Some Summer sausage today

[RAF128]

Going to do a little bit of Summer Sausage today.    I'm only going to do 6 lbs.    It's really an experiment.    I want to try it with some Fermento.   Meat is all thawed and spices are mixed.   It's the recipe I've used before that was good.   Only think I added was some Fermento.    Grinding and mixing and stuffing will happen this morning.    Smoking tomorrow.

[Quarlow]

Let us know how it turns out.

[RAF128]

When I decided to do this I thought I should make shorter sausages.   I wanted to make 2 out of each casing.   Of course I had to guess how long to make the first one.   Well, I guessed wrong.   Got 1 longer that the other.   A little better on the 2nd 2.   The next problem was tying the ends.   Usually have my wife helping.   I hold the sausage, twist it tight and she'd tie it.   I was alone yesterday.   After some thought I decided to make a quick trip to the butcher supply store and grabbed a hog ring plier and some rings.   Had to decide what size ring.  I should have said guess ;).  I ended up with 3/8".    It worked pretty well but would have worked better if I had 3 hands ;D.   
I just took them out of the fridge and they're going to warm to room temp for a couple of hours and then I'll start the process.    One hour at 120 to dry the casings.   One hours at 140 with smoke on.   Then 30 minutes at 160 with smoke on.   Then up to 180 until IT reaches 154.    My PID will come in handy.
For smoke I decided to use Hickory.

[RAF128]

The sausage is now in the smoker, warming and drying.    I took a quick picture to show.    You'll note the difference in size :-\.   The other thing I did was put some foil on the drip tray covering the back half of it.    Read that here. 



Sorry the picture is on it's side.   When I down loaded it off the camera I turned it but Photo Bucket downloaded on it's side.

[KevinG]

I must have dozed off, cause the picture looked upright to me.  ;D

[OU812]

The picture and the sausage looks good to me.

Once you get the hang of them hog rings you will be flyin on your next batch.

If you havin troubles keepin the ring from fallin out of the pliers try this. I call it the $20 rubber band, cause to get the pliers with a spring they are $20 more then the plain ones.

[RAF128]

The picture and the sausage looks good to me.

If you havin troubles keepin the ring from fallin out of the pliers try this. I call it the $20 rubber band, cause to get the pliers with a spring they are $20 more then the plain ones.

The picture still appears on my screen on it's side.     The pliers I got do have the spring and yup, I paid for it.

[OU812]

The picture still appears on my screen on it's side.     The pliers I got do have the spring and yup, I paid for it.

Maybe last night is catchin up with you the picture looks fine to me.  ;D

[RAF128]

The picture still appears on my screen on it's side.     The pliers I got do have the spring and yup, I paid for it.

Maybe last night is catchin up with you the picture looks fine to me.  ;D

No, I behaved my self last night ;).   Early to bed and early to rise.   Must be something with my computer

[NePaSmoKer]

The picture still appears on my screen on it's side.     The pliers I got do have the spring and yup, I paid for it.

Maybe last night is catchin up with you the picture looks fine to me.  ;D

No, I behaved my self last night ;).   Early to bed and early to rise.   Must be something with my computer

Turn your screen the right way  :D

[OU812]

The picture still appears on my screen on it's side.     The pliers I got do have the spring and yup, I paid for it.

Maybe last night is catchin up with you the picture looks fine to me.  ;D

No, I behaved my self last night ;).   Early to bed and early to rise.   Must be something with my computer

I went to bed early too, 1:30 this mornin.  ;D

[Quarlow]

That happens to me sometimes too. And then a few days later it is right. Of course in the meantime you have pulled all your hair out trying to turn it. Sausages look good. Nice work.

[RAF128]

How about that the picture is right now ???.    Go figure.    Computers?    Anyway, I took the sausage out at 153, plunged them in ice water to cool and then hung them up.   After 3 hours or so, I brought them in and put them in the fridge.    Tomorrow I'll give them a taste.    Will let you know.

[RAF128]

This morning I brought the sausage in from the fridge in the garage.    I cut off  a small piece to try.    Not bad but maybe a little salty, but keep in mind it was off the end of the sausage.    Then pulled the casings off and ran the sausages through the slicer.    Here's a picture of sliced sausage and 1 left to go



I then vacuum sealed them.

[OU812]

Now thats a big ol pile of goodness, looks great RAF.