Sausage-Making Equipment Explained

When our founder, Rytek, first started making sausages with his parents as a youth, his tools were limited to a simple knife (for chopping the meat) and a funnel (for stuffing the casings). Today, we offer equipment that is not just affordable, but is built to serve you and your family for years to come. Let us take the mystery out of buying meat processing equipment, and help you find just what you need, nothing more, nothing less. 

Meat Grinders are powered by a hand crank or a 110V electric motor. Meat grinders are used to chop, mince and grind whole pieces of meat into a ground form. A variety of different sized grinders are available depending on the scale of your projects. By feeding meat into the top of the moving grinder, a rotating corkscrew auger advances the meat toward the blades. Both manual and electric meat grinders have the ability to stuff sausages to an extent, using a stuffing tube. Grinder plates are circular disks of metal with a honeycomb appearance. The holes in the plate vary in size, and can easily be changed out by unscrewing the locking ring on the end of the grinder. Grinder knives are used in conjunction with the grinder plate and work to chop meat before it is extruded by the auger. 

Sausage Stuffers are powered by a hand crank or a 110V electric motor and controlled by a foot pedal. Mostly used in commercial and high volume settings. Sausage stuffers are the next step after buying a meat grinder for those who are serious about stuffing sausages. They allow the user to fill sausage casings without further chopping or smearing the meat, leading to a better texture and a more uniform product. Sausage Maker created the very first stainless steel vertical sausage stuffer. Our vertical stuffers, manual and electric alike, operate on the same principal. After filling the cylinder with ground meat, a piston pushes the meat toward the bottom and it is extruded through whatever size stuffing tube you’ve attached.

Smokehouses serve the dual function of both enhancing the flavor of, and curing, meats. Our smokehouses are specially designed for hanging hams, sausages, poultry and fish as well as for making jerkies. A smokehouse works on a very simple principal: Chips or sawdust from hardwood trees (such as cherry or hickory) are wetted and placed in a small metal pan. The sawdust pan is placed in the smoker on top of a small burner, which slowly burns the sawdust and releases smoke. By adjusting the thermostat and utilizing the dampers, the amount of smoke and heat can be controlled depending on the project. 

Fermenting Crocks have channels around the rims that are filled with water to create a seal, keeping air out but letting gasses escape. Brining crocks do not feature a water channel (air-tight seal). Sausage Maker was one of the first companies to introduce European fermenting crocks to the U.S. market. They can be used for fermenting a variety of healthy and delicious veggies, as well as for brining some types of meats. 

Dehydrators are used to dry fruits, veggies and meats for longer storage, or to achieve a different texture/taste. We offer both plastic and stainless steel dehydrators with different capacities depending on needs and preferences. After thinly slicing fruits, veggies or meats, they are placed on the dehydrator trays, and the dehydrator is set for the desired amount of time. Once the dehydrator is running, a small fan and a heating element work together to circulate a large volume of warm air around the food. After foods have been thoroughly dried, they can be stored at room temperature for a number days or even weeks.

The Sausage Maker online store and our two physical locations offer all the sausage making supplies you'll need to start making and serving your own delicious sausages. As always, feel free to contact our customer service department with any questions about the equipment that's right for you!