Last night, as I grilled zucchini and onions and jalapeños and a smoked jalapeño sausage for dinner, I thought of the smoker I left in Texas. If I had that smoker today, I would be able to smoke home made sausage, something I did not do when I had it, but which I’ve always wanted to do.
For years, making sausage from meat I grind, using spices I grind, has been on my wish list. When my wife bought a Kitchenaid Artisan mixer a few years ago, I began looking for meat grinder and sausage stuffer attachments, but could find only new ones, things that cost $50 and up; I could not justify in my mind spending so much money for something so utterly unnecessary. Granted, I wanted them, but I could not find it in me to buy the things. I checked, religiously, on Craig’s List to no avail. And then I moved to Arkansas and left the smoker in Texas.
Today, I have a different attitude. If I had a smoker, I’d buy the mixer attachments that would enable me to do something I’ve wanted to do for as long as I can remember. I’d cast my frugality to the wind and I’d get them. But, alas, I have no smoker, nor a place to put it. Here, even if I had a place to put it, I’d have to get a permit for it; living in a forest calls for extra protections to ensure fires don’t get out of control.
So, I’ll just try to let go of my dream of making and smoking my home made sausage. But I doubt I’ll be successful at abandoning my dream. Where there’s a will, there ultimately may be a way. In the interim, between now and forever, I’ll continue tweaking my sausage recipes and linger a while at stores that sell natural sausage casings.
Never even considered it, Smokemaster! Ha! As you know, I’ve given it some thought, but haven’t gotten to the point of making the decision…but, with the alternative being nothing, there’s a smoldering ember of distinct possibility there! 😉
What about an electric smoker, John? Have you thought about that? I know it doesn’t have the thrill of the fire, but it could work… Just a thought…