| During the canning season I can often recall that my | | | | I generally use very little herbs and spices in my mix |
| grandmother used to take and can sausage patties. | | | | and that also includes the use of my favorites such as |
| She would take fresh made patties and stack them | | | | garlic or onions as they will actually become stronger |
| neatly inside a wide mouth jar and then fill the | | | | tasting when your product is canned. Instead you could |
| container full of hot sausage grease. She would then | | | | use a little bit of hot red pepper, salt, black pepper, |
| place the lids securely on them, turn them upside down | | | | some thyme or perhaps a bit of marjoram to season |
| to seal and she was done. How I remember going to | | | | the sausage that you plan to can. |
| the food closet and seeing dozens upon dozens of | | | | When selecting the meat make certain to choose 2/3 |
| jars carefully stacked upside down. It seems that in | | | | of lean meat to about 1/3 fat in order to make the |
| those days it was customary to place the jars upside | | | | best canned sausage that you can. You would can |
| down to ensure a good seal. | | | | your sausage in the same manner as you would |
| Over the years as I grew up and investigated the art | | | | ground meat except that you will make small patties |
| of canning on my own I discovered there are two | | | | and cook it until it's very well done. |
| major ways to can sausage. You can form and bake | | | | Unlike ground beef you can use the fat from cooking |
| the patties until they are firm similar to the way my | | | | the sausage to actual can it in. Be certain not to fill the |
| grandmother did it or you can fry the sausage up and | | | | jar too full, 2/3 full is plenty enough for it. Pour the |
| let it crumble and then fill your jars up. | | | | grease in and make sure that it covers the sausages. |
| With the second way you would fry some of the | | | | You may wish to melt some extra lard to use for |
| sausage until it started to separate into small pieces | | | | covering the sausages in the jar. Keep the lard or |
| and then can these pieces for use in gravies or | | | | grease very hot while it is waiting to be poured into the |
| casseroles. Here are some tips to follow when | | | | jar. |
| attempting this on your own. | | | | Lastly, you will want to adjust the lids onto the jars and |
| You should omit any use of sage from your recipe if | | | | place then into a pressure canner set for 10 pounds of |
| you decide to mix your own sausage. When canning | | | | pressure. For pint jars cook for 75 minutes and quarts |
| your sausage the sage will tend to make it taste bitter. | | | | for 90 minutes. |