Need Kielbasa help!!

dwaytkus · Jul 5, 2013

Ok so I have read so many posts I don't know what is the right process. I will be using pink curing salt and pre-packaged Kielbasi seasoning. Legg's Old Plantation.

So is my 1st step to debone the meat then add spices and cure and let sit overnight before stuffing and smoking? Do I add water?

Can someone give me a short detailed to the point how too?

Thanks,
Dan

s2k9k · Jul 5, 2013

I just did some with a Waltons mix. I deboned and cubed then almost froze to make it grind better, then ground, then added seasoning and cure and mixed very well, then stuffed. Now my timing was off so after the stuff I didn't have time to wait and smoke the same day so I left it stuffed in the fridge overnight and smoked the next day. You can mix then wait and stuff or stuff and wait. I have read a lot about the wait (cure) time and i found a post by Boykjo and he said "4 hours after adding cure is enough time", some will say you should wait overnight or 12 hours, I trust Boykjo!
I found the Leggs mix and it says 3lbs water for 1 package of mix in 25lbs of meat. (1lb of water = 8oz)

woodcutter · Jul 5, 2013

It is better to mix and wait and do a test fry before stuffing. If you find you need to add anything it would be too late. Flavors do change after seasonings have a little time to mingle. That being said if you have made a certain sausage before and never need to add anything grind season mix and stuff.

dwaytkus · Jul 5, 2013

Ok thanks for the quick response.

Here is my plan.
Cube meat tonight and mix seasoning, water and cure. I'm gonna let it sit overnight and stuff tomorrow. Then let it sit overnight and smoke next day.

If this sounds wrong let me know.

woodcutter · Jul 5, 2013

dwaytkus said:
Ok thanks for the quick response.

Here is my plan.
Cube meat tonight and mix seasoning, water and cure. I'm gonna let it sit overnight and stuff tomorrow. Then let it sit overnight and smoke next day.

If this sounds wrong let me know.

You wouldn't have to wait the extra day. You could grind and do a test fry in a frying pan on day 2 and if it tastes to your satisfaction you can stuff after that and let the casings air dry and then start smoking. It wouldn't hurt anything to wait but you wouldn't have to.

diggingdogfarm · Jul 5, 2013

There are several ways to do it.

I typically cube the meat and add the cure, salt, spices and water (if any) and hold it in the fridge overnight, not to cure necessarily, but to allow extra time for protein extraction for a really good bind.

To each his own.

~Martin

s2k9k · Jul 5, 2013

dwaytkus said:
Ok thanks for the quick response.

Here is my plan.
Cube meat tonight and mix seasoning, water and cure. I'm gonna let it sit overnight and stuff tomorrow. Then let it sit overnight and smoke next day.

If this sounds wrong let me know.

I don't see the grind step in here.

s2k9k · Jul 5, 2013

DiggingDogFarm said:
There are several ways to do it.

I typically cube the meat and add the cure, salt, spices and water (if any) and hold it in the fridge overnight, not to cure necessarily, but to allow extra time for protein extraction for a really good bind.

To each his own.

~Martin

Martin, do you hold it before grinding?

diggingdogfarm · Jul 5, 2013

Sorry, I should have been more clear (neighbor came to the door when I was posting.)
I hold it in the fridge at least overnight, then grind and stuff immediately.

~Martin

s2k9k · Jul 5, 2013

Thanks! I want to try different ways to see what I like best.

dwaytkus · Jul 5, 2013

Ok well i just cut all the meat off picnic shoulders. Added needed fat. Then I ground the meat. I then added seasoning and cure into water. Then I mixed it all into the ground meat and covered and put in fridge. Tomorrow I am going to grind again. Then I will do a fry test. If all is well i will then stuff into hog casings. I don't plan on smoking till Sunday morning so after stuffing i will let rest in fridge to dry casings out for the smoke the followup.g morning. I will post some pics.

jerseyhunter · Jul 8, 2013

Sounds like your doing it right. All you need to get now is some good mustard.

shannon127 · Jul 8, 2013

dwaytkus said:
Ok so I have read so many posts I don't know what is the right process. I will be using pink curing salt and pre-packaged Kielbasi seasoning. Legg's Old Plantation.

So is my 1st step to debone the meat then add spices and cure and let sit overnight before stuffing and smoking? Do I add water?

Can someone give me a short detailed to the point how too?

Thanks,
Dan

Dan,

As others said it really is a matter of preference. You will be fine the way you did it, or any other way that was mentioned here. At the risk of further confusing you, here is how I do it.

No prepackaged mix needed. Kielbasa is one of the simplest recipes out there. Here is a link to my recipe and process.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/129813/kielbasa-start-to-finish-for-chef-jimmy

I cut the meat from the bone then cube the meat. I add the cure and spices and refrigerate overnight. The next day I grind then add the water as I mix right before stuffing. I think it makes stuffing easier and give a better bind. Just my opinion.

dwaytkus · Jul 12, 2013

Well here is an update on the kielbasa. I'm really disapointed! The finished product is grainy and somewhat dry. This is very confusing because I went strong on the fat content and when checking it in the smoker you could see it was very moist inside. Any suggeations?
Here are some pics.

shannon127 · Jul 12, 2013

How many times did you grind and what size plate? Was the meat sticky after you mixed prior to stuffing? What temperature and for how long did you smoke them? While smoking did the kielbasa look like it was oozing fat?

reinhard · Jul 13, 2013

I have the same questions as Shannon does. The meat mix certainly looks like there is enough fat content. I wonder if the links were put in the smoker still wet and not allowed to dry, because of the lack of color? What temp was the sausage in the smoker in the begining and what was the finishing temp. What was the internal temp when pulled? When was smoke initiated and for how long? Reinhard

dwaytkus · Jul 13, 2013

The smoker was set to 150 degrees and they smoked for 3 1/2 hours untill internal temp was 155 degrees. I ground the meat once through coarse and once thru. fine plate and yes the meat was very sticky and took forever to stuff with grinder.

s2k9k · Jul 13, 2013

Did you give them an ice bath or cold shower when they came out of the smoker?

Just reaching here guys, but wondering if they kept cooking and got overcooked.

woodcutter · Jul 13, 2013

I agree with Reinhard on the color, it looks like they were put in the smoker not dry or they were cold and put a warmed up smoker and condensation formed on them. The dry grainy texture sounds like sausage that was smoked too hot. If your smoker was at 150 the internal sausage temp wouldn't have gone to 155. What did you use for measuring the temperatures?

dwaytkus · Jul 13, 2013

Sorry i forgot to say i bumped the temperature up slowly as they cooked to 180. I did not gve them a cold shower when done i put them in the fridge. As far as dry when put in i had them in the fridge overnight to dry. Maybe the meat keot cooking???

Need Kielbasa help!!

Smoke Blower

AMNPS Test Group

Master of the Pit

Smoke Blower

Master of the Pit

Master of the Pit

AMNPS Test Group

AMNPS Test Group

Master of the Pit

AMNPS Test Group

Smoke Blower

Smoking Fanatic

Smoking Fanatic

Smoke Blower

Smoking Fanatic

Master of the Pit

Smoke Blower

AMNPS Test Group

Master of the Pit

Smoke Blower

Similar threads

Hot Threads