Stuffin chicken sausage

[sudsandswine]

I’ll be stuffing several kinds of sausage over the next couple nights, but on the agenda for tonight was chicken sausage, something I’ve never done before. I never really cared for poultry sausage in the past...I’d always find a little bone shard or something to crack a tooth on. However, I figured if I can control what goes into it, maybe it’ll be better.

I started out with about 6.5lbs of deboned skinless thighs. I’m glad I opted not to grind the skin, chicken fat was a different experience cleaning out of the grinder as is.

I divided the coarse ground chicken into two 3.25lb batches. The first I made was spinach feta and the second was apple gorgonzola. The spinach feta I ground a second time through the coarse plate to mix in the spinach leaves and feta slices, the apple gorgonzola got a second pass through the 1/4” plate.

I fried up a patty of the apple gorgonzola in a pan and oh boy...it was delicious. :thumb: I’m going to run it through some 32mm hog casings in a bit after it chills in the fridge.

 

[BGEChicago]

Hey Suds,

I have been reading up on sausage making, in fact I made some editable Italian sausages last week.... Quick question, are you using regular (non- high heat) cheese? I always wondered if you really need high heat cheese for sausage?

Also- what is your grinding / stuffing set up? I ask because I currently have a Kitchen-aid attachment, it's kind of a pain... I was looking at the LEM website and wondering what a good set up would be? I'd like to make everything as small as breakfast sausage all the way up to summer sausage... After some research it appears there is not a "one size fits all" with regards to sausage size.... Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Greg

 

[sudsandswine]

I did not use high heat cheese in this case, though whenever I make cheddar brats I do use high temp cheese. I doubt there is high temp feta or Gorgonzola anyway. I think the main advantage is that it isn’t as prone to leaking out when it is heated, which most people are probably more likely to do on something like a brat that might be direct grilled? I typically cook the sausages I make indirect, or maybe boil and then pan sear depending what it is, so mine don’t get TOO hot anyway.

I have a LEM Big Bite 5# Grinder and a LEM 5# manual stuffer. I would like an electric stuffer and a bigger grinder someday but for the volume and frequency that I make sausage it would be overkill and I’d have to store them in the basement not the kitchen. I used a Kitchenaide grinder for several years and I think they work pretty well. You could probably get by on one of those for awhile and spend the money on a stuffer, I don’t think you’d want to use the Kitchenaide for stuffing. The LEM does churn right through meat that would’ve caused the Kitchenaide to bind up or bog down, but as long as you understand the limitations and work around them they’re quite alright IMO :thumb:

I will say this...I never really cared for sausage when all I got was store bought...I have a weird thing about texture sometimes and I don’t like gristle in my sausage. Being able to control what goes into it has been huge for me, I love it now. And I like being able to make use of trimming and scraps that otherwise might have just gone in the trash but make perfectly good sausage fodder.

 

[BGEChicago]

I did not use high heat cheese in this case, though whenever I make cheddar brats I do use high temp cheese. I doubt there is high temp feta or Gorgonzola anyway. I think the main advantage is that it isn’t as prone to leaking out when it is heated, which most people are probably more likely to do on something like a brat that might be direct grilled? I typically cook the sausages I make indirect, or maybe boil and then pan sear depending what it is, so mine don’t get TOO hot anyway.

I have a LEM Big Bite 5# Grinder and a LEM 5# manual stuffer. I would like an electric stuffer and a bigger grinder someday but for the volume and frequency that I make sausage it would be overkill and I’d have to store them in the basement not the kitchen. I used a Kitchenaide grinder for several years and I think they work pretty well. You could probably get by on one of those for awhile and spend the money on a stuffer, I don’t think you’d want to use the Kitchenaide for stuffing. The LEM does churn right through meat that would’ve caused the Kitchenaide to bind up or bog down, but as long as you understand the limitations and work around them they’re quite alright IMO :thumb:

I will say this...I never really cared for sausage when all I got was store bought...I have a weird thing about texture sometimes and I don’t like gristle in my sausage. Being able to control what goes into it has been huge for me, I love it now. And I like being able to make use of trimming and scraps that otherwise might have just gone in the trash but make perfectly good sausage fodder.

Suds,

Thanks for the schooling and your advice is what I have been finding... 1. Yeah Kitchen-aid will get the job done on grinding but stuffing the sausage is painful! 2. My wife asked me why I went through the trouble of making sausage? I asked her to pronounce everything in the sausages she bought (kinda unfair as I have a degree in chemistry) but she shook her head and said "ok, I get it" 3. about the cheese, I kinda thought this was overkill. I mean if you overcook sausages or steak perhaps you should consider being a vegetarian :grin: again, thanks for the advice and sharing!

Thanks again!
Greg

Thanks
Greg

 

[sudsandswine]

Stuffed and into the fridge...tried the spinach feta with some of the remainder that I ran out of casings for, also very good but I give the nod to apple gorgonzola :clap2:

 

[ssv3]

Never cared for or had the desire to make chicken sausage but dang!! :hungry:

 

[ssv3]

Meant to start my own thread :laugh:

.............

 

[sudsandswine]

Never cared for or had the desire to make chicken sausage but dang!! :hungry:

I must say I’m as skeptical as they come....my past dismay was from small breakfast sausage style links so my next endeavor will probably be to stuff some sheep casings sans bone shards and give that a whirl :thumb:

I made another patty from the leftover spinach feta grind after I contracted some whisky munchies...still good :clap2:

 

[ssv3]

I must say I’m as skeptical as they come....my past dismay was from small breakfast sausage style links so my next endeavor will probably be to stuff some sheep casings sans bone shards and give that a whirl :thumb:

I made another patty from the leftover spinach feta grind after I contracted some whisky munchies...still good :clap2:

I bet! Nothing like having full control of all the ingredients going in and leaving some out. :grin: Obviously makes a world of difference. Sheep casing sounds like a win. Love it!

Oh and nothing like whisky munchies.

Just awesome!

 

[toys4dlr]

I have to honest, but I think I like Chicken sausage and the texture better than most beef sausage. I make a chicken, cheddar cheese and sweet hot jalapeno sausage that seems to be a hit with the friends and family. Non fat milk powder helps keep the moisture in and the thick shred regular cheese for the fat and flavor. Yours look great,

 

[mike243]

Looks great, I been known to make the sausage and skip the stuffing, make burgers out of it works well also, a little more crust/presentation . as long as the flavor is right its great.

 

[Shiz-Nit]

Yum!!!

 

[Fatback Joe]

Nice job.


I have tried chicken sausage a couple of times now. Not completely on board with it yet, but I am getting there.

 

[sudsandswine]

Nice job.


I have tried chicken sausage a couple of times now. Not completely on board with it yet, but I am getting there.

I had some more this morning, I guess I'm hooked. Looking forward to trying it in links on the grill.

 

[KClandcruiser]

Looks great Suds! If you ever need to offload some extra sausage I'm not too far away :mrgreen: