Thursday

sausage time ~

 It's that time of the year again ... the weather is right for making sausage.  We can't run our homemade smoke house if it's too warm out ~ it's too hard to regulate the heat.

The photos that I'm posting today are from a prior year - I didn't have my camera out in the work shop yesterday; but it still shows what was going on.  Only yesterday's sausage making process was on a much larger scale this time around.


 Here some summer sausage casings and a bowl of spices mixed up and ready to go.

Next, the meat is prepared for grinding ~ cubed up and the spices added:

 Yesterday we had almost 200 pounds of venison, 40 pounds of beef, 150 pounds of pork, and about 50 pounds of bear meat that went through the Old Faithful, our antique Hobart grinder.  We bought that grinder about 25 years ago for $100 ... and have certainly gotten our money's worth out of it over the years.


the hand cranked sausage stuffer:

Dear Hubby likes to soak the summer sausage casings in water mixed with liquid smoke ... "adds a little more flavor" he says.


venison summer sausage - 200 lbs of it per smoke house


I think we ended up with 60 sticks this year.

Bratwurst ~

and Italian sausages ... that I don't have a pic of

trays of breakfast sausage ... scored, pre-frozen and packaged
trays of breakfast links 
to go with those farm fresh eggs ... yum yum
and toast in the morning made from homemade bread

with my homemade jam ...




It's a lot of work - trying to maintain a life style of being self sufficient ... working with our hands ... making the most of what is provided to us from Above ... and I wouldn't trade it for nothing.  I like eating what I know is in the product :)

Next thing to be done ...
bacon!


Until next time ...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel

10 comments:

  1. Very impressive!
    I am inspired by everything you make and do to be self sufficient. Lots of work... but so rewarding.

    My folk had an old Hobart grinder like that.
    I think my dad used it for venison.

    Have a productive and happy day!

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  2. Wow, so you're at it again. It is gratifying isn't it, and what a perfect day to smoke sausages and bacon...do you have room for another side of bacon that's crowding my freezer? Give me a shout.
    BlessYourBusyHearts

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  3. Mel, What a lot of work you do to make those provisions - and what a lot of joy it brings on a cold winter's day/night. I know all this meat will be delicious this winter.

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  4. I'm drooling at the thought of your wonderful sausages and BACON! And your home-made breads and jams and ...
    I sure do miss you! Love you Sis
    'love & hugs from afar'

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  5. Tonight we were walking and Sherry could not stop talking about Mel and Dar's entries. I could not believe I missed these, where Have I been. Then when I get here the system just slows down.

    We had hog killing when I was a kid, but mama and daddy ain't never put up this much stuff and in the way you guys do. My mouth waters looking at it. YOu guys are marvels.. That is hard for us down home folk to understand. Wow the work involved, you guys be tough to put that much stuff back. I am sure SOME must be sold commercially to folks who cannot wait to get it.
    You guys do inspire, I know after that work it is time for a break!!!!

    Love from down here.
    Sherry & Jack

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  6. That's a lot of meat! You must have a HUGE freezer. I can't even imagine doing all of this. Impressive!!!

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  7. That is my kind of post! I love it! Yes it is more work, but that is what makes it taste soooo good.

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  8. Eggs, sausage and toast are standard fare at our house. But the fact you make yours from scratch so to speak, really resonates with me. Looks like Hobart made products that stand the test of time. That is alot of meat you used to get the job done. Looks like you really know your stuff. Those jams have my mouth watering on homemade bread. YUMMY.

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  9. It all looks good, a yummy entry...Sheila

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  10. I am definitely impressed. And inspired! Sausage making will be in our future one of these days.

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