Sausage and salami

[Worth1]

Got the mortadella in the oven on a cook timer at 170F.
I smells like bologna in the house.
Worth

[Rajun Gardener]

They look good and you'll appreciate that work for a while. I need to get back on sausage making soon but I've been trying to harvest everything and get the GH closed for the winter.

I still want to build a smokehouse too. I saw an old one close to me and I want to stop by and get a few pics, it's made out of cinder blocks about a 6'x6' size. It's not in use anymore and just wasting away on the corner of someone's property. I can't help but think of all the meat that was smoked in there and the man that built and used it is probably dead and his kids inherited the property.

[Worth1]

Here it is after being brought up to temperature slowly.
Scared to death to cut into it or taste it.
Will do that tonight and package it for freezing.
Worth
IMG_20181114_24523.jpg

[Worth1]

Pepperoni doing okay so far.
Worth
IMG_20181114_1111.jpg

[taboule]

>>> Scared to death to cut into it or taste it.

Forgive me for asking Worth, why? It looks REAL GUUD to me.

(I must have missed something)

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by taboule

>>> Scared to death to cut into it or taste it.

Forgive me for asking Worth, why? It looks REAL GUUD to me.

(I must have missed something)

First I will discuss with you meat grinders some time later on.'
I did not ignore your post but have been busy and worn out at night.
It is very involved and complicated to say the least.

Scared is because I am a perfectionist big time.
If it doesn't look and taste the way I want it I will be disappointed.
I already think I put too many and too big fat chunks in it.
Time and work schedule didn't allow me the best of circumstances.
Worth

[taboule]

OK now I get it, thanks Worth. I'm a bit like that too, often too worried about getting it right that I dont even start a project. I'm sure you've heard the proverb "perfect is the enemy of good enough." As I mentioned here, I started this past year the new hobby of smoking meats, and so far some of my smokes are a bit on the dry side. So I'll keep practicing until I get it the way I want.

WRT meat grinders, no worries again. I remember the thread where you discussed your experience. A couple of items from it I recall: 1) buy a unit with the reverse option, and 2) more power is better (a general philosophy for me too.) Some of the questions that have popped in my head researching my options include 1) metal gears or not, 2) country of manufacture, and of course 3) brand.

Your sausages look very good, and I bet they taste good too ;-)

Take care.

[Worth1]

I have one the The sausage maker doesn't sell anymore.
Pretty sure it has metal gears and as many of these contraptions it is made in china.
Cant remember what I paid for it but it was a lot.
I think the #22 is the best option and anything bigger for the home is insane.
But a good #12 would be okay too just dont go into business with it.

As for reverse any motor with a starting capacitor can be reversed.
If it makes a clicking sound after you shut it off it can be reversed.
You just have to wire a switch that will have a forward/off/and revers on it.
Mine is a momentary reverse switch that doesn't lock in you have to hold it in reverse.

Next is hand lapping/polishing/honing the grinding knives and plates on a dead flat surface.
None of them are perfect and it makes a huge difference grinding.

Next dont forget to put the cutting knife in.
I did the other day and for the life of me couldn't figure out what was going on for a minute.
If you get a grinder get standard plates not some wild design you have to special order.

The plates I ordered for the Sausage Maker were off size a wee bit for my grinder and I had to spin grind them so one or two would fit.'
They should have fit but some how the tolerances were off, made in Poland.
Ran a bolt thought them chucked them up on the drill press and ran an 8 inch sanding disk spinning while the plate was spinning.
You wont cut that hard steel any other way.
Probably 6 thousandths is all it took.
My opinion you cant have too may plate sizes.
And dont forget to get a stuffing plate and tubes if you intend to use it to stuff with too.
They do make pretty good stuffers.
I haven't done it here but I have elsewhere.

Worth

[Worth1]

Meat mixer due in today.
Going to make around 20 pounds of regular smoked sausage tomorrow or tonight.
You know, just to try out the meat mixer.
Worth

[taboule]

Thanks for the info Worth. WRT reverse, I was thinking of the switch and capability already built-in instead of do-it-yourself.

A couple specs I may have settled on are 1hp and size 12 (plenty big for me I think.)

Will continue my research. This might be a Christmas gift to myself.

[Worth1]

The sausage maker sent me the wrong meat mixer.
I get home and I think dam this box is heavy.
I take it out and think man it sure is bigger than I thought it would be.
Put the thing on the counter and it has a reduction drive for the handle.
Look in the book and it says it can be connected to a Weston meat grinder.

What the heck is this thing?

Go on the Weston site and there it is a 44 pound meat mixer not the 20 pound one I ordered.
Looked at my order slip and my order on line.
20 pound meat mixer.

I called got hold of a guy that just takes orders left him a message as to the deal.
I have no idea what they will do, let me keep it charge me or send it back.

Is karma telling me I need to sell sausage?

Lord knows I have had a ton of requests.

This thing is made by Weston and can be connected to a Weston spline drive meat grinder.
It can also be ran off my metal lathe at 70 RPM nicely.

Worth

[AlittleSalt]

It could be a sign. It's something you like doing too.

[Worth1]

Salt I took it apart to see how it was made.
It has about a 3 to 1 gear reduction drive on it made with steel gears.
Got four pork roasts on sale it will be tested out with tomorrow.
Worth
IMG_20181116_2318.jpg

[Worth1]

Here's the mortadella I couldn't be more happy with the product.
It really is good.
Worth
IMG_20181116_11939.jpg

[Worth1]

I accidentally broke a fermented ghost pepper juice pepperoni stick and I heated it up and ate it.
This stuff is off the hook big time.
It is like nothing I have ever had before in my life.