Kielbasa -- "2 cloves of garlic"?

[drano]

Question for the kielbasa makers.
The Rytek Kutas book says to use 2 cloves of garlic for 10 lb of kielbasa.
Does that mean 2 whole heads of garlic, or just 2 sections of the head? 
I'm planning to make 2 batches this weekend, and want to make sure I use the correct amount.  I'll make 10 lb fresh and freeze it in links, and I plan to smoke the other 10 lb batch (w/ Instacure #1).
thanks in advance

get smokin
drano

[smokeitall]

I don't know the answer to your question but if you use 2 whole heads I'm not coming anywhere near a 50 mile radius after you eat them. ;D ;D

[WhiteSmoke]

I can't speak to Mr. Kutas book.

My personal experience was learning to make Kielbasa from the father of my wife's employer, and old Polish butcher.  In his words, "At 14 I start the training to be a butcher.  I make Kielbasa and Kishka for Wigilia."  And then his voice turns somber as he recounts: "And then the Germans come.  And they make me make Schnitzel and cheap sausages!"  With a petulant indigence only an 85 plus year old man can summon.  "So, after the War, I come here and make my shop as a butcher."  Then he proceeded to tell me how to make Kielbasa from some 80 lbs of shoulder he had me pick up and prepare, as well as offering insights into making good sausage, and "inferior" Oktoberfest and other floured sausages through an accent so thick, and English so mangled it took me four tries and five minutes of thinking to figure out that he meant that too much heat to fast in the smoker made the sausage casing hard from something akin to "Is to much the heel becomes hard."

Long story short we used a head and a half in 8 lbs of shoulder because, "I like the garlikz."  He said, "I'z good for YOU!".  And that works out to about 3.5 cloves in 10 lbs.

Personally I like garlic, but not enough to want to slay vampires at 30 paces so I follow the local Marie Curie Sklodowska Association handbook, or GDPH Bible for those in the know, which calls for 15 cloves for every 40 lbs of shoulder.

Remember, when you mince the garlic and then put it in the cure liquid and spread it through the mix it will become quite strong over time.

[OU812]

The whole head is as it was picked with a bunch of sections grown togeather each of the sections is an clove.

Each clove has a firm outer shell that must be peeled off before you chop it up.

I would use 3 cloves for 10 lb, but thats just me.

[drano]

Finally got around to posting pics--and had to get a new photobucket account since the yahoo geocities site is getting shut down (and then figure out how to post pics from the site!). 

I used 3 garlic cloves for each 10 lb batch.  The fresh might have too much garlic taste so will most likely reduce that to 2 next time.  The smoked tastes GREAT.  We threw some on the grill for a few minutes last nite to warm it up, and it was gone in no time. 

I think the recipe has a little too much salt.  I'll try using less next time, but don't want to mess up the cure on the smoked batches.

I tied the starting end of the casing, and left the other end open.  May not be the prettiest, but it works, and takes less time. 

Heres the fresh before it got cut and vacuum packed.


And the smoked after being removed from the smoker.  I made a new set of hanging rods, so these still need a couple more smokes to get seasoned well. :)


get smokin
drano

[NePaSmoKer]

WOW nice job there drano

nepas

[Buck36]

Drano - Looks awesome!!!

...But after reading all this I am confused



head of garlic - entire bulb

cloves - the smaller individual pieces of the head

You used 3 of the smaller cloves per 10 pounds correct?

[drano]

Thanks for the kind words guys.  I'm really liking this sausage making stuff, and getting to play w/ my Cabelas commercial grinder and 11 lb stuffer (w/ my new motor attachment!). 

Buck36
Yep, 3 of the clove pieces for 10 lb.  Using 2-3 whole heads for 10 lb would be WAY to much! 
The fresh batch is pretty strong on the garlic.  The book called for 2 per 10 lb, and I'll do that next time.  The smoked isn't as powerful on the garlic--I'd guess the smoking process to 152 deg tames the garlic some. 

get smokin
drano

[Tenpoint5]

Looks Great Drano,
My Garlic recipe calls for 4 TBS for a 10lb batch. I usually never put that much in, more like 6 TBS. I love Garlic!! The garlic flavor will permeate the sausage and dul slightly when you put it in the freezer. But will still have a great taste when you thaw and grill it. I do mine like a Brat.