Elk Summer Sausage??

[elk2782]

Im going to try and do summer sausage for the first time this weekend, For my first batch I just went and bought a kit of High Mountain summer sausage, My question is afte I grind and stuff and all that how long do I smoke for, Temps and Times, and is the cold water bath at the end somthing you have to do as well Thanks

[GusRobin]

You can do one of 2 ways (Maybe more but this is what I know)
First
1) Put in smoker at 130 for an hour to dry;
2) At 130 add 2 hrs smoke (more or less depending upon (a) how much smoke you like and (2) type of wood
3)When smoke done, put in a water bath with water temp at 160*ish.
4) Pull when IT gets to 152-155*.
5) Cold water bath until IT gets to around 100*
6) Hang and let bloom for an hour or so.

Second
1) Put in smoker at 130 for an hour to dry;
2) At 130 add 2 hrs smoke (more or less depending upon (a) how much smoke you like and (2) type of wood
3) Bump up to 140* for an hour
4) Bump up to 150* for an hour
5) keep progressing at this rate until temp is 170* -pull when IT of sausage reaches 152-155*
6) Cold water bath until IT gets to around 100*
7) Hang and let bloom for an hour or so.

[bille]

I have been using the High Mountain SS kits for the past year, I do mine like option #2 in Gus's response. I did not agree with the directions given with the kits as the temps are too high.

[Sailor]

Different guys have different ways to smoke SS.  No right and not wrong way to do it on times and temps.  Keep notes of the way you did the smoke. Time, temp, wood and mix used.  When you make a batch is to die for then you can reproduce it time and time again. 

Personally I find that I get the best product by:

Dry casing for 1 hr at 130.  After casings are dry bump temp to 140 for 2 hrs.  Then bump to 150 for 2 hours then 160 for 2 hrs then 170 for 2 hrs and if the sausage has not reached IT 152 bump to 175 until IT reached.  Never go over a cabinet temp of 175 as you will risk fat out.

The reason that I do not bump my temps at 1 hour intervals is because I do not want the cabinet temp to get to hot too fast and fat out the edges of the sausage.  By bumping every 2 hours you are letting the meat cook longer at a lower temp.  I find that my sausages are reaching IT of 152 before the cabinet temp even gets to 170.

[elk2782]

Salior, when you are doing this how long are you actually adding smoke to it

[Sailor]

Salior, when you are doing this how long are you actually adding smoke to it

I use Hickory and roll smoke for 2 to 3 hrs.