Yesterday I spent the day figuring out how to use the sausage stuffer I bought myself for Christmas. I’ve had a meat grinder attachment to a stand mixer for a long time, and have used it reasonably often, but I’d never tried to actually stuff sausage before. Here’s what you need to know about sausage stuffing:
If you’re of a certain age, you may recall a condom called Skyns. You could save a lot of money just buying sausage casings. Lamb casings are apparently smaller than hog casings, and beef casings are larger. That may or may not be important to you. I think I’d be content with hog casings. On the other hand that may be wishful thinking.
There is a tool called a sausage pricker, which is very important for sausage stuffing. I didn’t figure that out until I was ready to start stuffing sausage and watched a video. Because I didn’t have it, I raided my fly tying table for a bodkin, which is a very sharp needle with a handle. My sausage did not taste like head cement, but it could have.
There is a vendor in New York, Buffalo I think, called the Sausage Maker, and if you order something from them they’ll send you their catalog. It may be either the greatest or the strangest catalog in the world. You should order something just to get the catalog.
One of my favorite cookbooks is Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman. I’ve used it for years for stuff like curing bacon and making pate and duck confit. Now I’ve used it for sausage.
My Italian sausage was excellent, thank you very much.
I can’t recommend Charcuterie enough. If you have anything you can use as a smoker, curing your own bacon may be the greatest life hack ever, and Costco has great pork bellies.
You’re cute. I haven’t helped make sausage in a long time, but it does bring back fond memories. I wish there was a recipe for a Polish sausage (lalitka-no idea how to really spell it) that is a family favorite, hog head and rice, yeah i know it’s like another kind of sausage.
I’d forgotten about that book, I had a copy and loaned it out years ago (which means I gave it away since it never returned), and have now ordered a new one.
I’ve always wanted to try a prosciutto/jamon iberico style pork leg.
Homemade bacon is indeed one of my guilty pleasures.
Texas isn’t the best place for dry-curing. I think you need either a dedicated cure-case (which the Sausage Maker sells), or a colder, dryer climate. At least we have barbecue.
There have been several things down through the years I have considered buying for myself as a gift I knew others would not give me. I confess a sausage maker was not among them.