Recent content by bjgarwood

I hear ya crankybuzzard.  Been smoking meat for years but got bit by the bug for curing meat a couple years ago.  Started with bacon and moved to sausage.  This was my first fermented type though. I always take meticulous notes on the recipe conversion, the actual recipe used and notes for...

I'll be curious to see how the ss tastes after about a week.  But for that, my first attempt is in the books and I have to put it in the win column.  The recipe I used was pretty good and I've made note for a couple changes.  Not the least of which came from cranky buzzard on a better ratio for...

Hey Fog My middle boy is living in London for a couple years. If my jalapeño cheese summer sausage turns out fit to eat I'm fixin to smuggle him a chub. I'm sure he will arrange a sampling if y'all are anywhere near each other. Fingers crossed.

No Blaise I wasn't offended. Just read my reply to you again and it did seem a little terse. That was my bad writing, not bad attitude. Sorry. I thought about canned jalapeños because fresh tend to be inconsistent but for me, sausage recipes are more of a journey than a destination. Thanks for...

Yeah Blaise I've read that too. The reality is I'm only willing to get into the microbiology up to a point. My personal tolerance level is that I don't measure the pH. My ss will never be kept at room temperature for extended periods. It will be frozen or refrigerated 99.9% of the time. It'll...

Sorry LondonFog, I meant to give you a little more explanation of the fermentation than I did.  The fermentation creates lactic acid which lowers the ph.  The goal is to get the ph around 4.8-5.  This acidic environment is not conducive to bacterial growth.  The tang is a by-product of the...

Actually the fermentation goes a step beyond curing salt for preservation.  If you've ever noticed the summer sausages in the store don't need refrigeration, fermentation is the reason.  They can be stored a long time at room temperature.  Most of the recipes I've seen also include the curing...

Thanks for the responses fellas.  I should have mentioned before that these are fermented but will be smoked.  Like I said, searching recipes they're all over the place.  I had seen everywhere from one jalapeno per pound seeded, to one per 5# seeds and all.  I should have probably gone with a %...

You're right of course.  Obviously the fermentation time would not increase.  In any case I was just fretting about the process since I think the jalapenos will impact it and I have never seen anything that addressed the process with this variable.  I'm thinking if I use the same process it...

I'm fixin to make my first summer sausage.  There are many recipes and it's hard to know where to start.  Common sense says do small batches to tweak the recipe before doing larger batches.  Never been accused of having any common sense so I'm doing a 25 lb batch.  Jalapeno and cheese ratios are...

I like the Syracuse as well.  I have struggled with loading the horn as well.  I use a technique similar to Blaise trickling water through the horn Except I use olive oil.  To begin I pour some olive oil between the casing and the plastic tube.  I stick the end of the plastic tube into the tube...

I'm BJ from McKinney, TX.  Been lurking around here for awhile and thoroughly enjoy the information from all the experience in here.  I use a Dynaglo vertical offset smoker.  Previously used barrel type offset.   I cure and smoke bacon and make my own sausage.  Fixin to kick off my first...