# Summer sausage with no casing question.



## radio (Jul 26, 2014)

A neighbor made up a big batch of venison/beef/cheese summer sausage, but ran out of casings and gave me two big logs.  We live almost an hours drive from the nearest source, so I am having to smoke it with no casing.  Any ideas, hints, or advice?
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






I don't have any parchment paper, only butcher paper and don't want to use that, so it's in the smoke naked
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  

Update:

They look so small! :-( Bigger one is 18-20 inches long. They have a nice, crisp "skin" on them with a snap to it very much like a casing.
Pulled them at 160° internal temp and just had to sample one! Darned tasty I tell you! He used the mix from Bass Pro Shops and it has a pretty good amount of spices in it, but not bad at all. Cant wait to sample some of his in the casings he is cooking tomorrow













sumsaus1.jpg



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sumsaus2.jpg



__ radio
__ Jul 26, 2014


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## szynka (Jul 27, 2014)

Not exactly an easy task to smoke a caseless sausage, but you did your best.  I do think, however, that you overcooked it.


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## daveomak (Jul 27, 2014)

Szynka said:


> Not exactly an easy task to smoke a caseless sausage, but you did your best.  I do think, however, that* you overcooked it.*




Why is it over cooked..... 

Ground meat, for safety reasons, should be cooked to 160 ish.....


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## woodcutter (Jul 27, 2014)

They do look tasty! 160 is a little higher than I go with summer sausage but the chubs look like you brought the temp up nice and slow and the outside is as tender as the middle. They look great from here!


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## szynka (Jul 27, 2014)

DaveOmak said:


> Why is it over cooked.....
> 
> Ground meat, for safety reasons, should be cooked to 160 ish.....


Since the meat rolls developed that solid crust, to me it looks like the IT was higher than 160.  Or the meat spent way too much time in the smoker, or it was baked at a very high temp for a short period of  time (but judging from the texture, I would say it was the former.) It's not only the IT itself that determines when your meat is cooked properly, but also how you achieve that IT.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Jul 27, 2014)

Radio, Bearcarver has a great recipe/tutorial here for caseless pepperoni and caseless sticks. We have made them many times and they always turn out great.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Jul 27, 2014)

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/95395/unstuffed-smoked-beef-pepperoni-sticks-with-qview

All of Bears how to 

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/159333/bears-step-by-step-index


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## disco (Jul 27, 2014)

I agree with Case. I have made Bears sticks and loafs several times and the only downside is I have friends who want some. Also, I don't agree the skin on your smoke is too dark. The colour of the surface depends on the amount of fat, the type of smoke and the smoker you use. They look great to me!

Disco


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## radio (Jul 27, 2014)

Szynka said:


> Not exactly an easy task to smoke a caseless sausage, but you did your best.  I do think, however, that you overcooked it.


I could have pulled it at 155° IT and let it rest and the temp would have come up a bit.  I used a probe in the center of the log, so know within a fraction what the temp was.  He put cheddar in the logs, not high temp cheese and there was no casing, so it kinda melted on the surface.  Smoked in my trusty New Braunfels which holds a very steady temp which was monitored with a second probe at grate level and it never rose above 227°

The color you are seeing is a result of the Manzanita wood I used for smoke.  It acts very much like Cherry and gives a wonderful dark, rich color to the meat

\

I took about a Pound with me to the shop today and gave one guy a slice.  In less than 15 minutes about 10 others had heard about it and came begging for a sample and it all disappeared.

IMHO it was not overcooked at all.  I purposely took it to 160 IT as I did not prepare the meat and did not know if proper handling had been followed.  Better safe than have gastric distress
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Almost forgot.  It was in the smoke for about 3 1/2- 4 hours, so as thin as the logs were, it didn't cook too quickly at all, but it definitely was not cold smoked


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## radio (Jul 27, 2014)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/95395/unstuffed-smoked-beef-pepperoni-sticks-with-qview
> 
> All of Bears how to
> 
> http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/159333/bears-step-by-step-index


Thanks.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   Not sure when I will do more SS, but will give these a try


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## szynka (Jul 27, 2014)

As I said in my earlier post, you did your best under the circumstances.  But without any intent to offend you personally, the picture of the smoked meat roll you posted does is not exactly that appealing.  But if that's the level of sausage smoking you want to reach, then congratulations and I'm glad your friends liked it.


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## radio (Jul 28, 2014)

Szynka said:


> As I said in my earlier post, you did your best under the circumstances.  But without any intent to offend you personally, the picture of the smoked meat roll you posted does is not exactly that appealing.  But if that's the level of sausage smoking you want to reach, then congratulations and I'm glad your friends liked it.


"The level of sausage smoking I want to reach"  Sorry, but there is no way to take that except as condescending.  We are all on here (or most of us anyway) to learn from,  help others and share our smoking experiences whether good or bad, unlike some of the other smoking forums where it seems like sarcasm and backbiting is the order of the day.

I admit it wasn't the prettiest thing I ever smoked what with the cheese melting and forming unattractive blobs, and had it been in a casing, it would have been more presentable.  I also did not doctor the pics with editing software and they were a bit on the dark side.

Happy smokin'


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## disco (Jul 28, 2014)

radio said:


> "The level of sausage smoking I want to reach"  Sorry, but there is no way to take that except as condescending.  We are all on here (or most of us anyway) to learn from,  help others and share our smoking experiences whether good or bad, unlike some of the other smoking forums where it seems like sarcasm and backbiting is the order of the day.
> 
> I admit it wasn't the prettiest thing I ever smoked what with the cheese melting and forming unattractive blobs, and had it been in a casing, it would have been more presentable.  I also did not doctor the pics with editing software and they were a bit on the dark side.
> 
> Happy smokin'


Well said, radio. You did a good smoke. You enjoyed the smoke. I enjoyed the post and Qview. Don't let someone of limited class take away from that. Keep smoking, keep eating, keep having fun! Keep posting too!

Disco


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## daveomak (Jul 28, 2014)

HEY RADIO !!!!!!!!    I'd eat it any day.....   looks delicious to me.....     :drool:


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## radio (Jul 28, 2014)

Thanks Disco and Dave
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   This is a great site, and still the friendliest and most helpful by far!  It's good to read about successful smokes, but equally as good to read about the less than perfect ones so we can all learn from it and hopefully not make the same mistakes.  Not every smoke is going to be text book perfect, or worthy of a TV show, but most of 'em are still

edible at least
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





The only thing I smoked that I have been unable to eat was some smoked/baked potatoes I forgot about and left on for waaaay too long  No alcohol was involved either


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## disco (Jul 29, 2014)

radio said:


> Thanks Disco and Dave
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Har! We have all had less than "perfect" smokes. The thing I find amazing is that we are usually our own worse critics. I have had complements about food I thought was a failure. Once again, it all comes down to personal taste.

Disco


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## driedstick (Jul 30, 2014)

GREAT JOB RADIO YOU DID A GREAT JOB I WOULD EAT THOSE ANY DAY!!!! 

A full smoker is a happy smoker

DS


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