ukrainian garlic sausage, first attempt

[darrm1]

Hey guys,

I am not new to the smoker forum,  however,  I have never made my own smoked sausage. Just ribs and chicken up to this point.
I just purchased a 1 hp meat grinder/stuffer from peavey mart.  I am planning on making ukrainian garlic sausage fairly soon.  Just researching first, trying to learn as much as possible.  I'm not sure on the recipe yet,  gotta be garlicy and fairly greecy.  Any suggestions as far a recipes???

For my first attempt,  I was thinking 5lbs Pork Shoulder.  I was also wondering about putting bacon in with the grind.  What results would I expect to get with the bacon.

thanks
mark

[ratherbboating]

Having never made sausage, the first thing I did after joining this group was read old posts on sausage making.  They are full of information.  Not only read Sausage making posts but the other forums, you will learn some the tips and tricks from people who have made lots of good stuff.
Recipes:
http://www.meatsandsausages.com/
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?180-Our-Time-Tested-and-Proven-Recipes&s=8fb43e9ee765eb63441fed6f902110f1
http://lpoli.50webs.com/Sausage%20recipes.htm
And you can do a Google search to see other sites on ideas on what to make and how it is made.

[Saber 4]

I'm in the middle of my second sausage making round and first round of smoked sausage and that's some good advice from ratherbboating. I started with a Hi Mtn brats kit just to not have to worry about seasonings and recipes for my first go, made it easier to focus on the grinding and stuffing skills. If you don't have one with your grinder I would suggest getting a foot controller, it makes life a whole lot easier and if you have a Cabela's nearby they are switching models and have the old ones in the bargain cave for $25. Also I was given advice that I would probably not like stuffing with the grinder and want to get a stuffer because of it emulsifying the meat to much and being real slow compared to a stuffer and they were right I went out and got a stuffer on sale.

[tskeeter]

Mark, you're on the right track that something like bacon can be used to increase the fat content of sausage when you are using pork shoulder.  Since bacon has often been smoked or sprayed with liquid smoke, you might consider other fat sources.  Back fat, if you can get it easily, is kind of the gold standard.  But, I think salt pork (to avoid the smoke flavor) would work if you were a little careful about how much salt you include in your seasoning blend.

When I think about pork shoulder, I think of fat content in the 15% - 20% range.  This is usually adequate for many sausages, but since you specifically mention the sausage you want to duplicate having a fairly high fat content, you might want to push the fat content as high as the 25% - 30% I have seen discussed in some of my sausage making books.

I'll second Saber's comments regarding a stuffer.  I started with the KitchenAid attachment.  After one try I stepped up to a legitimate meat grinder (1/2 horse) and 5# vertical stuffer.  I don't have a foot switch, though.  Instead, I have a sausage making partner.  So, one of us cranks the stuffer and the other manages the casing and stuffed sausage coming off the stuffer.  As far as stuffers go, it seems that quite a few forum members have the Northern Hydraulics/Northern Tool 5# vertical stuffer that is the twin of my Lem.  Near as I can tell, this stuffer (and larger sizes like it) is made by one manufacturer and sold under a variety of brand names, so buy whichever one is most economical when you are ready to buy.  I see these days Lem is selling the 5# vertical model with stainless stuffing tubes, instead of the plastic ones mine came with.  I think stainless tubes are a good upgrade, especially if you can get the stainless tube version of the stuffer for nearly the same cost.  I had to buy my stainless tubes separately.

My sausage partner and I find that we can go from 15# of pork shoulder to having sausage in the refrigerator drying and the meat residue cleaned off the equipment and the equipment in the dish washer to be sanitized in about three hours.  Having a partner makes things go a lot more quickly.  While I'm cutting up pork shoulder, he's running it through the first grind.  Add seasoning, blend by hand a bit, and do a second grind to help distribute the seasoning more evenly.  Then stuff the casings.  With the two of us, we can move quickly enough that we don't have problems with the meat getting too warm.  We tend to do things in 5# batches (but grind all three batches one after the other, then move on to the next step), so we slip the meat into the fridge to keep it cool between operations.  (A fairly full half size hotel pan is about 5# of meat, so we use hotel pans or the same sized restaurant plastic storage containers, as our containers.)     

[Saber 4]

I'm jealous, I want a sausage making partner ;D I started about 7 this morning cleaned the Bradley racks from smoking yesterday's hickory salt and then dove into 24lbs of bratwurst and I just finished and got everything cleaned up. Still have to smoke half of them tomorrow morning before it get's to hot to control temps and vac seal the fresh that's in the freezer.

[redcrew71]

now this is a topic I like....

I am a 3rd generation Ukie Canadian...family has being making our own Ukrainian Sausage, bacon, etc for years.  Walk in smoke house all wood Black Alder and or Red Willow.  Sometime Cdn Maple if we can get.

Here is the basis for our sausage which closley aligns with a polish kiebasa. 
For 25lb recipie.
10lbs 70/30 Ground pork...30percen fat
15lbs Lean Ground Beef or Regular.
you can add 5 lbs of cured ground bacon if you want to make a 30lb recipie or add subtract pork and beef how you want.
swap out the ground beef with deer if you have.

My Baba will roll over in her grave if I actually gave you what we use in the recipie but google any good kiebasa recipie for the amounts and go from there.

We smoke for 3-4 hrs only...dry for 1st hour unitl the casing JUST starts to get mahagony and starts to crinkle.  If it is crinkling its too much...lol
Pull and into a 165 degree pot of water....cook for 15 min this will bring it up to eating temp.  Immediately into a ice bath and cold area to bloom for the afternoon.

They are now fully cooked...we usually boil in a sauce pan with a bit of water to heat through or put right on bbq.  Remember fully cooked so you dont need to dry the dern thing out.  If you caught it right you still have the fat in it then when you heat it through that renders and bit and will give you your greasy sausage....fat is flavour...lol 

[darrm1]

Thanks for the replies guys.  Thinking I might attempt this next week,  will let you know how things turn out....With pics of course.  I will try to use the grinder as a stuffer this time,  and if things turn out the way I hope they do,  I may watch for a stuffer to go on sale

mark

[darrm1]

I have read so many great posts on this forum,  however,  I think it has me asking more questions.  Everyone has their favorite methods, techniques, recipes etc...  which is awesome. 

When making smoked garlic sausage,  do you single grind or double grind your meat.  I was thinking about a single grind,  but I am afraid it may turn out like a breakfast sausage texture???  I definitely don't want a fine grind finish, would rather a coarser grind.  Never having done this before,  not sure.  Maybe I will do half and half to try it out.
Just checking what the general consensus would be

mark

[tskeeter]

We double grind using the coarse plate.  Gives a fairly rustic sausage texture, rather than a smooth, emulsified texture.

[darrm1]

I made sausage for the first time yesterday, and it turned out really good. I made a total of 8lbs, My question/concern, the recipe I followed, called for .5 Tbls, which I used. However, I noticed that the instructions on the cure actually would have worked out to double that amount, 1 Tbls. The sausage does have a pinkish color, do you think I am ok with the amount I used.
Thanks
Mark