Summer Sausage Smoking: 2 Methods

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hydrostan

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jan 29, 2015
40
14
I smoked up some summer sausage yesterday, using a combination of pork and venison (50/50). Up until this day, I have used a “slow cure” method; using curing salt, refrigerating for 4 to 5 days, mixing daily, and smoking the 5th. day. Yesterday I used Cabela’s summer sausage mix, some chipotle sauce and mustard seeds. Using insta cure #1, we were able to smoke immediately. The results were tasty. In the past our cases shriveled up pretty badly. Yesterday this wasn’t the case. I’m going to assume (unless you folks advise me differently) that keeping the smoking temp between 155 and 165° kept the cases from shriveling up.
 
155-165 helps to keep the fat from melting...  I let the sausage cool naturally, no ice water, and the casing shrivel drastically...  I do that on purpose...
 
I indeed did soak it in ice water. Is that just a personal preference...you want the cases to shrivel drastically?
 
Hydo, welcome to the forum looks like a good so far, what size casing did you do? On my summer sausage larger dia. 2 1/2 or so I do a Ice bath but on the smaller Pepperoni stick size I just cool on table for 2 hrs or so, then put in brown paper bag for a day or two in fridge. then vac pac. 

Good luck and OH BY THE WAY we really like pics 
th_What_NO_QVIEW.gif
 ??

A full smoker is a happy smoker 

DS
 
The Cabelas may well have had some moisture stablizers in the mixture also. There are a couple that immediately come to mind but even if I could say them, I couldn't spell them. They might have been addded into that spice packet.

I hate when I have to look stupid and have gotten better at finding answers.

Dextrose - it not only mellows the harsh salt kick but it also helps retains mositure.

Phosphates - improve the retention of natural fluids in the animal muscle that would otherwise be lost

There are a couple, probably more to a lesser extent.  Dave taught me about the Phosphates with a product I have started using called, Amespho. It adds a small zip, while it does help hold the moisture. Its very obvious in my andouille.

Hope maybe it'll help you. Like I said, Dave's the wizkid.

The ice bath is probably the largest difference, yes, you loss a bit of that smoke flavor, but depending upon the type of sausage it may or may not be a big deal.
 
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Only because nepas does his like that....   I think the shriveled casing look AWESOME....   Taste good.... look good.... flavor was excellent... 
Most of all, they look home made.....  to me anyway....  

Dave, I did this method for the first time last time I made smoked sausages and they look VERY similar to yours. Like you said, flavor and texture are great and they are indeed beautiful to the eye.

 
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