last year's hogs are long since digested and so far it's not looking like i'm raising more this year so it's supermarket pork sausage making time. i assume most folks have a kitchenaid stand mixer or a friend who will loan you one. either way it's worth the $ to buy the optional sausage stuffer. then determine which local supermarket has a butcher who won't scoff at custom requests. like "...on your next order can you hook me up with a 10 pound pork 80:20 trim, 2 pounds fat, and sausage casings...please?"
day one is about getting your goods and thawing the pork. around here you have two choices of 'trim' pork in frozen 10 pound logs. the 80/20 coarse pictured here or a 60/40 fine. i'm talking meat to fat ratios and sausage makers like to debate these #'s. i prefer a coarse meat grind so i go for the 80/20 but the fat % is too low. you'd get a sausage that wants to fall apart. i like a 35% fat sausage that you cook longer to render much of the higher fat proportion resulting in a sausage with better texture. that's why i'm buying some extra fat to mix with that 80/20 log of love. presently that log is in a sink with a slow drip (my butcher says it keeps the consistent thaw going and he'll get fired if he doesn't do it...usda rules). tonight i'll ponder seasonings.
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