Deer Sausage 101??

[smokindw]

Hi guys and gals just looking for some helpful hints and tidbits on the do's and don'ts of making and smoking of venison sausage. Now before i start i did do a lot of research on mostly this forum and others.  Just getting ready to start my 1st quest into the sausage making realm this weekend and really was hoping to hear from the pros how to and what not to do! I have a bradley digital 4 rack with auber so as far as temps go i will be alright but what are some suggestions on how long and what diff temps? Im planning on using the Special blend as i really love that Smokey flavor unless others have reasons why to use any other smoke instead? Like i said before i really am excited to do this smokeout but am nervous about screwing up and wasting any venison as i respect what i shoot! so any hotlinks to recipes and procedures would be cool also and please not the sticky link as i already have that saved!
Thanks Dann

[renoman]

Just make sure your Bradley is working properly before you start. There is nothing more depressing than getting everything ground and stuffed only to find out you have no heat or your pucks won't advance.

[smokindw]

LOL ya its definitely working ive done round 60lbs of Cooper White AMERICAN, 20lbs of revved up pistachio's and prob around 15lbs of deer jerky in the past week! Getting ready for the holidays! But thanks for the heads up lol

[watchdog56]

Get your sausage to room temp before putting in smoker. Usually 1 hour on counter will work just make sure you put cure in the mix.
Preheat smoker to 150 for about an hour then down to 130 for 1 hour and bump 10 degree every 1-2 hours. Make sure you don't go over 175 on your smoker. Pull sausage around 150-155 IT. I usually use oak for my smoke with venison. Have tried hickory but I like the oak better. Good Luck.

[smokindw]

Thanks watchdog56 for the info now once the internal temp gets to the 155 mark do you use cold water or ice to stop the cooking?

[smokindw]

And also if some people could chime in on alternative ways to fully cook the sausage instead of doing it in the smoker?

[renoman]

Finish it in a water bath. Preferably a Sous Vide style bath.

[watchdog56]

I usually put it in ice water to get temp around 100 then let it hang for a couple of hours. Also I was told (and do) put in brown bag and in frig overnight then cut up. I was told it was on old secret given to a member here by someone else. Seems to work well.

[manfromplaid]

I just got my anova sous vide water heater  looking forward to trying it out

[Salmonsmoker]

I just got my anova sous vide water heater  looking forward to trying it out

I've had mine since last summer and there it sits, still new, in the box. What's up with that?

[manfromplaid]

have 15 lbs of snack sticks in the smoker all done in 21 mm collegen casing. has anyone tried to finish something like this in a water bath. could I put the casing in the water or does it need to be in a bag?

[renoman]

have 15 lbs of snack sticks in the smoker all done in 21 mm collegen casing. has anyone tried to finish something like this in a water bath. could I put the casing in the water or does it need to be in a bag?

I put my sausages directly in the water. Says NOT to do that but there is nothing on the circulator that can't be cleaned so I just put em in the water. Although I have not done it with snack sticks

[watchdog56]

The brown bag is for frog only. Do not put in water bath,I would imagine it will just get soaked.

[Habanero Smoker]

have 15 lbs of snack sticks in the smoker all done in 21 mm collegen casing. has anyone tried to finish something like this in a water bath. could I put the casing in the water or does it need to be in a bag?

I put my sausages directly in the water. Says NOT to do that but there is nothing on the circulator that can't be cleaned so I just put em in the water. Although I have not done it with snack sticks

You are fortunate. I have the Sansaire Circulator, and that model also recommends not to do that. Looking at both models the Anova looks like it is much easier to clean then the Sansaire, and the newer Anova models have a lot more bells & whistles.

[renoman]

have 15 lbs of snack sticks in the smoker all done in 21 mm collegen casing. has anyone tried to finish something like this in a water bath. could I put the casing in the water or does it need to be in a bag?

I put my sausages directly in the water. Says NOT to do that but there is nothing on the circulator that can't be cleaned so I just put em in the water. Although I have not done it with snack sticks

You are fortunate. I have the Sansaire Circulator, and that model also recommends not to do that. Looking at both models the Anova looks like it is much easier to clean then the Sansaire, and the newer Anova models have a lot more bells & whistles.

So Habs I have a question for you. You know how cooking Sous Vide lets you bring the minimum temp of your finished meat down because it is held for a long period of time. For example poultry should be cooked to 165-170 but you can cook chicken breasts to 140 Sous Vide if you hold them there for 1-1/2 hrs. Would the same not hold true for finishing your sausage. Just put them in the Sous Vide and hold them at say 140 (or whatever the temp would be) for say 3 or more hrs before cooling. It would sure make it easy to not screw things up as far as over cooking them or standing guard over them.