It is easier, but you do get bloody cold hands mixing the spices, binder and liquid in looking for the desired consistency. Still, worth it to make cleaning the grinder easier if nothing elseTB63 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 25, 2023 3:05 pm Honestly would find it hard to go back to shop bought ones now, saying that, some local butchers here make some cracking ones..
Secrets I've found is keep everything very cold, below 5 c, even the filler and the water, though I've made some with home made chicken stock and some with beer..
Mince the meat from part frozen if possible, makes it easier to cut and the fat grinds better..
Anybody else try to make their own sausages?..
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Rhubarb & Custard
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Well I’ve been inspired to go DIYTB63 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 25, 2023 3:05 pm Honestly would find it hard to go back to shop bought ones now, saying that, some local butchers here make some cracking ones..
Secrets I've found is keep everything very cold, below 5 c, even the filler and the water, though I've made some with home made chicken stock and some with beer..
Mince the meat from part frozen if possible, makes it easier to cut and the fat grinds better..
And appreciate the tips! I’m good with food (worked as a seafood chef for ten years before I went back to academia) and loving your tips and craft!
I use a large food mixer to mix on the ingredients.. no cold hands.. 
https://butchers-sundries.com/ for ingredients, make up a large batch order to avoid postage, I also use Tongmaster casings off Amazon..
To start. I would go with the pre prepared mixes, they do taste really nice. As for the grind, I use 8mm plate as I find the 5mm makes it too smooth and takes out mouth feel to a good banger..
https://butchers-sundries.com/ for ingredients, make up a large batch order to avoid postage, I also use Tongmaster casings off Amazon..
To start. I would go with the pre prepared mixes, they do taste really nice. As for the grind, I use 8mm plate as I find the 5mm makes it too smooth and takes out mouth feel to a good banger..
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Rhubarb & Custard
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A food mixer says he, well that's just making more washing up. Actually I would use one if making a large amount, but if making just a few dozen I happily use whatever the meal was ground into.
Agree on the larger plate size on the grind, but this Christmas for use alongside the cold turkey and ham we're adding in some mortadella, a dry run is being held this weekend and that'll take the smaller grind. I also had to go up into the loft in the end to find the fish kettle after searching the kitchen for 20-30 minutes, so that was a fun search. Not convinced we'll be able to pack it tight enough, guess we'll see how much any air pockets form and how much they blow it up during poaching the thing, and that if we can get it tied off well enough to begin with.
Agree on the larger plate size on the grind, but this Christmas for use alongside the cold turkey and ham we're adding in some mortadella, a dry run is being held this weekend and that'll take the smaller grind. I also had to go up into the loft in the end to find the fish kettle after searching the kitchen for 20-30 minutes, so that was a fun search. Not convinced we'll be able to pack it tight enough, guess we'll see how much any air pockets form and how much they blow it up during poaching the thing, and that if we can get it tied off well enough to begin with.
Good luck with the mortadella, not ventured down that route yet.. have you got a vacuum sealer? Pop the meat into a vacuum bag to get the air out, same for the stuffed sausage..dunno if that would work, just a thought..
As for the mixer, I grind 3Kg of meat at a time, that gives me 4.5Kg of sausage, about 75 to 90 depending on how thick I make them, so 1.5Kg into a mixer and blend, then straight into the stuffer, repeat with a different mix to get 2 different types each time..only have to wash a bowl and paddle....
As for the mixer, I grind 3Kg of meat at a time, that gives me 4.5Kg of sausage, about 75 to 90 depending on how thick I make them, so 1.5Kg into a mixer and blend, then straight into the stuffer, repeat with a different mix to get 2 different types each time..only have to wash a bowl and paddle....
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Rhubarb & Custard
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To celebrate the return of the child from school, and not because I was bored waiting and a hungry child is a suitable excuse, the mortadella has been opened and some slices cut. In truth pretty much the easiest sausage ever made, it's a slow process stuffing a casing with a hand crank but because it's a synthetic casing you'd be doing really well to split it so it's actually much easier than smaller sausages in natural casings. And the taste is much better than something even from a decent deli counter.
I think I could have gone larger on the fat cubes cut into the mix, but given I'm not the only one eating it allowing for some more squeamish concerns is fair enough. And I don't think I needed to worry about using a light red, went with a Sangiovese, but if supposed fruity notes are coming through I'm damned if I can tell.
Annoying bits were cleaning the small grinder sending the mix through again with the spices in, and the time it took to blend to a paste in the processor, but stick a pot of coffee on listen to see music and just go bit by bit. Tying the casing off was initially a pain, but then just swinging/twisting it around easily got a good tension on the end that was used to stuff the sausage., and then just redid the tie.
Suspect it could have been heavier on the fat in the mix, used about a kilo of fat to 3.5 of lean meat, and then there's more fat again in the back fat cubed up, but the meat/paste part could probably take a chunk more fat, cheaper too. Other thing is having somewhere better to dry it, it's been in the fridge since coming out if the ice bath on Saturday, and that's fine but the fridge has a certain aroma to it. And I suspect I'll be in trouble if that aroma finds its way into say smoked salmon nibbles at Christmas from a repeat sausage making, that's not much of a suspicion I've flat out been told that's a thing. So an airtight plastic box might prove useful, or maybe just just some sealable bags though as the fridge isn't exactly empty over the Christmas period, especially once the ham and then the turkey are cooked. Maybe we'll get a cold Christmas and the heating can go off in the utility, that would be a good plan it it comes off.
I think I could have gone larger on the fat cubes cut into the mix, but given I'm not the only one eating it allowing for some more squeamish concerns is fair enough. And I don't think I needed to worry about using a light red, went with a Sangiovese, but if supposed fruity notes are coming through I'm damned if I can tell.
Annoying bits were cleaning the small grinder sending the mix through again with the spices in, and the time it took to blend to a paste in the processor, but stick a pot of coffee on listen to see music and just go bit by bit. Tying the casing off was initially a pain, but then just swinging/twisting it around easily got a good tension on the end that was used to stuff the sausage., and then just redid the tie.
Suspect it could have been heavier on the fat in the mix, used about a kilo of fat to 3.5 of lean meat, and then there's more fat again in the back fat cubed up, but the meat/paste part could probably take a chunk more fat, cheaper too. Other thing is having somewhere better to dry it, it's been in the fridge since coming out if the ice bath on Saturday, and that's fine but the fridge has a certain aroma to it. And I suspect I'll be in trouble if that aroma finds its way into say smoked salmon nibbles at Christmas from a repeat sausage making, that's not much of a suspicion I've flat out been told that's a thing. So an airtight plastic box might prove useful, or maybe just just some sealable bags though as the fridge isn't exactly empty over the Christmas period, especially once the ham and then the turkey are cooked. Maybe we'll get a cold Christmas and the heating can go off in the utility, that would be a good plan it it comes off.