Summer Sausage / Snack Stick Rookie ??

[kfin]

Hi everyone,

I have only made fresh sausage before but am getting ready to branch out into summer sausage and snack sticks, I have a couple of ground up deer in the freezer and "need" to smoke something.

My game plan is as follows:

* get all mixed and let sit in the fridge overnight

* stuff the next morning and hang in the smoker to "dry" at 130 for an hour with no smoke (I believe from my reading that this is correct)

* start smoke and smoke for 2 hours, first hour at 140, second hour at 150

* take to 160 for an hour with no smoke to get internal temp to around 140

* I have a roaster to do a hot water bath in. I will fill it all the way up and have it at 160 for an hour prior to putting meat in.

*scoop out water while adding meat to keep it full, when internal temp reaches 152, take meat out

*put in cold water bath???? If so, for how long??

* what is "Blooming" and how long should things bloom?

Is it ready to go after blooming?

Is there a difference in procedure for summer sausage vs snack sticks?

How much time is saved by doing the hot water bath?

Thanks for any answers and things that I have left out. This place is awesome. I have had my Original Bradley for about 5 years and absolutely love it! Briskets, ribs, pork loins, pulled pork!!!

Keith

[FLBentRider]

I would do mix -> stuff -> rest in the fridge. You may find that if you mix -> rest -> stuff that the mix will stiffen in the fridge and be harder to stuff.

[kfin]

Thanks.....totally new to this sausage stuff, but can see how it can be as addictive as the rest of the smoked meats!

[NePaSmoKer]

I rarely do hot water.

Blooming is just a fancy term for cooling.

Cold water? You dont have to, all it does is keep the sticks from shriveling and getting wrinkley

Sticks will get done faster because of the smaller diameter, where as SS will take longer due to the larger diameter.

Some of the other guys should answer your hot water questions.

Taking to 160 MAY not get your sticks to 140, its just how it goes.

[devo]

Nepa answered most of your questions except the

How much time is saved by doing the hot water bath?

I find you can shave off 4-6 hours if you do a hot water bath and not notice any difference in the final product.

[kfin]

Interesting that you can take that much time off. I might try a batch each way and see. I don't get in a hurry much as I just enjoy the process of smoking and the RESULTS.

Did I read somewhere to put buttermilk or powdered milk in sticks to keep them from shrinking up? If so, what kind and what is the procedure for that one?

THanks guys it is greatly appreciated.
Keith

[watchdog56]

I have done both ways with summer sausage and sticks. I find using the hot water method is ALOT faster and it keeps the sausage nice and plump without adding moisture. I usually pull sausage out of smoker after my 2 hours of smoke at 150. Sometimes sausage is only 110-120 but put in hot water  (160 degree water) and take out when temps hit 152. Sticks usually take anywhere from 15 minutes to 30 minutes in hot water but summer takes longer maybe an hour or so. Then I put in ice cold water until IT temp comes down under 100. Then I wipe off and let air dry fro a couple of hours then they go into frig overnight. Come out great. I am in Minnesota so when it gets colder outside like now it beats smoking for 8-10 hours in the smoker.

[Sailor]

When I do snack stix I finish them in the smoker to an IT of 149 to 152.  On SS I will smoke them for 2 to 3 hours and then into a hot water bath.  Normally the IT is around the 120 degree area after my smoke.  It takes them about 20 to 30 min to come to 152 IT in the hot water bath.  If I would finish them in the smoker it would take at least another 4 to 5 hrs to get them up to temp. 

If this is your first time to do SS or snack stix please don't forget to put in 1 tsp cure #1 per 5 pounds of meat in your mix.

Good luck with your smoke.