Calling all "sausage makers"

[Would Rather Be Fishing]

Question. Yesterday I made my first batch of bear pepperoni. Small batch to start to test the waters (well, I was told 10lbs is a "small batch"). Results were awesome, very happy with it, but pushing the meat through the sausage stuffer was a pain! Quite literally. After mixing in the cure with water, the meat became so tacky that it resembled sourdough. I got the job done but had to push so hard that I was getting worried of breaking the crank or some of the mechanics.
So, I was thinking next time just to add more water to make the "dough" flow more easy, and just spend more time in the smoker/oven to dry... Good idea or not? If not.. any other suggestions?

As always ,any suggestion is welcome...

[cdub]

Make bigger pepperoni.
the tiny casings are tough to push. More water helps. At least with a stuffer no damage is done to the meat, using a grinder just mushes the meat and ruins the batch. Pepperoni is slow to stuff, doing salami is almost instant out the tube.

[dirtyminer]

You are bang on with adding more water.

[wildcatter]

Question. Yesterday I made my first batch of bear pepperoni. Small batch to start to test the waters (well, I was told 10lbs is a "small batch"). Results were awesome, very happy with it, but pushing the meat through the sausage stuffer was a pain! Quite literally. After mixing in the cure with water, the meat became so tacky that it resembled sourdough. I got the job done but had to push so hard that I was getting worried of breaking the crank or some of the mechanics.
So, I was thinking next time just to add more water to make the "dough" flow more easy, and just spend more time in the smoker/oven to dry... Good idea or not? If not.. any other suggestions?

As always ,any suggestion is welcome...

"After mixing in the cure with water"

Are you talking about sodium nitrate? I would not want to put any chemicals or preservatives in my sausage.

[elkhunterette]

Add more cold water to the meat and stuff it right away.

[hawk-i]

I take my bear to the Sausage Factory in Smithers BC, this year I got Teriyaki Peperoni made with extra pork fat....no mess, no fuss, vacuum packed and absolutely DELICIOUS

Gee, I didn't have any trouble with a stuffer either....LOL... YMMV

[Sitkaspruce]

Question. Yesterday I made my first batch of bear pepperoni. Small batch to start to test the waters (well, I was told 10lbs is a "small batch"). Results were awesome, very happy with it, but pushing the meat through the sausage stuffer was a pain! Quite literally. After mixing in the cure with water, the meat became so tacky that it resembled sourdough. I got the job done but had to push so hard that I was getting worried of breaking the crank or some of the mechanics.
So, I was thinking next time just to add more water to make the "dough" flow more easy, and just spend more time in the smoker/oven to dry... Good idea or not? If not.. any other suggestions?

As always ,any suggestion is welcome...

Water helps, but I make a lot of pepperoni and this is the main reason I got rid of my stiffer and use my grinder. I throw the auger, neck, cutter etc. in the freezer the night before and that helps. Mix in small batches (2-3 lbs.) and stuff, then repeat. Makes it easier to handle. This is if you use a kit. If you make it you make your own with no binder then the stuffer works.

Good luck

Cheers

SS

[IronNoggin]

On the advice of the two pro's in the Valley, we added more ice water to the mix to address the same issue.
Worked like a charm.

Cheers,
Nog

[srupp]

Hmm actually took a sausage making course from sausage maker..my exam was make 300 pounds of sausage..
I like the ideas presented more water..I LOVE MATT'S SUGGESTION more ice water...
For the small diameter breakfast sausage and even more so peperoni..
lol
Sitka spruce has the voice of experience ..auger blades plates in freezer for few hours helps with all sausage..
You are trying to stuff very small diameter casings with thick mixture..Susan can't turn the cranks on breakfast sausage and peperoni I resorted to Cabelas 1 1/2 hp grinder it works. .amazing how much ice water is needed.
Cheers
Srupp

[cdub]

Typically 10lb meat 1 lb water