Well I finally got my stuffer work done and made a 32 pound batch of summer sausage this weekend. I used the SS recipe that I posted earlier but added 2 heaping TBS of minced garlic for this 32 pound batch. I used some large hog casings that I got from Smokerlar. They were a little different to work with but they made nice sized sausage. The only problem that they gave me is they were crooked as a snake and were difficult to hang in the smoker. I eventually ended up just hanging them over the rods. I was hoping they would hang straight but no luck.
Here is 32 pounds of ground venison and pork. 50/50
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/32poundsofgroundvensionandpork.jpg)
I start with the mixing tub for folding the spice in. When making large batches you want to work hard to make sure of even spice and cure dispersion.
First the spices
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/handfoldinginthespices-1.jpg)
Then the water and some extra minced garlic and the cure.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/foldingthemeatcure-mincedgarlicandwater-1.jpg)
Load the mixer for the true mixing.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/loadedandreadytomix-1.jpg)
45 seconds in the mixer
http://s943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/?action=view¤t=100_6590.mp4
45 seconds later Mixed
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/allmixed.jpg)
Dumping out the mixer.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/oneminutelatermixed.jpg)
Sausage is all one color.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/allmixedandallonecolor.jpg)
Here is a short stuffing video
http://s943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/?action=view¤t=STUFFINGSAUSAGEWITHHYDRAULICSTUFFER.mp4
I smoked the sausage the next day and made sure that the sausage had plenty of time to come to room temperature and the casings were well dried. I gave them 2 hours of heavy smoke. They took on the smoke almost immediately.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/inthesmokerfor2hours.jpg)
Then into the hot water tank for about 25 minutes. IT was 106 out of the smoker and made 155 IT in 25 minutes.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/inthehotwatertank.jpg)
Then on the counter to bloom. I have to work out some place to hang them....but for now they sit on paper towels.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/Copyof100_6625.jpg)
Here is all of the batch.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/32poundsofSSrounds.jpg)
And finally cut up and ready to package.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/cutandreadytowrap.jpg)
This batch turned out excellent if I don't say so my self. It is moist and tender. It fits a Ritz cracker even the better then the last batch. The extra minced garlic sure made it better.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/largerhogcasingsfitaRitzcrackerevenbetter.jpg)
This is the 10 pound stuffer I used to do this project.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/10poundstuffer.jpg)
Kirby
Some really good looking sausage Kirby!! You planning on pickling any of that batch I bet that would be awesome with the added garlic.
never thought of it until you mentioned it. I saved Ricks recipe some where. You are right it does sound kind of good.
Kirby
Kirby,
That looks real good. Is that a recirculating hot water bath I see rigged up to bring the sausage up to temp?
John
You bet.
I started smoking a 1pm on last Sunday. 1.5 hours in the smoker with saturated smoke. [Look for my post on making your own high output smoke generator.] about 25 minutes in the hot water bath to an IT of 155. then into the cold water to cool and on the counter to bloom. every thing was on the counter by 4:30. that's 3.5 hours total processing time, not bad. You can see by the color they have plenty of smoke and they taste great. The sausage is not dried but nice and moist.
Kirby
Very good looking SS there Kirby. If you run out of freezer space I still have a rack left to store it for you ;D
The time I tried to make Kielbasa I was up till way past my bed time and the only thing I knew at that time is I like Kielbasa. Do you have a killer recipe for Kielbasa? I have a recirculating water tank I use for brewing that would work great for this. What temperature do you keep the water at?
I'll look for your other thread on the smoke generator.
Thanks
John
I set the water temp at 160 and as soon as the sausage reaches 155 I add a little cold water so that the sausage does not go any higher. I have two circulating pumps running all the time to make sure that the water temperature is even through out.
Kirby