Yesterday the Enterprise #10 I won on Ebay for $9.99 arrived and cleaned up nicely. This morning we made our first shopping trip to Allied Kenco Sales in Houston and have found another true “toy” store.

Bought a 1/4″ and 1/2″ die to go with the 3/16″ that came with the grinder. Also both an aluminum stuffing cone, two kinds of sausage seasoning and a book.

Went to B&W Meat Market and told the women I wanted a pork butt to make sausage. She asked would I like their pork trimmings that they use to make sausage. She said it has a 80/20 meat to fat ratio and that is what I had read is the correct ratio. We bought 10 lbs. for $1.99 per lb. and that was a nice price.

At home, I only found a little gristle as I cubed it.

Fed about half through the 1/2″ die for the first grind ever with the #10 and it went great. Kneaded in the one of spices and reground in through the 3/16″ –that went well.

Reinstalled the 1/2″ die and began to grind the other half. Found that the die’s was turning as the notch was not engaging the cast-in protrusion at 12 o’clock position in the main grinder body. Took it apart, cleaned out stuff we thought was making it screw up and finally noted that die with its beveled edge had to be pushed hard up against the bode when the screw on collar was tighted down. Even then it would slip down and start to turn.

Installed the 1/4″ die that does not have the beveled edge and it engaged the body well. Smooth cutting resumed and we finished seasoning and regrinding with the 3/16″.

As the store did not have a #12 Kidney die I had decided the 1/2″ would work to run the 3/16″ grind through to stuff the casings.  I left the cutter out and it stuffed the casings fine.

We had soaked the casings and had a clump of slimy white stings.  Mary finally got them to open up so she could rinse the insides as instructed and I finally got one end to open and slide on the stuffing chute. Mary fed the casings as I pulled them onto the chute.

The ground sausage turned smoothly into the casings. One lesson learned was to not tie the end until the meat is coming out and there is no air trapped inside the chute that turns the casing into a balloon.

The three-hour event would have been shorter and less stressful if the die had not turned and caused confusion and frustration. I should have also clamped down the 3/4″ cutting board the grinder was clamped on.