Preparing For Class

This page describes everything you need to do to prep for your class. You can do everything you see here or just wait for our emails to roll in and take care of things as they arrive.

Order Your Supplies & Equipment

Everything you need is available through our Amazon store and we have tested and approve of every product we sell. Aside from groceries, here’s the complete list of everything you need.

1. Meat Grinder – KitchenAid attachment ($50), or big & fancy (includes stuffer) ($170)

2. Meat Stuffer – KitchenAid attachment ($20)

3. Webcam – Use the webcam built into your laptop, Choose your favorite or choose our favorite ($40)

4. Headphones + microphone (optional, but if your computer is more than 4 years old or you have a noisy house, you’ll probably need them)

5. Kitchen Scale (capable of weighing 11 pounds or more)

6. Normal kitchen items like knives, measuring spoons and spices

7. Groceries (including pork) – we’ll send another email 1 week before class to let you know what you need

Setup Your Computer

You’ll need to have Google Hangouts setup and ready to use on your laptop. To do that, follow these instructions. This may only take 5 minutes. In the unlikely event that it takes over an hour, post to Twitter (twitter.com/MeatMadeSimple) and we’ll get you straightened out.

Did You Get Our Package?

By about two weeks before your class, you should have received a small package from us. If it didn’t arrive, reach out to rich@meatmadesimple.com and he’ll take care of you.

Go Grocery Shopping!

1. Salt

2. Paprika

3. Ground Black Pepper

4. Whole Fennel Seed

5. Crushed Red Pepper

6. Pork Butt (may also be called Pork Shoulder). It should weigh 7-10 pounds and it can be bone-in or boneless. Be sure to choose the one with the most fat on it. Keep it cold, but not frozen. It’s best to buy this the day before the class so that it’s fresh.

Test Your Equipment

1. Setup your meat grinder

   1. Do you have all of the parts?

   2. Do you have at least two different sized grinding plates? (the grinding plates are the metal plates with the holes in them)

2. Attach the Sausage Stuffer to the mixer

   1. Do you have a ½-inch horn? (the horn is the tube)

Plan For The Kids

You’re going to need two full hours, so now’s the time to come up with a plan for the kids. Here are a couple of ideas:

1. Are they old enough and helpful enough to join you? We’d love to have them.

2. Call Grandma?

3. Get a sitter?

4. Pick up a movie?

Prep Your Kitchen

1. Clean your kitchen. You’ll have a much better day if you start with a clean kitchen and an empty dishwasher.

2. Make sure all of the following are easily within reach:

   1. Grinder

   2. Stuffer

   3. Casing

   4. Pork Butt (may also be called Pork Shoulder)

   5. Salt & Spices

   6. 2 large bowls, one of which is filled with hot water.

   7. Knives (the sharper, the better)

   8. Plastic bags or freezer paper for finished product

   9. A kitchen scale

   10. Cutting board

   11. 1 large bowl of ice water

   12. Cleanup supplies (access to hot water, dish soap, washcloths, etc)

Prep Your House

1. Print this and hang it on your front door.

2. Turn down the radio and TV or be sure your microphone + headset works.

Join The Hangout

1. Rich will send an email to you about 15 minutes before the class. Click the link in that email to join the Hangout.

2. No email? Send one to him at rich@meatmadesimple.com

Questions

Have questions before the class starts? Reach out in email at rich@meatmadesimple.com