Hi New Guys - Introduce Yourself

Talk about anything here as long as it is not against the rules.
steelchef
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Post by steelchef » Mon Feb 28, 2011 04:42

Hey Sika,

Yeah! Lucky that you have escaped the ridicule and potential rumours. It`s a nasty business.
Ol` Chucky is, as we say "Nitriated," for sure. Poor old guy has delusions that he is somehow a better BS`r than me. On the other hand, I am clearly without fault or defect.

Seriously;

My father immigrated to Canada from Glasgow so I have the genetics which require maximizing the results of resources.
Thanks for sharing the methods you use to prepare your venison. Most of my acquaintances on this side of the big pond tend to use game of all kinds for sausage only. We do enjoy a moose or elk roast on occasion but it is generally sausage meat. Deer are like rabbits in this area only more plentiful. They are a serious concern to grain farmers who generally feed a few cows and horses as well. They put up the winter`s hay and the deer raid their hay bales, eat their fill then urinate on the remainder.
This behaviour results in a generally open invitation by all farmers and ranchers to `take all of the deer you want.`
My grandmother used to can deer with a tad of sugar and vinegar. It was friggin` delicious. I`ve been seeking and experimenting for at least ten years but have been unable to duplicate the flavour or texture of her product.
I do have a hind quarter of a small doe in a freezer and will try your methods. Will try to remember to inform you of the results.
Thank you for taking the time to share and be sure to explore the resources of this incredible forum.Colin
Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks.
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Chuckwagon
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Post by Chuckwagon » Mon Feb 28, 2011 05:46

Here`s a great big hello to two more members! First, there is dti1501 from Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada... and SikaStag will be happy to know that dti`s community was named for William Wallace the famous Scottish patriot. :cool:

Next, we have ssorllih from Maryland... where they have not only the Baltimore Orioles and the Washington Nationals, but no less than... now get this... five Minor League teams as well! :shock:
Oh, how would it be? :roll: Welcome aboard folks. Glad to see you here. What`s in the smokehouse tonight guys?

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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Chuckwagon
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Post by Chuckwagon » Mon Feb 28, 2011 06:10

See Sika! Didn`t I tell you? Steelchef`s cheese slid off his pizza years ago! This is the "expert" who once told me, "If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives so you`ll be afraid to cough". He`s such a smart alec! I happened to mention my high blood pressure one day. What a mistake. He told me, "Simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes - thus reducing the pressure on your veins - but remember to use a timer... or in your case, use an hourglass!"
The only explanation I have for this guy is that light travels faster than sound. This is why Steelchef appears to be bright before you hear him speak! Shucks pard, he is the only person I know who could trip over a cordless phone!

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
steelchef
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Post by steelchef » Mon Feb 28, 2011 07:31

Sika,
You must be wondering what you have stumbled into! So may many other forum members.
Herein; the explanation.
Chuckwagon and I have enjoyed a close friendship for some time. We enjoy a free flow of humour and frivolity and are both anxious to share it with y`all. The competitive nature of the ribaldry is real and will absolutely continue.
That said, you must understand that his hourglass is way out of date. The current state of his digestive processes are of no concern to me, although he seems to think it is important.
I only tripped over the cordless, the one time. That was right after the Jack Daniels conference.
What we need right now is for Chucky to share his recipe for "Black Bean Soup" with the world. It is sensational, (according to my wife, children and grandchildren.")
Hope you all had a great weekend,
Happychef
Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks.
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Chuckwagon
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Post by Chuckwagon » Mon Feb 28, 2011 08:42

Steelchef once attempted to work at a Deli Counter, but any way he sliced it... he just couldn't cut the mustard! He even tried working for Starbucks but quit because he said it was the same ol` grind! Then he said he was going to be a professional fisherman, but found he couldn`t survive on his net income.
The poor man tried working in a muffler factory but said it was just too exhausting. I thought he had a good job working as a lumberjack up there in Canada, but then I found out he just couldn`t hack it... so they gave him the axe! He even tried being an Historian, but he told me there was just no future in it!
SO, ... ol` Steelchef RETIRED... and he`s perfect for the job!

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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Post by steelchef » Mon Feb 28, 2011 10:12

I`m proud to have had the experiences that "Dad" suggested were important to my "education." The deli experience was a slice.
The muffler factory was an experience in restriction. I can not reveal any details here due to being `muffled` by federal regulations.
The lumberjack thing is pure fiction. Anyone who knows me will confirm that I do not participate in physical activities of any kind with the exception of hunting and fishing.
So far I`m not too upset about this round, but wait!
The bit about fishing is too much. (Seriously,) I invite and challenge everyone to join me in a wonderful week of fishing for salmon sized Lake Trout. The first week of June, Peerless Lake, Alberta. I can support up to four members in my motorhome.
The Little Chief is all ready to go.
To `get back to the future,` your NA moderator is a sick puppy. He needs serious instruction in English literature. I will attempt to guide him through the pitfalls.
Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks.
SikaStag
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Post by SikaStag » Mon Feb 28, 2011 11:28

Hi Guys
Just a thought. have you guys ever thought of being a professional double act.
I think there is a future for the two of you.

I wished i lived near you Colin. I would be the farmers best friend. I only shoot deer for the freezer. Not too many years ago, my brother and I, shot deer to sell to the game dealers.
15 years ago we would get £2 a pound for deer meat, it is currently selling for £1 a pound Times have a changed, and not for the better.
I have a Foster double door stainless meat chill, The motor has decided to give up on me. I would like to make a smoker with it. I have always wanted to have a smoker but never actually got around to making one. Now I have reached the point in my life that good food is an important thing to me. Making my own is the way to go.
I spent a lot of yesterday researching canning. There seems to be little resources in this country for canning pressure pots and cans. Costs a fortune to pay the duty on anything bought out with the European union. I would like to give it a go.
My first priority is a sausage stuffer. Any tips on which type to go for, the horizontal or vertical type stuffer is what I am thinking of getting. I could get the kidney attachment for my mincer, I feel it is too much work stuffing the minced meat into a number 8 mincer which is a tight hole. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I have a friend that is going to Banff in Canada in a week or so, he always asks me if there is anything that I can get him to bring back. Last time he got me my two stuffer tubes for my mincer and an Edge Pro professional knife sharpening system.

I am trying to upload some pictures of where I live. will hopefully get some pictures on today. I would also like to post some pictures of the Sika deer that I have harvested, I do not want to upset anyone by showing dead deer.

Image

This is where My wife and I live, 10 miles at the end of a valley, our nearest neighbour is just under 3 miles away.
Ian
Last edited by SikaStag on Tue Mar 01, 2011 06:13, edited 1 time in total.
SikaStag
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Post by SikaStag » Mon Feb 28, 2011 11:32

I need help with posting pics. I uploaded a picture to ImageShack, I hit image when I was posting this post and inserted the URL for the picture from ImageShack. http://img203.imageshack.us/i/img3181df.jpg/. I have no clue why the picture is not showing on my above post.

This seems a complicated way to post images. For me anyway.

Ian

[ Comment added by : Siara: Tue Mar 01, 2011 06:21 ]
You need to find following link, right from the image:
Embed this image "Forum" allows you to hotlink your original uploaded image on BBcode-compatible message boards and forums.
Click it and select "Forum", copy and paste box content without any additional tags.
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Darthfrog
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Post by Darthfrog » Mon Feb 28, 2011 15:20

SikaStag wrote: My first priority is a sausage stuffer. Any tips on which type to go for, the horizontal or vertical type stuffer is what I am thinking of getting.
Firstly, if you have a KitchenAid stand mixer, you will want to avoid using its sausage stuffer adapter. Tremendously inefficient and frustrating.

Secondly, avoid the lever operated curved tube stuffers also. While somewhat better than the KitchenAid stuffer, they require a lot of force to use (the leverage isn't all that good), they only hold a small amount of sausage so you have to refill them frequently and they are inefficient due to excessive back flow of sausage around the pusher plate. This back flow results from the pusher plate leaving a gap between it and the wall of the stuffer, to allow air trapped in the mixed unstuffed sausage to escape. I used mine for about a year or so and it works OK, I guess, but for every 2 lbs. of sausage that went into casing, 1 lb. escaped via back flow.

The best one that I've used and own is a vertical stuffer. They are very easy to use, the crank gives plenty of leverage obviating the need for large effort and allows for fine control of stuffing speed, the piston has an effective air bleed, there is no back flow. These puppies work very well and are a joy to use. They come in larger capacities as well. Another nicety is the ease of disassembly for cleaning; I put mine through the dishwasher. Highly recommended.

One thing that might be limiting with the vertical stuffer is the size of the stuffing tube. The largest one for mine is 1" diameter. I've just acquired "Polish Sausages: Authentic Recipes & Instructions" and am hoping to make many of those recipes. However, some of these recipes of interest to me call for leaving 2" cubes of meat intact and stuffing them into casings. I don't think a 2" chunk of ham is going to fit through a 1" diameter stuffing tube, darn it. :wink: Not sure how I'm going to handle this issue right now.

I don't know anything about the horizontal-style stuffers. I can only think of two advantages to that style of machine: stability on the countertop and a lower position of the crank handle. One that does intrigue me, though, and that I'd like to find out more about is the Dakota water powered stuffer. Does anyone have any experience with one of these?

--
Cheers,
Rob
I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
dti1501
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Post by dti1501 » Mon Feb 28, 2011 15:24

Thanks for the warm welcome i can't wait to try some of the recipes on here. I'm in the middle of building my walk in smoke house with a curing chamber on the side.
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Post by Darthfrog » Mon Feb 28, 2011 15:44

dti1501 wrote: I'm in the middle of building my walk in smoke house with a curing chamber on the side.
Ooh, ooh, take lots of pictures, please. :mrgreen:

--
Cheers,
Rob
I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
dti1501
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Post by dti1501 » Mon Feb 28, 2011 16:46

It'll be around a month before i start just after we thaw out up here. I can't wait to start but i will be sure to post pics when i do.
SikaStag
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Post by SikaStag » Mon Feb 28, 2011 18:19

Hi There
Welcome from another newbie.
Look forward to seeing your progress pics, when you get the time to start.

Ian
steelchef
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Post by steelchef » Mon Feb 28, 2011 20:44

Welcome dti1501! Jeez, if this trend continues us Canucks will soon outnumber the Poles and Yanks. :mrgreen:

Aussie has a large group of avid sausage maker/smoking fan's and my brief surfin' experience 'down under,' has revealed that they are going really high tech. I'm going to do some more research and will report back.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to hook Ian up with a suitable sausage stuffer. Gotta run!
Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks.
steelchef
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Post by steelchef » Mon Feb 28, 2011 21:44

SikaStag wrote:My first priority is a sausage stuffer. Any tips on which type to go for, the horizontal or vertical type stuffer is what I am thinking of getting. I could get the kidney attachment for my mincer, I feel it is too much work stuffing the minced meat into a number 8 mincer which is a tight hole. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I have a friend that is going to Banff in Canada in a week or so, he always asks me if there is anything that I can get him to bring back. Ian
Hey there Ian,

Your friend who's going to visit Banff will probably land in Calgary or Edmonton, Alberta. It should be reasonably easy to arrange pickup of a unit such as this, which I suggest would be the answer to your desires, (maybe not all of them.)
Darthfrog is absolutely correct in his assessment. I have used a Kitchenaid for several years and it is an excersize in frustration.
(I am ordering a Grizzly for myself.)
Since your electric is 220/240V, that is ruled out.
This hand cranked, vertical stuffer is touted to be the 'sliced bread' of sausage making. Check out the following links. If you feel that it looks right for you, let me know and I'll see if an arrangement can be made.
The price is certainly right but expect shipping (from the US) and Canadian taxes to be added to the advertised offer. My estimate is approximately C$100 or 65 GBP.

http://grizzly.com/products/5-lb-Vertic ... r-SS/H6252

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iunQ1mBfzdg

If there is another unit that you would prefer, I am more than willing to assist with your purchase.

Cheers,

Colin
Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks.
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