Sausage Lady Concocts Creative Flavors
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Sandy Sorensen has an unusual method of developing new products. She comes up with the name first – then figures out how to make it. All are flavored brats, made from the heritage breed pigs she and her husband, Tom, raise on their Illinois farm. Technically, it’s sausage sold in bulk ($7/lb.) or in pork casings ($7.50/lb.), but Sorensen calls them brats because of their size - just four cased sausages to a pound. Whatever they are they must be good, because at the Carbondale Farmer’s Market, she is well known as the “sausage lady,” and she typically sells out within 2 1/2 hrs.
The special education teacher admits she never guessed she would raise hogs and develop a successful direct sales market of cuts, halves and wholes along with her custom sausages.
She says it was her love for animals that got her to buy her first 2 hogs 6 years ago. The Sorensens prefer old breeds such as Gloucestershire Old Spots and Large Black hogs that have more fat and flavor and do well on pasture.
“They don’t go into buildings unless they want to,” she explains. They eat bugs, grub roots, garden produce, acorns and nuts. She supplements with barley, wheat and oats and a little corn and soybeans, and alfalfa mix hay in the winter.
Between April and November, she processes six hogs per month. About half the meat is sold as cuts, ham and nitrate-free bacon made by the processor. The other half goes into her sausage concoctions such as Ragin’ Cajun with garlic, paprika and red pepper; Evil Sister with fresh jalapeno; and 5 O’clock Somewhere with pineapple, mandarin oranges, cilantro and a shot of tequila. A customer favorite is Mozzamato, a sweet Italian sausage with sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.
Sorensen rents the commercial kitchen at a local American Legion to make her sausage in 5-lb. batches one evening a week between April and November. Among Sorensen’s 27 flavors are some traditional favorites - a Polish sausage that she found on the Internet, as well as varieties that reflect her mother’s Kentucky heritage and her father’s Lithuanian ancestry. She typically has about half a dozen varieties available at a time.
Sorensen also sells neck bones, traditionally cooked by Lithuanians with sauerkraut. She processes leaf lard, made from the soft fat around the kidneys and loin, which is popular at the farmers market.
“I even sell pig tails (at the market). I try not to waste anything,” Sorensen notes.
Because of her fulltime job teaching, Sorensen says she prefers to stay small enough to keep quality control. But in the future she may look into the regulations required to sell smoked products including artisanal bacon.
Sorensen says developing a niche market (sausages) helps compete with the growing number of pork producers selling fresh meat cuts directly to consumers. Customers also appreciate that her animals have a non-GMO, natural diet.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Tom and Sandy Sorensen, Sorensen’s Heritage Farm, 21661 Knob Prairie Rd., Thompsonville, Ill. 62890 (ph 618 663-5722 or 618 627-2717; www.sorensensheritagefarm.com; sorensensheritagefarm@gmail.com).
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Sausage Lady Concocts Creative Flavors HOG EQUIPMENT & IDEAS Sandy Sorensen has an unusual method of developing new products She comes up with the name first – then figures out how to make it All are flavored brats made from the heritage breed pigs she and her husband Tom raise on their Illinois farm Technically it’s sausage sold in bulk $7/lb or in pork casings $7 50/lb but Sorensen calls them brats because of their size - just four cased sausages to a pound Whatever they are they must be good because at the Carbondale Farmer’s Market she is well known as the “sausage lady ” and she typically sells out within 2 1/2 hrs The special education teacher admits she never guessed she would raise hogs and develop a successful direct sales market of cuts halves and wholes along with her custom sausages She says it was her love for animals that got her to buy her first 2 hogs 6 years ago The Sorensens prefer old breeds such as Gloucestershire Old Spots and Large Black hogs that have more fat and flavor and do well on pasture “They don’t go into buildings unless they want to ” she explains They eat bugs grub roots garden produce acorns and nuts She supplements with barley wheat and oats and a little corn and soybeans and alfalfa mix hay in the winter Between April and November she processes six hogs per month About half the meat is sold as cuts ham and nitrate-free bacon made by the processor The other half goes into her sausage concoctions such as Ragin’ Cajun with garlic paprika and red pepper; Evil Sister with fresh jalapeno; and 5 O’clock Somewhere with pineapple mandarin oranges cilantro and a shot of tequila A customer favorite is Mozzamato a sweet Italian sausage with sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella cheese Sorensen rents the commercial kitchen at a local American Legion to make her sausage in 5-lb batches one evening a week between April and November Among Sorensen’s 27 flavors are some traditional favorites - a Polish sausage that she found on the Internet as well as varieties that reflect her mother’s Kentucky heritage and her father’s Lithuanian ancestry She typically has about half a dozen varieties available at a time Sorensen also sells neck bones traditionally cooked by Lithuanians with sauerkraut She processes leaf lard made from the soft fat around the kidneys and loin which is popular at the farmers market “I even sell pig tails at the market I try not to waste anything ” Sorensen notes Because of her fulltime job teaching Sorensen says she prefers to stay small enough to keep quality control But in the future she may look into the regulations required to sell smoked products including artisanal bacon Sorensen says developing a niche market sausages helps compete with the growing number of pork producers selling fresh meat cuts directly to consumers Customers also appreciate that her animals have a non-GMO natural diet Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Tom and Sandy Sorensen Sorensen’s Heritage Farm 21661 Knob Prairie Rd Thompsonville Ill 62890 ph 618 663-5722 or 618 627-2717; www sorensensheritagefarm com; sorensensheritagefarm@gmail com
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