Need Sausage Help

[Gregg]

I have read as much as I could about smoking sausage on this forum and others.  I've tried it a few times and can't seem to get the smoking right.  I'm trying to make a smoked pork sausage with an eastern European origin (Slovenia).  We called them klibasee (sp???) when I was little.

The recipe is: (I'm starting small until I get it dialed in)

8 lbs of pork butt
1/2 pound pork fat
1/2 oz of garlic clove crushed
1/2 tablespoon coarse ground pepper
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 pints of water
Hog casing

I coarse ground the meat and added the spices and water.  Stuffed the casing and let them drip on a rack overnight.

I put the sausage on the smoker for about an hour at 90 to 100 F.  Started the smoke (Apple) and ramped up to about 155 smoker temp.  I inserted digital probes in two of the links (one high and one low rack).  When the internal temp hit about 144 I turned up the heat for about the last hour to 170 until the internal temp was about 155.  About 12 hours total.  I took them off the smoker and rinsed with cold water until the the internal temp of the sausage was about 100.  I dried them off and put them in a ziploc bag in my fridge overnight and tried one the next day.

The sausages do not have the red character they should have.  They are definitely brown like an italian sausage when cooked.  I checked on them about 4 times during smoking and the skins seemed unusually dry and brown early in the day (after about 4-5 hours on).  When I tasted one it seemed ok (needs more garlic) but not quite right on yet.  They also seemed pretty small and shriveled up when they were done.

Anybody have any suggestions for me?

Gregg

[whitetailfan]

The sausages do not have the red character they should have.

Your recipe does not have cure in it.  You need to put sodium nitrite in the meat to obtain the red colour you seek.  This is important when smoking sausage over a 12 hour period like you did.
HTH

[Smudge]

In addition to Whitetailfan's advice, if you wish to obtain a red finish add paprika. I would suggest about a Tablespoon to begin with. Adjust the amount until you get your desired color.

[Smudge]

Another thought on the shriveled sausage: Maybe consider dropping the final heat ramp up. It sounds as though the fat is melting, which it will at a box temp of 170. I often smoke sausages to less than 150 degrees and mark them as partially cooked prior to freezing.  The safe internal temp is obtained when I grill or boil them.

[zhongyi]

I would add more fat to the recipe.  You want between 20-30% fat.

[SMOKEHOUSE ROB]

did a quick search, found that the name you called your sausage is all so called this, here you go:
also click on link and sroll down and see your sausage , butt i cant read it, lol. http://www.s-gimsl.kr.edus.si/europa/spring%20day%20in%20Europe%2004.doc

Kranjske Klobase compliments of the Vodnik family:

10# ground pork shoulder
1 whole garlic head (multiple cloves)
2 c water
1 1/2 tbs pepper
4 1/2 tbs salt
20 feet of hog casing

Peel and wrap garlic bulb in cheesecloth. Tie string around cloth to form a small bag. Crush garlic in bag with a mallet. Place cloth bag in 2 cups of water and let stand for at least five hours.

In a large pan, thoroughly mix pork, salt, pepper, and garlic water, squeezing the cloth bag to extract all the flavor. Let mixture rest in the refrigerator for an hour so flavors can blend. Add more water if necessary to keep mixture moist enough to be fed through the sausage stuffer and into the casings.

Prior to making the sausage links, soak the casings in cool water for at least 30 minutes to remove excess salt. Using a sausage stuffer, stuff meat mixture into the casings. Make links 6 - 8 inches long. Use immediately or keep frozen up to three months.

To serve:

For fresh - Place links in a large frying pan, cover with water, bring to a boil, and then simmer for 30 - 45 minutes. Serve with horseradish on a good rye bread.

For smoked - Smoke sausage slowly over nut or fruit wood for 9 - 10 hours. Once smoked, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 - 45 minutes. Serve on rye bread.

To grill - Simmer as above for 20 minutes, then finish on grill or in a cast iron pan.

[Bassman]

Gregg,
This is actually a kielbasa recipe ( slightly altered) from the Rytek Kutas book. It's the best!!!! :P ;D
http://susan.rminor.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119

[whitetailfan]

Bass,
If this is from Rytec, then where is the prague powder?  I trust your recipes as well as SHR, but why no cure?  And seriously, I can't see fixing this with paprika!

[whitetailfan]

After reading my response, I must offer up some humbleness.

In SHRs recipe, it does state to use immediately or freeze, then boil or grill, so that recipe is FRESH.

Bassman, just because it comes from Rytek, does not mean it is NOT a fresh sausage...therefore I take back that comment.  Although if it was edible AS IS, he would never have a recipe without prague.

Smudge, if its literally only the color he's looking for, spice COULD do the job.  I have had many breakfast sausages that "bleed" orange/red in the pan from spice, but are not edible out of the fridge.

However...

I made the initial assumption that Gregg was eating a ready made...out of the fridge...no cooking needed sausage.  Based on the way his post read, I thought he was looking for the pure, red color, bite er off and chew, sausage that we all know and love.

But then that's what happens when you Ass-U-Me things

[Bassman]

Whitetail,
Your a hoot! ;D
Actually there is prague powder in the recipe I have listed, it's the 7th ingredient down. After smoking this kielbasa no further cooking is required. Just slice, put on cracker with cheese and crack a cold one of choice. :P enjoy!

[whitetailfan]

Bass,
I gotta stop posting late at night after too many wobbly-pops :P
All I saw was your response right after SHR, and I thought you were referring to the recipe he posted...I TOTALLY missed your hyperlink.  DUH-my bad.
2 humble pies in a row!

[Bassman]

Not to worry Whitetail, We all make mistakes (especially on the wobbly pop) It was just your turn ;) :D ;D