Pepperoni, Cheddar Smokies, and Texas Hot Links

[nlife]

I finished up a few different batches of meats tonight.

I'd like to say thank you to the fine folks on this forum that helped me figure out natural casings and pointing me to links, tips and tricks. I was able to get the casings onto the horn and stuff a few hot links. I put the rest of the casings into a container, with water and 1/2 cup non-iodized salt as per the info I found on this wonderful site. They're in the fridge for the next batch of wherever whim takes me... So without further adoooooo...

Final product of pepperoni, Cheddar Smokies, Texas Hot Links.

This was my second try at using the natural casings and I was able to get them onto the horn. I still have some work to do with them since they didn't go on super easy, but I got them to work. These are the Texas Hot Links in a cold water bath after coming off the smoker.

Gave them some time to bloom and they came out nice and dark.

I couldn't resist trying the small nub and was pretty impressed. Good heat and flavor. I need to add a bit more fat to the recipe since I was using leftover lean pork and a some extra lean ground beef that I needed to use up. They are juicy and have good bind, but I could work on the fill a bit. I need to get a bit more consistent.

I can't wait to try these on a bun with a bunch of mustard are a pile of onions. Looking forward to the snap of a natural casing!

 

[DRKsmoking]

nice batches of sticks and links.

David

 

[smokerjim]

They look really good, nice job!

 

[indaswamp]

Great color on those! Awesome job!

I still have some work to do with them since they didn't go on super easy, but I got them to work.

It does help to fill the stuffer tube with meat paste all the way to the tip and let the meat push out about 1/16~1/8" prior to putting the casing on the horn. This will help keep the casing from grabbing onto the edge of the horn as it slides on. Also it helps to fill the casing with a few tsps. of the soaking water to help lubricate the inside as it slides on.

 

[LoydB]

Those Texas links look fantastic.

 

[nlife]

Thanks for the kind words everyone!

I did just about everything with the casing except have the sausage poke out just a touch. I was finding a few small areas that didn't seem to be smaller than the rest of the casing. Perhaps I didn't get them to expand fully when I was flushing them. Either way, it's a small victory for me and I'm happy!

I'll just keep tuning and trying.

 

[jcam222]

Man those look perfect. The color is beautiful

 

[tallbm]

I finished up a few different batches of meats tonight.

I'd like to say thank you to the fine folks on this forum that helped me figure out natural casings and pointing me to links, tips and tricks. I was able to get the casings onto the horn and stuff a few hot links. I put the rest of the casings into a container, with water and 1/2 cup non-iodized salt as per the info I found on this wonderful site. They're in the fridge for the next batch of wherever whim takes me... So without further adoooooo...

Final product of pepperoni, Cheddar Smokies, Texas Hot Links.

View attachment 682167

This was my second try at using the natural casings and I was able to get them onto the horn. I still have some work to do with them since they didn't go on super easy, but I got them to work. These are the Texas Hot Links in a cold water bath after coming off the smoker.

View attachment 682165

Gave them some time to bloom and they came out nice and dark.

View attachment 682168

I couldn't resist trying the small nub and was pretty impressed. Good heat and flavor. I need to add a bit more fat to the recipe since I was using leftover lean pork and a some extra lean ground beef that I needed to use up. They are juicy and have good bind, but I could work on the fill a bit. I need to get a bit more consistent.

View attachment 682170

I can't wait to try these on a bun with a bunch of mustard are a pile of onions. Looking forward to the snap of a natural casing!

Hi there and welcome!
Wow those look amazing!

If you grill up any under stuffed sausages, they will plump up perfectly fine. I purposely under stuff my fresh sausages (and sometimes my cured smoked ones) that use fresh casings just because of this. This means no busted sausages when grilling because they have room to plump :D

I look forward to seeing your next attempt, and if you wanna try another Texas Hot Link recipe let me know. I know one ;)

 

[nlife]

I look forward to seeing your next attempt, and if you wanna try another Texas Hot Link recipe let me know. I know one ;)

Well, I'm going to take you up on your offer sir! I was using Smoking Joe's Hot Link recipe, but it just seems to miss the mark a tad. I'm not sure what it is, but something is not quite right for my taste buds... Perhaps there was too much onion powder? Not sure.

 

[tallbm]

Well, I'm going to take you up on your offer sir! I was using Smoking Joe's Hot Link recipe, but it just seems to miss the mark a tad. I'm not sure what it is, but something is not quite right for my taste buds... Perhaps there was too much onion powder? Not sure.

I have you hooked up buddy, here you go. These are like the hot links I would get as a kid here in TX but cannot find anymore. Took me a few iterations but I believe I nailed it :D
Follow this and tell me what you think :D

Featured - Texas Hot Link Sausage QView (Hot Gut)

So I believe I have nailed my Texas Hot Link (Hot Gut) Sausage recipe!!!! QView and then a ton of info. I've been working on this recipe to try and nail a true hot link sausage like the kind I've gotten in Texas. Texas style sausage usually has some beef in it, plus this sausage has the...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[Fueling Around]

Nice smokes

...
I did just about everything with the casing except have the sausage poke out just a touch. I was finding a few small areas that didn't seem to be smaller than the rest of the casing. Perhaps I didn't get them to expand fully when I was flushing them. Either way, it's a small victory for me and I'm happy!
...

It takes some practice to get the technique of loading natural casing on the tube.
To me the warm water rinse and soak is the most beneficial to get them limp.
Sometimes connective tissues (whiskers) are not fully removed in processing that prevents a full diameter stuff.
Some more reading

Education – Quality Casing Co., Inc.

www.qualitycasing.com

Cheers

 

[nlife]

Sometimes connective tissues (whiskers) are not fully removed in processing that prevents a full diameter stuff.


Cheers

This! I had a few instances where there was a strand of tissue that seemed to strangle the casing, if you will, and made things difficult overall. Once the casings were on, it wasn't an issue.

I do like the snap of the natural casing over the collagen. There's a bit of chew in both casings, but the collagen casings are a tougher bite overall. It might not be a problem in a smaller diameter sausage, but I'm running ~32mm diameter for my sausages.

 

[cptnding]

Nice smokes

It takes some practice to get the technique of loading natural casing on the tube.
To me the warm water rinse and soak is the most beneficial to get them limp.
Sometimes connective tissues (whiskers) are not fully removed in processing that prevents a full diameter stuff.
Some more reading

Education – Quality Casing Co., Inc.

www.qualitycasing.com

Cheers

Thanks for posting that. Good info.

 

[Fueling Around]

Back to the learning curve.
I dislike collagen casing and the smaller in diameter the tough they get to my bite.
I'm going to give peel able casing on meat sticks a try next year when I get back to my equipment.

 

[nlife]

I have you hooked up buddy, here you go. These are like the hot links I would get as a kid here in TX but cannot find anymore. Took me a few iterations but I believe I nailed it :D
Follow this and tell me what you think :D

Featured - Texas Hot Link Sausage QView (Hot Gut)

So I believe I have nailed my Texas Hot Link (Hot Gut) Sausage recipe!!!! QView and then a ton of info. I've been working on this recipe to try and nail a true hot link sausage like the kind I've gotten in Texas. Texas style sausage usually has some beef in it, plus this sausage has the...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

I've gone through the thread and recorded the recipe. I have the meat on hand and should be able to grind tomorrow....

 

[uncle eddie]

Looks great on my monitor!

 

[tallbm]

I've gone through the thread and recorded the recipe. I have the meat on hand and should be able to grind tomorrow....

Also buying a Hank of natural casings gets you the good ones.
The ones that come in the home packs (little plastic vack sealed bags) are the odds and ends that are nonsense. They are hard to work with.

Another option that I use are the "tubed" natural castings. They are good ones that come on a big plastic tube that looks like a straw. This helps load on to the horn quickly and easily once you figure out what it is doing.
You pop the straw/tube onto the horn. Slide the casings off onto the horn and throw away the tube. Easy!
You still need to soak these with the same good practice of soaking any natural casing tubed or not. They are just quicker to load onto the horn and speed matters for me when I do like 100 pounds of sausage with minimal help available lol.

Get the casings soaking for days with the proper prep and you will have a much easier time. Use casings from a hank and not from a home pack and you are golden.
Finally, lamb casings will be a pain in the butt no matter what but wow do they make good smaller diameter sausages.

Finally, finally, cellulose casings (plastic made from plants, not collagen) make skinless sausages and are a freaking breeze to work with.
The only issues are that you either need to use twine to tie each link individually (I do this for massive 20 inch links I cut in half and vac seal when smoked) or do a chain linking technique (what I do for smaller links) because the casing will not hold a twist and will unravel.
The other issue is that once you stuff them in the cellulose casings, you are commuted to smoking them that day or the following days after. No vac sealing or cutting links and vac sealing, or anything like that to cook/smoke them later.
Once cooled in the water bath, the sausages pop right out of the casing. Again, they are a breeze to work with and make amazing skinless sausages :D

I hope this info helps :D

 

[JLeonard]

Great looking sausage! (How often can you say that to another guy and not get a funny look?)


Jim

 

[nlife]

I have you hooked up buddy, here you go. These are like the hot links I would get as a kid here in TX but cannot find anymore. Took me a few iterations but I believe I nailed it :D
Follow this and tell me what you think :D

Featured - Texas Hot Link Sausage QView (Hot Gut)

So I believe I have nailed my Texas Hot Link (Hot Gut) Sausage recipe!!!! QView and then a ton of info. I've been working on this recipe to try and nail a true hot link sausage like the kind I've gotten in Texas. Texas style sausage usually has some beef in it, plus this sausage has the...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

They passed the initial taste test! I did a small 100g paddy and fried it up to see what it was like. Mustard and raw onions really make it sing. The wife and I agree that we like it considerably more than the other recipe. Since I'm making another batch of pepperoni, I'll make up a KG of these and see how they are after being smoked. Also may as well make sure the smoker is stuffed since it takes the same amount of pellet to heat it up and run it at capacity as it does to run 10-12 links.

The only change I'm going to make is that I'll up the heat a tad. I was happy with the heat level in the first recipe. Just a slight tingle by the time you're done eating a dog.

 

[tallbm]

They passed the initial taste test! I did a small 100g paddy and fried it up to see what it was like. Mustard and raw onions really make it sing. The wife and I agree that we like it considerably more than the other recipe. Since I'm making another batch of pepperoni, I'll make up a KG of these and see how they are after being smoked. Also may as well make sure the smoker is stuffed since it takes the same amount of pellet to heat it up and run it at capacity as it does to run 10-12 links.

The only change I'm going to make is that I'll up the heat a tad. I was happy with the heat level in the first recipe. Just a slight tingle by the time you're done eating a dog.

Oh yeah! I'm glad you like it so far. I too like it a little hotter as well but as you noticed it's still got some kick to it. It's right on the edge for heat sensitive people but I know they power through because its damn good :D

Just wait until it's in full smoked and cooked sausage form. You will get the full flavor at that point. I love these things! :D

I hope you nail it and enjoy the hell out of them :D