Sausage does not sound cheap to make?

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pandemonium

Master of the Pit
Original poster
Aug 4, 2009
1,983
14
Florida
Is it more about just making your own kind? it seems like it would not be economical to make at home? I am just wondering what you guys think about that? i woild like to get a grinder but even to make your own burgers seems like it would cost way more than buying the meat already ground.
 
I buy butts and grind and add my spices.Takes maybe an hour.

As mentioned i can make what i like and way better to me then generic.

I also grind my own chuck for ground beef.

I find controling the quality and flavor is the reason i have not bought ground/pre-maid sausage in a long time....Also way cheaper...
 
Well there is initial cost. Grinder and stuffer and the consumable items like casings, cure and spices. Yeah, the initial outlay for the first 2 items may be kinda spendy, but they are items that will last for years and years.

Second, is the quality. Nothing on the store shelves can compare to what you make at home, nothing. You know just whats in it, where the meat came from, the spices and so on. Not fillers, bulk meat that comes from lord knows where. Its just like buying a big cryovac of top sirloin or ribeye from sams. Sure, its going to be expensive buying that much meat, but when you get it home and cut it up yourself, its actually allot cheaper. Plus, with so many sausage varities out there to be made, there is not a store around that can offer that.

The big commercial sausage makers simply cannot offer a wholesome sausage like the ones that can be at home as it is just not cost effective. Thats why they are full of fillers.

If you do get a grinder, find yourself a pork butt in the 10# range. If you do, send me a private message and I will send you a recipe for sage breakfast sausge that is not only healthier for you, but will taste fantastic. And you won't even need any casising. I promise you, if you start making your own sausage, you'll wonder why you did not start sooner.
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I agree with both of these guys here. The cost isn't the important thing to me that is it's the fact one that I made it from scratch. It has what I want in it and it's seasoned to taste the way I like it too. Then you know what in your own food as far as fillers and miscellaneous BS. I don't know about you but I get a good feeling when I make something from scratch to me it's gonna taste better then one you picked up at the store of your chioce. I make alot of thigs myself and me and my family like that.
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Like anything else, there is an exspense ta startin out, but you will find you can make a far better sausage they ya can buy. Shop around fer the equipment, ya don't need a big grinder, get a hand powered one ta start, stuffers can be bought on sale perty resonable.

Make patties in the beginin to see if ya like the work. It is more work cleanin up then makin the sausage, but when ya cook up some a yer own, you'll wonder why ya ever ate that store bought stuff.

Lot of recipes to try that ya can't buy in most places unless ya live near a true old type butcher shop. Try findin boudin round here, most folk don't even know what it is, then feed em some!

Start out with some spice kits to start (many folks only make there sausage from kits) or make up yer own. It is an enjoyable hobby that goes along with smokin real nice!
 
What does high quality sausage cost per pound?

I recently paid 99 cents a pound for butts that trimmed out around 90%, so I have about $1.10 per pound in the meat. Then spices and casings......maybe another 50 cents, and probably something else I'm forgetting, so call it $1.75 to $2.00 a pound. I don't have any labor expense, as it's a labor of love.

My first grinder and stuffer I got from my parents, but have since picked up two others (all of them hand grinders.......less than $30 each). I now have a LEM 5# stuffer, but that was a gift. Then there are the scales, smokers, etc. but those don't go bad. Yes there is an equipment cost, but it's a fixed cost in equipment that will last a lifetime. You can spend a small fortune or not much and the sausage on the dinner plate doesn't know which one it came from, and likely as not, the guy eating the stuff won't either.

A related, and seasonal topic......the cost of deer hunting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYbl2...eature=related
 
2 things I noticed.

1 is that the store bought stuff has alot of fillers. I could eat a whole 1lb polish sausage from the store. No way can I eat that much of what I make.

2 cost is about 1.75-2 bucks a lb. Say you spend $500 on the sausage making equipment and you only make 500lbs over a lifetime. You just paid 2.75=3 a lb for great quality home made stuff. Then you can also use the grinder for ground beef and that will save you money over time too.


Best advise I cna give you is just do it. Buy the equipment and you will never regret it.
 
Meat Hunter is right on the mark on this subject. Sometimes it's not the price, but the fun of a hobby/project that makes it worth while.
 
After having just made my first batch of brats, breakfast, chorizo and italian I can tell you it is much cheaper. I made mine from Boston Butt which cost me 92 cents a pound. The spices from butcher-packer were much cheaper than buying them from the grocery store. The books I read to get started cost me around $30. Grinder and stuffer cost me $160 from Northern Tool. Casings (of which I used maybe 15% this weekend) were $25. All in all I would guess that it cost me $1.50/lbs whereas I would have paid $4 - $5/lbs at the grocery store. And as already mentioned, I know what is in my sausage and the flavor is so much better than store bought.
 
i would use a hand grinder to start sure sounds like a good price anyone have any links on some grinders?
 
If you are a hunter and grind and process your own meat it will pay for the grinder and stuffer the first season. (if you get more then one animal)
As for quality you can't beat it. I make my fresh sausage for about 1.50 a pound. in the store it cost 2.50 on sale for the cheap stuff. Quality and cost you will come out way ahead.
 
Making your own has lots of advantages over buying pre made store sausage.
  • You can tweak the taste to your taste.
  • You can make sausage not carried by the store.
  • You can save money.
  • You Have Bragging Rights...
 
try northern tools for a hand grinder. It comes with a v-pulley to easily make it in to a electric grinder if wanted. Sorry you may have to buy the v-pulley separately.....either way google northern tools grinder
 
yes i looked there , are you saying get the one with the big pulley for 79$ or the 59$ one with hand crank?
 
Big pully model can be dangerous especially if you motorize it. Just be careful. As for cost: Yes in the long run cheaper but thats not why I do it. I have now sold enough Italian at 4.50 a lb to pay for my grinder. It is the quality and fun that I do it for and variety as I learn.
 
Nope both pulleys are included. Just need 1/2 hp lectric motor.
I make 25 to 60 lbs of sausage at a time with this machine Noooo Problem.
I even stuff my larger casing sausage with the grinder. Just don't try to stuff snack sticks. It took us all day to stuff 25 lbs of snack sticks. Finally broke down and bought a 5 lb Grizzly stuffer. I Hope that does the job for loading 19mm snack sticks.
 
79 would be the one but like shooter said be careful...u can make a nice machine with a guard for the pulley. that is what i would do if i got one of those. I saved and went with a 3/4hp cabelas. and very happy
 
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