Need Cure for Homemade Sausage?

[teague]

I have had my Bradley for awhile now, and one of the main reasons I bought it was to try and make some homemade sausage.   That was 3 years ago.  This weekend it is on the top of my list to try.  What I want/need to know is do have to add cure to the smoked sausage?  I have a friend that has smoked some on his big wood fired pit and he doesnt add any, so I was just wondering if it was necessary.  Thanks in advance to any and all replies!

[KevinG]

Yes, due to the low temperatures you smoke sausage at, you do want to use cure. It stays in the danger zone far too long and could make you ill.

[RAF128]

Lots of people like to make a fresh sausage to cook later but they want a smoke flavour and they're tempted to try cold smoking it.   IMO that's not a good choice for the reasons mentioned above.   If I wanted smoke flavour in a fresh sausage I'd just add some liquid smoke to the seasonings.   If you're going to smoke it, add cure.

[Habanero Smoker]

As Kevin pointed out, if you use low temperatures you will need a cure to be safe. On the other hand if you want to add a smoke like flavor to fresh sausage, you will need to fully cook them at a temperature of at least 225°F (250°F is better) while you are applying the smoke. Cooking at this temperature is safe, but don't overload your smoker because you want the smoker to get to 225°F as soon as possible after you've loaded your sausage. So if your friend is using a temperature of 225°F or higher in his pit, he is safely smoking/cooking the fresh sausage.

[teague]

Ok,  so if I cold smoke I need to use the cure, but if I cook around 225 or 250 I dont need the cure.  Right?  And btw, since this is my first time, how do you recommend Nepas?  And KevinG, thats funny, my name is Kevin and last name starts with a G also!

[NePaSmoKer]

You will need cure when you start low temps with sausage at 130* going through the temps to 180*

If your going to start high over 180* your just cooking it and will not need cure. Your friend is cooking the sausage with wood at a high temp and getting the BBQ wood flavor. Basically he is just BBQ'ing sausage not hanging the sausage away from the heat source thus making smoked sausage.

[watchdog56]

If cooking it at the high temp wouldn't that fat out and dry your sausage?

[KevinG]

If cooking it at the high temp wouldn't that fat out and dry your sausage?

Ahh you learn quickly grasshopper.

[Habanero Smoker]

Ok,  so if I cold smoke I need to use the cure, but if I cook around 225 or 250 I dont need the cure.  Right?  And btw, since this is my first time, how do you recommend Nepas?  And KevinG, thats funny, my name is Kevin and last name starts with a G also!

Whether you cold smoke (70°F - 90°F), or hot smoke (100°F - 180°) you will need a cure. As long as you smoke/cook over 225°F you should be safe. I wouldn't go any lower then 225°F.

watchdog56
I'm having problems with this site, so I didn't write as much as I should have. I've posted this method several times. Cooking fresh sausage at 225°F is meant to eaten right away, just as you would cook fresh sausage at high heat on a grill, griddle or in the oven. It is an option to be used when you have fresh sausage, and want to add the flavor of smoke.

[teague]

Ok, I got it now.  I see what my friend is doing as opposed to what ya'll are saying, and yes my friend that cooks on the wood fired pit-his sausage is pretty dry.  Although a good flavor, it is a little dry.  And thanks for all the help folks! 

[teague]

And its 1 tsp per 5 lbs meat, correct?

[KevinG]

Yep, that's the ticket. 1 teaspoon per 5lbs of meat.

[Roadking]

I suggest you pick up this book and read it. It's loaded with good information.

http://www.sausagemaker.com/71200greatsausagerecipesandmeatcuringbyrytekkutas.aspx