# Summer sausage in muslin bags.



## ontario smoker (Jan 17, 2015)

Hello from Ontario.

     Well last night I finally decided to try my luck at making summer sausage in a muslin bag.  Unfortunately, there is nowhere in my small northern ontario town where i can get these without ordering online.  I decided to make my own.  Went and bought a yard of unbleached muslin and started cutting the rough shape.   After a short lesson on using the wife's sewing machine,  i ended up with some pretty rough but usable casing. 












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__ ontario smoker
__ Jan 17, 2015






Mixed up a 3 pound batch of summer sausage and added ECA.  Had enough meat to stuff a nice size chub.  I was really impressed by the way the muslin turned out after stuffing












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__ ontario smoker
__ Jan 17, 2015


















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__ ontario smoker
__ Jan 17, 2015






My goal is to smoke the SS using my Bradley digital with a blend of apple, cherry, sweet maple and hickory pellets with the amnps instead of the Bradley pucks.  I seem to get better TBS and better flavour with it.  Gonna put in the preheated smoker at 120f for a couple of hours to make sure it's dry.  Then up to 140f with smoke.  I'm looking for a heavy smoke flavour so I will be smoking it for 8 to 10 hours.  Also want to hang this chub to dry in a cool place after it is fully cooked..  I'm hoping the ECA will lower the ph enough to prevent spoilage.  

He she is drying in the smoker.












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__ ontario smoker
__ Jan 17, 2015






Gonna be a long night.  Hopefully the cabinet temp can reach 170f during this cold snap.  -22f over night.




Happy smoking

More pics to come.


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## ontario smoker (Jan 17, 2015)

I


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## stanjk (Jan 18, 2015)

Did you use a cure in the sausage? If you did there should be no worries about spoilage. 

Oh, and nice job on the muslin bags.


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## crazymoon (Jan 18, 2015)

OS,looking good !


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## ontario smoker (Jan 18, 2015)

I did use cure #1.  Its smells amazing right now while she's blooming.  Will post pics when i get back from ice fishing.  Got 4 whitefish to smoke now!


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## ontario smoker (Jan 19, 2015)

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__ ontario smoker
__ Jan 19, 2015





We'll.  she's all cooled down and smelling even betters.  Now all that's left it's to hang in my cold room with a fan for a few days.   I hope the casing doesn't stick.


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## crankybuzzard (Jan 19, 2015)

Looking forward to the results of this one!


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## stanjk (Jan 20, 2015)

X2

What was your recipe?


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## sam3 (Jan 20, 2015)

Very cool that you made your own bags. Can't wait to see the finish!


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## ontario smoker (Jan 20, 2015)

The recipe is  a sausage mix from Walton's.  I bought it before I was confident enough to make my own.  Now I have a million recipes from this site but unfortunately I have to use up enough mix for 100 pounds of sausage...lol.   If the smoke penetration and texture turns out,  I will try this recipe.

VENISON SUMMER SAUSAGE

5 pounds ground venison

2 tablespoons TenderQuick

2 teaspoons mustard seed

2 1 /2 teaspoons garlic salt

2 1 /2 teaspoons black pepper

1 cup cold water

DIRECTIONS; Stir water, tender quick, mustard seed, garlic salt, and black pepper in a large plastic bowl. Add venison and mix well. Stuff into bags and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days. Smoke in a smoker until internal temperature reaches 165.  

I will be adding encapsulated citric acid to give me the tang and to make it shelf stable.  The ECA also gives me a bit of reassurance that it won't spoil while I let it hang unrefridgerated.


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## gary s (Jan 20, 2015)

Well ? I'm hungry, where's the pics ?

gary


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## ontario smoker (Jan 20, 2015)

Will be cutting this bad boy up on Thursday.  Stay tuned for mouth watering pics.  :yahoo:


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## ontario smoker (Jan 21, 2015)

Well,  I couldn't wait any longer so i decided to give it a try.  Great flavour and really good smoke penetration:xrocker:  I will definitely be using muslin instead of fibrous casings from now on.  Oh, and the muslin peeled off nicely.












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__ ontario smoker
__ Jan 21, 2015


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## pc farmer (Jan 21, 2015)

ontario smoker said:


> Well,  I couldn't wait any longer so i decided to give it a try.  Great flavour and really good smoke penetration:xrocker:  I will definitely be using muslin instead of fibrous casings from now on.  Oh, and the muslin peeled off nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That looks great.    

Something I want to try.

:points:


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## gary s (Jan 21, 2015)

That looks great








Gary


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## sam3 (Jan 22, 2015)

That looks really good. Nice job!


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## roller (Jan 22, 2015)

Looks real good...


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## chef willie (Jan 22, 2015)

Dang,,,,,that DOES look good. Now I gotta get a hold of some muslin bags but, I've got about 20 non-edibles to use up still. I am a fan of Waltons, although have never bought their mixes. Their hog casings are excellent.....Willie


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## daveomak (Jan 22, 2015)

Hey Willie.....   I bought 2 yds of non-bleached muslin for about $7 at w-m a couple weeks ago... fairly tight weave....   washed and preshrunk...  I think it was 54 wide.....

I'm gonna use some of it to strain the oil in my deep fryer...


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## atomicsmoke (Jan 22, 2015)

That looks amazing. Never heard of it. How do you sterilize the museline?


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## chef willie (Jan 22, 2015)

DaveOmak said:


> Hey Willie.....   I bought 2 yds of non-bleached muslin for about $7 at w-m a couple weeks ago... fairly tight weave....   washed and preshrunk...  I think it was 54 wide.....
> 
> I'm gonna use some of it to strain the oil in my deep fryer...


Hey Dave...good to know for future reference. We do have a WM close and I'm thinking I must know some ol' gal with a sewing machine could zip me some up. I think Nepas makes his own also


atomicsmoke said:


> That looks amazing. Never heard of it. How do you sterilize the museline?


Well, I doubt any of those fibrous casings are sterile, but I could be wrong, so 'what, me worry' as the man said will have to do for me.


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## ontario smoker (Jan 22, 2015)

I boiled mine in a big pot of water with a few Tbsp. Of baking soda. I hung then to dry in my closet so there wouldn't be any dust.  Then i stored the rest in a large Ziploc bag


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## daveomak (Jan 22, 2015)

atomicsmoke said:


> That looks amazing. Never heard of it. How do you sterilize the museline?


Same way you sterilize pig intestines....


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## atomicsmoke (Jan 22, 2015)

Don't think museline would take the abuse the pig intestines got back in the days when we weren't buying them.


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## elginplowboy (Mar 27, 2015)

Did u soak them before stuffing? Did u French seam? What diameter did u make em?


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## ak1 (Mar 27, 2015)

atomicsmoke said:


> That looks amazing. Never heard of it. How do you sterilize the museline?


I stuff it with the meat & then let it get past 160(outside temp) in the smoker.


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## ontario smoker (Mar 30, 2015)

I made them about 16" long and about 4" wide after folding in half.  Then I just rounded the bottom by eye with my scissors.  I didn't use a French seem.  I used the setting with the most zigzags on the wife's sewing machine...lol.   Held up great!


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## dirtsailor2003 (Mar 30, 2015)

Cool somehow I missed this thread! I have muslin waiting for me to see up. I'd ask my wife to do it for me but she already thinks I'm crazy! Do you plan to reuse them?


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## ontario smoker (Mar 31, 2015)

Haha.   My wife thinks in crazy too.  I couldn't reuse the muslin bag because i ended  up cutting the bag  down the side to ease removal.   This wasn't necessary because it peeled right off after a couple days in the fridge.   I'm sure you could wash it in water and baking soda and be good to go.   Lmk how it works out.


Marc


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## ak1 (Apr 1, 2015)

For the price of bags, it ain't worth the effort to try and re use.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Apr 1, 2015)

AK1 said:


> For the price of bags, it ain't worth the effort to try and re use.



For me it's not about cost. It's about being able to reuse the bags and not have to buy or order more when I need them. The supplies where I live is limited to the non-edible casings that come with all the spices and cure that I don't need since I use my own seasonings and cure that I already have.


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## ak1 (Apr 5, 2015)

No worries. I see where you are coming from.


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## areallynicegirl (May 28, 2015)

So it looks like I should get into the muslin bag making business!!! Wish I'd have read this thread before I bought all these summer sausage casings.....I have a serger which is what you need to sew those properly. I totally could have made some which totally speaks to my frugal little heart :)
Patti


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## daveomak (May 28, 2015)

This is muslin I pick up a W-M.... about $3 for a running yard.....  washed and shrunk or whatever they do to it....














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__ daveomak
__ May 28, 2015


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## areallynicegirl (May 28, 2015)

What a deal!  If you boil it with a little vinegar added to the water it should help remove any soap residue.


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## daveomak (May 28, 2015)

Martin, (diggindogfarm), mentioned using a French seam for sealing the muslin tube....  I looked them up...  pretty cool seam all except for the name....  I think I'll call it the "Sausage tube seam".....


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## areallynicegirl (May 28, 2015)

It's really cool but maybe challenging to do for a tube? I would like to play with that and see if it works.  If you serged it, you would just stuff it with the seam out.


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## weisswurst (Jun 5, 2015)

Great job.!! I have also used unbleached muslin bags for SS. Works fine. My only question is ... Is your cold room very cold.? Using cure 1 will not prevent spoilage indefinitely if the temp is not low enough. I also have a cold room in basement for Salami during winter. For the Salami , I used Cure  2. Your finished product looks great and thanks for the recipe !!! Weisswurst.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Jun 5, 2015)

I dot my bags all sewed up. Didn't use that fancy of a seam. Think I did a zig zag or something. Think I might get a batch going tonight or tomorrow. We'll see.


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## goldeneagle (Aug 23, 2015)

I have a recipe for old time no refrigeration needed.it is for a big batch but can be broken down.from St. Jacobs Ontario area.it gets cold smoked not hot about 90 degrees f for 5-7 days.66lb beef. 33lb pork side meat.64oz picking salt. 8oz pepper.8oz sodium nitrate.48oz sugar.mix well and stuff into Muslim or cotton cassing. Squeezing out all air.about the size of your wrist. Hang in a cool but not freezing place for 3-4 days to cure then put into a cold smoker at 80-90 deg for 5-7 days.they used this in the old days.just hang in a room and take what you want when you want it.


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## daveomak (Aug 23, 2015)

goldeneagle said:


> I have a recipe for old time no refrigeration needed.it is for a big batch but can be broken down.from St. Jacobs Ontario area.it gets cold smoked not hot about 90 degrees f for 5-7 days.66lb beef. 33lb pork side meat.64oz picking salt. 8oz pepper.8oz sodium nitrate.48oz sugar.mix well and stuff into Muslim or cotton cassing. Squeezing out all air.about the size of your wrist. Hang in a cool but not freezing place for 3-4 days to cure then put into a cold smoker at 80-90 deg for 5-7 days.they used this in the old days.just hang in a room and take what you want when you want it.



Goldeneagle, afternoon....   That recipe may not be safe...  There is new stuff that will improve the safety factor...    Cure #2 has nitrite and nitrate in it....   the nitrite is fast acting and the nitrate is slow acting and will do it's magic for months...   Pure sodium nitrate is a bugger to use...   Cure #2, for your 100# mixture of beef and pork is used at a rate of 4 oz. per 100 #'s...   easy and safe....   If you are so inclined to try your recipe again, may I suggest using Cure #2, Prague Powder #2, they are all used in the same way....














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__ daveomak
__ Aug 23, 2015


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## ontario smoker (Sep 10, 2015)

weisswurst said:


> Great job.!! I have also used unbleached muslin bags for SS. Works fine. My only question is ... Is your cold room very cold.? Using cure 1 will not prevent spoilage indefinitely if the temp is not low enough. I also have a cold room in basement for Salami during winter. For the Salami , I used Cure  2. Your finished product looks great and thanks for the recipe !!! Weisswurst.



I just saw your post while messing around on the site.  My cold room isn't very cold,  only about 65°f.  I added the cure #1 to prevent botulism and to give it that cured look and taste.  The addition of ECA (encapsulated citric acid) is said to lower the pH enough to be shelf stable. But in my house,the kids and I eat it up so fast that it doesn't get a chance to go bad..lol


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## jhend (Dec 8, 2015)

Thanks for the recipe Goldeneagle half of these are your recipe the only thing I did different was I added buttermilk to start the fermentation. The other 5 I spiced up a little with chilies and cayenne. They have been hanging for a week now and will be smoking them in the next day or two.













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__ jhend
__ Dec 8, 2015


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## ontario smoker (Feb 28, 2016)

jhend said:


> Thanks for the recipe Goldeneagle half of these are your recipe the only thing I did different was I added buttermilk to start the fermentation. The other 5 I spiced up a little with chilies and cayenne. They have been hanging for a week now and will be smoking them in the next day or two.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


just saw this post.  How did I miss this?.   How did the sausage turn out?  Any pics?


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## gary s (Feb 28, 2016)

Let us know how they turn out,  

Gary


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## jhend (Feb 28, 2016)

> > just saw this post. How did I miss this?. How did the sausage turn out? Any pics?


I forgot about this thread as well but have been enjoying the SS. For me the original recipe needs a little more Black Pepper. Other than that I am very happy with the out come and the 6 that are left are vacuum sealed in the meat cave to prevent them from getting to dry.













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__ jhend
__ Feb 28, 2016






Summer Sausage with a little spice.













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__ jhend
__ Feb 28, 2016






Original recipe.


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## gary s (Feb 28, 2016)

Looks Great   
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Gary


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## ontario smoker (Feb 29, 2016)

Omg.  That looks so good.  Can you please post the recipe and how long you smoked it for and at what temp?  I need this in my belly!!!


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## jhend (Mar 1, 2016)

goldeneagle said:


> I have a recipe for old time no refrigeration needed.it is for a big batch but can be broken down.from St. Jacobs Ontario area.it gets cold smoked not hot about 90 degrees f for 5-7 days.66lb beef. 33lb pork side meat.64oz picking salt. 8oz pepper.8oz sodium nitrate.48oz sugar.mix well and stuff into Muslim or cotton cassing. Squeezing out all air.about the size of your wrist. Hang in a cool but not freezing place for 3-4 days to cure then put into a cold smoker at 80-90 deg for 5-7 days.they used this in the old days.just hang in a room and take what you want when you want it.


Ontario smoker this is the recipe I used and prorated it for 20lbs of meat. I have been looking for my recipe notes they are not in the book I usually keep them in. I will post the recipe for the spiced SS when I find them.

I used readycure went by the manufactures recommendations so I omitted  the nitrate in the recipe. I used dextrose instead of sugar and cold smoked for only 6 hours due to time constraints but defiantly needs more. I also used buttermilk to start the fermentation.

John


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## mkriet (Mar 1, 2016)

Ontario smoker, have you ever been to wawa, Ontario?  There is a place called Young's general store, and they sell sausage there that reminds me a lot of this.  

We've been through there several times, and stop to pick some up whenever we go through


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## jhend (Mar 4, 2016)

Ok I finally located the SS recipe and here it is. First of all I started off with 22lbs of meat and spiced all 22 with the first recipe for a predominantly pepper flavour, after stuffing 11lbs I added the second recipe to the remaining 11lbs to spice it up a little.

Recipe #1

16 lbs Beef

6 lbs pork Shoulder

7 oz Ready cure

2 oz Salt

1.6 oz Black pepper (I would use cracked next time)

10  oz Dextrose (for fermentation)

2 cups Buttermilk (lactic acid to start fermentation)

#2 this was added to the remaining 11 lbs for a little spice. It is not hot just a nice little after spice.

1.5 Tbs Chile flakes

1.5 Tbs  Mustard seed

1.5 Tbs  Hot paprika

2  Tsp  Cayenne pepper

Wet bags and stuffed this will help meat separate from bag when finished. Hang for a day or 2 for excess surface moisture to dry up. I then cold smoked with a hardwood blend of hickory and maple for only 6 hours due to time constraints ( not nearly long enough ). Hang in cold cellar @ 10c and 75ish relative humidity until at least 30% of the raw weight is lost.

P.S. this is my 3rd year and I think the best.

Enjoy


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## ontario smoker (May 27, 2016)

Sorry about the late reply,  been busy learning to brew beer.  Yes I've been to Wawa but can't say I've seen this sausage there.  I have however found it locally from the Amish at the farmers market during the summer and fall.   It's a bit pricey, so I'm hoping to make my own.


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## mkriet (May 27, 2016)

ontario smoker said:


> Sorry about the late reply,  been busy learning to brew beer.  Yes I've been to Wawa but can't say I've seen this sausage there.  I have however found it locally from the Amish at the farmers market during the summer and fall.   It's a bit pricey, so I'm hoping to make my own.



Did you stop at Young's general store?   That's the only place I've had it from wawa


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## ontario smoker (May 27, 2016)

Can you please explain if possible the difference between ready cure and instacure?  I haven't been to wawa in over 15years so unfortunately,  I can remember much...lol


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## daveomak (May 27, 2016)

ontario smoker said:


> Can you please explain if possible the difference between ready cure and instacure? I haven't been to wawa in over 15years so unfortunately, I can remember much...lol


OS, evening....   Don't hold me to it....   but.....  If memory serves me correctly from a discussion about 1-2 months ago, ready cure is the name for Canadian cure #1... and it has only *1% *nitrite or 1/2% nitrite in it....

Insta-cure, Prague Powder, DQ curing salt all have 6.25% nitrite....  and there are other "private" brands also....   It is important to know how much nitrite is in the product...


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## daveomak (May 27, 2016)

For 156 Ppm nitrite in the meat, add ~7 grams per pound...  and with that amount of ready cure, your meat will have ~ 1.5% salt...  Soooo, don't forget to cut back on salt...


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## ontario smoker (May 29, 2016)

Should I use prague#1 or #2 for this recipe?  I figure #1 if I'm gonna cook it in the smoker and #2 if it's only cold smoked and hung to cure?


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## daveomak (May 29, 2016)

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/a/prague-powder-1-vs-prague-powder-2


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