This was my second attempt, and much better than the first. 80% very well trimmed venison, 20% pork trimmings. I used LEM Backwoods Franks Seasoning. Double-ground through a 1/8" plate and stuffed into 29mm casings. (I did a few in smaller casings) 4 Hickory bisquettes and 2.5 hrs in the Bradley, then into a 165 degree bath. Served up with chilli sauce and sharp chedder! 8)
(http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy32/Pic-N-Stick/P1020786_zps73f161c6.jpg) (http://s775.photobucket.com/user/Pic-N-Stick/media/P1020786_zps73f161c6.jpg.html)
(http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy32/Pic-N-Stick/P1020790_zpse1982c77.jpg) (http://s775.photobucket.com/user/Pic-N-Stick/media/P1020790_zpse1982c77.jpg.html)
(http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy32/Pic-N-Stick/P1020799_zpsecb5e1b9.jpg) (http://s775.photobucket.com/user/Pic-N-Stick/media/P1020799_zpsecb5e1b9.jpg.html)
The end result looks pretty good! You calling it a keeper?
They look great I like the LEM Trail bologna seasoning for dogs they are great and have a little heat to them
Hey 10 point, yes its definately a keeper! I was going to emulsify it in a food processer. But after running the paste through the grinder for the second time I was ready to stuff it and get it smoking! 8)
Those do look good!! But every time I see those casings I have flashbacks of grease shooting all over the place!! ;D Again very nice color to them and the y look great.
Those look incredible! If I used collagen casings and tried hot water bathing would the still,come out the same?
Great looking dogs, I love chili on hot dogs, I'll have two please. ;D
Very nice looking product.
Where did you get 29 mm cellulose casings ... I need some?
Those are Viscofan casings I got at Con Yeager Spice Company a couple years back. I don't see them listed anymore, so I just sent them an e-mail. The Sausage Maker has them in 21, 25 and 31mm sizes but I really do like the 29's!
RexLan, just heard back from Con Yeager. They do still have the 29's, just not listed on the website. Single strands that do 28 lbs are $5.30. They also sell larger packs that hold 1300 Lbs. for $152.00. Their trail (ring) bologna kit is awesome!
Thanks very much ... I will order some.
Nice dogs.
Them cellulose casings work good.
very nice looking dogs. I think a batch of chili over a couple of those would go very well.
I ordered some of the 29mm casings ... thanks for the lead.
I have tried various methods to twist the cellulose but they never hold. I watch the automatic link/stuff machines that spit them out by the thousand and they stay twisted just fine .... HOW DO THEY DO IT ? Having to tie each one takes a ton of time.
I don't know for sure but I would guess that they turn the casing as it is filled so that all the twist are in one direction. With natural casings, you twist every other sausage in one direction and because they are tender enough they stay twisted. The cellulose casings are rather stiff and will just untwist when you try the same style twist. I have an idea. Set a large pan or bucket on a turntable like a lazy Suzan as you twist your sausages have someone spin the pan so the whole batch is spun in one direction. This way the whole length of sausages is being twisted in one direction. I bet the twist stay in place. You might have to tie the first few casings with string so that when they hang in the smoker they don't untwist. Once they are looped over a rod they should not untwist as they all have their twist in the same direction.
Kirby
I will give that a try Kirby .... a few weeks out until the next batch.
Thanks
Did your dogs turn out a bit tuff? I made some today and I used approx 60 venison 40 pork and I found them a bit dry. Mind you I ate one soon as it was cooked but I was hoping for a bit more like a hot dog or smoked sausage you would buy, extremely tender
Did you finish them in the smoker of a hot water bath?
Oven, they were approx 130f when I pulled from smoker. I think I may need a food processor. Maybe emulsifying it would help? I grinned it twice and then worked it with my hands till it was pretty pasty.
Almost turned out like a pepperoni
No, not tough or dry at all. I did use a 1/8" plate twice and finished in the 165 degree bath. The texture was not quite as smooth as a regular dog, as expected not using a food processer.
Take a look at this link. They are using the same cellulose casings. I stop and start this video so I can see what they are doing. Notice how they add the smoke flavor and notice the steam in the cooking chamber. This is what Rytek's was saying in his book. The commercial guys have steam chambers to cook their sausages. This how they keep in the moisture and get their sausages done. This is when I started using the water batch system. I also was looking at what spices they are adding to the batch. Here is the link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NzUm7UEEIY
I would suggest two changes. Go toward a even 50/50 split on your wild meat and use pork shoulder [pork butt] and not just pork trim. A little more pork in your sausage will make them more tender and not as dry. I have tried 60/20 before and finished them in the smoker and had the same results. Dry and tough. Did you notice the texture of the hot dogs in the video. It is more like a wet paste when it is in it's raw form. I would think the have enough water to get it this way and all the modified food starch to help hold the moisture and help the sausage set up.
kc
Mine came out great with the 80/20 mix. I did add "sausage phosphate" from Butcher and Packer, #414 to help retain the moisture. I guess in my mind buying and adding so much pork goes against my concept of "venison franks". That's just me, though! ;)
when you say 80/20 mix are you talking pork butt which has lots of muscle. Or are you talking 20% pork fat. I use Costco pork shoulders which are trimmed quite well. I use them right out of the package. I do not add anymore fat. It makes my venison go much farther. I don't care if I call them venison dogs or what they are called. I just want a good frankfurter. Do you have a ratio or rate that you would recommend for the food grade phosphates? I tried it once and I must have used too much because the dogs came out kind of slimy.
Yea, the 20% is pork trimmings, almost all fat. The recommended rate of the sausage phosphate was 2 oz. for 25 lbs, .8 oz per 10 lbs. The stuff from Butcher and Packer was specifically recommended by someone else on this forum, and I'm really happy with the results.
That is probably about the same fat ratio that I end up with when I go 50/50 with the pork shoulder. I just stretch my venison a little farther. I have some of the food grade phosphates so I might try it again.
thanks for the info.
kc
Sure. Hey, let us know how it turns out!! 8)
Yes thanks guys, and I wanted to finish with water bath but I have collagen casings. So I'm a bit nervous hot bathing them. And what is sausage phosphate?
I must add I used a polish seasoning for mine, but it's kind of funny now that I think of it, when I make summer sausage with the same meet ration, the meat is a lot lighter of a colour not a deep red like pepperoni and very tender. So maybe could it of been the spice mix I used?
The sausage phosphate helps retain moisture. Go to the Butcher and Packer website and order the sausage phosphate, #414. The time in the water bath is very short, your casings will do fine. I bought a roaster from Wallyworld for something like 35.00. Just make sure your water temp isn't over 170 causing fat run-out. The temp setting on the roaster is around 375. I used my Mavrick 733 inside one frank to keep track of the internal temp. When the internal temp was reached, I dropped them directly into an icewater bath in the sink for about 5 minutes. Go for it!! 8)