So I’ve embarked on a new adventure. Homemade sausage making. Got the grinder, the stuffer and anything else that might be needed. Years ago I did the home brew thing for awhile and did quite well so I figured what the heck.

The biggest obstacle I’ve encountered thus far is hunting down some of the common ingredients used in almost every recipe; hog casings and pork fat. If you have a butcher in your area both of these should be found there. If you’re trying to find them in a grocery store forget about it. Also sometimes the cut of meat can be a little difficult to find. Things like veal, boneless pork butt, and hanger steak may have you driving to a few locations before finding them.

The only other thing important to making sausage are the spices. These are relatively easy to find and if you’re planning on making sausage regularly, I’d suggest getting larger supplies of some of the common ones.

So all that’s left is finding a recipe and starting preparation. Since I’m new at this, I’m following each recipe exactly. Once I know what I’m doing I’ll start getting a little more creative. Once the grinding is done, add you spices and mix together well.

Next is the  actual stuffing of the sausage. My first two attempts went okay but I know I can do it better and faster with some practice. Just tie them off in a desired length and prepare as directed.

After lots of searching I found  a great Bratwurst recipe. There are a few extra steps involved but well worth it.

So for now I think this is my new hobby. Anything that involves cooking and eating is a great hobby in my book. Stay tuned for more great recipes.