Brawts help needed?

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daddyzaring

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Nov 7, 2009
622
12
Okay got a real nice grinder for $55 (+s/h), and it's suppose to be here Thursday.  I am thinking of trying to make some brawts for the wife.  The near-by HyVee sells these pinapple brawts she really likes, but they are kind of pricey.  This is completely new to me so I really not sure exactly what to do, other than grinding up, and mixing the meat, then stuffing it in a casing.  Other than that, I have no clue, so any tips, instructions, recipes, etc.  are very welcome.

Here's the link to the grinder I am getting, http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260615624545&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

Thank you,

Jeff Z
 
Lots to takl about regarding this.

I will start off with do ya want them to be fresh or cured. It makes a big diffrence in the recipee. Keep your meet cold throught the grinding mixing and stuffing process. No need to make anyone sick...

Just a start others will chime in.
 
Not sure sure, which is easiest?  Probably best to start off simple, until I get some practice with it.
 
Great grinder! I can't wait to hear how it works, I'm still using the manual type myself.

Here's a link to a youtube video that I really like, it's kinda long and has a couple of ads in it but they really break it down.

 
Lots to takl about regarding this.

I will start off with do ya want them to be fresh or cured. It makes a big diffrence in the recipee. Keep your meet cold throught the grinding mixing and stuffing process. No need to make anyone sick...

Just a start others will chime in.
Rio pretty much said it... there is alot to talk about... fresh or smoked, cures, ingreds both meats and spices, casings- natural or collagen, recipies, etc... there are alot of sausage posts already here. if you are really planning on getting into sausage which sounds like it is... i highly recommend a book by Rytek Kutas, Great sausage making and meat curing... it is an encyclopedia on all things sausage and meat curing. also google making homemade sausage or homemade brautwurst sausage recipies. if possible check into it a bit and get back with a more specific question. i know there is people here will gladly help you answer anything you may have questions on. almost forgot... check out the stuff on you tube. not related but wife wanted some orange chicken(heck so did i...) got the greatest how to of exactly what i was looking for and it was great. is a great reference tool.
 
 
OK the information on the vidoe is basically correct. But you don't need to throw the meat in the stuffer like they do. And you don't need a special tool to prick the casings. We used a needle. Stuffing into the casings takes some practice to get it right. I have not used any curing chemicals yet, as they take very specific measurements. You need to be careful with them. So we stuff & freeze with the food saver. Butcher & Packer is a good source for casings. Read the instructions. I got that name from a bro on here. Understand you can make sausages w/o stuffing into casings, that is a whole other level. Not hard, just takes some practice. I made Polish, Cajun, Chorizo & Brats from thespiceysausage.com. Don't do like we did-assemble the grinder, stuffer, and four recipes and casings all in one afternoon. Take your time. Keep the meat cold as possible as you are working it. I asked a lot of questions from the good folks here before I started.

Notice I got a digital scale to help with proportions. Also got some tubs for the meat mixing. Sorry no photo of the stuffer in action.

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Well I think I can figure out the basics alright, and I am sure there is alot that will come from practice and experience.  I guess mainly I am wanting to know if there is much more than just grinding your meat, then mixing in what ever ingredients(?), pumping it into casings, and twisting the links?  Also, what makes a brawt a brawt?  I will probably be mostly making brawts, and polish sausage, as far as using this for making sausage.  I will use it to grind up other stuff too, but these are the things I am not too sure about, Maybe I am thinking it will be more complicated than it really is. lol
 
Check out the link I sent. Brautwurst (brauts) is a recipe, like chorizo, polish, cajun, etc. Just like the recipe with the pineapple  (?) your wife likes. But it isn't hard only you will be able to say that AFTER you have done a few batches. Not before. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Meaning anyone can do this exercise, but to make world-class sausage takes a lot of practice. Which is as it should be with anything.

There are MANY on here who have made a ton more sausages than I. They will contribute. Review the sausage links. It is all good my friend, and welcome.
 
I'm not seeing a link, where is it?

 
Check out the link I sent. Brautwurst (brauts) is a recipe, like chorizo, polish, cajun, etc. Just like the recipe with the pineapple  (?) your wife likes. But it isn't hard only you will be able to say that AFTER you have done a few batches. Not before. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Meaning anyone can do this exercise, but to make world-class sausage takes a lot of practice. Which is as it should be with anything.

There are MANY on here who have made a ton more sausages than I. They will contribute. Review the sausage links. It is all good my friend, and welcome.
 
As it has been said above, Keep the meat as cold as possible, it will grind so much better.

I also use a separate stuffer, but that is something you can graduate up to.

sometimes i like to cube up or make a very coarse first grind, mix all  the ingredients and let them sit over night.   Mix it up again and throw into the freezer for 20 min.

I cant say if it improves anything or not.   If I mix and stuff I let them sit in the fridge for a day or tow before I use them or freeze them.

Find a friend to help out, let them run the on off switch.   You can also get a foot pedal for this later on.

As erain said get "the book" it has a lot of good information, I find that the recipes are on the bland side and always add more amounts of the spices for my taste.   I think that's part of the fun.

There is a bunch of stuff around here to read up on, and plenty of us to help you out.

Start out with a few pounds of polish, Italian. 

I found out the hard way that there is no thing as a "healthy sausage"   sausage is full of fat, make sure you have enough or you will have cardboard links.

Add a few drops of vinegar to you casings if using fresh, makes them a little easier to handle.
 
i have to say that rytecs book was a waste of money really, i didn't get anything from it although i want to read about curing so maybe ill learn something in that section? i learned more from here and the Internet. But yes start with easy fresh sausage and even breakfast sausage if you dont have a dedicated stuffer yet? I started out using leggs brand premixed sausage seasonings and i still have alot of them left, each packet makes 25lbs they have breakfast sausage, spicy Italian regular Italian and more, your butcher shop will probably carry them. and also chicken sausage has been really good to try that as well, you can search here and find some great recipes. Also stuffing is much easier than you would think at least with a dedicated stuffer if you use the grinder its very slow and a pita, but to make sure you like making sausages and i bet anything you will, just use your grinder to stuff them until you decide.
 
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I think as far a learning about grinding, stuffing, cures, and smoking, I liked the Michael Ruhlman's Charcuterie book much better.  Recipes are a dime a dozen.  You can use Ruhlman's or Kutas' recipes as a starting point and customize them as per your tastes and availability of ingredients.  I find that many recipes from books such as these are weakly seasoned for my tastes.

There are several on-line sources for good recipes and information too.  Here are a couple of the best.

http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/index.html

http://home.pacbell.net/lpoli/index.htm
 
I think the Kutas book is fine for what it is. I dont agree with alot of his points especially his belief if you are gonna smoke it you have to cure it.  But there is knowledge to be gained from it's reading. Heck I learded a better way to bone a pork butt reading it so all was not lost.

I will however warn that the recipies in the book are bland at best.

Best way to learn sausagemaking is to jump in and do it...
 
Just a word of warning about that pineapple.  Pineapple has some kind of enzyme in it that breaks down protien to the point of turning it to mush if left long enough. I would reccomend making those in small batches that you will consume within a couple days.  It does sound good though.  Pork and pineapple are always a good pair.
 
I think as far a learning about grinding, stuffing, cures, and smoking, I liked the Michael Ruhlman's Charcuterie book much better.  Recipes are a dime a dozen.  You can use Ruhlman's or Kutas' recipes as a starting point and customize them as per your tastes and availability of ingredients.  I find that many recipes from books such as these are weakly seasoned for my tastes.

There are several on-line sources for good recipes and information too.  Here are a couple of the best.

http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/index.html

http://home.pacbell.net/lpoli/index.htm
The recipes I provided are very good, thank you very much, or I would not have provided them The proportions are very exact and not "weakly seasoned imo." .
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I am pretty sure he is reffering to the recipes in the books, or is your recipe in one of them?

 
The recipes I provided are very good, thank you very much, or I would not have provided them The proportions are very exact and not "weakly seasoned imo." .
PDT_Armataz_01_02.gif

 
 
I missed that sorry-maybe those are not as good. I know i bought a lot of new seasonings for the ones i made from the link so they would be fresh tasting.
 
Grinding your own seasonings from fresh stuff is always the best.

I had the Kutas book before there was Internet (OK, almost) it is a good "guide"  and sheds some insight on a lot of different things.

With as many forums and sites dedicated today.   It is very easy to find the same information or overwhelm yourself and get confused.

Keep it simple and have fun.
 
The recipes I provided are very good, thank you very much, or I would not have provided them The proportions are very exact and not "weakly seasoned imo." .
PDT_Armataz_01_02.gif

 
Yes, I was talking about the recpies in the mentioned books.  Most people on this site are not smart a$$es and try to provide helpful information.  You asked for tips and suggestions.  I responded by giving you an alternate book that I believe is more helpful, encouragement to use recipes in books as base recipes and to adjust according to your tastes, and on-line resources for good and free information and recipes. You're welcome.
 
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