OK, I'll be making this next week. I've got a couple more questions about this recipe. I think I've asked this before, or someone has. It calls for dextrose. Anything I can substitute if I can't find it? The other thing is the casings. It suggests hog casings or 1.5 fibrous casing. Any problem using larger casing. I want to make it a summer sausage size. That's how it comes in the stores.
You should be alright with the larger casing it will take longer for the meat to come up to temp, and you have to make sure you don't fat out the outside buy getting it too warm.
Ditto on what 10.5 said.
Try not to exceed 180* on the internal IT of the smoker.
IT of sausage between 149-156*..........your preference.
That's kind of what I thought. I'll have to stay close to the smoker when it's getting close to 150 IT and have the ice bath waiting.
Dextrose is artificial sweetener. Dextrose (also known as glucose) is a monosaccharide or simple sugar that is about 20% less sweet compared to cane sugar. It is derived entirely from corn, is low-cost, and contains no fructose or lactose. Most people know Dextrose as glucose. This sugar is the chief source of energy in the body. Glucose serves as the major source of energy for living cells. It is carried to each cell through the bloodstream.
2 pounds of dextrose sells for about $3.50 in a health food store.