Bear sausage or pepperoni? Recipe and directions?

[IBspoiled]

Would like to turn some bear meat into sausage or pepperoni.  Have never tried making either before.  I have a meat grinder, but not the sausage stuffer, but I can get one.  We also have a Lil Chief smoker.  A couple questions I have, does the smoker get the bear meat to the right temperature needed?  I have read it is like pork and you have to get the temperature right or can get sick.  Does anyone have a spice recipe that they could share?  And any tips in making this would be great.  I have probably about 30lbs of meat.  Thanks, IBspoiled Wife

[WalleyeJason]

If your going to make Sausage or Pepperoni, I'd do a 50/50 mix with pork.

Go to Cabelas and look at the seasonings they have there. They have pre mix ready to go usually in 25lb increments.

Fire up your Lil Chief without wood chips. Cook it at 180 for 3-4 hours. look for the casing to start to sweat, and temp probe the meat to make sure its at about 170 degrees.

[bowhunterforever]

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[IBspoiled]

Do I really have to mix with pork?  I hate store bought meats.  I got a season packet and everything else ready.  Will it taste terrible if I don't use pork?     Thanks for the input. 

[Blacklab]

you need the pork for the fat content. Pork shoulder Boston butt or picnic all the same thing just different names.

[hrd2fnd]

Do I really have to mix with pork?  I hate store bought meats.  I got a season packet and everything else ready.  Will it taste terrible if I don't use pork?     Thanks for the input.

hit up the local meet locker big difference between store and local pig farmers pork 

[CAMPMEAT]

Shanevg came over for his spring bear hunt with his dad. Dad gave us some bear pepperoni and it was great. The guy that makes it that lives in Lynden.

[WalleyeJason]

Do I really have to mix with pork?  I hate store bought meats.  I got a season packet and everything else ready.  Will it taste terrible if I don't use pork?     Thanks for the input.

Yes, for your best results mix it with pork.

Go to your local Cash & Carry and buy a boneless pork butt. They are around 14-16 lbs for two buts. Cut it up and grind it down course, then fine.

I’d suggest snack sticks, Use some Collagen casings (http://www.sausagemaker.com/collagencasings.aspx) that will fit the stuffing tube that you have.

You don’t have to use your Lil Chief either, you can cook the snack sticks in your oven.

[IBspoiled]

Thanks everyone.  I made snack sticks, no added pork and used the collagen casings.  I made the cracked pepper and garlic flavor and used the Big Chief until they finished sweating on the outside of the casing and then moved them to the oven until they were the correct temp. inside.  Everyone that has tried them, loves them.  Maybe a little dry for some, but perfect for what we like.   

[Song Dog]

You can also use a slow water bath to cook the sausage or pepperoni.  Prepare like you would and stuff into the casing's.  Then bring enough water to a slow boil and add the sausages a few at a time.  slow boil until the sausage reaches an internal temp of 160 remove to a wire rack allow to dry and then smoke.  I only smoke for about 2 hrs when I do this.

[boomstick]

Pork fat with pepperoni renders out at low temperature I use beef fat I think it works better with pepperoni

[boomstick]

To buy fat is cheper than buying pork butt or shoulder

[LndShrk]

Would like to turn some bear meat into sausage or pepperoni.  Have never tried making either before.  I have a meat grinder, but not the sausage stuffer, but I can get one.  We also have a Lil Chief smoker.  A couple questions I have, does the smoker get the bear meat to the right temperature needed?  I have read it is like pork and you have to get the temperature right or can get sick.  Does anyone have a spice recipe that they could share?  And any tips in making this would be great.  I have probably about 30lbs of meat.  Thanks, IBspoiled Wife

I did these Jalapeno ducks just recently and really liked the way they turned out..
These are pre smoked. I will post the recipe later as it is at home..



As for smoking. It is a full process. The meat must be properly prepared and cured. Smoking Sausages is best when you can ramp the temps up. I use a PID controller on my smokers and start the meat out on 125 deg for 3 hrs (Or until the meat temp reaches 100 deg) The first hour is no smoke to allow the case to dry. They Heavy smoke. Stage 2 is 135 deg smoker temp still running smoke for 1.5 hrs. From there we jump to 150 deg smoker temp for 1 hour and I kill the smoke at this point. Then the smoker goes to 165 deg until meat reaches an Internal temp of 163 Min.  This can take hours as there is a "Stall" period when going through this where the meat will reach a certain temp and stall out and won't warm up. (Has to do with humidity and many other factors).

With all that said..
Using a little chief can be done. They tend to run about 180 deg is the issue so you have to really watch it close as at that temp the fat will break down and cause the smoke to not adhere as well as dry the meat.  What I would do in your scenario is

1. Run the smoker but try and keep it cooler in the 130 to 140 range applying heavy smoke 2 to 3 hours
2. Water bath the sausage in water that is at 165 - 170 deg until the internal temp of the sausage is at 163
3. Rinse off in cold water till the internal temp drops to 100 deg
4. Hang room temp to dry and let bloom