frankfurters

huckelberry
User
User
Posts: 97
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2012 18:37
Location: Arkansas

Frankenfurters

Post by huckelberry » Sun Dec 02, 2012 20:27

Frankenfurters or at least that's what I'm calling them. Ok to start off I didn't have the right casings, what I had were29-32mm hog casings that were sent to me last yr. by mistatke. I had orderd 38-42mm for some polish sausage but recieved the wrong thing. I must say I always order through Sausage Maker Inc. and a couple of times I have recieved the wrong thing, but both times they have been very quick to correct the mistake and send the correct item. Not only that they never once asked for the return of the incorrect product so I get a little bonus when they make the mistake. Great coustomer service! That's all I can say about that.
So anyway I had the 29-32mm casings and decided to use them to make venison frakfurters and I had a couple problems.
The first was that the casings were really a bit larger than I wanted so I was trying not to stuff them quite as full so between the stop and go while stuffing I kind of put some air in the casings here and there.
The other problem was with the new smokehouse I made out of an old warming cabinet, some of the sausage was touching so it has a few unsmoked spots. Just a very few but enough.
I used 15lbs venison 7lbs of 65% beef trim and 3lbs of pork fat, then I ground everything throug the 1/4" plate once and then partialy froze and reground everything through a 1/8" plate 3 more times refreezing inbetween each grind, then mixed the spices with the lean meat and then mixed in the extra fat.
venison grind
Image
Beef trim
Image
Spice added
Image
Mix well
Image
Then add pork fat and mix again
Image
Stuffed and ready for smoke
Image
Smoked and ready to be poached
Image
Poached and ready to be packed or eaten. You can see some of the problems I was talking about in this photo :cry:
Image
Packed up
Image
I used the recipe on Wedliny and the end result is a huge not so pretty but very tasty frankenfurter. The texture is also very nice.

We (my wife and I) which none of this would be possible without, also made 50Lb. of deer burger that night. She found some 73/27 burger on sale for $1.99 a Lb. mixed half and half with venison means we only payed $0.995 a Lb. for our burger.
Image
I love hunting season. :mrgreen:
Don't take life to seriously.
You're not getting out of it alive!
User avatar
Chuckwagon
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4494
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 04:51
Location: Rocky Mountains

Post by Chuckwagon » Mon Dec 03, 2012 06:45

Lookin' grrrreat Huckleman! Very nice.
Your smoker looks top notch. How about a photo or two?
What kind of stuffer are you using? Keep up the good work pal.

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
huckelberry
User
User
Posts: 97
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2012 18:37
Location: Arkansas

Post by huckelberry » Mon Dec 03, 2012 10:33

I have a Weston 22Lb. vertical stuffer. Up until about 4 years ago I was using my grinder which was a China #32 hand crank that I had motorized like the one the fella made on the Sausage Mania web site. I've been steady moving up in the world. Last yr. my wife bought me a Cabelas 1.5 hp. #32 commercial grinder for X-MASS and this is the first time I've gotten to use it. I got it after all my sausage was done last year.
I absolutly love the grinder... but the stuffer is a far site better than using the grinder but I wish I had known about the amount of meet that the Weston stuffer won't push out. Between the shape of the bottom of the can and the strok of the piston it leaves about 3lbs. of meet in the bottom. Is that normal for vertical stuffers. I've heard that F. Dick is the way to go but this is the first I've ever owned so I have nothing to compair to.
Still I will never go back to stuffing with a grinder. PHOOIE on that!
Anyway hear is a photo of them.

Image

Image
Don't take life to seriously.
You're not getting out of it alive!
crustyo44
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 1089
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2011 06:21
Location: Brisbane

Post by crustyo44 » Mon Dec 03, 2012 10:55

Huck,
If I was you, I wouldn't worry about the looks but what goes past your toncils. They look very tasty to me, if you would live a bit closer I would come over and give you my honest opinion. I'll bring the cold beer and some of my home distilled goodies.
We'll both put on 5 lbs of bodyweight and the franks be gone.
Congratulations.
Jan.
Pete
User
User
Posts: 61
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2012 03:41
Location: South east

Post by Pete » Mon Dec 03, 2012 11:07

Ditto here huck, they look great, well done and top skills !

And not telling you how to suck eggs, the only thing I can come up with re the amount of mince left in the filler is if the piston was upside down...never seen or used one I admit :mrgreen:
User avatar
orf
User
User
Posts: 89
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2012 14:28
Location: sweet valley,pa.

Post by orf » Mon Dec 03, 2012 14:32

I have a 5# grizzly and all but whats left in the stuffing tube comes out.orf...
there are no stupid questions but some of mine come pretty close
User avatar
JerBear
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 407
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2011 05:01
Location: San Diego, CA
Contact:

Post by JerBear » Mon Dec 03, 2012 19:10

I agree that they look great. I've found that while the larger casing 'furters are quite a meal everyone gets a kick out of the novelty.
ssorllih
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4331
Joined: Sun Feb 27, 2011 19:32
Location: maryland

Post by ssorllih » Mon Dec 03, 2012 20:22

If I were troubleshooting the stuffer I would first check piston and rod travel with the cylinder removed from the press. Then I would check the contour of the piston as it fits the bottom of the cylinder.
Ross- tightwad home cook
ssorllih
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4331
Joined: Sun Feb 27, 2011 19:32
Location: maryland

Post by ssorllih » Mon Dec 03, 2012 20:42

This seems to be a built in problem with several brands of stuffers.
Ross- tightwad home cook
Big Guy
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 287
Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2011 20:12
Location: Southampton Ont/Floral city Fl

Post by Big Guy » Mon Dec 03, 2012 21:26

I have a 20# Cabela's stuffer and it looks a lot like yours, about 1.5 # left in the can after the piston hits bottom
Col. Big Guy
Cabonaia
Forum Enthusiast
Forum Enthusiast
Posts: 597
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 02:07
Location: Morgan Hill, CA

Post by Cabonaia » Mon Dec 03, 2012 21:30

I have a 5 lb. LEM stuffer. It leaves almost nothing in the bottom of the can.
User avatar
Baconologist
Passionate
Passionate
Posts: 385
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2012 00:37
Location: Oxford, New Jersey

Post by Baconologist » Mon Dec 03, 2012 22:08

A Cabonaia said, the design of the LEM 5 lb. and the like is superior, they leave very little residual sausage and what's left can be easily pushed out into the casings leaving none behind.
I have both the 5 and 15 pound models.

Another problem with the Weston design and the like is the flat piston seal, some have had a very difficult time finding replacements, if they're able to find a replacement at all. Some available replacements are astronomically priced!

Image
Godspeed!

Bob
huckelberry
User
User
Posts: 97
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2012 18:37
Location: Arkansas

meat residue

Post by huckelberry » Tue Dec 04, 2012 06:24

Thanks for all the info. and the encouragement. I am really pleased with the taste and texture of the frankenfurers. They do have some cosmetic flaws so thanks for not being too critical of me. I wish I could get someone with a more objective and trained pallet to give me their opinions, but my wife and I were pleased. I can't wait till the niece's and nephews come over and I can offer them a monster dog. :mrgreen:
It will more than fill the bun. Lol. Bet they can't eat two. Lmao
Anyway I'm thinking at the cost of the stuffers I'll suffer through this Weston stuffer. I'm trying to come up with something I can put on top of the meat to aid in the evacuation of more of the meat. I've even thought of using bread, but at the price of bread :???:
Thanks again to all of your kind posts. :grin:
Don't take life to seriously.
You're not getting out of it alive!
huckelberry
User
User
Posts: 97
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2012 18:37
Location: Arkansas

Frankenfurters

Post by huckelberry » Tue Dec 04, 2012 08:23

Well we made some of my favorite... green onion sausage and remembered to take a photo of the Frankenfurters inside for a money shot. Also a few of the green onion sausage. Best stuff on the grill.
My Frankenfurters
Image
Fresh green onion sausage
Image
Same thing as a white sausage with at least double the garlic and pleny of green onion and a small dose of cayane. Stuffed and ready for packing.
Image
Packed and ready for storage
Image
Don't take life to seriously.
You're not getting out of it alive!
User avatar
Chuckwagon
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4494
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 04:51
Location: Rocky Mountains

Post by Chuckwagon » Tue Dec 04, 2012 08:33

Incredible! Great job Huckleberry. The texture and color are just terrific.
Now, relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Use the grill, kick off your shoes, and pull up some shade. You deserve a good, ice-cold brew too!
Keep up the great work pal. Don't stop now.

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
Post Reply