I am thinking about making sausage for the first time and had a few questions....

So you gut, skin and process the deer. Do you Freeze it or cube it? If you cube do you need to freeze or just keep chill? I have a freezer with space but not a fridge. I may look for a cheap fridge to chill the meat/sausage.

Figured I would need a grinder, sausage stuffer, and some big bowls to hold everything. Anything else?


I usually shoot 2 deer a year. Figured the first one would go to the processor for max steaks, and stuff I don’t want to make (tamales, etc). The second one I would keep the straps and roasts and grind the rest...

PM Payne or Skinnerback

I recommend buying a grinder and a few pork butts and trying to make some breakfast sausage. Read a bunch of recipes and take notes as to what spices, quantities etc., they each use. Try a few recipes to find out what tastes best to you. Mix and match info to get the best taste for you.

Here is a homemade stuffer that is pretty easy to make. https://www.instructables.com/id/Sausage-Stuffer/

Everything you need under one roof.
https://www.texastastes.com/

Payne sent me a care care package which had sone great links.

"I am thinking about making sausage for the first time and had a few questions....So you gut, skin and process the deer. Do you Freeze it or cube it? If you cube do you need to freeze or just keep chill? I have a freezer with space but not a fridge. I may look for a cheap fridge to chill the meat/sausage." Touch the meat as little as possible We try to cut up the deer into cubes right away when we bring it home. Then vacuum seal it and freeze it to bring out later, when we get together to make sausage. If you do not cube it and freeze "lump meat", that can really complicate matters. When you pull it out, it has to thaw in order to cube it. Frankly, that there can be pain in the rump. Might take a couple of days to completely thaw. Why touch it twice when you can take care of it correctly the 1st time?

"I usually shoot 2 deer a year. Figured the first one would go to the processor for max steaks, and stuff I don’t want to make (tamales, etc). The second one I would keep the straps and roasts and grind the rest...' Hoping that there second deer is big like a heifer or you ain't gonna get enuff out of the neck to make much in the way of sausage.

"Figured I would need a grinder, sausage stuffer, and some big bowls to hold everything. Anything else?" We have never ever made sausage without a handle. Once, two and half handles, but we'll never do that again (trust me here).

and another

http://lpoli.50webs.com/

Keep it simple. We utilize non-iodized salt, coarse black pepper, red pepper and garlic. We do sometimes utilize a recipe where we replace the red pepper with ground, roasted chili petines. Using the little chilis does require a malted beverage when consuming and when you go out to pick them, it might be wise to wear gloves. Public service message - when picking fresh petines, do not rub your eyes or touch any parts between your legs. Of course we also use mono-cure as a preservative. Can no longer get salt petre.

Keep it simple II - good sausage is a whole lot about what you don't put in it. In these here parts, sage is pretty much at the top of that list.

No need to buy a separate stuffer, use the horn for the grinder, Have someone reed the meat back through the grounder and another work the gut. It's a lot easier to clean up than a stuffer.

Your last statement hit the nail on the head, especially about sage.

Your last statement hit the nail on the head, especially about sage.

while it can be done, a stuffer is a must if you plan on doing more.