Post by Wayne Copeland on Jul 31, 2005 11:54:34 GMT -5
Some KCBS contests have a sausage category that you might want to try your luck in, or just make some good sausage for the family. You can make sausage without a meat grinder or sausage grinder, but I suggest you invest a little money and buy these devices, as it will save a lot of time, energy, and just plain hard work. You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars for these tools, as they can be purchased locally or through the INTERNET. I found both in the Northern Tool Co. catalog and ordered them both for about $75.00. They are non-electric, but very easy to use.
After you get your equipment cleaned and set up, you will need to have your sausage casing ready. Casings are cleaned, sanitized hog or sheep intestines. You can usually find them at smaller meat markets, as I don't think I have ever seen them in the larger grocery stores. I prefer to use 38-42mm diameter casings, which are about 1 1/2 inch diameter. Knot tie one end of a 6 foot long casing and place the opposite end of it over the sausage horn, while pushing the rest of it accordion style onto the horn. I usually ask for some help at this point, as the grinder takes one person to operate and one person to hold the casing while it is being filled, twisting and rolling the links at the 5-6 inch length.
The following is a recipe that produces about 5 pounds of sausage:
2 1/2 lbs of cubed beef chuck
2 1/2 lbs. of cubed pork butt (trimmed of excess fat)
2 tbs. of your favorite BBQ sauce (homemade is best)
1 tbs. of granulated garlic
1 cup of powdered milk
1 tbs. of seasoned salt
1 tbs. of chili powder
1 tbs. of granulated cane sugar
1 tbs. of ground sage
1 1/2 tbs. of fresh ground black pepper (use peppercorns in a grinder)
2 tsp. of ground cumin
2 tsp. of crushed red pepper
1 tsp. of cayenne pepper
1 tsp. of ground marjoram
Grind the beef and pork through a 5/16 inch grinder plate. I then mix thoroughly with my hands until it is well mixed. Now, in a separate bowl, mix all your seasonings thoroughly. Start adding 1/4 of the seasonings to the meat, mixing well for a couple of minutes; then another 1/4 of the seasonings, etc, until all of it is mixed up.
The meat should be somewhat sticky and binding together. If it is too dry, add about 1/4 cup of cold water and mix it in. You can add up to 1 cup of water to get to the right (sticky) consistency. If you have put in one cup and its still falling apart, add an egg and mix well.
This mixture will keep for several days in the fridge and can be frozen for 3 months as well.
I prefer to slow smoke sausage in the pit versus cooking on a grill over charcoal. I like to hang the ropes in my cooker and smoke them until they get to an internal temp. of 165 degrees, which usually takes 2 to 3 hours at 225 degrees. Remember, the higher heats will dry out your casings and it will be a little tough to cut.
Tip: After you have hung the rope in your smoker, take a straight pin and poke a hole towards the top and middle of each link and the juices will baste the casings during the smoking process. A water pan is also helpful to keep the casings moist. I also like to use pecan or oak wood when I am cooking sausage.
If grilling the links, place them away from the charcoal and turn them every 7-8 minutes...they should be done in about 20-30 minutes if cooked on a medium heat grill.
After you get your equipment cleaned and set up, you will need to have your sausage casing ready. Casings are cleaned, sanitized hog or sheep intestines. You can usually find them at smaller meat markets, as I don't think I have ever seen them in the larger grocery stores. I prefer to use 38-42mm diameter casings, which are about 1 1/2 inch diameter. Knot tie one end of a 6 foot long casing and place the opposite end of it over the sausage horn, while pushing the rest of it accordion style onto the horn. I usually ask for some help at this point, as the grinder takes one person to operate and one person to hold the casing while it is being filled, twisting and rolling the links at the 5-6 inch length.
The following is a recipe that produces about 5 pounds of sausage:
2 1/2 lbs of cubed beef chuck
2 1/2 lbs. of cubed pork butt (trimmed of excess fat)
2 tbs. of your favorite BBQ sauce (homemade is best)
1 tbs. of granulated garlic
1 cup of powdered milk
1 tbs. of seasoned salt
1 tbs. of chili powder
1 tbs. of granulated cane sugar
1 tbs. of ground sage
1 1/2 tbs. of fresh ground black pepper (use peppercorns in a grinder)
2 tsp. of ground cumin
2 tsp. of crushed red pepper
1 tsp. of cayenne pepper
1 tsp. of ground marjoram
Grind the beef and pork through a 5/16 inch grinder plate. I then mix thoroughly with my hands until it is well mixed. Now, in a separate bowl, mix all your seasonings thoroughly. Start adding 1/4 of the seasonings to the meat, mixing well for a couple of minutes; then another 1/4 of the seasonings, etc, until all of it is mixed up.
The meat should be somewhat sticky and binding together. If it is too dry, add about 1/4 cup of cold water and mix it in. You can add up to 1 cup of water to get to the right (sticky) consistency. If you have put in one cup and its still falling apart, add an egg and mix well.
This mixture will keep for several days in the fridge and can be frozen for 3 months as well.
I prefer to slow smoke sausage in the pit versus cooking on a grill over charcoal. I like to hang the ropes in my cooker and smoke them until they get to an internal temp. of 165 degrees, which usually takes 2 to 3 hours at 225 degrees. Remember, the higher heats will dry out your casings and it will be a little tough to cut.
Tip: After you have hung the rope in your smoker, take a straight pin and poke a hole towards the top and middle of each link and the juices will baste the casings during the smoking process. A water pan is also helpful to keep the casings moist. I also like to use pecan or oak wood when I am cooking sausage.
If grilling the links, place them away from the charcoal and turn them every 7-8 minutes...they should be done in about 20-30 minutes if cooked on a medium heat grill.
