Dear Rootie,
How come things always have to be pointed out to you? You’re a relatively intelligent and creative individual, yet sometimes the simplest concepts evade you and must be brought to your attention by another person. Oh don’t be too hard on yourself, it happens.
Sausage! I like sausage,but it’s too salty and gives me heartburn. Wahh wahh whine whine, right?
Why don’t you make your own? You have a grinder, you have access to fairly cheap lean pork, and Lord knows you have spices.
Wot? Why didn’t I think of that?
So…I am going to start making my own sausage. Bulk, that is, not link. I supposed I could get a sausage stuffer, they have them that you can attach to the stand mixer, just like the grinder attaches. Sausage casing isn’t hard to come by. But I am lazy, and bulk thus patty sausage is easier.
So. Today I am going to Harvey’s because they have pork shoulder on sale for 99 cents a pound. I-ma gonna make me some sausage. Salt free. I’ll document the adventure at Rootie’s Kitchen. Eventually. I’ll let you know.
Granted, sausage is traditionally salty and one expects that. So it will be different from what people expect. What I really need (hint hinty hint, Christmas is coming) is a smoker, then I can make smoked sausage, which will have a slightly saltier flavor without the additional sodium and I can be all “lookit me Ahma fancy cook!”
Because it really is personal... 
Our grill has “smoker” instructions- does yours? Are there special wood chips (or even charcoal) you would smoke with?
not really. I can put wood chunks and grill off center, but it’s not really smoking, just adding smoky flavor to the cooking meat.