Beer And Sausages

[pbrosnan]

Hi all,

I recently bought a sausage stuffer ... OK now stop that smirking, anyway I was wondering if anyone new a good source for casings. I bought one from my local butcher and it's fine but I thought I'd see if there were any other outlets serving the craft-stuffer.

 

[johnno]

pbrosnan,
most butchers carry them and will sell you a small amount.

cheers
johnno

 

[wildschwein]

Try ringing your butcher first so they can order some in for you. If you just rock up and ask for it they may not be as cooperative as they often keep the amount of casing on hand they need for their own sausage making. If you'er after proper intesinal casing try Dubrovniks in Inglewood, opposite Meltham train station in WA. While your at it buy some of their sausages they do a very mean Vienna sausage and Weisswurst.

 

[barfridge]

pbrosnan: a couple of the WA AHB guys do snags. Send chillamcgilla a PM, he does fantastic ones.

Otherwise wildschwein is on the right track, de brovniks also do great work.

 

[pbrosnan]

Try ringing your butcher first so they can order some in for you. If you just rock up and ask for it they may not be as cooperative as they often keep the amount of casing on hand they need for their own sausage making. If you'er after proper intesinal casing try Dubrovniks in Inglewood, opposite Meltham train station in WA. While your at it buy some of their sausages they do a very mean Vienna sausage and Weisswurst.

Hi there,

I did ask my local butcher for casing and he was more than willing to sell them. I gathered that it's not an outrageous request. I was wanting to know if there was anyone who was making and where they were getting their casing from. Thanks BF I'll give Chilla a go.

cheers

Patrick.

 

[chillamacgilla73]

Hi Patrick,

I got my casings from MBL(Master Butchers Limited) - they used to be in Burswood but have moved to Canning Vale. The guys there are very helpful and is a great showroom to have a sticky beak....they also occasionally sell 2nd hand food grade 200lt drums for $10.

If you have a hog casings funnel(Larger OD...like a bratwurst NOT like a frankfurt), I have loads and you can have as much as you like - I bought 100M for $20 and have used about 20M....send me a PM and we can tee it up.

cheers
Chilla

 

[pbrosnan]

Hi Patrick,

I got my casings from MBL(Master Butchers Limited) - they used to be in Burswood but have moved to Canning Vale. The guys there are very helpful and is a great showroom to have a sticky beak....they also occasionally sell 2nd hand food grade 200lt drums for $10.

If you have a hog casings funnel(Larger OD...like a bratwurst NOT like a frankfurt), I have loads and you can have as much as you like - I bought 100M for $20 and have used about 20M....send me a PM and we can tee it up.

cheers
Chilla

Hi there Chilla,

Thanks for the info. What was you view on the fat issue, do you use the trimmed fat or can you get it from the butcher.

 

[chillamacgilla73]

Hi there Chilla,

Thanks for the info. What was you view on the fat issue, do you use the trimmed fat or can you get it from the butcher.

I reckon you definately need to keep the fat content up - I always seem to fall a little short in the fat % with good results but the snags end up a little dry. Butchers will sell you fat(Pork is best from memory) but shop around for a reasonable/fair butcher. Ask for the cheapest meat - flap etc....Some butchers take the piss - EG: The quoted cost for snag ingredients on a recent batch varied from $5.50ish/Kilo to $22.00/kilo. My motive for snag making is not to save cash, more for making a decent full flavoured snagger.....but $22.00/Kilo for pork, Veal n Fat off cuts is taking the piss!

 

[AndrewQLD]

I reckon you definately need to keep the fat content up - I always seem to fall a little short in the fat % with good results but the snags end up a little dry. Butchers will sell you fat(Pork is best from memory) but shop around for a reasonable/fair butcher. Ask for the cheapest meat - flap etc....Some butchers take the piss - EG: The quoted cost for snag ingredients on a recent batch varied from $5.50ish/Kilo to $22.00/kilo. My motive for snag making is not to save cash, more for making a decent full flavoured snagger.....but $22.00/Kilo for pork, Veal n Fat off cuts is taking the piss!

Around 20-25% fat content is a reasonable amount for most sausages, don't forget that water or beer/wine can be used as well to help keep your snags moist. Mixing the meat well before stuffing will help it to emulsify causing the meat to bind together and retain more moisture to.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[THE DRUNK ARAB]

Speaking of the fat content, has anyone used copha to any degree of success?

C&B
TDA

 

[braufrau]

my husband becomes an avid junk mail reader when he's planning a batch. He looks for pork shoulder
roast on special, usually about $4 / kilo and usually he doesn't add any more fat than what is on the
shoulder.

 

[Mercs Own]

Patrick I have been making sausages for a few years now and love it. Did you buy an electric mincer or one of those porketta hand cranked mincers? I used the hand crank for a few years but recently was given an electric mincer made by Sunbeam and it cuts out probably 2/3 rd off the time of mincing and stuffing. If you make sausages often it is well worth the investment.

I usually use the animal intestines that I get from my butcher but you can also get a collegen skin that is dry and pre- rolled for 5 kilo lots. I havent used that yet as I have no problem with the sheeps guts although it can be a bit smelly. I usually soak them in fresh cold water with a bit of lemon juice squeezed in to it and then give them a rinse by running cold water through each section before I fill them. There is also another skin out that I saw the other day probably synthetic - this one comes in single sausage lots about 10 - 12 cm long and the diameter of a thick sausage and is also dry. It looks like it would be convenient to use as there is no mucking around with sorting out lengths and tie off points.

Best things re skins, meat and recipe is find a really good butcher preferably an Italian one or one who is married to an Italian or a butcher that is into making their own snags and salami at home they help you out no probs.

I was going to start a post about making your own salami as this time of the year is when all the home salami makers get their mincers out and start mincing and stuffing. I have 4 kilos of salami hanging in the garage that I made on Sunday now all I have to do is wait a month or two!

Good luck with your sausages your imagination is the only limit - oh and good ingredients!

edit:Spelling

 

[Mercs Own]

I used pork shoulder for my salami and didnt need to add any more fat. I also usually use pork neck for my normal sausages. When using other meats you will probably need to add pork fat - I made a kangaroo, stout and pistachio sausage once that needed a good helping of pork fat to keep that one moist - bloody beautiful but!

 

[PostModern]

There is also another skin out that I saw the other day probably synthetic - this one comes in single sausage lots about 10 - 12 cm long and the diameter of a thick sausage and is also dry. It looks like it would be convenient to use as there is no mucking around with sorting out lengths and tie off points.

Are those synthetic ones edible skins? From my googling I only found paper or plastic ones that are meant for boiled/smoked/otherwise cured product and the skin is intended to be peeled off like salami skin. I'm looking for something cookable that is not derived from guts or collagen for making pescatarian-friendly seafood sausage.

 

[Mercs Own]

Are those synthetic ones edible skins? From my googling I only found paper or plastic ones that are meant for boiled/smoked/otherwise cured product and the skin is intended to be peeled off like salami skin. I'm looking for something cookable that is not derived from guts or collagen for making pescatarian-friendly seafood sausage.

As I havent used them I couldnt say although my friendly butcher did say he used them for his chorizo which he smoked and then would peel before eating. In fact I am not sure if the skins are design for mainly salami or for your normal sausage. I can feel a trip up to the butcher coming on - will let you know and get the name of the skins.

 

[PostModern]

As I havent used them I couldnt say although my friendly butcher did say he used them for his chorizo which he smoked and then would peel before eating. In fact I am not sure if the skins are design for mainly salami or for your normal sausage. I can feel a trip up to the butcher coming on - will let you know and get the name of the skins.

Thanks! :beer:

If anyone else has leads on edible synthetic or at least non-abattoir sausage skins that can survive frying, I'd appreciate a post. Otherwise I'll still be stuck with making fishcakes and gluten unskinned bangers.

 

[pbrosnan]

Patrick I have been making sausages for a few years now and love it. Did you buy an electric mincer or one of those porketta hand cranked mincers? I used the hand crank for a few years but recently was given an electric mincer made by Sunbeam and it cuts out probably 2/3 rd off the time of mincing and stuffing. If you make sausages often it is well worth the investment.

I usually use the animal intestines that I get from my butcher but you can also get a collegen skin that is dry and pre- rolled for 5 kilo lots. I havent used that yet as I have no problem with the sheeps guts although it can be a bit smelly. I usually soak them in fresh cold water with a bit of lemon juice squeezed in to it and then give them a rinse by running cold water through each section before I fill them. There is also another skin out that I saw the other day probably synthetic - this one comes in single sausage lots about 10 - 12 cm long and the diameter of a thick sausage and is also dry. It looks like it would be convenient to use as there is no mucking around with sorting out lengths and tie off points.

Best things re skins, meat and recipe is find a really good butcher preferably an Italian one or one who is married to an Italian or a butcher that is into making their own snags and salami at home they help you out no probs.

I was going to start a post about making your own salami as this time of the year is when all the home salami makers get their mincers out and start mincing and stuffing. I have 4 kilos of salami hanging in the garage that I made on Sunday now all I have to do is wait a month or two!

Good luck with your sausages your imagination is the only limit - oh and good ingredients!

edit:Spelling

Hi there,

Thanks for the reply, lots of insights there. I like Braufrau's idea with the pork shoulder, I'll be scanning the catalog's now.

 

[pbrosnan]

Did you buy an electric mincer or one of those porketta hand cranked mincers?

Hi there,

I've bought an electric mincer off evilBay, $108 to WA. There seems to be quite a few for sale but prices vary wildly.

 

[AndrewQLD]

Thanks! :beer:

If anyone else has leads on edible synthetic or at least non-abattoir sausage skins that can survive frying, I'd appreciate a post. Otherwise I'll still be stuck with making fishcakes and gluten unskinned bangers.

PoMo,
The collagen casings available from bakenbrew are synthetic and are edible. These are what a lot of butchers use for their thin sausages but thick casings are also available.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[chillamacgilla73]

Speaking of the fat content, has anyone used copha to any degree of success?

C&B
TDA

TDA - from memory copha(Palmitate) is the most saturated fat(Animal or plant derived) you can get - worse than tallow or lard. I would steer clear myself.
Cheers
Chilla