www.sausagemaking.org

It has just occured to me that I have deliberately been by-passing the beginners thread, why I'm not sure, but let that remind us to go and have a look from time to time.

Regards

Fatman

Where can I find the beginner's thread? I am truly a beginner. I haven't even taken the mincer out of the box yet!
Diann

First of all Diann welcome to the forum
You asked

Where can I find the beginner's thread?

It's only recently been set up/separated from the "main" forum though for starters read through
http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopic.php?t=410
plus the beginners� postings along with
http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopi ... 7&start=28
plus take some time wandering around the site gleaning information along the way.

ask if you have any problems/questions

I hope that you find this information of some use to you

kind regards

Parson Snows

Thank you! I found it and have printed out the directions.
Diann

Diann (and other beginners)

You'll find that at the moment the forum is somewhat disjointed, perhaps because it has grown so quickly. Just start looking through the postings bit by bit, and ask questions along the way. As an unwritten "RULE" all newcombers/newbies are expected to post their experiences/mistakes etc. on the beginners section. As I stated before I think that it's only far, that others should benefit from your learning. It also gives us some idea as to the areas that need to be addressed "Help Wise".

kind regards

Parson Snows

I shall certainly post about my experience, although I have to warn you, that if anything can go wrong when I do something, it will! I've just read through the beginners instructions but I'm a tad behind the 8 ball on account of I can't find the instructions that came with the mincer. Oh well. I shall just have to wing it. I think this site should be mentioned in every mincer sold! I really appreciate your help.

Diann

Diann wrote

I'm a tad behind the 8 ball on account of I can't find the instructions that came with the mincer. Oh well. I shall just have to wing it

I would suggest that you find the manual before you end up throwing out a bunch of meat/sausage that failed.
if you can't find the manual check here
http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopi ... 7&start=28


kind regards

Parson Snows

What's the worst that can happen? I'll turn it into rissoles!

Diann

Princess Diann asked

What's the worst that can happen? I'll turn it into rissoles!

Yes, though this and other attempts may be uneatable, so you may want to consider getting a dog. Ask Oddley for breed recommendations...

kind regards

Parson Snows

Diann

I can see we are going to benefit from your input, welcome to this site and thank you for being so honest, you are already making me laugh.

Good luck with your first batch and we look forward to your first results.

Regards

Fatman

What can I say? If I was a sausage dog and belonged to someone on this forum, I'd be nervous! It's been an interesting afternoon. I speeded off to the butchers and got the hog casings. I asked them to snip me off a few bits. They wouldn't play, and made me watch while they yanked this stuff out! Urkle!! And then charged me $45 a kilo and I don't know what that translates into baht or pounds or yen or shekel but I do know that I've never paid $45 a kilo for anything yet!

Then the butcher started quizzing me as to why I wanted pork belly and shoulder. I said because it's the rules and waved the recipe under his nose but he was hugely underwhelmed. So tell me why I have to have pork belly and shoulder please, on account of I have to report back to the butcher. He got a bit snarky about cutting the bones out of everything but I pointed out that he was the butcher and that was what he was supposed to do.

I made the rusks and I think they're OK. Who knows? Still haven't found the manual for the mincer but have decided to throw caution to the wind and press on.

Shall keep you posted.

Diann

Uh oh! Just saw a post in techniques about synthetic and natural casings The butcher asked me what I wanted and I said that I'm making real sausages so why would I want pretend casings?? Hello!! Now I'm not so sure. What is best? Natural (which would have my vote) or synthetic and if it's synthetic, what's it made out of? Cling wrap, used balloons, what?

Diann

Diann wrote

I speeded off to the butchers and got the hog casings. I asked them to snip me off a few bits. They wouldn't play, and made me watch while they yanked this stuff out! Urkle!!.

From your reaction, are we talking �fresh casings� ie unsalted, untreated straight from a hog carcass?. If so you won�t be making sausages today, or if you did�

1) don�t eat them
2) don�t give them to any animal � dispose off them immediately

*** I'M NOT JOKING get back to me on this ***
as you wrote

then charged me $45 a kilo.

This price seems about right for salted casings.

You then asked

So tell me why I have to have pork belly and shoulder please, on account of I have to report back to the butcher.

To achieve a 25 % fat content. If the �butcher� makes his own �snags� ask him what he uses for meat and watch him really get bolshi and uptight.

You commented that

He got a bit snarky about cutting the bones out of everything but I pointed out that he was the butcher and that was what he was supposed to do.

You�re perfectly correct, though often some people forget what their job is. I�m sure that he charged you for the boning process and also charged you for the meat with the weight of the bone in.

You lastly wrote

I made the rusks and I think they're OK. Who knows?

If you followed my recipe (and haven�t lost your oven manual) then at least one thing will turn out ok.

kind regards

Parson Snows

The casings weren't straight out of a body!! Holy mackeral! Would not have coped with that! No, it came out of a big bucket thing and he kept yanking till he came to the end and there was all knots and stuff. Yuk! He said I had to soak them in water for a bit.

I asked him what he made his sausages out of and he said he only used shoulder.

And no, smart mouth, I haven't lost the oven manual and I did follow your recipe. Furthermore, I'll have you know that I probably have every manual from every appliance that I have ever owned (and I am the gadget queen, if not the sausage queen) but I took this place apart today and cannot for the life of me find the mincer manual. But it wasn't really a manual either. It was more a leaflet type number that I don't recall having any deep explanations. Have decided just to give it my best shot. How hard can it be? I've nearly blown myself to kingdom come with a pressure cooker and a few other assorted debacles and survived.

Diann