Meat, Fat and Salt, y'all. That's all.

"My five year-old son was set to have some dental work done, and I was chatting with the dentist about preparing him for the big day.

'Best not to go into detail about what will be happening,' the dentist said. 'Just...tell him we'll do a bit of work and it will be over in a flash. Kind of like- You don't just go around telling people how sausage is made!'

You can imagine the laugh I choked back at this statement, because I do A LOT of going around and telling people how sausage is made...

Why don't we talk more about how sausage is made? Sausage is not a frightening food item! Dare I say, purer than a casserole? 

Perhaps the industrial food complex can be blamed for stomach-turning concoctions of otherwise questionable scraps, ground to smithereens and punished with additives that cause us to bristle when we consider their origins. But...real sausage?

It is meat, fat, and salt y'all. That's all."

- from Pure Charcuterie by Meredith Leigh, p. 15

You Will Learn

  • How to prepare meat and fat for sausage making, and how to prepare and assemble common sausage making equipment

  • The beauty of a master ratio for sausage making, and how to use it to produce great sausage every time

  • How to grind meat to create excellent texture and bind in the finished product

  • How to stuff sausages using a vertical hand crank stuffer, and make sausage links

  • The best way to cook fresh sausages

  • How to advance your learning by devising your own sausage recipes, considerations for pairing flavors, and helpful tips for tweaking salt and acid for delicious results

Course curriculum

  • 01

    Welcome to the course!

  • 02

    Let's get started!

    • How to Make Sausage: Recipe & Ingredients

    • Sausage Making Equipment and Processing Principles

    • How to Grind Meat for Sausage

    • Casings for Sausage Making

    • How to Stuff Sausage

    • How to Make Sausage Links
  • 03

    Next Steps...

    • Sausage Making Review

    • More resources for you

Course Reviews

David Jonsson

5 star rating

“Very inspiring! I'm a butcher and the presenter makes it look so easy. The last section about flavours was very inspiring. Thanks!”

“Very inspiring! I'm a butcher and the presenter makes it look so easy. The last section about flavours was very inspiring. Thanks!”

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Liane Paulson

5 star rating

“ I am looking forward to creating bulk sausage. Like fermentation, there are so many flavor profiles, I think I'll enjoy this.”

“ I am looking forward to creating bulk sausage. Like fermentation, there are so many flavor profiles, I think I'll enjoy this.”

→Read Less
  • making fresh sausage
  • sausage making
  • best way to cook fresh sausage

Instructor(s)

Instructor Bio:

Hi! I'm Meredith. I've been working in food and farming for over 20 years, working to de-fragment and co-recreate the food system. When I started fermenting, it brought everything that I love and believe about working with plants, animals and the soil full circle to working with food in the kitchen. My favorite thing about fermentation is that it allows anyone anywhere in the world to harness the patterns of nature that drive life, giving people a super accessible window into the elemental vitality of the earth that both inspires us to live consciously and to hope for the future. I love teaching about fermentation because I get to carry that message, and empower people to take back their food and their health. My specialty is fermented meat products, but I also enjoy making veggie ferments, miso, and non-alcoholic fermented beverages. I'd say my biggest fermentation fail was the time I tried to ferment an entire sheep's stomach. Actually, the jury is still out on that one. I think it is still in my cellar somewhere... Anyway, I can't wait to share fermentation projects with you, and learn from you in turn! You can reach me at mereleighfood@gmail.com

Meredith Leigh

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