First run with the sausage press/kit

[Fantail]

So I finally got to use the bratwurst/sausage stuffing kit. First go with doing this. Only did 5lb of Italian & 5lb of bratwurst but this gives me plenty for camp this season and a bunch in the freezer. 

Didn't have the luxury of watching & learning from someone who's done this before so I just watched a few clips from youtube and got some process & tying tips. Almost felt a little embarrased not knowing this as a simple skill but there wasn't a need. I know alot of people use ground beef for the fat additive but I used ground pork and did a 70% ground venison to 30% pork mix. That's the easy part as I often grind and mix for burger or pasta dishes. Then there's working with the casings. Honestly it felt like I was playing with tape worms. You have to get past that and knowing your handling hog intestines. Ok, it does get better. 

The kit is a cast unit. It comes with 3 size stuffing tubes and it's designed to be bolted down to a platform. Or, perhaps at least clamped down. I decided to skip that part, that was a mistake. Because your using pressure, new unit the handle was stiff as heck and your processing all this monsence, hands are a bit greasy. I figgured no problem, started at 10:30, guess who was still going at 1 am. 

In the end I wound up with a dish pan full of fresh sausage. Went with keilbasa style links and they look real good. Looking forward to chowing down some of this work. 

[landtracdeerhunter]

Nothing on earth like making and eating your own sausage and keilbasa. I still want to make about 20 lb.. I have everything to do it, but just haven't had the time. Now with bow season right around the corner, oh boy, LOL.

[BKhunter]

I made my first batch of sausage last season with a nice doe I took. I used my grinder to stuff the casings which I believe made the process harder than if I had a stuffing press. Hopefully one of these days I will have more space and can buy one. Even with that I can't wait to get back it this season and make some more. 

[Fletch]

This year my brother and I did 110 pounds of various brats and sausages a couple weeks later I did 40 pounds more of smoked sticks and summer sausages as well. Second year doing it. I bought a 7 pound stuffer this year that sure helped! It is extra special to enjoy the stuff you put from the hoof into a nice Brat or sausage!!

 

Also did up 14 pints of canned venison as well.

 

 

[blackradio]

I made sausages last year and they turned out pretty bad. For one, I ground the meat too fine so it had no texture and then I overcooked it. I will use the remaining venison I have to make brats in honor of oktoberfest

 

[WNYBuckHunter]

I love making my own sausage. I still have quite a bit from this past season in the freezer. I need to use it up soon.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Stuffer is the only way to go. It is much easier to keep the air out of the casings and control the flow.

[blackradio]

yeah, it was tough stuffing them out of the grinder.

[Chef]

Blackradio you get used to it you just have to keep the casing tight to the tube, also feed the meat into the grinder slowly. It really will become much faster than using a press... As a chef I have studded 1000s of lbs and once u get comfortable with the machine it is 10x as fast

[Fantail]

Update: They were awesome. I did overcook a set on the pit, as with venison once they are done that's it. Timed right they were very flavorful. Looking forward to the next batch after a grind job but first I need to bolt down the press.