Old Faithful sausage recipe wanted

[Habanero Smoker]

I can help answer a couple of your questions.

Any unused casings can be repacked in salt; just make sure it is free of any food material. As for the amount of casing I usually use 32mm - 35mm and it would take about 20 feet of casing for 10 pounds. Depending on how I stuff I may have 6" to 18" of casing left. So that should give you an idea for a guesstimate.

As for testing the internal temperature you can stick a probe in one piece at the beginning of the smoke to monitor the internal temperature, but even rotating the rack all sausage is not going to cook evenly. I generally test at least one sausage (generally two on each tray). The best way is to get a good digital instant read thermometer, they are much thinner then the meat probes.

[Mr Walleye]

Habs has most of your questions answered. I hang my sausage in the smoker and depending on the size of the load I would say a total time of 8 to 10 hours to reach 152 degrees. At least that is a ball park number that I will go by.

Good luck & keep us posted.

Mike

[Oldman]

have made it 100 % pork as Pensrock states and although very good, it's a little too "hammy" (not sure that's a word) tasting for me.

I would bet that is because you are using a cure. When we make it we do not use any cure.

While I have done a couple of sausages in the Bradley, I'm not happy when I compair that to the way my Grandfather taught me. This is not to say it is the Bradley unit itself. It is more than likely partly operator error. But I also think that the oak from Bradley does not give the type of flavoring of the  live oak we have here. (There are many types of oak.)

One day my promise to my Mother that I would not share our family recipe while she was alive will pass. This recipe came from Poland when my Grandfather came to this country (around 1915.) I've seen many recipes for KIELBASA but none of them are anything like my Grandfather's--not by any stretch of the imagination.

At times when I read some of these "KIELBASA" recipes it reminds me of someone going to the store to buy a coke, when they are really talking about an orange soda.

Someday I will be able to share our family recipe.

Mr Walleye that is some fine looking sausage you have there.
Olds