Real Country Smoked Sausage

[jborque]

Years ago in the late 50's Mom and Dad received some home smoked sausage from a friend in Polk County Texas. It was pure pork from a farm raised hog, nothing fancy or exotic I can assure you because we were all poor. All of us remember things from our childhood as the best we've ever seen or tasted but this sausage actually was the best I've ever eaten. I've tried to duplicate the seasoning over the last few months with no luck. I've got the smoke right but not the seasoning. If memory serves it contained probably contained salt, pepper (probably ground cayenne) red pepper flakes, a small amount of sage (if any) and cure (because I remember the color was pinkish. Any help with a recipe or quantities of spice usage for formulation. Thanks

 

[SmokinAl]

You should post this in the sausage section. There are a couple of guys there who I think could help you. If you don't get a response PM Nepas, or Boykjo.

 

[jborque]

Thanks Al. Took your advise

 

[boykjo]

Was it like a Texas hot link or a breakfast sausage

 

[jborque]

Boykjo,

It was like a rope smoked sausage with links about a foot long between the curves. That stuff really made an impression on me because I can see it in my mind's eye today.  Thanks

 

[chef jimmyj]

This can be a challenge as Polk County is not populated by a large number of any one countries immigrants. Unlike the West Texas immigration of Germans and later the Czechs that influenced the types of regional sausage. I know it was a long time ago but any idea what nationality the farmer might have been?...JJ

 

[jborque]

ChefJimmyJ,

A grandson of the family tells me they relocated to Polk County from Georgia but the ancestors were from Ireland. 

Thanks for your help.

Jerry

 

[foamheart]

Sort of similar to Veron's? country smoked only better? Not the hot sausage.

 

[foamheart]

 
This can be a challenge as Polk County is not populated by a large number of any one countries immigrants. Unlike the West Texas immigration of Germans and later the Czechs that influenced the types of regional sausage. I know it was a long time ago but any idea what nationality the farmer might have been?...JJ

That's why you are a Chef...... There is so much more to it than cooking.

 

[jborque]

Foamheart,

Even though I worked in Lafayette in 72-73 and have been back to visit friends 100 times since then, I really don't know because I never ate Veron's even though he was in his heyday back then. I was a kid then and I ran the meat market at K-mart Foods on the Thruway and my wife worked at Winn Dixie on Johnson St. Good Friends, Good Food, no place like South Louisiana.