question about sausage

jayman · August 17, 2005, 04:25:37 AM

i am new to the forums. I make fresh deer sausage during the season for some of the locals around here. I bought a SSBS for smoking my own sausage. just got it today. I have a seasoning mix that contains a cure for making smoked sausage. can anyone or does anyone have any advice? Ive done a search and found some pretty good stuff but was wondering if anyone might be able to add something. I am using the hickory and apple bisquittes. Thanks

jaeger · August 17, 2005, 05:30:16 AM

Welcome to the forum Jayman!
Here is a link to check out.

http://susan.rminor.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=110

Doug

whitetailfan · August 17, 2005, 03:38:14 PM

Most of my experience is posted here. Good topic - search venison sausage by member "bassman". Good luck.

whitetailfan
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB

ListerD · August 17, 2005, 06:08:50 PM

Since we're on the subject of sausage...

Kielbasa - how long have you guys somked it? I did a couple for 2 1/2 hours at ~220 and they came out looking great and within a couple minutes shriveled up. They tasted fine but looked like dog turds [:D]

Hints? Tips?

Phone Guy · August 17, 2005, 07:28:31 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jayman
 i am new to the forums. I make fresh deer sausage during the season for some of the locals around here. I bought a SSBS for smoking my own sausage. just got it today. I have a seasoning mix that contains a cure for making smoked sausage. can anyone or does anyone have any advice? Ive done a search and found some pretty good stuff but was wondering if anyone might be able to add something. I am using the hickory and apple bisquittes. Thanks
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

When you say "fresh sausage" I am assuming you mean homemade. If you are making fresh sausage you do not need a cure. If you are making say a smoked polish then there is a cure involved. I have made alot of both. I prefer fresh that I can thaw and grill like italian or german sausage. If I am taking it with me camping or hunting then the cured meat will last longer without spoiling. Remember the cured and smoked meat is cooked to I think 156 deg. or so. Fresh is raw.

whitetailfan · August 17, 2005, 07:34:52 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ListerD
 Since we're on the subject of sausage...

Kielbasa - how long have you guys somked it? I did a couple for 2 1/2 hours at ~220 and they came out looking great and within a couple minutes shriveled up. They tasted fine but looked like dog turds [:D]

Hints? Tips?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I dont't smoke above 180, so it takes longer, but I think it is done around 4 hrs or so +/-.
Regarding your shrivel issue - I don't know if this is why you do it or not...but try giving the sausage a cold water bath right out of the smoker. There's a reason to do it, and there a 50% chance it has to do with appearance, I just don't remember off the top of my head.

whitetailfan
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB

Arcs_n_Sparks · August 17, 2005, 08:29:16 PM

ListerD,

Showering with cold water is used to avoid the shriveled look.

I smoke for 2 to 2.5 hours, then drive to 152 degrees. However, I do it with a temp between 160 to 165, since you do not want to liquify the fat. 220 sounds too hot.

Arc_n_Sparks

MallardWacker · August 17, 2005, 08:29:42 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ListerD
 They tasted fine but looked like dog turds...... [:D]<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by WhiteTailFan
 Regarding your shrivel issue -...... but try giving the sausage a cold water bath.....[:D]<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I was going to add something here but it escapes me do to the graphic nature of the issue.

Dang,[:D] I'm laughing.

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...

whitetailfan · August 17, 2005, 11:28:38 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by MallardWacker
 
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by WhiteTailFan
 Regarding your shrivel issue -...... try giving the sausage a cold water bath.....[:D]<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I was going to add something here but it escapes me do to the graphic nature of the issue.

Dang,[:D] I'm laughing.

Wooo-Pig-Soooie
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Actually Mallard,
If you look at it from your point of view, the cold water bath would probably contribute to the shrivel issue wouldn't it[:D]

whitetailfan
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB

ListerD · August 18, 2005, 03:06:05 AM

[:D][:D][:D] LMFAO! [:D][:D][:D]

Nothing but humor intended:

Read my lips

I'll try lowering the heat and then the cold water bath this weekend.

(Mods - if that's too strong, my apology)

jayman · August 18, 2005, 04:08:49 AM

thanks for the advice. sorry i didnt get to answer sooner but i just got finished my first rib smoking and ive got to tell you it was awesome.My family owns a meat packing plant here in new orleans and i think i might try to smoke one of everything that we have in stock. [:D]

MallardWacker · August 18, 2005, 03:56:38 PM

White,

It was one of those things when you started reading a and your mind goes to wondering and there was no way getting around saying something stupid. It sure was a good laugh...thanks.

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...

ListerD · August 18, 2005, 04:38:30 PM

Yeah that was funny as hell. [8D]

JJC · August 21, 2005, 02:10:34 PM

Welcome to the Forum, Jay. I have smoked lots of kielbasa without the shriveling issue you mention (slightly wrinkled, perhaps, but not unattractively so). Usually soak it in beer for an hour, then smoke as hot as the BS gets (275ish, depending on the ambient temp) for 1.5-2 hr. Could the beer pre-soak have something to do with reducing the shriveling?

John
Newton MA

SoupGuy · September 14, 2005, 12:31:25 AM

Sausage casing mishaps are common and extremely frustrating for the novice. The post did not reference what type of casing was used for the Kielbasa, but I will assum it is Hog, roughly 32-35mm. (???)

This topic is well-covered in the book "Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing" by Rytek Kutas. I HIGHLY recommend this book to all smokers! (Surf the interenet for prices... they vary WIDELY!)

Here is what we do:

Pre-rinse casings in luke-warm water TWICE. Then let soak for about an hour in fresh luke-warm water before stuffing.

Stuff the casings with your sausage meat.

Hang stuffed sausage and optionally put a FAN on them until the casings are dry and begin to turn tan/brown.

Smoke-cook LOW and SLOW! We do NOT recommend adding water to the smoker as some might suggest. Just personal experience.

There is a recipe for Kielbasa in the book mentioned above. DRY casings and LOW & SLOW should have been emphasized with BIG underlines! This is KEY to getting excellent results!

If you are using a BS; open the top flu all the way from begining to end! (I really think the BS should have an adjustable air inlet somewhere on the bottom, but it doesn't).

The LOW/SLOW method should be followed meticulously. We'd even encourage you to start at lower temperatures than the book calls for, and move it up slowly... even slower than the book.

One last hint- federal rules about water content in sausage have screwed up most sausage recipes. Ask any sausage maker who has 40+ years experience and he will tell you more water makes a more tender sausage. We routinely add 33-50 percent more water than the recipe calls for. (will deny writing this in any legal challenge)

** As for rinsing your sausage once it reaches temperature (usually around 150/155 degrees (f)) here is the scoop... its sole purpose is to STOP the cooking process of the meat. You should rinse the sausage with your temperature probe in it and take it down from 150/155 to about 100 or less using cold tap water. If you've ever made custard, you know the reasons why.

Sausage is a lot like when you make chili. It tastes best after a day or two (or three) in the fridge. The flavorings (your spices) coalesce and become uniform.

You certainly CAN make great sausage that not only tastes good (experiment) but the casing issues will easily go away if you take a hard-headed approach to be successfull at it! Don't allow frustration to confound your efforts!

Good luck!!!! (ie; keep trying- harder each time)

NO SOUP FOR YOU (until you succeed)

Best know not for soup, but rather smoked meats...