Post by: 92xj on November 25, 2022, 04:22:59 PM
I did one of these threads years ago, but it got jacked up when photo bucket screwed pictures, so I shall do this again.
This is what I do and how I do it.
I work in 23 pound batches.
My seasoning is good for 25 pounds, but I cut it short 2 pounds to increase boldness in flavor.
I mix all my sausages 70/30, Game to pork shoulder
This batch is 16 lbs deer, 7 pounds Boston butt.
I use AC Legg seasonings. Salami, Summer Sausage and Jalapeño Summer Sausage.
For the ones with cheese, I use High Temp cheese and add 2.5 lbs per 23 lbs of meat.
So, lets start.
Setup your work area. If you don't have 2 meat totes, stop everything, and go buy them now.
I grind my meat partially frozen. It grinds so much better.
Start with your large grinding plate and grind away.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52523302718_7abdd8f8e8_b.jpg)
Once first grind is done, mix your seasoning AND your cure with super cold water. Whisk away and dump all over first grind. Then start mixing the meat. The partially frozen meat will be in little marble clumps that fold over themselves nicely. I mix by hand and go for 3-5 minutes or until I can’t feel my fingers anymore.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52522753856_7fec11c093_b.jpg)
At this step, go get a bowl of hot water and soak your casings until ready to stuff.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52522753791_9bbc8856f8_b.jpg)
Once meat is mixed with seasoning and cure, install your fine plate on your grinder and start mixing the second grind. I pinch golf ball size chunks that fall into the neck of the grinder and never use the plunger. Using the plunger creates suction and it’s a pain. Just pinch small pieces and let gravity and the grinder do their thing.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52523034389_8c19bc2961_b.jpg)
After the second grind its time to mix again and also add cheese if you are wanting it. Add the cheese (or not) and mix by hand. I add more water here, about 2 cups of cold water. And mix away. I fold and punch and push and fold and punch. Once I cant feel my hands and see that the cheese is consistent throughout, I call it good.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52522754056_fdce5a04d9_b.jpg)
Grinding and mixing are done and its time to stuff the stuffer. Drop in handful size balls and press down getting all air pockets out of the meat. Fill up the stuffer and get ready. Get your casings from the water bowl, pull out a few and load one. I would highly recommend an electric foot pedal stuffer. It changed my life. Start stuffing and hog ring the ends.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52523302673_8a6ab9f548_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52523302578_c56319f9c4_b.jpg)
Once all are stuffed, rest in fridge for 24 hours.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52523232260_97ee9a454a_b.jpg)
Post by: 92xj on November 25, 2022, 04:23:12 PM
Internal temp 152 – 155.
Smoker temps from 120 – 179.9
Never, and I really do mean never, let your smoke house go over 180 degrees. You have just spent hours grinding and stuffing and cleaning, don’t screw it up cooking. It is going to take a long time and get annoying, but plan accordingly. This batch took 24 hours exactly to hit temp. I started at noon Thursday and ended today at noon.
After your meat has sat in the fridge for 24 hours, hang in smokehouse and get your heat source fired up.
Run 125 degrees for an hour, no smoke to dry the casings and prep them to take on smoke.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52522289677_e157a1e850_b.jpg)
After an hour, I crank up the heat to around 150 and start adding smoke. I use a smoke tube that I place in the air intake port of my smoke house. It is perfect. Allows me to control the smoke and add more without opening the smokehouse door at all during the process.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52523232220_f756df0f6a_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52522289657_6f52e8072b_b.jpg)
I run two probes that hang in the smokehouse. One even with the bottom of the sausage on the left hand side and one on the right hand side at the top of the sausage. I want to know what the heat is doing throughout the house. I then run two probes in the meat. One in the bottom of a tube on one side and one in the top of a tube on the other side. The bottom will be a tick warmer in the sausage and smokehouse that the top, but keep an eye on it all and do good work. After a few hours, I crank the heat and hold between 170 and 179 with the lowest probe. And the waiting game continues…
8hour mark
Top of sausage = 133
Bottom of sausage = 138
Top of smokehouse = 161
Bottom of smokehouse = 169
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52522289552_b7d79469bb_b.jpg)
10hour mark
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52522289547_b8dd120c50_b.jpg)
18hour mark
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52523232280_68ed61e13e_b.jpg)
24 hour mark
Top of sausage = 152.2
Bottom of sausage = 157.1
Smokehouse is cooling as I just turned off the heat
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52523628585_c0b5e0fe4e_b.jpg)
Open door and take some pride here…
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52523628590_66c88bf9d9_b.jpg)
Pull meat out and place in cold water asap. Keep in there for 20 minutes at least. I leave the garden hose running and walk away from a half hour and let water run.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52523628605_755c285a0b_b.jpg)
Post by: 92xj on November 25, 2022, 04:23:25 PM
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52523429879_ab4149fd3d_b.jpg)
Once dry, I place in fridge and chill for however long you can stand it. After chilled pull out and cut into whatever size you want to package. I do quarters and fit two logs in one quart bag.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52523697818_8dabffafb1_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52523586744_e6bac00ce3_b.jpg)
I vacuum seal in premade quart bags. I used to do the make your own custom size bag, but never again. Premade is the way to go. Just learn to deal with the little excess of bag and fold it under the logs when storing.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52523886795_97f81976e8_b.jpg)
Stack in freezer and pat yourself on the back. Also, every time you walk by the freezer, open it and accept the pride you feel.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52523408351_77ac0936b2_b.jpg)[/url]
Post by: 3boys on November 25, 2022, 04:49:27 PM
Now I just need to kill something!
Thanks for the detailed pics and instructions.
Post by: bigdave on November 25, 2022, 07:36:39 PM
Post by: Wolfdog2314 on November 25, 2022, 08:19:10 PM
Post by: jrebel on November 25, 2022, 08:22:57 PM
Post by: Brushcrawler on November 25, 2022, 08:35:09 PM
Post by: Taco280AI on November 25, 2022, 10:37:12 PM
Post by: hunter399 on November 26, 2022, 07:02:56 AM
Looks a lot better than me just throwing it in oven.👍
Post by: carlyoungs on November 26, 2022, 07:42:39 AM
Post by: NRA4LIFE on November 26, 2022, 08:54:35 AM
Post by: LDennis24 on November 26, 2022, 12:43:26 PM
How much water do you mix with the cure and seasoning on the first mix? The pic with the silver cup.
Post by: 92xj on November 26, 2022, 12:58:23 PM
Very nice. You need a meat mixer though.
Had one and sold it.
It was a pain to clean and never mixed the meat 100 percent. Always left some on the sides that didn’t get sucked into the big annoying ball of sticky meat. After a few rounds of the mixer, I had to go back to hand mixing for a more consistent product. Though I know lots of folks who love them.
Post by: 92xj on November 26, 2022, 12:59:18 PM
Thank you so much for sharing this! Masterfully done!
How much water do you mix with the cure and seasoning on the first mix? The pic with the silver cup.
That bowl in the picture, I filled up about half with water. Maybe 2 quarts. Not a ton but enough to get the seasoning and cure to whisk easily.
Post by: NRA4LIFE on November 26, 2022, 01:45:28 PM
Very nice. You need a meat mixer though.
Had one and sold it.
It was a pain to clean and never mixed the meat 100 percent. Always left some on the sides that didn’t get sucked into the big annoying ball of sticky meat. After a few rounds of the mixer, I had to go back to hand mixing for a more consistent product. Though I know lots of folks who love them.
Yes, I love mine. And it keeps my knuckle hair out of the sausage.
Post by: cooltimber on November 26, 2022, 01:57:55 PM
Post by: riverrun on November 26, 2022, 09:11:44 PM
Post by: callturner on November 26, 2022, 09:20:33 PM
I use rubber gloves and keep hot water close by.Very nice. You need a meat mixer though.
Had one and sold it.
It was a pain to clean and never mixed the meat 100 percent. Always left some on the sides that didn’t get sucked into the big annoying ball of sticky meat. After a few rounds of the mixer, I had to go back to hand mixing for a more consistent product. Though I know lots of folks who love them.
Yes, I love mine. And it keeps my knuckle hair out of the sausage.
Post by: 92xj on November 26, 2022, 09:25:36 PM
I use rubber gloves and keep hot water close by.Very nice. You need a meat mixer though.
Had one and sold it.
It was a pain to clean and never mixed the meat 100 percent. Always left some on the sides that didn’t get sucked into the big annoying ball of sticky meat. After a few rounds of the mixer, I had to go back to hand mixing for a more consistent product. Though I know lots of folks who love them.
Yes, I love mine. And it keeps my knuckle hair out of the sausage.
Yeah, my bowl of hot water for the casings sits close by and I dip my hands in it often. Nitrile gloves for the whole process but they do nothing for the cold.
Post by: Houndhunter on November 27, 2022, 06:13:49 AM
Post by: callturner on November 27, 2022, 06:36:43 AM
Post by: kellama2001 on November 28, 2022, 12:24:33 PM
Post by: Fletch on November 28, 2022, 12:44:45 PM
Post by: pickardjw on December 01, 2022, 11:56:13 AM
Post by: 92xj on December 01, 2022, 12:03:14 PM
@92xj with this recipe is the sausage "shelf stable"? i.e. could you take this on a 3 day backpacking trip and it's still safe to eat the 3rd day?
I cant answer that. I'm no USDA professional. I'd do a little research on what is possible with 6.25% sodium nitrite cure.
I will say, I have eaten my summer sausage after numerous days outside of a fridge and am still alive.
Post by: Woodchuck on December 01, 2022, 12:18:25 PM
@92xj with this recipe is the sausage "shelf stable"? i.e. could you take this on a 3 day backpacking trip and it's still safe to eat the 3rd day?If yours turns out anything close to how xj's comes out, you won't have to worry about it lasting that long. ;)
Post by: pickardjw on December 01, 2022, 01:31:42 PM
Post by: Ghost Hunter on December 01, 2022, 01:51:38 PM
Post by: pickardjw on December 19, 2022, 05:53:30 PM
Ended up about 4 casings short so I may have to try a loaf like @hunter399 :o
Pit Boss Pro Series II is currently set at 150* and maintaining temp around 110*. It's cold out. Stocked up on pellets so it can feed all night. To be continued...
Post by: hunter399 on December 19, 2022, 06:14:07 PM
Those be looking good.
Post by: pickardjw on December 20, 2022, 06:02:06 PM
I was going to wake up an hour later to make sure the smoker wasn't getting too hot but slept through that alarm and woke up at 4am to a 200* smoker and the casings in the back right corner at 170* already :yike: Haven't cut into them yet but I kept all 6-8 of them separate from the ones still under 150*.
Lowered back to 175* and drifted in and out of sleep for a while. Rotated the rack a few times and the other 28-30 got up to right around 154*. Did the water soak and they've been on paper towels in the fridge drying all day. It's delicious. Time to vac seal, just in time to take home a bunch for Christmas gifts!
Thanks for the detailed recipe 92xj, it was plenty easy to follow and the results are well worth the effort.
Post by: 92xj on December 20, 2022, 06:15:24 PM
I was nervous when reading and not seeing your picture. The ones that got hot and having your cooler at 200, I was thinking they would be a little crumbly but the one in your picture looks good! Good job.
And I should have mentioned the casing size does affect cook time for sure. Also, keeping space between the sausages while hanging helps with temps and times as well.
Post by: pickardjw on December 20, 2022, 06:37:18 PM
Post by: kellama2001 on December 20, 2022, 09:53:55 PM
Post by: Blacklab on December 21, 2022, 06:05:30 PM