Author Topic: sausages - could I/should I... (Read 4727 times)

mowhaugh · « **on:** May 25, 2015, 08:39:32 pm »

turn an entire pig into sausages? It sort of seems awful to waste quality meat in sausages, but people keep asking me for them.

HappyHippy · « **Reply #1 on:** May 25, 2015, 10:04:20 pm »

If it's a young, prime porker then yes it is a bit of a waste (but if it's what your customers want, you have to keep them happy or they won't be your customers for long

) Have you not got anything older that would be good for purely bacon and sausage instead? If not, send away a wee one and keep the masses happy

hughesy · « **Reply #2 on:** May 26, 2015, 10:37:44 am »

Ask any butcher and he'll tell you that sausages are a lifesaver. Nothing wrong with putting any part of a pig into sausages if it means you sell the meat.

oaklandspigs · « **Reply #3 on:** May 26, 2015, 12:34:08 pm »

Go for it.

Next week two 5 months of ours go off purely for sausages.

We can make more on sausages than the joints.

and it's only a waste if you make rubbish sausages !

Quality meat = quality sausages !

Kimbo · « **Reply #4 on:** May 26, 2015, 09:20:54 pm »

speaking as a consumer.... I never buy a joint of pork but I buy loads of bacon and sausages

hughesy · « **Reply #5 on:** May 26, 2015, 09:35:17 pm »

Quote from: Kimbo on May 26, 2015, 09:20:54 pm

speaking as a consumer.... I never buy a joint of pork but I buy loads of bacon and sausages

That's pretty typical. I have no trouble selling sausages, bacon, chops and belly but roasting joints can be hard work. All my shoulders go into sausages but shifting legs isn't easy at this time of year so a bit of creative thinking needs to be applied.

Caroline1 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 26, 2015, 09:49:47 pm »

When I sent my 2 pigs I had half a pig made into sausages and they were the best sausages I have had as the meat ratio was higher

hughesy · « **Reply #7 on:** May 27, 2015, 07:46:17 am »

It's the sausage recipe that dictates the meat % not which part of the pig you used. Seasonings and rusk or similar are an essential part of the mix giving the sausage it's texture and ensuring that it eats well.

Caroline1 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 27, 2015, 12:17:47 pm »

All I know is some sausages were made with the leftovers from the cut. The others made from half a pig. Assumed the recipe they used was the same, either way, yummy sausages

Azzdodd · « **Reply #9 on:** May 28, 2015, 08:30:25 pm »

Kills me every time I do send a batch of 6 putting 2 whole pigs into sausage but it's what the customers want an you will find they will come back for me as it's much easier for people to afford £20-30 of sausages that they eat a lot quicker than a full pig at £200 which will take them 6 months to eat

artscott · « **Reply #10 on:** May 29, 2015, 10:18:49 pm »

Sausages are not JUST sausages. They are works of culinary art, we shouldn't think of it as waste to use a whole pig for sausages we should be proud of growing properly reared and fed outdoor pig that had good meat to fat ratio to make such excellent sausages that the public want more.
Sausages and bacon are the two most sublime products produced from our pigs. In a discussion with a very devout vegetarian I once cited sausages and bacon as the two main reasons I couldn't ever consider the vegetarianism. He ceded the argument as although he had never eaten meat he said the smell of sausages cooking made him feel like trying meat.
We are growing two pigs this year just for ourselves and one will be cut just for bacon and sausage, and there is a fair chance some bits of the other one will be used to make chorizo and saucisson.
We should celebrate sausages! They let you grow your pigs a little bigger, they use lots more of the pig and they will probably keep your pig balance sheet in the black.

oaklandspigs · « **Reply #11 on:** May 29, 2015, 11:09:45 pm »

well said artscott - we shouldn't treat sausages as a second class meat product

mowhaugh · « **Reply #12 on:** May 30, 2015, 08:29:21 am »

Thanks, everyone - sausage and bacon it is!

hughesy · « **Reply #13 on:** May 31, 2015, 01:44:35 pm »

Artscott that was very well put. And let's not get proper sausages made with quality ingredients and skill mixed up with the pink slime stuff from the supermarkets. Sausages are indeed a fantastic food and should be championed. Bacon made the proper way with proper pork is also one of the best things you can put in your mouth. As someone who sells pork in an effort to make a living I can tell you all that without sausages and bacon I would have been signing on the dole a long time ago.