Hi Mountain Brats

[Saber 4]

I need some advice, the wife wants us to do our first sausage attempt using the Hi Mountain Bratwurst kit we picked up at Cabela's because I haven't found a local source for cure #1 yet. We haven't decided yet whether go the fresh sausage route or go for it and smoke them. The recipe they include doesn't include any of the poaching I've seen in so many of the sausage posts. I've got the ground beef I ground last week in the freezer and 15 pounds of pork shoulder to grind, we may peel some of the pork off to make a small batch of breakfast sausage. Here is a scan of the instructions, I'm looking for any suggestions or advice I can get.

Thanks,
Robert

[NePaSmoKer]

Do you have a Bass Pro shop close? If so you can get LEM cure 1 there. Dont use MTQ with HM as it will be to salty.

Didnt HM have a cure packet with it?

If you cant find cure 1 why dont you just make fresh brats.

[Saber 4]

I do have a Bass Pro in the area, I'll go there if my last local option doesn't work. We have a Mennonite community that has a store/bakery and they are seeing if they can order it in for me.

The HM does have a cure in it so I have the option of doing either, I'm just not sure if their instructions are complete enough compared to what I've seen posted here.

[Habanero Smoker]

If your local Bass Pro Shop doesn't carry cure #1, it may be faster to order it from Allied Kenco; which is located in Houston. This is also a brick & mortar shop, so if you are close by you can go to their store.

If you want to poach fresh sausage, you can poach fresh sausage safely at 180°F.

[Saber 4]

Thanks NePa and Habs,

I guess the only questions I have left would be is poaching necessary? or what does poaching do/provide for sausage instead of just curing and smoking? Hope those questions make sense.

[Tenpoint5]

Poaching is not necessary. It is used by some of the sausage guys, to speed up the cooking time of making large batches of Sausage.

[Saber 4]

Thanks 10.5 that's what I was wondering, so I'll leave it up to the wife whether she wants fresh or smoked brats.