# Summer Sausage Stuff and Smoke - Day 2 - 26 pics Q-View



## princess

Greetings, everyone.

I started this project on Monday, you can view the first day's work here:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/98414/summer-sausage-prep-day-1-30-pics-q-view

Today, Friday September 10, 2010 I am finishing my first fermented sausage project. Rytek Kutas's Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing, 4th Edition: Cervelat Summer Sausage, pg 359. Today I re-ground the 25 lb of meat in my grinder using the small die. The meat got stuffed into fibrous casings, hung to dry, then popped in the smoker for several hours. After, the sausages were transferred to my bathroom for a quick shower to cool down. The pictures below are a step-by-step for that piece.  I cannot wait to slice into them tomorrow morning once they have chilled in the fridge overnight. EDIT: Updates are in purple. (edited 9/11/10  10:30 a.m. EST)

I had a heck of a lot of fun today.

Cheers!

-Princess

*~*~*~*~*

It seems odd to call this a "Day Two" post when I really feel like this has been going on for over a week. OH WAIT! It has! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






   This is the second day of real work though, and yes... I had some "fail" as well as some "success."

To start things off right today, I moved the tub from the fridge (where it had been since Monday) into the freezer. Whenever you are using a grinder, it pays to have your meat be super cold, even a little icy. I could not help but peek at it. It looked mostly still bright pink, very fresh. Smelled pleasantly sour, almost tangy. Happy with that, I went downstairs and began to prep and sanitize my workspace.

I knew that the handful of cute hooks that came with my smoker would not be nearly enough to hold all this meat, so I grabbed 6 feet of 1.5" dowel rod and cut it to 14.5" lengths. Later, as you will see, I wrapped them in foil. These smokesticks will be holding my meat for the rest of the day.







I also needed to start soaking my casings. Flat fibrous casings need to be pre-soaked for at least 30 minutes before you use them. I had 20 mahogany ones from Cabela's.  They stated it was enough to do 25 pounds of meat. I cannot see how that's even remotely possible, if you leave yourself enough tail to tie off. (More on that later) 







One of the really nice things about Cabela's casings (and LEM casings as well) is that the top is already snugly tied into a loop. This is a huge time saver and helps reduce the risk that your sausage will slide off the smokestick as it hangs.







I did end up needing more casings. To make a long story short, I got about a pound in each one. Thankfully, I live literally four blocks away from a Rural King and was able to purchase a small package of LEM casings, in the same size, so I soaked a few of those too. They look strange to me because they are clear. It ended up being AWESOME though, because the clear really lets you see the dramatic color change that smoking caused.







So... meat is in the freezer. Casings are soaking. Time to sanitize the workspace and haul out the equipment.







This is the first time I get to show off my stuffer!! I have a 5lb Grizzly. As you can see, the base is bolted to the countertop. I have used this stuffer more than I ever thought I would and I adore it. If you are even remotely serious about sausage, you really need a stuffer. Using a grinder's "stuffer attachment" cannot even compare.







Using boykjo's suggestion, I tried fitting a different tray under the output of the grinder. Looks like the disposable aluminum will be perfect! I can grind right into it, slide it over and drop the meat into the stuffer easy.







At this point, I am almost ready to get the meat. I decided to bring it down in roughly 6 pound batches, leaving the remainder in the freezer. I did not want the bulk of it sitting around getting warm as I processed each part. So the first pile of meat came down:







Went into the grinder, which was fitted with the smallest die I own:







And then that mix was packed tightly into the stuffer. You want to try to make sure there are as few air pockets as possible. So go slow. Put a bit in. Tamp it down, add more. Tamp it down. Etc. You can tell the meat is cold, as the outside of the stuffer began to frost up.







To stuff a fibrous casing, begin by sliding the whole casing over the end of the stuffer horn. If you've soaked it long enough, it will be very flexible.







While holding the sausage snug onto the horn, turn the crank on the stuffer, *slowly. *You want the sausage casing to fill itself, pushing itself along the counter as it gets full of sausage mix. Let it slide off the horn, but keep a snug grip. The goal here is NO AIR POCKETS.







You need to leave enough tail on the sausage to twist it and tie it or seal it.







The picture below shows an okay representation of how to properly tie a hanging sausage. I did some of them this way. Long about sausage 10 or 12, I got bored and just tied 'em regular. Then (when I had to run to Rural King to get more casings) I got some hog rings and clipped the rest. I'm not sure I like the hog rings, it hurt my hands to use the pliers. If I do another big sausage project like this, I may need some advice.  Honestly, closing the sausages took more time than anything else.

I apparently forgot to include the picture of the "properly tied" sausage. I think if I were hanging for a long time (or if I had not heard the AWESOME hint of using twist ties) I'd care more about this, but for now I am only including this pic for completions sake:







The clear sausages fill the same way, I'm just including a picture here so you can see the color. My Husband remarked that it looked like I was filling Meat Balloons.







I repeated this process twenty-five times. Grind it, pack it, stuff it, tie it, hang it.

First there was one:







Then there were five:







Then there were twenty. The last five went into the clear casings. And so they hung for a bit, following the original recipie. Meanwhile, I cleaned up the grinder and prep area, got everything soaking in bleach and/or into the dishwasher and set up the smoker outside with some good hickory chunks.







I had to creatively stagger them to fit them all in. You can see the clear casings hanging in the front of the smoker.







This is just a close up of the stagger. The very center sausage was the one that got the temperature probe inserted into it.







I followed the instructions for smoke, time & temperature as written in the original recipie.  Mid-smoke I paused to check color and add more wood. They were coloring up nicely.







I took the sausages to an internal temp of 155 (ten degrees higher than the recipie reccomended) just to make myself a little more comfortable. I then moved the smokesticks of sausage to my bathroom to prep them for a nice cold shower. You can really see here how DARK those clear cased sausages got!  They are the rack in the back. You'll also see that the probe is still in the meat. I need to shower them down to an internal of at least 120.







Blasted them with cold water for about ten minutes or so. I got them to 115 then let them hang just a bit more to dry out and get that nice bloom of color.  I did notice as I packed them away into the fridge that I have a few with "smokestripes" from where they were too close together in the smoke house. I'm not concerned, it's not like I am selling them, so the aesthetics doesn't bug me.







And that's all there is tonight, folks!! I slice into them tomorrow after they spend the night in the fridge, so when I do, I'll snap one last pic and add it here as an edit.

Cheers!

-Princess

Aaaand the first slice. I decided to eat the one that had the probe in it first, just because it was already punctured.







The texture was just about perfect. Slicing into it felt like I was slicing into any summer sausage.

The color seemed just about what I was looking for too. That meaty reddish smoky look:







Then I took my first bite. Yummm... I am really happy with how it turned out.







Have a great weekend everyone! 

Cheers!

-Princess


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## old poi dog

Awesome Princess!!!!   Thank you for sharing your Q-views.   Looking forward to your taste test reveiw.


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## princess

Thank you for looking, Poi!! :) Yeah, I'm looking forward to the taste test too. It smells SO GOOD. ::trying to be patient::
 


Old poi dog said:


> Awesome Princess!!!!   Thank you for sharing your Q-views.   Looking forward to your taste test reveiw.


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## mossymo

You done good Princess; great post and looks like your processing set up is 1st class !!!

I do have a question I am hoping you can answer after you have had plenty of time to taste test your summer sausages. For many years I have stuck with using the mohogany casings and have read that the clear casings accept more smoke taste to the product. I am hoping since this is your first run with summer sausage to get an unbiased opinion between the two casings? Again, good job !!!


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## princess

Thank you for the compliments, MossyMO. :) And thanks for looking!

I am more than happy to try the two side-by-side and give you my $.02 worth.  The clear came out SO pretty. They look just, professional? I also was a little irritated that Cabela's stamped their name all over my mahogany bags.  I don't like advertising for them against my wishes, if you catch my drift?  Where do you get yours from? If the taste is similar, I may stick with the clear going forward just since I like the way they look.

Side note: Not that you are, but since this is a forum: I'd also reccomend clear for a rookie. You can't really easily see if you have air pockets in the mahogany.

Cheers!

-Princess
 


MossyMO said:


> You done good Princess; great post and looks like your processing set up is 1st class !!!
> 
> I do have a question I am hoping you can answer after you have had plenty of time to taste test your summer sausages. For many years I have stuck with using the mohogany casings and have read that the clear casings accept more smoke taste to the product. I am hoping since this is your first run with summer sausage to get an unbiased opinion between the two casings? Again, good job !!!


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## mossymo

Thanks, I am looking forward to you opinion between the casings.

We purchase the mohogany casings either locally or or from Curley's Sausage Kitchen - http://stores.curleyssausagekitchen.com/-strse-19/We-carry-several-types/Detail.bok

Neither have a logo and I completely understand you not wanting the logo. With the logo it appears like store purchased sausage; "Hell no, I made this !!!"


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## beer-b-q

They Look Great Princess... I like the clear better, I just think they look better than the Mahogany..


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## scarbelly

Hi Princess

Those look awesome - I have a question - If I was going to do this I think I would do the sausages in a single run to make the stuff easier and then pinch them by rolling a bit and then double  tying but I have not done sausage this big can you comment on the stuffing process and why you chose to do them individually

Again awesome post


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## ballagh

what an amazing post and process.  thank you for sharing. and inspiring me to do something really cool this winter :)  awesome pics by the way.  very nicely done.


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## mossymo

Scarbelly

Allowing the cure to saturate thoroughly overnight into the ground meat is good practice to ensure all the meat is "cured". The second grind mixes the cure even more and gives summer sausage a finer grind.

One tip I can mention on tying off the casing with string if you do not use hog rings is to use plastic zip ties. They are inexpensive, easy to use, hold up fine under 200º temperatures and if you are smoking different seasoned summer sausages you can purchase them in different colors to color code your summer sausages.


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## stircrazy

thoes look some good, did you think about going with a bigger casing?  I was thinking of trying this one after I do a batch of kelbassa, but I like my summer sausage so one slice will cover a sandwich.  would it be harder using bigger casings?

Also a little off topic, have you tried any of the Kelbassa recipies from that book?  there is like 5 in there and I am trying to decide which one to make.

Steve


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## scarbelly

MossyMO said:


> Scarbelly
> 
> Allowing the cure to saturate thoroughly overnight into the ground meat is good practice to ensure all the meat is "cured". The second grind mixes the cure even more and gives summer sausage a finer grind.
> 
> One tip I can mention on tying off the casing with string if you do not use hog rings is to use plastic zip ties. They are inexpensive, easy to use, hold up fine under 200º temperatures and if you are smoking different seasoned summer sausages you can purchase them in different colors to color code your summer sausages.


Man I did not realize I was not clear and you just pointed it out to me - Thank you for that - what I was asking is about the stuffing process only

When my wife and I stuff, we make a single run and then come back and tie or double tie to form links - that is what I was asking as I noticed that Princess cut to length and stuffed after tying the first end and leaving the second end open - - My thought process was to stuff the entire run and come back and twist then double tie and cut in the middle which would allow you to use more of the casing as you would have more in the stuff with no waste

Please understand . I am NOT criticising just asking so I can learn


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## princess

It took me your clarification to wonder what the HECK you were talking about! :)  I thinkI may not have made something in mo original post clear: *I didn't cut them*. Summer Sausage casings come pre-cut with the tops pre-tied. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Maybe I will clarify that in the edit post-taste-test...

Does that help answer your question?

-Princess


Scarbelly said:


> Man I did not realize I was not clear and you just pointed it out to me - Thank you for that - what I was asking is about the stuffing process only
> 
> When my wife and I stuff, we make a single run and then come back and tie or double tie to form links - that is what I was asking as I noticed that Princess cut to length and stuffed after tying the first end and leaving the second end open - - My thought process was to stuff the entire run and come back and twist then double tie and cut in the middle which would allow you to use more of the casing as you would have more in the stuff with no waste
> 
> Please understand . I am NOT criticising just asking so I can learn


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## princess

That's a very flattering compliment. Thank you for looking!

-Princess


ballagh said:


> what an amazing post and process.  thank you for sharing. and inspiring me to do something really cool this winter :)  awesome pics by the way.  very nicely done.


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## red

Looks great! I have learned a lot from your postings!


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## princess

I agree... I love a good wide slice for lunchmeat! And thanks for the compliments!

As this was my first Fermented Semi-Dry project, I did not want to make it too hard on myself.  Getting a core temp to safe levels on anything that thicker than the 1.5" I used yesterday is pretty intimidating to me still. When and if I do this again, I might try 3" wide then, if just to compare notes.

I have not tried any of Rytek's kielbasa recipies. For my fresh kielbasa, I still use my great-grandmother's recipie that came with her from Poland. I am very fortunate to still have that part of her legacy. If I ever do semi-dry kielbasa, I will use Rytek's and let you know then!

Cheers!

-Princess


stircrazy said:


> thoes look some good, did you think about going with a bigger casing?  I was thinking of trying this one after I do a batch of kelbassa, but I like my summer sausage so one slice will cover a sandwich.  would it be harder using bigger casings?
> 
> Also a little off topic, have you tried any of the Kelbassa recipies from that book?  there is like 5 in there and I am trying to decide which one to make.
> 
> Steve


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## princess

THAT is the best idea!!  I'd probably be even able to tie them off myself, too. Did you just grab them from the hardware store then?

-Princess


MossyMO said:


> One tip I can mention on tying off the casing with string if you do not use hog rings is to use plastic zip ties. They are inexpensive, easy to use, hold up fine under 200º temperatures and if you are smoking different seasoned summer sausages you can purchase them in different colors to color code your summer sausages.


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## smoke_chef

Very awesome! I can't wait to give making sausage a try. This post has been a huge help!! Thank you so much for the time you put in to it!! It's really great.


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## Bearcarver

Great Princess! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





A lot of hard work and close following of directions pays off.

You have a lot more "willpower" than I have! I have never made any sausage, Bacon, or anything else that has to be in the fridge over night before slicing, without at least trying a little while still warm. Hell, I'm lucky if I can wait 'til it's out of the smoker!

Thanks for showing,

Bear


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## stircrazy

My grandmother came from Poland as well, and used to make all kinds of sausages as well as all the other good polish / Ukrainian food, but she passed away befor I got the bug and started smoking and such.. 

oh well, I guess I will just pick one of his recipies and make it, if I don't like it I will make a different one next time haha.

Steve


Princess said:


> I have not tried any of Rytek's kielbasa recipies. For my fresh kielbasa, I still use my great-grandmother's recipie that came with her from Poland. I am very fortunate to still have that part of her legacy.
> 
> Cheers!
> 
> -Princess


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## mossymo

stircrazy said:


> did you think about going with a bigger casing?


My wife and I make cotto salami using a sandwich size casing - http://stores.curleyssausagekitchen.com/-strse-23/We-carry-several-types/Detail.bok

These are about a 18 hour smoke/cook time to bring the product to temperature. One casing will hold about 12 to 13 pounds. http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/91219/cotto-salami


Princess said:


> Did you just grab them from the hardware store then?


Yes, Harbor Freight tools have descent priced variety packs with assorted colors.


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## aeroforce100

Thank You for  the tutorial.  Would someone please make this and the day one phase a sticky?


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## DanMcG

Great tutorial Princess, that should make a lot of peoples first go at it a little bit simpler


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## beer-b-q

Great looking sausage Princess... I give you my coveted 5 pepper rating on your sausage and sausage making abilities...
http://s63.photobucket.com/albums/h151/pkcdirect/emoticons/?action=view&current=5-pepper-rating.gif


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## blzafour

MossyMO said:


> Scarbelly
> 
> Allowing the cure to saturate thoroughly overnight into the ground meat is good practice to ensure all the meat is "cured". The second grind mixes the cure even more and gives summer sausage a finer grind.
> 
> One tip I can mention on tying off the casing with string if you do not use hog rings is to use plastic zip ties. They are inexpensive, easy to use, hold up fine under 200º temperatures and if you are smoking different seasoned summer sausages you can purchase them in different colors to color code your summer sausages.


That is a good idea on using plastic zip ties. I use butcher string to tie mine and i think zip ties might be a better way to go!

                  Blzafour


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## boykjo

Please...... do not respond to this reply.

Nice job on the post and the summer sausage. Very well done. A pat on the back is in order

Can't wait to see your next project

Cheers and enjoy


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## mythmaster

Thank you for all of this, Princess!  It's very inspiring to those like me who have yet to attempt making any kind of sausage but certainly want to try it.

I'll bet that the zip-ties would work great (I use them to tie together computer cables).  You can find them at a computer parts store or maybe somewhere like Office Depot, too.  They usually come multi-colored in a pack of 100 or so.


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## mythmaster

I'd like to see them both concatenated along with her future final post on this project and placed into the WIKI.
 


aeroforce100 said:


> Thank You for  the tutorial.  Would someone please make this and the day one phase a sticky?


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## princess

Whoa!! Thanks, Beer-B-Q!! :)  I feel pretty special!! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			







Beer-B-Q said:


> Great looking sausage Princess... I give you my coveted 5 pepper rating on your sausage and sausage making abilities...
> http://s63.photobucket.com/albums/h151/pkcdirect/emoticons/?action=view&current=5-pepper-rating.gif


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## princess

Thanks for all the great compliments and tips, everyone!! 

It occured to me this morning that I asked Santa for a Smoker so that I could make better (different?) sausage.  I've never smoked a fraction of the things you folks have. Brisket? Ha! Are you *kidding* me?!? That looks like real work! :)  Other than come Canadian Bacon, a whole ton of ABT's and ONE turkey breast, it's all been sausage for me. 

I do have a brisket or two in my freezer from the cow I bought. ::starts to look at wikis::  Maybe that will be my October project...


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## smokeamotive

Just read thru this tonight (yeah I'm a bit slow) Great post though. I have a few suggests

1. Don't know what hog rings you got. If the loose ones, they are a pain to get on and closed good. Try the automatic pliers. Makes it nice and easy to close the ends and you can get alot closer to the end of the casings....Less waste.

2. Try putting your grinder up on some kinda stand. I use a kitchenaid stand mixer w/grinder attach. Lets me put a large 8-12 qt SS stock pot under it to catch the meat.

3 If you have problems (vertically) with getting all your sausage in the smoker, Drape the strings over your dowel and pin to the sausage with a toothpick. It may drip a little juice but I have never noticed any comprimise with the finished product.

I never seem to be able to keep enough summer sausage on hand. All my friends and coworkers rave about it. One of my friends won't let me in the house during the holidays without it. LOL


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## princess

I am sold on the zipties idea to close them off from here to forever. :) Color coded by flavor, snipped to be tiny and tight, they look pretty and professional.  Also, if I pre-loop them loosely, I can do it all myself.

I am also kinda on the shorty side. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   If I made my grinder any taller, I could not manage to operate the plunger. LOL.

As for the string it and pin it thing... I am having trouble picturing it. Do you have a picture of it?
 


Smokeamotive said:


> Just read thru this tonight (yeah I'm a bit slow) Great post though. I have a few suggests
> 
> 1. Don't know what hog rings you got. If the loose ones, they are a pain to get on and closed good. Try the automatic pliers. Makes it nice and easy to close the ends and you can get alot closer to the end of the casings....Less waste.
> 
> 2. Try putting your grinder up on some kinda stand. I use a kitchenaid stand mixer w/grinder attach. Lets me put a large 8-12 qt SS stock pot under it to catch the meat.
> 
> 3 If you have problems (vertically) with getting all your sausage in the smoker, Drape the strings over your dowel and pin to the sausage with a toothpick. It may drip a little juice but I have never noticed any comprimise with the finished product.
> 
> I never seem to be able to keep enough summer sausage on hand. All my friends and coworkers rave about it. One of my friends won't let me in the house during the holidays without it. LOL


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## smokeamotive

Sorry, I don;t have a pic of that. Last time I made Summer Sausage had about 50 things going at once,,,,no time to take pics. I just take the string and run it over the top of the dowel and back down the side of the sausage then pin thru top of string loop to side of sausage.


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