Homemade Sausage Making

I can't find a source for dextrose locally but I can find glucose( AKA Karo syrup). What is the conversion factor?

Edit to add: Adding bottled ice will remove mositure from the air by way of condensation. If I wrap the bottle of ice in wet burlap will that slove that concern?
I ordered casings and culture from Butcher and Packer.

This sounds like a great project & I do want to eventually make my own dry cured salami. However, I think I'll take a seat in the bleachers and watch this play out, notebook in hand. I've already exceeded my sausage budget both monetarily and time-wise for this month. Just ordered an new smoker too...

Good luck everybody. I look forward to seeing the progress!

-kevin

Ross, Karo corn syrup also contains fructose, water, additional salt (we don't know how much), and vanilla. No vanilla in my sausage please. May I suggest you order a little powdered dextrose when you send for your Bactoferm? Some recipes call for corn syrup solids, but this isn't one of them. Powdered dextrose is ideal and not all that expensive. We can get a couple of pounds of the stuff for $7.99 and have plenty left over for your next salami.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

Ok.

New question How critical is casing size? 2.55 OK?

Are they protein lined?
Dry-cured sausages are ideally cured in synthetic fibrous, protein-lined casings that shrink as the salami loses moisture. Of course you can stuff other types as they have done for centuries, but for convenience and optimum appearance, protein-lined synthetic fibrous are hard to beat. The fiber in them runs lengthwise and makes the casing so strong you can beat the stuffing in with a hammer if you so desire. If we make ten pounds of the stuff, you may wish to give one away to your best friend when you find out how good it is going to taste. In that case, it would be nice to have a really nice looking product to present to someone else. They even make them in models that look like braided string and one that even looks like white textured mold (in case you wish to smoke them and don't develop mold on it). Shucks, you can even buy them with Santa and his reindeer on them for Christmas presents.

Hi Chuck,
I have been wanting to try my hand at salami for a long time unfortunately right now I am over my head at work so have very little time for any thing But i think it is a brilliant idea and will follow, if I do get a chance will bail in at some point.

What a great idea Chuckwagon.

I would love to get involved in doing this.
I was thinking of getting a Bottle fridge like you would see in Bars. I have seen this type fridge used by others fermenting sausages.
I will have a read up on what else I require to get a system ready to start making Salami's.
I will follow this post with great interest.
I would like to make venison Salami, unfortunately this is not the season for Sika deer, they will be calving in the next few weeks, The Stags come into season on the 1st of July, A young pricket would be an ideal candidate.

Good luck to all that are having a go.

The casing that I ordered is called mahogany fiberous summer sausage casing. 2.56x24inches will hold 2.5 pounds. This would allow 4 pieces when stuffed. Ordered from Butchers and Packers.

Okay, Bactoferm t-spx and Bactoferm mold 600, mahogany fibrous casings, and dextrose ordered from sausagemaker.com.

Looking back, the mahogany casing (15.99) is not protein lined. Big deal? I'm trying to work with them to change order for a protein lined casing. Sorry to say I have had some trouble with them in order changes in the past.

Otherwise I think I have a cabinet I can retrofit to work. I think I'm close to being in business.

Dave Zac

I guess that we will find out in a few months.

Chuckwagon, great idea. It'd be a fun project... I don't think I can swing the money right now, though. In addition to ingredients I resolved not to use that hand-crank grinder/stuffer again, so I need to build or buy another. If I can get everything in by the time you guys start, great, & if not I'll follow along with interest.

As with all the tools I buy I work my way up the scale of sophistication as my needs and use dictate. I morticed many hinges imto doors and door jambs with a hammer and a sharp chisel before I spent 400 dollars for the fixtures that allow me to use a router and do a better and faster job. But that is the way I earn a living.
I am going to have about 100 dollars invested in this summer sausage effort which will bring the cost up to about 13 dollars per pound. That is just a bit more than market for some of the better locally made sausage. The more successful batches that I make and eat the sooner I amortize the cost. One hundred pounds would bring the equipment and speciality products cost down to a dollar per pound over the ccost of the meat. Even if it take ten years to do it the return on the investment is good.

Found and ordered some 2.375 x 24 inch protein lined casing. I can use the other for some other purpose.

Now that I have a supply of fiberous casing on order that is not suitable for dried sausage I will use some of it to make ham sausage from the "BOOK" but using a turkey that I bought today for .69 per pound. Grind some, cut some into chunks and stuff into the casings and proceed as for ham sausage. I will process the whole bird, teeth, hair and eyeballs.

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