Vehement Solutions for Trivial Problems: Making Sausage

Andy took a sausage-making class at Kitchen Window in Oct. 2012, and since then he makes sausage a few times a year, including for Christmas many years.

The first family sausage-making event, Christmas Eve 2012

Equipment and supplies:

A hand-cranked 5 lb sausage stuffer purchased on eBay. Andy originally bought the stuffer attachment for the KitchenAid, but it didn't work well at all so he returned it
Electric knife (if needed for large portions of meat)
The grinder attachment for our KitchenAid mixer
Food scale
Vacuum food sealer and bags
Collagen casings (we usually buy the 32 mm size by Lem available at Fleet Farm)
Complete Sausage Cookbook by Bruce Aidells
Pork fat ("picnic trim") purchased at a butcher shop, can be kept frozen until needed
High melt-point cheese cubes, if called for, available at some butcher shops
Many of the recipes call for plenty of spices and garlic, so make sure you have enough on hand

General process:

Prepare the ingredients, including weighing and grinding the meat(s) as needed
Fry up a small test patty to check on seasoning levels
Place sausage mixture in the stuffer. Place a collagen sleeve on the stuffing tube and start stuffing, periodically twisting off individual links. This is better done as a two-person job
Vacuum seal and freeze sausages as needed

Favorite recipes:

Chicken and Apple Sausages

Recipe from Kitchen Window

Note: Dried apples can be expensive, so I've dried them myself in the oven at about 175F on convection for about 6 hours. For this recipe, I've dried 4 apples on 2 racks on baking sheets and had just the right amount.

1 c apple cider, reduced over med heat to 1/4 c (note- we'll often omit this)

3 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

1/2 lb pork fat

2 oz candied ginger, minced

3 oz dried apple

5 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp black pepper (smoked, if available)

2 tsp dried sage

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Coarsely grind the chicken, pork fat and candied ginger, then mix in the remaining ingredients.

Andy will also make bratwurst recipes, especially in the spring. The Hunter and Michigan Farmer sausages in The Complete Sausage Cookbook are other favorites. He's also made lamb and venison sausages.