lets get back to basics... starting with the butcher

frugal_shopper_2

A hogget is a lamb which has been grown on to between 12-24 months old if they are left to grow older still they become mutton.

tdf010604

Ferretkeeper I have been longing to make my own sausages for a while now, it seems like fun and the kids would love it!
I have a kitchenaid mixer and I see they offer an attachment but how easy would it be and what would I need to start up?

frugal_shopper_2

Easy to understand guide to making sausages here.
http://www.sausagemaking.co.uk/

You will need:
Meat.
Seasoning - either pre mixed or herbs/spices of your choice.
Filler - which is basically something as dry as possible such as cream crackers or breadcrumbs or you can buy rusk which is used commercially.
Casings.
Preservatives & stabilisers are optional.
Equipment wise you will need a mincer/sausage stuffer such as the kitchenaid attachment & standard kitchen utensils bowls, scales etc...

Supplies such as pre mixed seasoning & casings available from these companies although your local butcher should also be happy to supply them.
http://www.weschenfelder.co.uk
http://www.sausagemaking.org
http://www.designasausage.com

anniemf2508

tdf010604 wrote: »

Ferretkeeper I have been longing to make my own sausages for a while now, it seems like fun and the kids would love it!
I have a kitchenaid mixer and I see they offer an attachment but how easy would it be and what would I need to start up?

making your own is good fun...first time was like watching an episode of the generation game tho! we make our own as my husband is a coeliac and finding decent gf sausages is nigh on impossible.

Our local butcher lets us have casings for pence if we buy the rest of the meat from him.
Make sure you use enough fat with the meat else your sausage will be dry...a good ratio is a third fat to meat. ( so say you use 1kg of pork shoulder, you'd use an extra 300g of fat extra).

After mixing the seasonings with the meat, fry a little bit in a pan to check you've got it right...nothing worse than making a whole batch then realising they are completely bland!

ferretkeeper

anniemf2508 wrote: »

making your own is good fun...first time was like watching an episode of the generation game tho! we make our own as my husband is a coeliac and finding decent gf sausages is nigh on impossible.

Our local butcher lets us have casings for pence if we buy the rest of the meat from him.
Make sure you use enough fat with the meat else your sausage will be dry...a good ratio is a third fat to meat. ( so say you use 1kg of pork shoulder, you'd use an extra 300g of fat extra).

After mixing the seasonings with the meat, fry a little bit in a pan to check you've got it right...nothing worse than making a whole batch then realising they are completely bland!

Really good tips there, the fat makes a lot of difference and can't really be left out for calorie saving purposes, some of it does cook out though. Always a good idea to taste first esp if you're improvising a recipe.

The sausages will benefit from hanging in a cool place, ideally fridge, before cooking or freezing, to let some excess moisture out, they'll shrink less when cooked.

Friends had that problem sending lean pigs to slaughter, there wasn't enough fat on the animal to make the sausages as nice as they could have been, even using the traditionally fattier cuts of meat.

My sister is gluten free too, but I noticed the Co-op's best own brand sausages are gluten free, I think they're all freedom food accredited too, for what that's worth, but the logo helps me spot the packet!

mysk_girl

Right, tomorrow is food shopping day :-) I'm going to go for a whole chicken to slow cook, and I reckon I can get a roast chicken meal, curry and then stock for cawl (slow cooker stock with potatoes, swede and carrot). Then going to ask about cheap beef cuts to do a casserole with and I need something for a stir fry - what would you recommend? And some sausages as well. That will be a weeks meat for 5 of us.

They give a discount for eggs if you take your own box, making it £1.50 for 6 - I know this is more than the supermarket ones, but it doesn't seem too extortionate....

Fire_Fox

mysk_girl wrote: »

Right, tomorrow is food shopping day :-) I'm going to go for a whole chicken to slow cook, and I reckon I can get a roast chicken meal, curry and then stock for cawl (slow cooker stock with potatoes, swede and carrot). Then going to ask about cheap beef cuts to do a casserole with and I need something for a stir fry - what would you recommend? And some sausages as well. That will be a weeks meat for 5 of us.

They give a discount for eggs if you take your own box, making it £1.50 for 6 - I know this is more than the supermarket ones, but it doesn't seem too extortionate....

Maybe do oily fish or other seafood for the stir fry? Loads of great Asian recipes online and it helps get the recommended servings in.

PennyForThem_2

You can use chicken stock for the casserole - usually you need some liquid. With slow cooking it reduces.

Chicken stock for soups, rissottos etc

I use left over chicken scraps (leg, wing and scrap meat) for a Nigella Lawson recipe which is basically tomatoes, peppers, onions, olives, chilli.

It was for left over turkey but chicken is good!

lindseykim13

mysk_girl wrote: »

Right, tomorrow is food shopping day :-) I'm going to go for a whole chicken to slow cook, and I reckon I can get a roast chicken meal, curry and then stock for cawl (slow cooker stock with potatoes, swede and carrot). Then going to ask about cheap beef cuts to do a casserole with and I need something for a stir fry - what would you recommend? And some sausages as well. That will be a weeks meat for 5 of us.

They give a discount for eggs if you take your own box, making it £1.50 for 6 - I know this is more than the supermarket ones, but it doesn't seem too extortionate....

Prawns are great in a stiy fry, otherwise i use any leftover chicken, beef ect.

nigelpm

Great thread. Has anyone actually compared Supermarket to Butchers prices? - would be interesting as a side by side comparison given this is MSE website.

I usually buy certain fruit from greengrocers and can actually save money on the supermarket prices.