Any sausage makers here?

[Snakehunter]

I just started making my own sausages from scratch using natural casings. I made some pork bangers last week and then some venison with onion and garlic this weekend.

I am going to make some hot italian, apple and onion and christmas sausage over the next little while.

As soon as I get a smoker set up I will make pepperettes and smoked salami.

So - anybody around here into rolling their own

I look forward to swapping recipes and tips in the future.
Regards,
Glen

[poorfisherman]

We the wife and I have been making our own for years.  We have a few staples, recipies we use all the time.  A new one gets tried every time weather it was found on line, from freinds or invented.  Its a good way to spend the weekend and drink some beers in the garage with buddys.

[masoneddie]

I usually make about 40 to 50 lbs. of venison sausage every year for friends and family. I don't use the casings too much anymore, as patty's seem to be the number one choice. We have an assembly line to make it easier. I do all the mixing and grinding, my sons use hamburger patty makers (Tupperware),and my wife does all the wrapping. Needless to say, me and the boys have to sample the first batch before we get into the production mode...lol.

[icejunky]

I have a smoker, and I have the sausage maker attachment for my kitchen-aid stand mixer, but i have yet to take the plunge and start making sausages. Where do you guys buy the casings (for those who use them)

[fishercat]

I'm a meat cutter I make all kinds pork & turkey, hot, sweet, a fresh Brazilian sausage (with larger chunks of pork, green onions, and spices), as well as fresh kielbassa.
There are a lot of good sausage mixes out there the one I use is Leggs Old Plantation Sausage Seasonings, Rubs and Marinades

[fishercat]

I have a smoker, and I have the sausage maker attachment for my kitchen-aid stand mixer, but i have yet to take the plunge and start making sausages. Where do you guys buy the casings (for those who use them)

icejunky

My local big food market carries the casings at times. But you can find them on the internet easy enough.
Cabelas even has them.

[Snakehunter]

For casings you can try your local butcher or meat shop. Or you can order them online - sausagemaker.com has a wide assortment.

[icejunky]

thanx guys, I will make some calls. I know the BPS has them, but i was not sure of the quality and if you would recommend using them. I have a good relationship with my butcher and will check in with him for sure

[Snakehunter]

For Canadians you can order online from stuffers.com. If you are near Toronto or Winnipeg go to Canada Compound. They have everything for sausage making.

[icejunky]

thanx man, thats perfect

[mdrobny]

leener's.com    they have tons of do it yourself kits.candy,wine,beer,sausage,pickles,and flavors you put in vodka for cheaper booze
the kits make nice x-mas presents too!!

[Husker95]

www.sausagemaker.com.  great place - good prices, awesome customer service and good selection.  I have bought quite a bit of stuff from them.

[clm]

   My brother and I typically shoot 8 to 12 deer every season and usually make 200 lbs of country smoked sausage in natural casings and 125 to 150 lbs of smoked snack sticks using the collagen (sp?)   casings.     We have never made summer sausage, but are going to try that this year as well.     We have always bought premixed spices from our hometown butcher.    He mixes it up for us in 25lb batches and we just mix it with the meat (70% venison 30% pork) and stuff the casings.      We buy boston butts when they go on sale for .99 cents a pound and use that.       We made a smoker a few years ago out of plywood.   It is 3 1/2 X 3 1/2 and 6' tall, with caster wheels on the base.   It has five hanging rods near the top and we can do 75 lbs per smoke.     We used a  propane burner from a turkey fryer for our heating element.   The burner has 1/4" steel plate laying on top of it and we place an old frying pan on that with wood chips in it.    There is a small rack about a foot above the burner that we put a pan with water in.   The smoker has an adjustable floor vent in the front of it at the base and near the top on the back.    This a good (and cheap!) way to control your air flow through the smoker.   We also have a thermometer in the door, but have found that you are better off using a remote thermometer with one probe hanging over one of the racks and the other placed into one of the sausages for your internal meat temp.     It's allot of work, but it saves us allot of money over the year.   If your going to do large batches like we do, you will want to buy a commercial grade grinder.   We have a cabelas 1 horsepower grinder and it has worked flawlessly for several years.      www.smokering.com  is a great site worth looking at also.   Good luck

[carpface]

you can get casings and supplies from LEMS online, good company

[WildOutdoorAddict]

I made 20 lbs. of mild and 33 lbs. of hot italian this year 

[perchnut]

Im making 5lbs of bfast sausage for christmas morn tonight.....Trying the LEM bfast sausage mix.

[capedeer/fish]

love the sausage mixes for my venison!

[gooseblaster49707]

a nice sausage mix is the brown box summer sausage stuff sold at most stores/meat shops. they make 25 pound batches. hi-mountain brand is the first one that comes to mind.  Dunhams, Gander Mt, Cabelas, etc carry them for around $10.00.   
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we use them for venison and/or goose sausage.    instead of raw pork we use bacon ends and pieces. already the smoky flavor and just as cheap as pork butts for filler. 17 pounds of venison/goose and 8 pounds of bacon is a pretty good starting point.
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instead of water we use cheap, high alcohol content (ice) beer.     one 24 ounce ''tall boy''  A N D a quart of homemade salsa.
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everything except the beer and salsa is in the box.    can be baked in the oven or smoked.    makes 2 1/2 pound sticks that kids can wipe out after school and before supper if you're not careful.
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really good warmed up in a frypan with eggs or warmed in foil over a Mr Buddy heater hunting or fishing.
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[gooseblaster49707]

eldons supply has an awsome selection of spices and sausage kits for quite a fair price.  check them out online.  their hickory smoke powder is to die for.