Jalapeno Swiss Summer Sausage

[OU812]

Been getting quite a few requests for some jalapeno swiss summer sausage so I did up another batch. Thawed out the meat, 9 lb deer 6 lb pork.

First grind and the meat mixed together.

The spices mixed in and starting to mix in 1 lb jalapenos

The second grind and if you look real close you can see the little bits of the jalapenos

Now comes the cheese, 1 lb swiss.

All mixed in.

Now the fun begins, note the red rubber band around the hog ring pliers, holds the hog rings in great.

All stuffed and ready for a good night sleep.

Next morning warmed up the smoker. After 3 hr Pecan and pulled out when the IT hit 152 F

All wrapped up and ready to go out the door, those 2 unwrapped are for me.

Next up, snack sticks.

[dbondy]

That looks awesome OU, great job on stuffing the casings. I bet it tastes great to,never thought about cheese in summer sausage. I,ll have to try that one some day. ;D

[KevinG]

You better open up a business, you've got more food going than I have at my grocery store.

[classicrockgriller]

Ou makes it look easy. I'd be there a week doin that.

Looks Fantastic. Somebody is really lucky to get that.

[OU812]

Making the summer sausage is allot easier than making snack sticks.

Looks Fantastic. Somebody is really lucky to get that.

Almost as lucky as the ones that got the jalapeno cheddar summer sausage.

[Tenpoint5]

Nice Job there Curt. I need to stop by the vet and get me a hog ring pliers

[smokeitall]

Great job Curt, wow I gotta get busy making some venison summer sausage.  Hope mine turns out half as good as that.
SIA

[OU812]

I need to stop by the vet and get me a hog ring pliers

I would get them from your butcher shop, 3/8" rings work great for summer sausage and 1/2" for your bologna.

That rubber band trick will save you almost $20.

[RickWL63]

That sausage looks good.  Do you add water?  I blend the jalapenos in the blender with the water I add.  After reading a post from NePas I will also be throwing my meat cure in that blend as well.  I second OU's recommendation on hitting the butcher shop for that pliers.  I grew up on a farm ringing hogs, there will probably be a noticeable difference in the quality of the pliers (though the farm brand will probably be much cheaper).  Then while at the butcher shop, get some more high-temp cheese for another batch.   ;D

I might have to try this recipe myself.  Got 14 lbs of venison thawing out now.  Debating between Brats or another batch of summer sausage.  My boys are home from the service this weekend through Christmas with Muzzleloader hunting on the brain, so I am not worried about my venison supply this year.

[OU812]

Rick, yes I do add water and add all the dry ingredients including the cure to it, then mix that into the meat. Before the meat gets sticky I mix in the jalapeno slices then grind for the second time, that way you really mix in the seasonings and the jalapenos get chopped just right. The after that I mix in the cheese, I find if you freeze the cheese, its high temp cheese, then mix it in the chunks of cheese say more uniform.

[RickWL63]

I might have to try doing it that way.

[OU812]

I'v done it this way so many times it dont matter how many shots I have it still comes out great even with one eye open.  ;D

[wyogoob]

Beautiful! Tight!

I like the way you have linked your sausage.

Does the fresh jalapeno hold it's flavor better than the dried chunks.

My dried jalapeno bits lose their flavor in the sausage and especially in storage.

[OU812]

I have tried the fresh and found after storage the penos start to get smaller  leaving some space around them and loose some of there flavor. I also tried dried, not. I now use pickled and after many batches found the Vlasic to be the best, great flavor and after cookin still have a snap when you bite into them.

[classicrockgriller]

I'm doing this after hunting season and guess who is gonna have to help me.