Since I have been consuming heroic amounts of red meat since embarking on this smoking journey this year, I decided to try some cured chicken sausage. I used a basic recipe that I used last weekend and just used chicken thighs in lieu of the pork butt. Poor planning (OK I just plain forgot) forced an ad-lib on the casings. When I went to stuff it I realized I had not prepped the hog casings. I had some 19mm collagen and used that instead.
Ground using the coarse plate and mixed with cure and seasonings
After stuffing. I need to work on my stuffing skills. I purchased a 5lb vertical stuffer, but I not sure if the attachment was the right size for the casing. I managed to get some casing on the smallest tube and get out some ropes. I had one blowout but I think I will have better luck next time. I was starting to get the hand of it.
Napped them in the refer overnight and took them out for a bit this am for some drying and then into the #2.
Did 2 hours at 120 no smoke then loaded up the AMNPS with some hickory and cherry dust.
Then went 1 hour each at 135*, 150*, 165*, then 175* until IT of 165*. I am still new at this sausage stuff and this was chicken too so I wanted to take it a little higher on the IT.
I was pleasantly surprised at how sausagey this tastes and how moist it is. I did add a bit of EEOV since I was worried about it being dry. I used straight chicken thighs with no extra fat of any kind. Of course, I left what fat there was on the thighs when I ground it up. I thought about adding some smoltz but went with EEOV.
I liked these enough to consider doing these snack stick style.
Maybe some of you sausage experts can help me out. I'd like to make a snack stick that can survive at room temp in a vacuum sealed bag. I travel a ton during the week and would like to stash some in my bag for snacks. Any advice?
Ground using the coarse plate and mixed with cure and seasonings
After stuffing. I need to work on my stuffing skills. I purchased a 5lb vertical stuffer, but I not sure if the attachment was the right size for the casing. I managed to get some casing on the smallest tube and get out some ropes. I had one blowout but I think I will have better luck next time. I was starting to get the hand of it.
Napped them in the refer overnight and took them out for a bit this am for some drying and then into the #2.
Did 2 hours at 120 no smoke then loaded up the AMNPS with some hickory and cherry dust.
Then went 1 hour each at 135*, 150*, 165*, then 175* until IT of 165*. I am still new at this sausage stuff and this was chicken too so I wanted to take it a little higher on the IT.
I was pleasantly surprised at how sausagey this tastes and how moist it is. I did add a bit of EEOV since I was worried about it being dry. I used straight chicken thighs with no extra fat of any kind. Of course, I left what fat there was on the thighs when I ground it up. I thought about adding some smoltz but went with EEOV.
I liked these enough to consider doing these snack stick style.
Maybe some of you sausage experts can help me out. I'd like to make a snack stick that can survive at room temp in a vacuum sealed bag. I travel a ton during the week and would like to stash some in my bag for snacks. Any advice?
