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Tips on sausage makin’

My grinder is not as powerful,it's a LEM #8 (1/2 horse) but I have never bogged it down so far.
Sausage stuffer is a Sausage Maker 10 pound stuffer.I too double grind for everything except Andouille.
I rolled my ankle Monday and doc says to stay off it for 2 weeks so no sausage making for a spell but am getting stuff together.
 
I would like to keep this thread alive as I love making my own sausage.I can't get authentic cajun style andouille here so about 10 years ago I started making my own.
To each that makes their sausage please post what grinder you use and stuffer as well as your smoker and seasonings.
I am always looking to upgrade and get better.
My breakfast sausage is no where close to great yet!I am working on it but with other sausage makers on this site I may get there.
I am using a Weston #32 electric grinder and a LEM Big Bite 30lb. electric stuffer with foot control, best investment I ever made for making sausage
 
Just finished 20 lbs of Andouille.Came out great.
I'll give some to my daughter and son in law but later as all have covid except my daughter.
The granddaughter turned 2 on the 21st and found out she had covid.
Kids must be able to handle it better,she is 2 and grandson is 8 and vaccinated so they are doing ok but still sick .
 
Wishing you and your family well and yes kids are a hell of alot tougher than us old farts
Thats for sure.The granddaughter is 2 and running around the house with covid.She plays and eats but has a fever and dry cough.
They did a video/phone call and she was bopping around like she always does.8 year old is doing about the same.
yep they are tough as nails.
I'll make a cake for them and leave it on a bench on their front porch and a package of sausage too.
All be careful
 
Anyone ever had to deal with tough pig casings?The sausage is super great but the casings are a bit tough.
Any thoughts?
Links or on salami/summer sausage? Can just peel the salami but links not sure. We've had it happen before but not sure why. Didn't soak long enough before stuffing, wrong smoke temp, didn't dry right.
 
Thanks for the help.I smoke links.
I did 3 batches of sausage last year and the year before and never had tough casings like that in the past 5 or 6 years.All were very good and not tough.
But the one I did recently is tough.I contacted the place I got them and was told some are tougher than others and just do the best you can.
One sausage maker said the tough casings are usually old casings or the hog was too big.I threw away the casings I had left over and just got my new casings.More humidity sounds good.
I start all my sausage at 100 degrees to dry it and never get above 175.I also was told I may have smoked too long.
I took them out and put in sink with cold water at 154 degree's inside the sausage.Is that about what everyone else does?My recipe says at 152 take out and shower till cool and put on a rack to bloom for 3 to 4 hours.
I write down every step so I don't repeat mistakes but this had me stumped.
Thanks for everyone's help.In a few weeks I'll do another batch if pork is still available and do what everyone said and report.
Edit:I always soak my casings for at least 2 -3 hours
 
We only ran a half hour smoke cycle, after that your getting minimal penetration and your just trying to hammer it in, lengthening the cycle and drying it out more
 
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