Habanero Cheese Deer Sausage

[STLstyle]

If you saw my earlier post, I was concerned with the timeframe this batch of sausage took to get done.  Thanks for your posts and opinions on whether I should eat.  I don't want to get my family sick, and I'm not sure how long cure #1 protects against food poisoning during low temperatures.  This cook took just over 16 hours to complete. 

I started at 130 for one hour - drying
150 - two hours hickory smoke
170- two hours apple smoke
Continued at 170 for many hours, then 175, then ultimately 180 to complete the cook.

I had my PID temp gauge at the bottom of the smoker level with the lowest portion of the sausage links.  I'm open for opinions on how or why this cook took the extended period of time to complete.  I'm also interested on how long a 8-10lb batch normally takes.   

Here are the Pics:








Thanks for looking and helping out a novice sausage maker!

Last note:  I don't want to get my family sick, so that being said, they can't eat it until if they see if the pitmaster gets sick.  I ate some and it is delicious!!!   ;)

Thanks!
Nick

[Keymaster]

Same thing happened to me once, cant remember if I ate it or not. Looks like you did a fine job :)

[devo]

OK first I have to ask what where you using to measure IT? If you where going by the meat probe from the Pid controller I would bet you where done cooking them long before you thought. I always use a thermapen from www.thermoworks.com. to get my IT.

Now the longest it has taken me is just over 10 hours for 10 + lbs.

[STLstyle]

Thanks Devo.  I have a PID, maverick, and a thermapen.  Used all 3 on this cook trying to find 1 that would read 152! 

[Sailor]

STLstyle, I don't have a clue as to why it took 16 hrs to do 8 1/2 pounds.  That is a very long time.  When I do SS I do 10 pound batches in the OBS and normally they reach 152 in about 8 to 10 hours.  Granted that I have a fan installed that I am sure helps with the time.  I note that you dry at 130 which is what I do.  However you go up to 150 then to 170 after 2 hrs each.  My method is to increase 10 degrees every 2 hrs.  Which way is right?  I don't know, I just know that I have had very good luck with the way I have been doing it.  Another thing that I note is the position where you have your temp probe.  I hang my temp probe at the top about 1/4 down from the top of the chubs.  I have done 20 pound loads of chubs in the OBS and they seem to get done within 10 hours also. 

As with butts and brisket there is a stall with summer sausage.  Could it be that the deer meat that you were using was just plain stubbren?  Perhaps!  Given the rule to allow 1.5 hrs of cook time for a butt or brisket that is 12.75 hrs and you are bringing that IT to 180-200 depending.  So 16 hrs for SS seems to be way out of line somewhere.  I just don't have a good answer for your question.  Sorry about the rambling.

[Piker]

I regularly do 10 lb. of s.s. at a time in the winter but I do it in the oven. I start at 150F as low as it will go. I stay there until it stalls and then slowly raise it until !70F to finish. The last one that was 6 in.by 24 in. took about 10/1/2 hrs to finish and turned out excellent. Thks Piker

[Waltz]

Are you still there STLstyle? I am pleased your sausage turned out well and hope it hasn't poisoned you. Your original post seemed to get hijacked by two old guys taking shots at each other :)

[Sailor]

Are you still there STLstyle? I am pleased your sausage turned out well and hope it hasn't poisoned you. Your original post seemed to get hijacked by two old guys taking shots at each other :)

I am sorry for hijacking this tread for what I am about to say but this has really been eating on me.  So please forgive me.  1st of all one of the "old" guys post photos of his smokes and has a wealth of information regarding sausage making.  He shares his knowledge freely and will help anyone that asks.  He shares his recipes when asked.  He posts his photos of how he making his sausage.  I know this "old" guy knows how to make sausage!  On the other hand the other "old" guy as far as I know has never posted a photo of any of his cooks.  I even went back to when he first started to post and after looking at months and months of posts I never came across one photo.  Got tired of scrolling and stopped looking so there maybe a photo post and I never saw it.  Does this "old" guy know how to make sausage?  I don't know but I have never seen any proof that he has made one link.  As 10.5 says "No photos, never happened".

I guess it is up to each reader to determine who has credibility when it comes to sausage making.   There, I got it off my chest and I feel better.

Again I apologize for highjacking this thread. 

[STLstyle]

Thanks for everyone's posts.  Waltz, I'm doing fine so far!  The sausage is vac sealed and in the freezer now, but I have decided to toss this batch b/c as stated it's not worth getting anyone sick for a batch of sausage.  I just don't feel comfortable letting anyone eat it.

I appreciate everyone's opinion and look forward to "successful" sausage runs in the near future.

I plan to water bath a batch to see if I like that method.  I'm also considering a fan mod as well. 

I'm gonna do a water test all my temp probes as well to make sure everything is up to snuff.

Thanks!

[Waltz]

I am pleased no one got sick. I always try to eat my failures but sometimes you have to just cut your losses and learn from what went wrong. I am currently making soup from some ribs I tried to brine but over did the time on so they are way too salty. Maybe the soup will end up being thrown away but by the time I add some pulses and potatoes I am hoping it will be edible - even if not wonderful.
Good luck with your future sausage making.

[Habanero Smoker]

Are you still there STLstyle? I am pleased your sausage turned out well and hope it hasn't poisoned you. Your original post seemed to get hijacked by two old guys taking shots at each other :)

I am sorry for hijacking this tread for what I am about to say but this has really been eating on me.  So please forgive me.  1st of all one of the "old" guys post photos of his smokes and has a wealth of information regarding sausage making.  He shares his knowledge freely and will help anyone that asks.  He shares his recipes when asked.  He posts his photos of how he making his sausage.  I know this "old" guy knows how to make sausage!  On the other hand the other "old" guy as far as I know has never posted a photo of any of his cooks.  I even went back to when he first started to post and after looking at months and months of posts I never came across one photo.  Got tired of scrolling and stopped looking so there maybe a photo post and I never saw it.  Does this "old" guy know how to make sausage?  I don't know but I have never seen any proof that he has made one link.  As 10.5 says "No photos, never happened".

I guess it is up to each reader to determine who has credibility when it comes to sausage making.   There, I got it off my chest and I feel better.

Again I apologize for highjacking this thread.

Responded to you by PM.