First time posting here in a long time....
This wasn't my first time making summer, butI made around 20 pounds of elk summer sausage this week using a couple of kits from Butcher Packer Supply that I had on hand. I was pressed for time when mixing the ingredients, and for whatever reason, I forgot to add that pink cure the comes in the kit. I didn't realize it until the next morning after I let the chubs sit in the fridge overnight and put them in the smoker. I went ahead and let them cook until the IT was 152 degrees (cook time of around 12 hours). I cut one open and sure enough, it was not the normal pink color. I tried a few pieces, and it tastes great. I didn't die in my sleep, and have not had any bathroom emergencies either. ;)
What are your thoughts on this? If I keep it frozen and consume within a day of thawing out, think I'll be ok? Don't want to get sick, or get anyone else sick either.
Your plan is good to freeze it and then consume. I think you would treat it as fresh sausage, just like pork breakfast sausage, for instance. I make it without cure, and freeze it, then thaw it by the package for consumption. If you have maintained safe food handling throughout the process, your thawed sausage should be good in the fridge for up to a week, just like cooked leftovers from a meal.
What temperature did you smoke/cook the sausage at. If your temperature was less than 180°F, that would be considered unsafe food handling. And with the Bradley's low recovery, I wouldn't smoke fresh sausage at less than 200°F. Smoking fresh sausage at a low temperature for a long period of time, can give certain bacteria to grow.The most dangerous is Clostridium botulinum, which can cause botulism. Bringing the IT to 152°F, does not kill the toxic spores this bacteria produces. It is rare, but why take the chance.
Botulism (https://www.foodsafety.gov/poisoning/causes/bacteriaviruses/botulism/index.html)
I started at 120, and worked my way up to 180 over 12 hours
If I had made that mistake, and smoked/cooked it the way you did I would throw it out. The main reason for the cure is to prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum. It's possible they are alright, or most are alright and a few bad, or a combination of how many are good to how many are bad. If it were myself; I wouldn't take the chance.
I am with Hab's on this. I made a batch when I first started out and forgot to put the cure in it and ended up throwing 12 lbs away. Just did not want to chance it. Better safe than sorry I say.
Disregard my earlier statement. I neglected to think about the "in between" part of smoking temps. and what temp they were taken to. I know better. I'm with Habs on this too.
"When in doubt, throw it out". It is just not worth the risk.