Homemade Sausage!!!

I spent the day making some different sausage, ground right here on the homestead. The pork was 1.79 a pound which was raised by a local farmer and his clan. I had visited his farm last year, so placed and order for pork last spring. The pigs are feed grain and trashy veggies from the local markets. Fruits, veggies it all goes into their food. With 20 pigs in one huge pen, I'd guess 1.5 acres. I ordered 1.5 hogs.

I decided to put a twist on a Andouille recipe I found on line, I started with the original, tasted it, took out some stuff, and added more of the stuff I like. I cooked a small sample of that, and again adjusted the recipe to my liking.

I also took a big ole block of cracker barrel cheese, 1 pound and diced it up to add to the pork and the other top secret meat. Now I wouldn't tell my friends that I put in 2 pounds of pheasant meat that I harvested this week into the sausage.

The meat list includes the 2 pounds of pheasant, 6 ponds of pork, and 2 pounds of just pork fat. I will save about ten pounds of the fat to use in cooking, the rest I plain to render down to make some good ole pan licking lard.

I must admit that I wasn't keen on cleaning my own casings, not that have them anyway. So I purchased some pre-cleaned from a local butcher shop. It was a bit difficult to handle because it was so slippery, but once I towel dried the outside it was much easier.

I was able to make 44 links about 1 1/4 around and we're having some for dinner tonight. I was able to vac pack 6 packs with 6 links in each one.

There is something to be said about making your own, and when it turns out to taste better than you hoped, well you just wanna reach around and pat yourself on the back. This is a self sufficient skill I enjoyed doing with my son who also had a great time helping and felt proud of himself when we ate some for dinner.

I twisted the links, but will use linen string to tie the ends off next time, its a learning process in the works.






As for the meat grinder for the kitchen aid, I love that thing !!! I had also purchased this stuffer on sale, plus I had a free shipping code.

Often we will brag up our food that we make, the day I was making it a friend of the family stopped over. Like always I feel good about giving some away if I should get a visitor.

Later that evening I got a text message from Jody who said OMG that was so good, u tech me how to mk it.

Than of course I gave some to Mark, he said it was the best sausage he had ever ate that I made. I started making my own sausage when I found out what goes in the stuff bought locally or at the market. Eating pigs hinny holes, ears, and snouts just doesn't appeal to me, no matter how you cook it.

I was thinking about mailing a couple of these wonderful kits to my ss friends on line for xmas presents or for bartering.