# Jalapeno & Cheddar Summer Sausage



## chiefs23 (Dec 8, 2017)

I'm planning to smoke my first venison SS soon in my MES 40 and am trying to figure out a good recipe to start with. I've done some searching around here and was planning to try the following ratio:

3lbs venison 
2lbs pork butt 
1TBS black Pepper 
1tsp mustard seed 
1tsp marjoram 
1TBS sugar 
1TBS garlic powder 
4 jalapenos chopped 
1/2lb of Kraft crumbles cheese
Enough cure #1 for the weight of the meat and other ingredients (little over 1tsp)

I was wondering if it would be a good idea to add non-fat dry milk or if I should try a mix without it first? Should some salt be added to this recipe in addition to the cure? I've also seen some recipes that include buttermilk for fermenting and was wondering if that is a good process to follow.

Plan is to grind, mix, grind and then let cure in the fridge for 24-48 hours and then stuff. Will smoke at 110-120 for an hour with no smoke. Then 140 for four hours with smoke. Then up to 170 until IT reaches 155. Ice bath and then hanging to bloom for a few hours.

Just looking for any thoughts on if I can improve the recipe or process. Thanks all!


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## dirtsailor2003 (Dec 8, 2017)

You only need enough cure for the weight of the meat. For 5# of meat you would want 5.67 grams of cure #1 or (1) teaspoon.

Yes you will want some salt. 2% is a good target. This handy calculator will get you what you need.

http://diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html


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## tallbm (Dec 8, 2017)

chiefs23 said:


> I'm planning to smoke my first venison SS soon in my MES 40 and am trying to figure out a good recipe to start with. I've done some searching around here and was planning to try the following ratio:
> 
> 3lbs venison
> 2lbs pork butt
> ...



Hi there and welcome!

dirtsailor is right on with what he told you.

Do you use the A-Maze-N Pellet Smoker (AMNPS) with your MES?

I ask because it is reported that you will likely not get any smoke from the MES unless you are smoking at 200F or above... which is too hot for sausage.  If you are using the AMNPS to generate smoke rather than the MES chip loader then you will have no problems.
If you plan to use the chip loader on the MES and produce smoke at 140F-170F then I believe you are about to set yourself up for disappointment.

This is simply a limitation of the MES and is one of the many reasons people use the AMNPS and pellets.
Many also make make a Mailbox Modification to then allow the AMNPS to work from outside the MES to avoid adding extra heat and avoid needing to open the MES door to manage smoke on cold smokes or lower temp smokes, etc.


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## chiefs23 (Dec 8, 2017)

tallbm said:


> Hi there and welcome!
> 
> dirtsailor is right on with what he told you.
> 
> ...



Hi there! Yes, I should have mentioned that I do use the AMNPS in my MES.


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## tallbm (Dec 8, 2017)

chiefs23 said:


> Hi there! Yes, I should have mentioned that I do use the AMNPS in my MES.



Excellent.  The final thing I can think of is to make sure and use a 3rd party thermometer as the MES ones are notorious for being off.  You don't want to be too far off on the hot side with sausage or bacon or else you will start rendering the fat and get fat out.  That is bad and you would end up with crumbly sausage.

If your MES swings up to 180F I think you will be fine.  I walk up to 180F a lot because I do sausage with feral hog meat and I have to hit 165F IT to kill all bacteria and any microscopic parasites the wild pigs get into.  I have no issues at a steady 180F :)


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## chiefs23 (Dec 8, 2017)

tallbm said:


> Excellent.  The final thing I can think of is to make sure and use a 3rd party thermometer as the MES ones are notorious for being off.  You don't want to be too far off on the hot side with sausage or bacon or else you will start rendering the fat and get fat out.  That is bad and you would end up with crumbly sausage.
> 
> If your MES swings up to 180F I think you will be fine.  I walk up to 180F a lot because I do sausage with feral hog meat and I have to hit 165F IT to kill all bacteria and any microscopic parasites the wild pigs get into.  I have no issues at a steady 180F :)


That is a good point. I do use the Maverick probes as well. Though I was wondering, is there any problem with using a probe to monitor during the smoke with the sausage and casing? I always use it for brisket, shoulders, etc., but never have done sausage in the smoker.


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## tallbm (Dec 8, 2017)

chiefs23 said:


> That is a good point. I do use the Maverick probes as well. Though I was wondering, is there any problem with using a probe to monitor during the smoke with the sausage and casing? I always use it for brisket, shoulders, etc., but never have done sausage in the smoker.



I always use a probe to monitor my sausage making.  I would suggest inserting in a downward angle rather then a pure horizontal or an upward angle.  I have yet to do summer sausage in my smoker but I do pork franks both in hog castings as well as sheep castings and I use as many probes as I can (3) to check the temps inside my meat and my sausages. (I also use 3 other probes to check smoker temps at various areas lol)

The smoker will have uneven temps in spots so I always try to measure temps in the various areas to know what must sit longer and what must be pulled faster, etc.

With Venison I think I take to 165F following the USDA guidelines for wild game meat and temps.  I posted here so people could easily find the link to the real info:
http://smokingmeatforums.com/index....-cooking-guidelines-and-documentation.262677/

I really have no problem doing the 160F temp for venison BUT with uneven areas of the smoker I go to 165F to kind of make sure it is all taken care of.  
With my wild pork sausages I check more thoroughly when sausages hit 165F and I leave any that have not hit the magic number so they can continue.  I don't pull the whole lot based on one single sausage hitting 165F.  There is too much unevenness in temp to play that game and end up with a parasite lol


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