Sausage Making Supplies

To quote Jim Anchower, it has been a while since I rapped at ya. However I find myself in need of your help.

A month ago I received a meat grinder and a copy of The Fatted Calf's Charcuterie book. It appears I am going to get involved in making sausages.

Where do you folks go for sausage making supplies?

I picked up 25 feet of pork casing at Northwestern Cutlery. Are there other sources?

Also pork fat. Where? I think pork skin is available at Peoria Packing. Leaf lard? Back fat? Caul fat? Help!

Mariano's sold me hog casings. They'd prefer to only sell them with the meat you're going to grind, but you can talk them into selling just the casings.

You don't want lard, leaf or otherwise. You just want really fatty pieces of meat.

Butcher and Packer Supply Company has most everything you will need. Try http://www.butcher-packer.com for info.

JoelF wrote:You don't want lard, leaf or otherwise. You just want really fatty pieces of meat.

True. Fatback, otoh, can be important. Any good butcher, especially those who make their own sausage, should have it. Many will also sell you casings. Zier's (in Wilmette), Butcher & Larder, and Publican Quality Meats immediately come to mind.

Puckjam wrote:Butcher and Packer Supply Company has most everything you will need. Try http://www.butcher-packer.com for info.

A good source. I also use Sausage Maker from time to time: http://www.sausagemaker.com/

=R=

I do quite a bit of sausage making and use the above mentioned www.sausagemaker.com for all my supplies.

I have found that a crucial piece of equipment is a sausage stuffer. I use the grinder attachment on my kitchenaid, but the stuffer attachment just does not work well. Sausagemaker sells some reasonably priced 5Lb. stuffers.

lougord99 wrote:I do quite a bit of sausage making and use the above mentioned http://www.sausagemaker.com for all my supplies.

I have found that a crucial piece of equipment is a sausage stuffer. I use the grinder attachment on my kitchenaid, but the stuffer attachment just does not work well. Sausagemaker sells some reasonably priced 5Lb. stuffers.

Agreed. The kitchenaid grinder is adequate (though, I've moved on to a dedicated unit) but the ka stuffer attachment is almost useless.

=R=

Hello,

Paulina Meat Market is a great place with knowledgeable staff and they will also have what you need. That is the only place I've been able to find pink curing salt in Chicago.

3501 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, IL 60657

Thanks
Jeff

The Spice House also has pink salt.

You will need 2 feet of 35mm casing per LB. of meat plus another 1-2 feet total.

Please read the recipe carefully on pink salt. Typically you are using 1 tsp. per 5 lbs of meat. Pink salt is critical in certain sausages to prevent botulism, but is toxic in larger quantities. Please measure it carefully.

JoelF wrote:Mariano's sold me hog casings. They'd prefer to only sell them with the meat you're going to grind, but you can talk them into selling just the casings.

Fresh Farms in Niles had hog casings on the shelf today, no talking into involved.



Fresh Farms
5740 W Touhy Ave
Niles, IL 60714

I hope somewhere on the package they told you what size the casings were.

G Wiv wrote:

JoelF wrote:Mariano's sold me hog casings. They'd prefer to only sell them with the meat you're going to grind, but you can talk them into selling just the casings.

Fresh Farms in Niles had hog casings on the shelf today, no talking into involved.

FreshFarmsHogCasings1.jpg

Fresh Farms
5740 W Touhy Ave
Niles, IL 60714

HarvesTime (2632 W. Lawrence Ave, Chicago 60625) has the same product, packages are on top of the meat counter at the far right end, $7.49 for the 8-oz package shown above