Start of Sausage weekend

[GusRobin]

Ground the pork and beef for kielbasa and the pork for the andouille. Then stuffed them.

Here is the kielbasa stuffed and going into the fridge until tomorrow morning when I smoke it.


The andouille stuffed


I was going to make about 5 lbs of chorizo but I ran out of casings.

This is my second attempt at sausage making. The grinder worked much better this time. Things I did different were cutting the meat into strips rather than chunks, letting the auger take the meat rather than forcing it too fast; trimming the meat better, and semi freezing it.
Don't have a stuffer yet so used the grinder's stuffing attachment. A little bit better this time as I only had 3 break outs. (short links in picture). I definitely need to get a stuffer. In hind site I should have bought the stuffer first. Since I don't hunt I don't need a grinder for any game, so everything I make will be either pork or beef. Both of these I can buy already ground at the market. So I would have been better off getting the stuffer first even though I still would have gotten the grinder eventually.
I'll post some pics when the smoking starts.

[Tenpoint5]

Gus them sausages definitely prove your getting better at the stuffing thing even with just a grinder. You will need that grinder for making hamsalad after you make your home cured ham.

[Sailor]

Nice job on the stuffing.  I had the same thought about getting the grinder since you can buy ground pork and beef but I am so happy that I bought the grinder.  Having the grinder allows you to pick the plate that you want for the sausage that you are making.  Some recipes I use call for a med grind and some a fine grind.  You get to make stuff the way you want it and to your taste and texture.  You will not be sorry for getting the grinder.

[Keymaster]

Lookin real good Gus!!! :)

[GusRobin]

You will need that grinder for making hamsalad after you make your home cured ham.

Didn't think of that. I did make a 22 lb ham and have a lot of leftovers in the fridge. Anyone have a good ham salad recipe? ::)

[GusRobin]

Here is the sausage in the Bradley starting its drying period before a couple hours of smoke. Kilebasa in front and andouille in back.


Took a piece of kielbasa for quality control (breakfast). Sorry for the picture quality.


The kielbasa was a little on the dry side. My wife reminded me that my 83 yr old Polish aunt used to make and sell kielbasa about 45 yrs ago when her and my uncle owned a neighborhood grocery store (when there used to be neighborhood grocery stores). I'll call and see if she remembers the recipe for the next time.
Well, I'll be sitting here watching football waiting for the sausage to get done. More pics later.

[Tenpoint5]

Here is one that I make with and without the hard boiled egg. Run everything through the grinder together except mayo, mustard and pepper, saves on the mixing a bit.

Ham Salad

3 cups coarsely ground ham
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup diced sweet pickle
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

   1. In medium bowl stir together all ingredients. Makes about 3 3/4 cups, enough for 6 sandwiches. Make sandwiches on soft sandwich buns or whole wheat bread, topped with lettuce leaves.

Makes 6 servings.

Note: Have your butcher grind smoked ham for you, or grind leftover ham in a food processor or grinding attachment. One pound of ham will yield about 3 cups ground ham.

[GusRobin]

Took a peek and here they are - if nothing else they are looking like real sausage.


While I am waiting and watching football, thought about lunch. Took some of the ground pork I had left and made a pattie. Put it on the grill, added some sauteed mushrooms and broke out the smoked pepper jack to make a cheeseburger. Added lettuce, tomato, a slice of onion, mustard, mayo, and some homemade BBQ sauce. add a Bud light to wash it all down.

[smoker pete]

Just finished lunch but now I'm hungry again!!  Some good looking grub Gus.  Hope that my sausage making experiences will look and taste half as good as yours ... Getting anxious to start making some tube steaks sausages - Oooops!! did I say that out loud?  :-[  I guess once a sailor, always a sailor!!  I won't even mention what we used to call bologna sandwiches  :-X  ::)

[GusRobin]

Done and "blooming"

[Sailor]

Mighty good looking bunch of sausage that you have there.  Nice and plump.  Bet they are juice too. :D

[Quarlow]

Very nice work Gus. Those look great.

[NePaSmoKer]

Sausage for the florida smokeout  ;D

Nice GR

[Tenpoint5]

Nice job on the sausage Gus!

[classicrockgriller]

The All New Adventures of ...............

........ "Gus Gone Wild"

You have turned into a Mad Man.

I stand and applaude you. Nice.