The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: JoeMac on October 03, 2009, 08:26:34 pm
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Hello All,
I can't wait any longer for my kunes to get to a decent size (I'm starving!!) .So I am buying in some traditional pork ,a rear quarter .I intend to make back bacon and streaky using the method in the articles on here .I also want to use the rest of the meat for sausages .I want to make these myself and have taken a look at all the kits available on the internet ,these usually consist of a mincer/stuffer some flavourings and casings .Has anyone bought used any of these and if so what were the results like ??
Thanks again smallholders
JoeMac
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Hi you will find it much cheaper to buy a good quality mincer. Use bread either soaked or crumbed for the rusk, salt and pepper to taste (around 1 level teaspoon pepper to 2 salt per kilo) the secret is to use really, really cold water or ice cubes and to mix well.
You can buy a sausage stuffer fairly reasonably or if you are not doing loads a wide funnel and a wooden spoon works well. Although a bit on the slow side.
Just my opinion, cos I am too mean to buy kits.
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Hi JoeMac
I've just bought my sausage making equipment in readiness of my pigs going which is tomorrow, I got bogged down looking at all the different options on the web and then realized that one company was in Middlesbrough which isn't too far from me so I paid them a visit so that I could handle the machines and get some advice at the same time, it's Weschenfelder and sons, I ended up buying a manual stainless steel mincer and a minnie demon plus manual stuffer, I did look at the electric stuffers but had visions of sausage meat flying all over the kitchen from an out of control electric stuffer, I figured there would be less to go wrong with a manual option and that it would be easier to control, they also have all the casings, curing salts, seasonings etc I also bought a vacuum packer which I hope will prevent frost burn on the meat I freeze, it's quite an outlay initialy but I hope to be using them for years to come. The mincer can be used as a stuffer as well but you can't get much meat in it at one go, but if funds are tight this is an option.
good luck fellow sausage stuffer
Karen
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we bought the electric one from ascot it works but it gets very hot and is pretty poor. the flavourings are difficult the one that came with the kit was a bit strong. i would guess a stong mincer with a manual stuffer would be better.
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maybe manual is the way to go then .Good advice about the water HM ,maybe I should look for a manual mincer and see if I can find some recipes for quantities etc .I would prefer to make everything myself including all the flavourings etc rather than buy them ready made ,that way I suppose you know everything that is in them .I'll take a look at the Weschenfelder site .Normally I would be too tight to buy the kit too HM but it's my birthday this month and as my wife and kids usually complain that they have no idea what to buy me it would be a shame to waste the opportunity !! hee hee .
Thanks All
JoeMac
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Joe Mac as a sausage maker of several years now, I consider myself "expert" enough to offer this piece of advice. ...
When assemblng the kit together, make sure you have these mandatory ingredients close to hand.
Item 1 Ice
Item 2 Large glass (very large if you are doing a lot of sausages)
Item 3 Large bottle (or box) of wine.
This vital ingredient saves much swearing, frustration and general wanting to throw the sausage mix, skins and all other ingredients across the room when the skin splits. Helps to see the funny side when the huge great link drops to the floor spilling its guts. In fact makes the whole time go better.
Have a great time making your sausages. Dont forget to fry them slowly (this is necessary to prolong the anticipation time).
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Hee hee ,
For a minute there I thought you were adding the wine to the sausage mix !! will let you all know how it goes it will be the weekend after next if all goes to plan .
Cheers HM
JoeMac
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Hi Joe, I bought a mincer with a nozzle that you put the skins onto, so that it stuffs as you mince. The machine worked fine, but I tried for a to meaty mix which came out dry, when cooked. I THINK i will try HM'S method next time. Ice and a bottle. Will also add more back fat, as tried to be clever and make em too meaty. i got some stuff from weschenfelders too, it seemed ok to me. I feel hungry now, must getsome sausages from the freezer.
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When we first started we had Hilary and tamworths. We could never get enough back fat on the tamworths. This made the sausages rather dry. Using Gos and Gos X tamworths we are getting a bit more fat for the sausages, this definitely improves them. (IMO)
This is the beauty of making your own you can tailor them to your taste.
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I will keep a close eye on this thread to see what equipment you end up using Joe, I really like the sound of making my own Pork sausages even if I don't have pigs (yet)! I get home from the middle east on Wednesday and am really looking forward to a VERY LARGE BACON ROLL with extra bacon becuase you can't get it here.
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In Ireland, in our very rural areas we have a Kitchen that can be hired for an hour or a day.
These kitchens are usually kitted out in full stainless steel, and have food processiong equipment in them for small producers of meat, fruit, bread, and other food, the facilities are great as they can be used, on a low cost basis, as and when required.
Its all health and safety approved, as well as the HACCP and Food safety standards, and it is a great way for small fruit growers to make jam and other preserves without having to outlay anything for equipment. Also Bakers, Jam Makers and smallholders processing their Chickens and meat use the facility. We have a lot of local producers now, because of this facility, and new businesses doing meals on wheels, packed healthy ready meals and soups and pies are all thriving in the surrounding areas.
We have not used it ourselves, as we have our own butchery, which will be paid for in another four years, we do however, process weaners, vaccum pack them, and make a variety of sausages for people who have purchased their pigs from us, or have attended one of our Pig Keeping Courses, and this helps us to pay for our equipment, as well as saving people just rearing a couple of weaners, buying all their own equipment.
The other advantage of offering our service to the smallholder, is that is is done in an approved area, therefore can be safely sold on, if you have meat that is surplus to your requirements, we also can weigh, price, and herd number mark the packed product on our very expensive but worth their weight in gold computerised scales.
I think they have an hourly and a day rate. Its called The Food Hub here, and was funded by grant money. It is based in Drumshanbo, about 10 minutes drive from where we are, and a lot of people also get their HACCP training, Chef training, cooking lessons, there which uses the utility to the full.
I think it is something that the CSSA could benefit from, if the Council are up to funding such a thing.
Here is the link to their site for more information http://www.thefoodhub.com/ (http://www.thefoodhub.com/)
Julie
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Wow Julie ,
That sounds like one of the best ideas I have heard on this forum .I don't think anything like that exists around here but I wish it did .I am sure uptake on such a facility would e good if there was one .I'll take a look around and see if anything similar exists ,thinking about it local colleges woukld benefit from something like this .
If I find anything out about local facilities I'll post
Cheers Snoopy
JoeMac
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I've been looking at the Hugh Fearnley W. pig in a day DVD he suggests mincing the pork then adding the seasonings and frying a bit to test whether you've got the seasoning right and then putting it through the mincer again before stuffing the skins, my butcher also suggested putting it through the mincer twice, there are also recipes for sausages, salami, hams etc
I'm looking forward to trying it all this weekend
Karen
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I love the Idea of the food hub. There must be underused facillities all over the place that could be upgraded easily for community use. Processing large quantities at home is very difficult, especially in modern kitchens. I think there would be a lot of people who would use them. Families, individuals and groups.( allotment societies, smallholders etc). That way we could preserve our produce better, and preserve our relationship at home, by not turning the kitchen into war zone. Wonderful.
We could also get together for sessions, like sausage making, ham and bacon etc, jam making, turkey prepping etc. like little self help groups.
A large wind powered cold store would be my next wish.
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Great extra ideas there for food hub style set ups - and it is great to have something for everyone.
We both believe that the Community is the future for survival of local food and people.
We (society) need to pool resources, group together and go forward together as communities, in the hope that this silly materialism of everyone having their own goes away. The planet cannot cope with it for much longer. ??? Plus its the only cost effective way to produce your own quality stuff and not buy from the supermarkets.
Re: Wind powered Cold Store - Yes - us too!
We have a stream going through our land, which really needs an old traditional water
wheel building on it for future free power. ( And the look of it will be awesome).
We are also on a mountain, and have high land that would suit wind power, and all our
buildings are south facing, so roof would be ideal for solar power too.
At the moment we are paying a lot to have our three chest freezers, and our Cold Room
running 24/7, but the future plans are to have these items running for free, and the lighting.
All our heating is renewable timber, so no oil, or gas on our land. A wind powered cold store, built partially or all underground and lined in stone or concrete would be cool, like the old pantrys before fridges
that had a big stone or slab that was always cold and kept temperatures down, would be a lot
less to run, on wind power, than the new fangled all steel and plastic lined cold rooms.
Keep me up to date on your project - ours are future, we have too many things to do at the mo.
Where abouts are you in Sheffield? I used to work in Rotherham at Intac Data Systems many moons ago and worked with Sheffield City Council on their Desk Top Publishing implementation and sold image scanners to large corporations and governments.
Loved the Meadowhall back then when it first opened, and the cafe where the staff used to come out and dance on the tables - it was a hoot! - do they still do that there???
Bye for now Carl ;D
Julie
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Meadowhell is not a place I go much, if at all, only under severe sufferance. ie desperate last minute kiddies clothes buying. Do remember the staff dancing on tables at an american style diner.
Large older houses had cellars with stone slabs in which stayed cool all year, alas our barn conversion has no such luxury. Have thought about buying the back of an old refridgerated vehicle and using it as a cold store as and when needed. I remember finding ice house when young, where people stored ice from ponds etc to create a cold room.
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That right, it was an American Diner, and it was all kitted out like in the FONZ
I loved it there. With the booths and the juke box, and the staff used to come out and dance like showgirls on a cruize, then the next minute, in their aprons serving burgers and fries again - he he he
We have a lot of those old ice houses here in Ireland, usually just off a lake or river, where they could divert the water in to cool the produce. The old ways... (Hovis music an all) ;D