# Texas beef smoked sausage



## ddavis (Apr 26, 2017)

I was in the Austin Tx area last weekend for a wedding and the caterer served a smoked sausage the was flat awesome. On my forth trip up to the table I asked about it and the server said  the only pork was the casing and it was all beef, anything more and he'd have to kill me, that is if his boss didn't kill him first.

. I'd like to recreate it but have no clue where to start other than 80/20 GB and pepper, may be all beef kielbasa? Any help would be wonderful.

 BTW it was Pok-e-jo;s if anyone in that area wants to try it.

 Thanks

   Darrell


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## shyzabrau (Apr 26, 2017)

Watching the responses closely - always on the lookout for great sausage recipes and methods...


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## pc farmer (Apr 26, 2017)

WOW.  Your shooting in the dark here.

Maybe someone that ate there will post.

Very hard to try to duplicate something with no info.


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## ddavis (Apr 26, 2017)

I know it's a stretch, actually more than a stretch but with all the resources here I thought I'd reach out. If nothing comes of it I will always have the memories! (and an all beef kielbasa in the smoker...BONUS!!)

Darrell


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## pc farmer (Apr 26, 2017)

DDavis said:


> I know it's a stretch, actually more than a stretch but with all the resources here I thought I'd reach out. If nothing comes of it I will always have the memories! (and an all beef kielbasa in the smoker...BONUS!!)
> 
> Darrell


Your in the right place, if anyone here can help they will for sure.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Apr 26, 2017)

Do a little research on Texas German sausage. 

You'll probably turn up a recipe or two that would be close to what you had. Lockhart would be another close one to research, but I know they use pork mixed with beef. 

When you find it, post your recipe with lots of photos!


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## ddavis (Apr 26, 2017)

I will do that, thanks for the lead. IF I find it I will Q-vue the heck out of it. If I don't find it, I get to eat my experiments, a win/win for me!


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## blaise (Apr 28, 2017)

The two groups of people that know beef------the Texans----and the Jewish people.  I grew up around around some Jewish families-----the best roast beef and sausage imaginable. One of their secrets---the cut of beef. Tough cut didn't matter-----flavor did,  Chuck, flank and especially brisket.  So you might want to research Kosher recipes. I'd be willing to bet the Texans and Kosher sausage aren't to far apart.

Just a thought.

Blaise


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## BGKYSmoker (Apr 28, 2017)

Sometimes its hard to duplicate a recipe like what you tasted. Many factors involved, meat, spice, smoke. Sausage makers are pretty reluctant to give out entire recipes. My Amish friend always left out something, said i had to figure it out. Ha

GL


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## ddavis (Apr 28, 2017)

After a couple days of research and a phone call or two, I've think what I had was a "hot gut" style sausage. The recipe is so secret that even wiki leaks doesn't have it so it's experiment time.

So i'm going to try 2 lb batches, my first one will be this: 

2lb 80/20 ground chuck

2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cure #1

1/2 cup NFDM

Stuff, let dry in the 'fridge over night, cold smoke with hickory for 6 or so hours the heat the smoker to 220 until 160 IT, remover and set back in the 'fridge over night.

The guy I talked to said I would be surprised how simple the recipe was and this is very simple, any thoughts?


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## crankybuzzard (Apr 28, 2017)

DDavis said:


> After a couple days of research and a phone call or two, I've think what I had was a "hot gut" style sausage. The recipe is so secret that even wiki leaks doesn't have it so it's experiment time.
> So i'm going to try 2 lb batches, my first one will be this:
> 
> 2lb 80/20 ground chuck
> ...



Sounds like a good start, but you need to add some salt as well.  I start at 2% salt and see how that is.  A little garlic is a possibility also.

Running the smoker at 220 could cause some issues for you.  Try and stay under 175 and pull the sausages at 152 IT.  Cold water bath the links after pulling to chill them and stop the cooking action.


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## ddavis (Apr 28, 2017)

Thanks, salt didn't even cross my mind. 1 teaspoon of kosher salt enough? I will take your advise on the smoker, as it makes more sense.


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## crankybuzzard (Apr 28, 2017)

DDavis said:


> Thanks, salt didn't even cross my mind. 1 teaspoon of kosher salt enough? I will take your advise on the smoker, as it makes more sense.



Well, closer to 3 tsp, but go by weight if you can. 32oz of meat would need .64oz of salt.  Not all spoons and salt granuals are created equally.

What type of smoker are you using?


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## dirtsailor2003 (Apr 28, 2017)

CrankyBuzzard said:


> Sounds like a good start, but you need to add some salt as well. I start at 2% salt and see how that is. A little garlic is a possibility also.
> 
> Running the smoker at 220 could cause some issues for you. Try and stay under 175 and pull the sausages at 152 IT. Cold water bath the links after pulling to chill them and stop the cooking action.


Yep you need the 2% salt in there.

The only Hot gut sausages I have had were treated like fresh sausage and  hot grilled/smoked, no cure. Garlic in them and depending on where they were from chili powder, paprika, chipotle, etc.

 Having a good gram scale that reads to the 100th of a gram is a must have if you are going to be making a starter recipe.  Make your test batches 1 pound. It makes it easy to multiply down the road for larger batches. Here's a simple recipe to get you started. Add other spices accordingly.

1 pound of meat = 453.59 grams

2% salt = 8.01 grams

0.80 grams of ground black pepper

prague cure #1 1.13 grams (if using cure)


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## tbrtt1 (Apr 28, 2017)

Beef sausage is popular in the BBQ joints in central Texas and many use brisket for the beef sausage since the buy brisket by the truckload. I don't know what else is in there but brisket is a good place to start. And good beef sausage is very, very delicious. 

Good luck and keep us posted on your journey.


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## ddavis (Apr 28, 2017)

Thanks guys, have a gram scale and plan on making tonight and smoking tomorrow. I am going to use cure for color and texture the new recipe is:

453 grams of 80/20 

8.04 grams of salt

2 grams ground BP

1.13 grams of cure #1

14 grams NFDM

Cold smoke on hickory for 1 tube, heat the smoker (propane) to 170 till 155, cold bath, refer overnight, grill, eat and review. Pics to follow.


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## crankybuzzard (Apr 28, 2017)

Sounds good thus far.  

Here's a plan to smoke the critters when ready, nut sure how low you can get your temps on your smoker, but this is how I, and a few others, smoke sausages. 

Preheat your smoker to 120° with no smoke

Place the sausages into the preheated smoker and allow them to “dry out” for at least one hour at this temperature.

Then, if the exterior of the sausage is fairly dry, add smoke and raise the temperature 10° to 130.  Allow the sausages to smoke at this temperature for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, raise the temperature 10° to 140°.

Each 30 minutes, raise the temperature 10° until you hit 170°.  Don’t go much higher than this or you risk the fat rendering out of your sausage.  That’s a bad thing.

Continue cooking until the internal temperature of the sausage is 152°. 

To stop the cooking action, place the sausages into an ice water bath or shower them with cold water.

Now, it may take MANY hours for some sausages to reach an internal temperature of 152°.  I’ve had summer sausage take 14 hours to get to the mark!  You’ll be tempted to raise the pit temperature, but by doing so you risk fat out.

After the water bath, allow the sausages to hang, or place them into paper sacks to rest a while before packaging up for the refrigerator or the freezer


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## ddavis (Apr 29, 2017)

Ran into a small hiccup this morning, 3 to 5 inches of rain and severe thunderstorms forecast for all day Saturday and Sunday. So it looks like a Monday morning smoke provided I'm not building an ark, any one know how big a cubit is?


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## shyzabrau (Apr 29, 2017)

DDavis said:


> Ran into a small hiccup this morning, 3 to 5 inches of rain and severe thunderstorms forecast for all day Saturday and Sunday. So it looks like a Monday morning smoke provided I'm not building an ark, any one know how big a cubit is?



About three links of sausage...


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## ddavis (May 1, 2017)

Got it smoked Sunday and grilled today.

453 grams of 80/20 
8.04 grams of salt
2 grams ground BP
1.13 grams of cure #1
14 grams NFDM

mixed with 1/8 cup ice water into the dry ingredients and then into the meat.

Smoked per CB's suggestion, had wrinkly casings (probably under stuffed), grilled over charcoal.

The casings were tough but the favor, color and texture were good for the first attempt.

Next batch I will add 1 gram of granulated garlic and do it again.


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## indaswamp (May 5, 2017)

This might help:

http://www.lpoli.50webs.com/Sausage recipes.htm

Start in the beef section and look around for some ideas, or pick one to try.


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## indaswamp (May 6, 2017)

Here ya go:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/184043/hot-links-texas-style

Just sub in beef for the pork and this should get you in the ball park.

"Let the good smoke roll!"


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## indaswamp (May 6, 2017)

Here is Aaron Franklin's Hot Links:



He does not give out the exact weights of the seasonings used, but he shows you what goes in it. You should be able to dial it in from there.

"Let the Good Smoke Roll!"


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## ddavis (May 9, 2017)

Thanks. I still working and reseacrhing it and every link has helped. I will figure it out and post about it.

Darrell


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## DanMcG (May 10, 2017)

Interesting video you posted Indaswamp. I find it odd that he goes from cubed meat,  right into the casing without any mixing. I also find it odd that he stuffed with a grinder.


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## indaswamp (May 10, 2017)

DanMcG said:


> Interesting video you posted Indaswamp. I find it odd that he goes from cubed meat, right into the casing without any mixing. I also find it odd that he stuffed with a grinder.


If you look close at the 2:37mark in the video, he does have what appears to be a 1/4" plate in the grinder. This was a demonstration video filmed at his home, I would be surprised if he does not have professional equipment at his restaurant.


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## DanMcG (May 10, 2017)

I saw the plate, I guess what i was trying to say is he doesn't do any mixing by hand to develope a bind. But thanks again for sharing it, I might try making it some time.


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## spacetrucker (May 11, 2017)

Poke-Jo's is basically a beef sausage with some black pepper in it.

From the reading and sausage making I do, the "café grind" or 16 sieve black pepper and kosher salt performs better than anything else I have worked with.

I like you am working on a copy cat from another sausage maker in this area. You will become a lot more scale-able in your recipe if you convert to the percent ratio on all your measurements. The percent conversion is painful at first but the more I use it the easier it is to alter and "tune" a recipe. Lastly if you seem to be unable to get it just right, try some pork in the mix, the concoction I am working on (and have been for a couple years) is 80% beef and 20% pork, both meats are fresh ground, I usually use boston butt and chuck roast, nothing tastes as good as fresh ground. Good Luck, keep your experimental batches small and you will get there and also learn why no one completely gives the recipe up!!


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## indaswamp (May 11, 2017)

Here is a Great Read on the subject...

https://tmbbq.com/history-of-texas-german-sausage/

Very very informative!


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## indaswamp (May 11, 2017)

I'll put this here as well...

https://www.spokanespice.com/itemdetail.php?id=113&secid=93


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## indaswamp (May 11, 2017)

Another GREAT READ! Czech sausages...

https://tmbbq.com/what-is-a-czech-sausage/


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## indaswamp (May 11, 2017)

And here is a Slovic Sausage recipe from Moravia, the same area that Gary Vincek at Vincek’s Smokehouse in East Bernard got his sausage recipe....

http://www.slovakcooking.com/2010/recipes/sausages/

Caraway seeds is the secret ingredient....


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## indaswamp (May 12, 2017)

DDavis said:


> Thanks, salt didn't even cross my mind. 1 teaspoon of kosher salt enough? I will take your advise on the smoker, as it makes more sense.


You can shoot for a 2% salt ratio and that should be perfect. So for 1000g of meat, add 20g of salt. Add a little less if you use monosodium glutamate in the recipe. MSG is 60% less salty than pure table salt.

Conversions to remember-

454g = 1 pound

28.35g = 1 ounce


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## ddavis (Jan 5, 2018)

Thanks everyone for the help, I'm getting back to this after a small heart problem (it quit working for a spell) and a knee replacement, let's just say 2017 wasn't a good year. I will keep updating as I go, again thanks to all.

Darrell


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## danbono (Jan 7, 2018)

Hi Okay lets us know how you make out your sausage.
Dan


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