If you process your own meat, you already know that we can sometimes be a particular, even odd group of people. We have strong opinions on things that the average grocery shopper hasn't even heard of (is Encapsulated Citric Acid a cure accelerator or not?) and we take pride on the amount of blood on our hands while making sausage or jerky! You know the pain of seeing an experiment with your hard earned wild gameo

If you process your own meat, you already know that we can sometimes be a particular, or even odd group of people. We have strong opinions on things that the average grocery shopper hasn't even heard of (is Encapsulated Citric Acid a cure accelerator or not?) and we take pride on the amount of blood on our hands while making sausage or jerky! You know the pain of seeing an experiment with your hard earned wild game (or the perfect pork butt) go badly, leaving you with an underwhelming finished product. But, you also know the joy that comes with making something exceptional and the peace of mind that comes with knowing how to provide for your family in the event of economic difficulties.  

We also tend to look out for each other a little more than some other groups, even when we disagree. Do you not have the needed nitrite cure to complete your 50 lb batch of snack sticks, or did your smoker die on you just as you were loading it? Well, chances are that you have someone in your neighborhood who'd happily lend a helping hand without expecting anything in return, and the chances are that person is a true home processor!

You know the pain of a piece of equipment failing, or forgetting a supply at the worst time possibe moment!

This usually happens right when the meat is thawed, the grinder is humming, and you’re on a tight clock. One missing bag of cure, a dull knife, or a stuffer that decides today is the day to blow a gasket can derail an entire processing session. Not only does it slow you down, it adds stress to a job that already requires precision, timing, and food-safety awareness. That’s why being organized, checking your gear ahead of time, and keeping backups of the essentials can save you from a whole lot of frustration when you’re in the middle of a big batch.

Luckily, Walton's does have shipping options that will help mitigate these issues, BUT it can be expensive and even worse, we can't get it to you that day. That means you are putting meat back into a cooler, increasing the risk of something going wrong and costing you more money. So, check your equipment before thawing out any meat and make sure you keep some White Oil on hand to keep everything well lubricated!

You can identify the correct fat ratio just by looking at a sausage!

Well, you can at least once you’ve spent enough time grinding, mixing, and stuffing yourself. The way the meat binds together, even the pattern of fat flecks in the slice, even the sheen of the meat as you are mixing, they are all clues to knowing if you have the best % of fat in your mix. Too lean and the sausages look dry, crumbly, and almost matte; too much fat and you get that greasy gloss and wide, irregular pockets. But when it’s right, somewhere around that sweet-spot 20–30% range. You will see a tight, even distribution of fat that promises juiciness without being oily. It’s one of those skills you develop over time without even realizing it, and it makes you a better processor with every batch.

You know the pride that comes with a genuine compliment of something that you made - bonus points if it is from something you harvested!

There’s a whole different level of satisfaction in hearing someone rave about the flavor, the texture, or the craftsmanship of a sausage, roast, or jerky that you handled from field to freezer to plate. It’s not just about making good food; it’s about the hours of work, the skill, and the respect for the animal that went into it. When someone notices and appreciates that, it hits deeper than any store-bought product ever could. It’s validation of the entire process and it feels darn good.

Part of the reason that this feels so good is that it is a reward for all the hard work and knowledge we have acquired over YEARS of practice, experimenting and figuring things out for ourselves!