Calling all homemade sausage makers

[badunnin]

I did a search for previous threads (searched for sausage in titles only ;) ) but couldn't find many recipes. I'm having a sausage making extravaganza (I hope I'm not jinxing myself by using that word!) and was looking for your suggestions! We make fresh kielbasa (not smoked or cured) in my house twice a year, for Christmas and Easter, so I have the Polish sausage recipe covered. Any others that I just have to try?

[ljt2r]

Mexican chorizo--you really don't even need to put it in casing, actually, usually it is crumbled into recipes. It is REALLY yummy. I have some different recipes for it if you are interested, usually involves beer, chipotle, and other assorted spices.

Laura

PS I should add that I have never made it, however, am usually too lazy. I have always wanted to try to make sausage--good luck!

[badunnin]

Laura I'd love the recipe (or recipes!)

[ljt2r]

I will get them tomorrow during the day. They are pretty simple if I remember correctly...

Laura

[ReneeV]

Hi,
Here's a thread on my sausage making experience. I'll find try to find the recipes and post them, if you're interested.

http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32705&highlight=bratwurst


Renée

[badunnin]

Renee - that was one of the threads that I found. Because I found no recipes, however, I posted another thread. I'd love your recipes!

[ReneeV]

Here's my bratwurst recipe :

3 lbs whole pork loin, trimmed of visable fat
2 lbs 93% lean ground turkey (I used Butterball brand)
1 lb 93% lean ground beef
3 c very soft cooked white rice, mashed (about 1.5 lbs cooked)
1/2 c Penzey Bratwurst spice mix
1/4 c dry powdered buttermilk
1 T kosher salt
water
Medium hog casings for 7-8 lbs of sausage.

Grind trimmed pork loin with fine blade of meat grinder, or have
butcher do this for you. Mash rice with a potato masher, until it resembles rice pudding. Combine 3 meats and rice. Mix thoroughly. Add spices, buttermilk powder and salt. Add water if mixture seems dry, a little at a time. Don't add too much. You don't want the mixture to be too sticky. Combine thoroughly. Fry up a small patty to taste for correct seasonings. Adjust, if needed.

Rinse casings inside and out. Place sausage stuffing attachment on you meat grinder. Follow insturction manual. Load one casing on the horn of the sausage stuffer. Tie a knot in the end. Load the sauage meat into the hopper of the sausage stuffer and fill the casings, firmly but not too taughtly. Reload casings as needed.

You may twist into links as you stuff the casings, or you can just
stuff casings into ropes and cut into desired size pieces. Makes about 7 1/5 - 8 lbs of sausage.

To Cook:
***** casings so that they won't split when cooking. Poach in beer in a large frying pan for about 15 minutes. Brown in the frying pan or grill outside on a grill for about 10 additional minutes.

Per 4 oz link:
178 cals
8.2 ft
< 1 fbr
WW: 4 points

NOTES:
I buy a whole pork loin when I see them on sale. I grind it myself
with a Kitchenaid mixer meat grinding attachment. The rice is added to add moister to the sausage so that it won't be overly dry and woody becauseI am using very lean meat. You can order the Penzey spices from their website. If you don't have the Penzey mix for bratwurst, find a recipe for bratwurst and use those seasonings. Just make sure you are using enough for 7 lbs. You can get casings at most butchers or meat departments of grocery stores. Call ahead to make sure they have them and will sell them to you. Some butchers are funny about that, for some reason.

I also made country sausage as well. For most Pork based sausages,
such as Italian or breakfast, replace the 1 lb of beef with an additional pound of ground turkey. Omit the buttermilk powder. Use whatever spices you desire. Proceed with the stuffing instructions. These sausages can be baked or grilled or broiled. You don't have to poach them first. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Country or breakfast sausage can be made in patties, if you don't want to stuffinto casings.

If you don't have a Kitchenaid or other sausage stuffing equiptment,
you can use an old fashioned sausage stuffing funnel. YOu can buy one at most kitchenware shops. They look like a regular funnel, only the spout at the bottom is about 1" across. Load a casing on to the spout and stuff the sausage meat in by hand. This is very time consuming, so yomay not want to make 7 lbs! I'd start with a 1/2 recipe. This is a great project for more than one person. Have Fun!

Renée

[ReneeV]

I'll look up the Apple Chicken recipe and post it later. I'm home with sick kids today, so I have access to my cookbooks.

I know the brat recipe looks a little involved, but it's really good!

I'll also post the individual spices needed in a brat recipe in case you don't want to go the Penzey route.

Renée

[JHolcomb]

I would love the apple one!

I've only made Alton's breakfast sausage. It is really, really good.

Does anyone use the collagen casings? If so, where do you order them from?

[ljt2r]

OK, here are 2 Mexican chorizo recipes:

From Reed Hearon's "Bocaditos:"

8 oz ground pork shoulder
2 1/2 tsp dark Mexican beer (like Negra Mondela)
2 tsp Chipotle Rub

Mix ingredients well.

Chipotle Rub:

1 tble corn oil
3 chipotle chilis, seeded and deveined
2 tble kosher salt
1 tble dried Mexican oregeno, toasted and frshly ground
5 cloves garlic

Place oil in saute pan over med-high heat. When it is hot but not smoking, add the chilis and fry until puffed and brown, about 1 minute. Do not let burn. Discard oil and place chilis on paper towel. Using spice mill, grind the chilis into a powder and add them to a food processor. Combine the garlic, salt, chilis and oregeno in food processor and process. If mix seems wet, spread out on a baking sheet and let dry in a cool oven (150 degrees) for 1 hour or so.

From Rick Bayless's "Mexico: One Plate at a Time:"

*This one is probably more authentic, more researched.

1 1/2 lbs lean, boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 inch pieces
8 oz pork fat, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
12 medium dried ancho chilis (6 oz total), stemmed and seeded
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (*use ceylon (avail at Penzey's) or Mexican Canela)
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp dried Mexican oregeno
1 tbl fresh thyme OR 1 tsp dried thyme
1 tble fresh marjoram OR 1 tsp dried marjoram
salt
1/4 cup cider vinegar

Place pork and pork fat into freezer to firm for chopping.

Tear chilis into flat pieces and toast in a heavy dry skillet over medium heat, pressing flat with a metal spatula until they are aromatic, about 10 secs per side. Then rehydrate in a bowl covered with hot water for 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to blender or food processor.

Pulverize bay leaves in mortar or grinder, and then add to food processor with cinnamon, cloves, oregano, thyme and marjoram and 1 1/2 tsp salt (less if using bacon or salt pork as your fat). Measure in vinegar and 2 tble water and process until smooth--adding more water if necessary. Press the mixture through a medium mesh sieve into large bowl.

Coarsely grind the meat either through coarsest disc of a meat grinder or by pulsing in food processor--with sharp blades. Add to large bowl and mix throughly with seasonins. It is best to cover and refridgerate over night to allow flavors to meld. It keeps for a week refriderated and freezes well.

If you are looking for something to make on the spot with the chorizo, a great treat is 8 oz of chorizo, 1/4 cup water, and 1 lbs Oaxacan string cheese--grease an oven-safe dish, add cheese. Fry chorizo with water for about 30 minutes, and then place on top of cheese. broil in oven until bubbly. Serve with warm, preferably fresh tortilla chips. Warning: this is unbelievably good, unbelievably rich, and probably unbelievably bad for you. The only time my dogs have ever fought was over the licking out the dish for this stuff. :D

Laura

[ReneeV]

Sorry I didn't get around to posting the chicken apple sausage recipe. The day got a little hairy with 2 sick kids! I'll try to post it by this weekend.

Renee

[swquilts]

Bethany, we make all of our own sausage, but most of the recipes come from a cookbook that DH got from www.sausagemaker.com. I did check their site and they don't list any recipes...:rolleyes: . In fact we're making about 250 lbs of Italian sausages (all sold already! :eek: ) this Saturday.

We've also ordered the bratwurst sausage seasoning from Penzey's....great flavors!

[badunnin]

Susan - I know from experience that you can rack up a large amount of sausage quickly - it's amazing how heavy it can be! We usually do about 40lbs for 2 families and my grandfather (he lives alone) twice a year. I think about 8lbs each time goes for the holiday dinner.

Thanks for the recipes all!

[ljt2r]

If you make any of the Mexican chorizos, please let me know how they turn out. I have always meant to try making them myself...

Laura :)

[badunnin]

Laura - I just emailed a friend who is making a Penzey's run this weekend to pick me up some whole anchos to do the Rick Bayless recipe! I'll let you know....

(Of course, you know in a few weeks I'll be looking for recipes that USE chorizo!)

[Wendy w]

Here's a thread for the CL chorizo recipe. It was pretty easy. I've had good luck with Penzey's Italian sausage seasoning. I also have a recipe for home made salami at home if you want.

http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15519&highlight=chorizo

[badunnin]

Wendy - I'm trying to stay away from the pre-mixed sausage seasonings. It's harder to tweak that way.