For Bratwurst, Summer Sausage, or Snack Sticks, we recommend using untrimmed pork butts as your protein source. These cuts naturally contain 20–30% fat, making them ideal for sausage while also being relatively inexpensive.

If you’re working with wild game, be sure to add pork fat to bring the overall fat content into the mid-20% range. Pork fat is the preferred choice because of its creamy texture, bright white color, and neutral flavor—qualities that no other readily available fat can match.

Since we’re making bratwurst, we want a coarser texture than you’d typically use for cured sausage. Start with a first grind through a 3/8" (or larger) plate, then follow it with a second grind through a 3/16" plate. Keep in mind, the second grind will usually take longer because the auger has a harder time pushing the already-broken-down meat through the knife and plate.

If you’re using a traditional grinder, it helps to partially freeze the meat before you start—this keeps the grind cleaner and prevents smearing. But if you’re using Walton’s One-Shot system, you can skip the two-step process and get both grinds done in a single pass!

Since we’re making bratwurst, the mixing should be done by hand. Unlike cured sausages, we don’t want protein extraction here—we just need to blend the seasonings and any additives, like High-Temp Cheese, evenly throughout the meat. If you do choose to use a meat mixer, keep it short—no more than 3–4 minutes—to avoid extracting protein.

Load your stuffer carefully, making sure to avoid air pockets—any trapped air will get pushed into the sausage and cause problems later. If you’re using collagen casings, stuff them just until you can see the faint swirl pattern on the outside. For natural casings, it’s best to slightly under-stuff; you can always firm them up by giving the links a few extra twists during the linking process.