JustBeginning
Beginner's guide

So you want to make your own sausage

Making sausage from scratch sounds more complicated than it is. The whole system is a meat grinder, some casings, and a recipe you trust. The payoff is real control: the fat ratio, the seasoning, and the exact ingredients in every link you make.

By Colin B. · Published June 13, 2026 · Last reviewed June 13, 2026
a person cutting up some meat on a cutting board

Photo by Rhamely on Unsplash

The 60-second version

If you only buy 3 things to start:

  1. LEM Products #8 Big Bite Electric Meat Grinder — LEM's #8 Big Bite handles 5-lb batches, ships with stuffing tubes, and is the grinder we'd hand a friend starting out.
  2. LEM Products Natural Hog Casings — Natural hog casings are the standard for bratwurst, Italian sausage, and most fresh links.
  3. Hi Mountain Seasonings Bratwurst Sausage Making Kit — Pre-blended seasoning kits let you nail the flavor before you start tweaking your own ratios.
Budget total
$150
Typical total
$280
A standalone grinder with stuffing tubes and a case of casings gets you started for $150-200. Add a dedicated stuffer later if the hobby sticks.

We earn commission on qualifying Amazon purchases — see our affiliate disclosure. Price tiers and budget totals shown above are editorial estimates; actual Amazon prices vary.

At a glance

Our top pick in each category

The fastest path through this guide — each best-starter pick by category. Scroll for the budget and upgrade alternatives.

CategoryTop pickPriceWhere to buy
Meat GrinderLEM ProductsLEM Products #8 Big Bite Electric Meat Grinder$$$ See on Amazon →
Sausage StufferLEM ProductsLEM Products 5-Pound Vertical Sausage Stuffer$$$ See on Amazon →
CasingsLEM ProductsLEM Products Natural Hog Casings$ See on Amazon →
Seasonings & CureHi Mountain SeasoningsHi Mountain Seasonings Bratwurst Sausage Making Kit$ See on Amazon →
Scale & ThermometerEscaliEscali Primo Precision Kitchen Scale$$ See on Amazon →
Before you buy anything

A few things worth knowing first

Your grinder is your most important purchase, but you don't need the biggest one. A #8 grinder handles everything a home cook throws at it: 5-lb batches, two or three times a month. The upgrade to a #12 or #22 makes sense only if you're grinding 20 lbs at a sitting.

Don't skip the scale. Sausage seasoning ratios are by weight, not volume. A tablespoon of salt looks different in every spoon. A kitchen scale that reads to the gram is the most important cheap tool in your kit.

Fresh vs. cured sausage is a real distinction. Fresh sausage (bratwurst, Italian, breakfast links) is what most beginners make: grind, season, stuff, cook or freeze. Cured sausage (summer sausage, pepperoni, salami) requires curing salts, temperature control, and more process. Start fresh. Cured comes later.

The gear

What you actually need

Meat Grinder

The grinder is the heart of the whole operation. It chops the meat to your preferred texture and, with the stuffing tubes most models include, can fill casings directly. For home batches of 5-10 lbs, a #8 grinder is the sweet spot: powerful enough to handle partially frozen meat (which grinds cleaner), compact enough to store, and widely available with replacement parts. Go bigger only if you're processing a whole hog.

Meat Grinder — what's the difference?

A few common shapes, each making a different trade.

Standalone Electric

Dedicated power for 5-lb-plus batches. The right tool if you're serious.

Typical size
#8 (home) or #12 (semi-pro)
Batch capacity
5-20 lbs
Price range
$130-350

Best for Anyone making more than a couple batches a year

Tradeoff Takes up counter or storage space

↓ See our pick
Stand Mixer Attachment

Cheapest entry if you already own a KitchenAid mixer.

Batch capacity
2-3 lbs comfortably
Price range
$60-80

Best for Occasional sausage makers with an existing stand mixer

Tradeoff Labors on large batches; no standalone use

↓ See our pick
Manual Hand Crank

No electricity, small footprint, fine for 1-2 lb batches.

Batch capacity
1-2 lbs per session
Price range
$25-60

Best for Camping, very occasional use, or testing the hobby before committing

Tradeoff Arm fatigue on anything more than a pound or two

Best starter
LEM Products

LEM Products #8 Big Bite Electric Meat Grinder

$$$

LEM is the reference brand for home meat processing, and the #8 Big Bite earns that reputation. It chews through 5-lb batches of partially frozen pork shoulder without complaint, and ships with two stuffing tubes and grinder plates for coarse and fine grind. The all-metal construction means it will outlast multiple sausage seasons.

What we like

  • All-metal construction handles partially frozen meat without jamming
  • Ships with stuffing tubes and coarse/fine grinder plates
  • LEM replacement parts are widely available if anything wears out

What to know

  • Pricier than budget grinders, though it lasts proportionally longer
  • Stuffing via grinder tube is slower than a dedicated vertical stuffer
See on Amazon →
Budget pick
STX International

STX International Turboforce Classic 3000 Electric Meat Grinder

$$

Half the price of the LEM and capable enough for the occasional 3-5 lb batch. The motor runs hotter and won't handle partially frozen meat as confidently, so chill your meat fully before grinding. A reasonable first grinder if you're not sure sausage making will stick.

What we like

  • Half the price of mid-range grinders, solid entry-level performance
  • Includes multiple plates and stuffing tubes out of the box

What to know

  • Motor heats up on sustained use; rest between 5-lb loads
  • Plastic housing; treat it more gently than an all-metal grinder
See on Amazon →
Specialty pick
KitchenAid

KitchenAid KSMMGA All Metal Food Grinder Attachment

$$

If you already own a KitchenAid stand mixer, this attachment turns it into a capable meat grinder for under $70. It grinds 2-3 lb batches cleanly, includes a coarse and fine plate, and stores flat. Not as powerful as a standalone grinder for larger batches, but a smart entry point if the mixer is already on the counter.

What we like

  • Under $70 if you already own a KitchenAid mixer
  • Clean metal construction, easy to disassemble and clean

What to know

  • Labors beyond 3 lbs; not for large batches or fully thawed fatty meat
  • Requires a KitchenAid stand mixer, so not a standalone option
See on Amazon →

Sausage Stuffer

Most meat grinders ship with plastic stuffing tubes, and those tubes work for your first few batches. The problem is that pushing meat through a grinder in reverse is slow and produces friction that warms the fat and hurts texture. A dedicated vertical stuffer (a cylinder with a piston you push down) moves meat into casings faster, with less air, and without the warming problem. Worth buying once you've made 3-4 batches and know you're hooked.

Best starter
LEM Products

LEM Products 5-Pound Vertical Sausage Stuffer

$$$

Five pounds is the right cylinder size for home batches: big enough to do a full pork shoulder without refilling, small enough to store easily. The stainless steel cylinder cleans up quickly and the hand-crank gear makes stuffing bratwurst-sized casings manageable solo.

What we like

  • Stainless cylinder and reliable hand-crank gear handle casings without blowouts
  • Includes multiple stuffing tubes for different casing diameters

What to know

  • Pricier than entry stuffers, though build quality justifies it
  • 5-lb capacity means refilling for larger batches
See on Amazon →
Budget pick
Hakka Brothers

Hakka Brothers 7-Lb Vertical Sausage Stuffer

$$

A 7-lb stainless stuffer at a more accessible price. The larger cylinder suits bigger batches, and Hakka Brothers has a reputation for reliability in home processing circles. A solid alternative to the LEM if you want to spend less on your first dedicated stuffer.

What we like

  • 7-lb cylinder handles full batches without refilling
  • Stainless construction at a price well below the LEM

What to know

  • Heavier and bulkier than a 5-lb stuffer; tighter in small kitchens
  • Single-speed gear is workable but not as smooth as the two-speed LEM
See on Amazon →

Casings

Casings hold the sausage together and give it that satisfying snap when you bite in. Natural casings (made from animal intestines) are traditional and deliver the best texture. Collagen casings (edible manufactured collagen) are easier to work with: no soaking required, uniform size, and no fussing with knots. Start with natural hog casings for fresh sausage; switch to collagen if the prep work frustrates you.

Best starter
LEM Products

LEM Products Natural Hog Casings

$

The standard casing for bratwurst, Italian sausage, and most fresh links. Sold packed in salt, they keep in the fridge essentially indefinitely, and the pack covers 25-40 lbs of sausage. Soak in water 30 minutes before stuffing. The natural snap when you bite is why people bother making sausage in the first place.

What we like

  • Traditional casing with the best snap and texture when cooked
  • Salt-packed; keeps in the fridge for years using portions at a time

What to know

  • Requires soaking before use and rinsing inside and out
  • Occasional natural weak spots can blow out if you overstuff
See on Amazon →
Specialty pick
The Sausage Maker

Collagen Sausage Casings 32mm

$

No soaking, uniform size, and no slipping ends. Collagen casings are edible, made from beef collagen, and ideal for beginners who want to focus on seasoning and technique without the prep of natural casings. Slightly chewier bite than natural, but they make a clean, consistent link every time.

What we like

  • No soaking or prep; load directly onto the stuffing tube
  • Uniform diameter every time for consistent link length

What to know

  • Less snap and bite than natural casings when cooked
  • Splits if moistened before use or stuffed too tightly
See on Amazon →

Seasonings & Cure

Sausage seasoning is salt, spices, and sometimes cure (for shelf-stable or smoked sausage). Pre-blended kits from dedicated suppliers are calibrated for the right salt percentage by weight and include the ratios for classic recipes. For beginners, a kit removes one variable from the process so you can focus on technique. Once you've made a few batches, you'll start tweaking ratios and eventually building your own blends.

Best starter
Hi Mountain Seasonings

Hi Mountain Seasonings Bratwurst Sausage Making Kit

$

Hi Mountain is the go-to for home sausage makers who want a reliable, well-tested starting point. The bratwurst kit seasons up to 24 lbs of meat, includes clear instructions, and produces a bratwurst that actually tastes like bratwurst. A confidence-building first batch before you start improvising your own blends.

What we like

  • Calibrated ratios take the guesswork out of your first batch
  • Seasons up to 24 lbs; excellent value for the meals it produces

What to know

  • Flavor profile is fixed; you're making their bratwurst, not your own
  • Kit-dependent approach delays building your own seasoning instincts
See on Amazon →
Specialty pick
The Sausage Maker

Insta Cure No. 1 (Prague Powder #1)

$

If you want to make cured sausages (summer sausage, snack sticks, cured breakfast links) or anything smoked at low temperatures, you need Insta Cure No. 1. This is sodium nitrite mixed with salt, and it prevents botulism growth during long low-temp smoking. Not needed for fresh sausage; required for any cured product.

What we like

  • Required for food-safe low-temperature smoked sausage
  • A small container lasts through many batches at the correct dose

What to know

  • Strictly measure by weight only; eyeballing is a food safety risk
  • Only needed for cured products; skip it for fresh sausage entirely
See on Amazon →

Scale & Thermometer

These two tools are non-negotiable. A kitchen scale that reads to the gram makes seasoning accurate (sausage salt ratios are by weight, and small differences matter). An instant-read thermometer tells you when fresh sausage is cooked to a safe 160°F internal temperature. Both cost less than $35 combined and earn their spot in your kit on the very first batch.

Best starter
Escali

Escali Primo Precision Kitchen Scale

$$

Reads to 1 gram up to 11 lbs, which covers everything in sausage making from weighing cure salts to weighing full pork shoulders. The tare function works reliably, the platform fits a large mixing bowl, and it has been a kitchen staple for years because it simply works.

What we like

  • Reads to 1g up to 11 lbs, right range for home sausage seasoning
  • Large platform fits a mixing bowl; tare function is accurate and reliable

What to know

  • Battery-powered; keep spares around for multi-hour sessions
  • 11-lb max means weighing larger pork shoulders in two portions
See on Amazon →
Budget pick
ThermoPro

ThermoPro TP-03B Digital Instant Read Thermometer

$

A probe thermometer that reads in 3-4 seconds. Sausage is safe at 160°F internal; this tells you definitively when you're there. At under $15, there's no reason not to own one.

What we like

  • 3-4 second read time, fast enough to check multiple links quickly
  • Under $15 and accurate enough for food safety decisions

What to know

  • No backlight on the basic model, harder to read in dim light
  • Single-point probe; check the thickest part of each link separately
See on Amazon →
Going deeper

Your first Saturday of sausage making

Sausage making has one genuinely tricky moment and it lasts about ten minutes. After that, it's just grinding, seasoning, and watching your kitchen smell incredible.

Read the guide →
Save your money

What you don't need yet

Beginners get pressured to buy a lot of stuff that doesn't help them play better. Here's what we'd skip on day one.

  • A smokehouse or dedicated smoker — Master fresh sausage first. Smoking comes after you've nailed the grind-and-season workflow.
  • Dry-curing chambers — Charcuterie and dry-cured salami require controlled humidity and months of aging. That's a different hobby.
  • A #22 or larger commercial grinder — Overkill unless you're processing whole animals. A #8 handles everything a home cook needs comfortably.
  • A vacuum sealer — Freezer bags work fine for 1-2 month storage. Get a sealer when you start making 10-plus lbs at a time.
  • Specialty casings (sheep casings, large beef middles) — Master hog casings first. Sheep casings for breakfast links and beef middles for bologna are easy upgrades once you have the basics down.
First week

Your first seven days

A short, real plan to get from gear-on-doorstep to actually playing.

  1. Order your grinder and casings so they arrive by Saturday. · Buy
  2. Pick one recipe to start: bratwurst or Italian sausage. Both are forgiving and crowd-pleasing. · Action
  3. Buy 5 lbs of pork shoulder (labeled 'pork butt' or 'Boston butt' at most grocery stores). You need the fat ratio it naturally has. · Action
  4. Soak natural casings in cold water 30 minutes before stuffing, then rinse the inside by running water through them. · Learn
  5. Chill your meat to 34-38°F before grinding. Partially frozen meat grinds cleaner and keeps the fat from smearing. · Learn
  6. Cook one link immediately after stuffing to check seasoning before you tie off the rest. · Action
  7. Freeze what you won't eat within 3-4 days. Portion into meal-sized bags before freezing. · Action
FAQ

Common questions

Do I need a sausage stuffer, or can I use the grinder tubes?

You can absolutely start with the grinder tubes that come with most grinders. They're slower and produce slightly more air pockets, but they work fine for your first few batches. A dedicated stuffer becomes worth it around batch four or five when you've confirmed you enjoy the process.

What's the right fat ratio for sausage?

Most fresh sausage recipes call for 70-80% lean meat and 20-30% fat. Pork shoulder (Boston butt) naturally runs around 75/25, which is why it's the default starting meat. Going leaner makes dry, crumbly sausage; going fattier makes greasy links.

Is home sausage making safe?

Yes, with basic food safety habits: keep your meat cold throughout the process, sanitize your equipment, and cook fresh sausage to 160°F internal temperature. The only additional step for cured or smoked sausage is adding curing salt (Insta Cure No. 1) to prevent bacterial growth during low-temperature smoking.

What's the difference between fresh and cured sausage?

Fresh sausage (bratwurst, Italian, breakfast links) is raw, must be refrigerated, and cooked before eating. Cured sausage (summer sausage, pepperoni, salami) uses nitrites and a curing process that extends shelf life and allows low-temperature smoking. Start with fresh. Cured is a separate, more involved skill set.

Can I use beef instead of pork?

Yes, though beef is leaner and requires you to add fat explicitly. All-beef sausage is traditional for hot dogs and some regional styles. Lamb is excellent for merguez. Pork is just the easiest starting point because the fat ratio is naturally right without extra calculation.

How much sausage does a 5-lb batch make?

About 5 lbs of finished links, give or take trimming and casing waste. Plan on 8-12 bratwurst-sized links from a 5-lb batch, or about 20-25 breakfast links. Freeze what you won't eat within 3-4 days.

Going further

Where to next

Related hobbies

Browse by category

Authoritative sources

  • The Sausage Maker — The go-to supplier for casings, cure salts, and seasonings. Their blog and recipe library is the best free educational resource for home sausage making.
  • Len Poli's Sausage Recipes — A classic free recipe library from an Italian-American sausage maker. Hundreds of tested recipes with clear weight-based ratios. Old-school site, totally trustworthy content.
  • r/sausagetalk — Active community. Good for troubleshooting texture issues and sharing batch results. The wiki has a solid beginner FAQ.
  • Home Production of Quality Meats and Sausages (Marianski) — The technical reference for home sausage making. Dense but thorough. Worth buying after your first successful batch when you want to understand the why behind the ratios.
Sausages and chicken pieces grilling on a barbecue.

Photo by Alpha Perspective on Unsplash

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