| Are you fed up with buying the same old mass | | | | all of your own flavourings and not a bought in |
| produced sausages that have no real flavour to them, | | | | sausage mix as these will have the salt added already. |
| are full of additives and preservatives as well as this | | | | From here you can take your sausage recipe [ to |
| you have no idea what meat has gone into the | | | | where ever you want. You can keep it simple by |
| production? | | | | adding fennel seeds and rosemary, or spicy by adding |
| If so maybe you should have a go at making your | | | | coriander, chilli powder and garam masala. It really is up |
| own sausages, it really is simple. You will need some | | | | to you. There are many forums on the net with |
| specialist equipment but this can be bought relatively | | | | sausage recipes, just keep looking until you find one. |
| cheaply on the net and as with most people I've know | | | | When you think your happy with the flavours that |
| who've made their own sausages, once you've made | | | | you've chosen just take a bit of the mix and fry it off |
| your own you'll never go back to buying the mass | | | | in a pan and taste, if you are happy with it you can go |
| produced factory produced ones on offer in the super | | | | ahead and stuff the mix, if not you can keep adding to |
| market. | | | | it until you've got it right. |
| The equipment you'll need is as follows. | | | | One final thing that you'll need for your sausages is the |
| A meat mincer is obviously required to produce | | | | casings. These are available in various sizes and |
| sausages. If you don't have the spare money for a | | | | styles. You can have collagen casings, sheep casings |
| machine you can always ask you butcher to mince | | | | or hog casings. |
| the right amount of meat for you when you buy it. | | | | I'd recommend using hog casings to start with as they |
| Whatever machine you buy ensure it will be able to | | | | are easier to work with than the delicate sheep |
| process enough meat without over heating, this can be | | | | casings and produce a good thick sausage. These |
| a stand alone machine or it can be an attachment that | | | | casings should be soaked in water for at least 2 hours |
| you add to your food processor. It is important to | | | | prior to using. These are usually supplied in a moist salt |
| ensure that the mincer has the right gauge of blade for | | | | solution. Use what you need and once resealed in the |
| mincing as it's important that your mince isn't too fine | | | | Ziploc bag provided, casings can be stored for months |
| for sausages, you you're your sausage to be quite | | | | in the fridge. |
| meaty. | | | | Sheep casings produce a very delicate thin sausage |
| After the meat is minced, mixed and flavourings added | | | | but care must be taken not to overstuff them. Once |
| you'll need to stuff your sausages, surprisingly enough, | | | | you have got the hang of sheep casings they are well |
| with a sausage stuffer. These are available in various | | | | worth the effort. Again, these casings should be |
| types but mainly vertical or horizontal screw thread | | | | soaked in water for at least 2 hours prior to using. |
| stuffer's which are basically a large plunger that goes | | | | Collagen casings are the complete solution for all |
| inside a metal tube, is fixed on a stand and is pushed | | | | sausage applications, including freezing, deep fat frying, |
| through the tube by means of a screw thread. Pretty | | | | grilling and oven cooking. Collagen casings are supplied |
| simply stuff really. | | | | on a shirred stick and the amount needed for each |
| You can get sausage stuffing attachments for food | | | | application can be cut off. These casing are suitable |
| processors but I'd always recommend a hand | | | | for hand-linking provided the appropriate sausage mix |
| operated one until you get to a point where you are | | | | and recipe are used. When hand-linking, the casing is |
| making so many sausages that an electric screw | | | | dry, so we suggest using a vegetable oil to help with |
| thread machine is an option but you need to be making | | | | the process. Oil has the added benefits of leaving a |
| a lot of sausages to justify one of these or very lazy. | | | | lasting sheen on the sausage and helps with cooking. |
| When you have minced all of the meat you need you | | | | No soaking is required and they have an indefinite shelf |
| mix it to ensure that you have the correct consistency | | | | life if stored in a cool dark place, refrigeration is not |
| of fat to meat. Although your sausage may appear to | | | | necessary. |
| have a higher fat content that the mass produced | | | | Stuffing is the easy part, as long as you don't over |
| super market version when you cook your homemade | | | | stuff the casings, which will make them spilt, you can't |
| sausages you'll be amazed at how little fat drains out. | | | | really go wrong. |
| When you are happy that the meat and fat are | | | | When the sausages are stuffed you can either have |
| properly mixed it is time to add the flavourings. | | | | a go at linking them as you see in butchers or you can |
| Now this is where it gets interesting and is purely down | | | | refrigerate them or freeze them as a long link. |
| to personal taste. I'd recommend adding 10 - 15 grams | | | | Either way you'll have the best sausage you've ever |
| of salt to each kilo of meat but only if you are adding | | | | tasted. |