weighing out spices and cure. The bigger one for the meat.
I just bought these to replace a Harbor Freight Pocket Scale and a 10 year old 50# Postal Scale. It still works, if the wind is from the South and the sun is out.

A few good SHARP knives. I bought some of the cheap ones that Sam's sells (Baker's Choice, I think), and put a 17 degree bevel on them. They hold an edge pretty good. Just hit em with a steel or a strap every now and then. I don't know anything about the expensive knives, cause I can't afford them.

You'll probably want a couple of 25# meat lugs with lids or a couple dish pans from the dollar store.
I mix all of my own seasonings. My spices come from Spice Barn.
Casings and sausage making items from The Sausage Maker.
Those mixes like you get in the store tend to have way too much salt in them for me.
All of the hardware is about 5 years old and has seen over a ton of meat. Probably more.

If you want to try it out, buy a butt, ask the butcher to give you a course grind out of it and pack it in 2.2 pound packs. Most are more than happy to help you out.
Mix it by hand.
Divide it in half.
Roll it up into a log in plastic wrap.
Cook within 3 days or freeze it.
Any questions just post here or send me a PM/eMail.

I've never made any sausage before but really would like to try or start making it. One question for the Italian towards the end you mention cure #1. Is that only used if you put it in casing to smoke? Or would I still use it even if I put it in the 1# bags? Sorry if it's a dumb question but want to do this right

txag826, once you taste homemade, you will never buy it from the store again.

One question for the Italian towards the end you mention cure #1. Is that only used if you put it in casing to smoke? Or would I still use it even if I put it in the 1# bags? Sorry if it's a dumb question but want to do this right

No cure needed if it is considered a "Fresh" sausage.
If you smoke it, then yes you will need the cure.
No question is dumb when it comes to using cures. Nitrates and Nitrites are toxic, when used in excess. The cures are mostly salt with the correct % added. They are very safe, just pay attention to what you are doing.