Please talk me into/out of jumping into making my own sausage/burgers/etc

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theTastyCat

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Hey all - I was inspired by an Italian sausage I recently consumed at the Macaroni Grill and recalled reading here on many occasions that folks "roll their own."

So, I am heavily contemplating jumping in. But, I have several questions! Would be most grateful for the advice of those of you who have previously plunged.

1. Is it worth it? Does the taste of homemade stuff make the extra work worthwhile?

2. Do you save any money? I do take some pride in my burgers, and have been intrigued by the idea of making my own, but the chuck/sirloin at the local grocery store don't seem to be any cheaper than the mystery meat hamburg. Which isn't a total loss, mind you - if I can guarantee it's chuck and sirloin, then fine! (Note: I also began reloading my own ammo to save money; after five years, I'm SURE the savings will start anytime! lol)

3. If I do jump in, should I go manual grinder or electric? I've seen several opinions either way. I don't mind the elbow grease, but if electric is *that* much better, I don't mind spending the money to get something that will last.

I do know to get a dedicated sausage stuffer!

Does this also mean that I need to build some sort of smokehouse for a cold-smoking setup? Ideally I'd love to be able to do sausage, burgers, even hot dogs (GF is allergic to corn, which is in EVERYTHING, and would be nice to make dogs she can eat), and things like pepperoni and salami would be magnificent!

Sorry for the ramble, dear Brethren; I would be deeply grateful for your wisdom!
 
Tasty,
Definitely do it! Yes it will save you money. Enough to pay for the investment?... That may take a while. Yes it is better and mostly better for you. My wife also has corn allergies so I feel your (and her) pain. This is the ONLY way she can ever get the opportunity to enjoy what the rest of the world gets to eat. You are on the right track by buying a dedicated sausage stuffer. That makes the whole experience much easier. If I was you and you really want to enjoy this fully, I'd buy an electric grinder. A very good online supply store is "The Sausage Maker" for casings, ingredients, etc. The "bible" on this hobby is, "Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing" by Rytec Kutas. Another is "Home Production of Quality Meats and Sausages" by Stanley & Adam Marianski. Smoking? I'm not sure what you have for BBQ'ing but there's a very good chance you can adopt what you have. Mostly, it's a great and rewarding hobby very much like BBQ'ing. Have fun!
 
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I have yet to make sausages, but no question the switch to grinding my own meat for burgers, etc. at home has turned out to be a great decision. I would say get a solid manual grinder that can clamp onto a counter/butcher block/etc. The price to performance ratio is very good, and especially if you are new to the practice - it won't hit the wallet too hard. Plus, I would say that if electric grinders are being considered - the value would be in looking at some of the better quality/reputable (and usually higher in price) options as I have seen many cheap ones not only struggle with power but also break down way too quickly. The fun part is experimenting with blends and trying to make your ideal burger. I have recently enjoyed blending short rib meat and chuck.

Give it a try! I'm sure you'll be happy with the results!
 
I don't think you'll ever recoup your set up costs.. Getting set up will probably cost you 200 on the cheap side. Any savings you get won't be enough to defray that..

However, I don't think any of us do it for cost savings. It's a hobby. It's fun, and yes, you can make things that taste waaaay better than you will find in the store. In a lot of cases you will make things you can't even find in the store. For instance, I make a fantastic andouille sausage that is very reminiscent of New Orleans. No way I'm finding that in Grayslake IL. I'm looking forward to making Texas style hot links soon. Can find those here either.

If you think you'll enjoy it, I say go for it!
 
1. It's worth it.

2. Homeade sausage is cheaper than store bought in terms of product cost. If it is worth your time in addition to this is up to you.........

3. Electric

In terms of smoking meat, some can be cold smoke and some can be hot smoked. All of which is determined by what you put into the "sausage/meat" in term of "curing" and what environment you "smoke" in.

If you haven't already invested in a good sausage book definitely do. Or searching online works too
 
I love this forum!

i too like the OP want to jump into making dry cured sausages and smoked sausages....

i'll start by picking up both the books mentioned by one the Brethren and go from there.
 
You guys are the best. Was just trying to describe to my GF what a supportive, encouraging, selfless place this is.

Sure appreciate all the replies! Your advice is good enough for me - I'm jumping in. There's a guy from Eastern Europe at work that does some sausage making and has offered to show me the ropes - I think I'll take him up on it!

Many thanks again, all!
 
I make my own sausage. It is way worth it because you can make some crazy awesome stuff that you can't buy. If you can get fresh pork back fat you are golden as that is a key ingredient in many sausages. Check out the book Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman. Got me hooked....
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0393058298/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=35045006124&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17832668929121535414&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_8e6y5bxhfu_b"]Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing: Michael Ruhlman, Brian Polcyn, Thomas Keller: 9780393058291: Amazon.com: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51gO0bcPi8L.@@AMEPARAM@@51gO0bcPi8L[/ame]
 
Can't remember the last time I bought a book - now I will buy like 4! I bet my bank will call thinking someone has stolen my card...

My dad had some Greek sausage called Loukaniko many, many years ago at a Greek festival and has been pining for it ever since. I once paid a kidney and a half to have some overnighted, but I don't think it was that great. Will be magnificent to make it fresh for him!

Really looking forward, all!
 
I grind my own burgers and make all my sausage. The dollar savings is a plus, but more important than that is the fact that you know and can control all of the ingredients of the product that you are eating. An example, if you buy 20 lbs. of hamburger meat, you will most likely get the leftover scraps from 20 different cows. But if you buy a 20lb. chuckroll and grind it yourself, it comes from one animal, you picked it out and you can control the fat content and sanitary environment of the equipment. Plus it's fun too!
 
theTastyCat said:
There's a guy from Eastern Europe at work that does some sausage making and has offered to show me the ropes - I think I'll take him up on it!
Click to expand...

Between this and a couple of the books mentioned above you will be all set.

If you happen to have a kitchen aid then the meat grinder attachment will work for you getting started.
 
The ability to have total control is a real plus, however If you don't have a supply of home grown or wholesale meat & I don't mean the local buyers club( Sams Costco BJ's ect) the cost of making your own out weights the benefits. A good Grinder, Stuffer & Mixer and all the associated accessories + the seasonings, casings & such will set you back a grand. If your using store bought meat it is a negative recoupment on the investment. Better off finding a Brand of sausage you really like & buy it.
 
I've been grinding my own meat and making my own sausage for a few years now thanks to this place and I'll never go back to store bought. I find it to be an enjoyable way to spend time and it's farking delicious. Not sure about cost savings - I haven't put too much thought to it, but I don't feel like I'm spending very much if any extra $. I'll do anywhere from 1-15# at a time and the $200 or so I spent on equipment handles that just fine.
 
I have electric and manual grinder but like the manual more for the more fatty meats the electric one runs fast and gets the meat a little warmer and this couses the fat to melt

So i like the manual better

Speed control is alsow easyer
 
So if one happens to already have a Kitchen-Aid and the grinder/stuffer attachment, that's adequate for this kind of task then? I've read on other forums and stuff around the web that all grinder parts should be in the coldbox until it's time to grind, to prevent the fat from heating up and rendering inside the grinder, does anyone do that or is that only necessary when you're trying to process > X lbs of sausage or ground beef?

OP, give this page a read if you want to dive into one person's idea for the best ground beef mix:

http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives...ger-blend-profiles-of-eight-cuts-of-beef.html
 
Cost wise: Pork Butt prices coming down about $1.39 lb. What do you pay for sausage a pound?

Taste Wise: Find a friend who's making his own - you wont want to settle for store bought again

Hobby Wise: It's a blast!

I've got a hand grinder and works fine for 5-8 pounds - no problem. I've spent $50 on a stuffer and casings and spices are a variable expense (not much). Already got several smokers - so you don't have to spend $1000
 
You can start out with cheaper equipment and upgrade if you want to go to the next level.

The quality of the homemade product is far superior to what the store sells, that alone is worth the time, efforts, and expenditure for the equipment.

If you have a slaughterhouse nearby you can defiantly save a lot of money, but if not, just buy when the items are on sale.

It can be a lot of work when you make the sausage in volume, but the rewards in taste and quality far exceed the labor you put into the product. Best of all you have total control over the quality of the meat that you feed to your family... You are not getting sausage made with just scraps...

A dedicated sausage stuffer is really a must if you want to continue in making sausage. It will save you time and frustration as well as making the process smooth and easier. The grinder is something you have to decide what you wish to purchase.

I have both a hand grinder and an electric grinder. I use the electric grinder for large batches and the hand grinder for small things. It isn't worth the effort to set up the electric grinder to grind a couple pounds of round or chuck to make a few burgers, and then disassemble the head and clean it. I usually hand grind when I only have a couple pounds to grind for burgers or chili, or if I am making a small batch of corned beef hash...

ToddRhodes, yes the meat is chilled almost to the point of freezing before grinding.
 
I like to grind leaner beef with a little bacon and enough salt pork to get to 20% fat. Best burgers ever! I already have a Kitchen-Aid with grinder.
 
Just a little warning, sausage making is VERY addicting!! We started out small with a hand grinder and was just making fresh Italian and breakfast patties. Now we have about 2K into equipment with a 15# stuffer, 1 hp grinder, dedicated smoker, more casings then I know what to do with and lots of small misc. tools. Our favorite sausage is still smoked Kielbasa.


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