1st time smoking sausages

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From the company i purchased the phosphate from.
There’s wiggle room, though. The more you use, the more it goes from juicy to bouncy to rubbery, so you may need to experiment with your particular meat mix, but I’d start with about 1%, then adjust up or down. By weight, that’s 4.5 grams per pound. That can be hard to weigh precisely. I would think you’re working in larger batches, and with five pounds or more of meat, you should be able to use volumetric measures, like teaspoons. I can get you a volumetric measure this afternoon if you let me know your batch size.

Also, you will need to add some water so it can be held by the phosphate...a lot of people miss this step.
4.5 grams+ 1Teaspoon?
 
Hi NO more pre mixes for me.:emoji_astonished:
Thanks Dan

Did u happen to do a fry test after mixing before you stuffed them?

Unless it's your own recipe or a tried and true one, a fry test is basically mandatory.
Pre-mixes or online sausage seasoning recipes are almost guaranteed to be off in some form or fashion. You catch it in the fry test and adjust.

Often with pre-mixes they are TOO salty. Often with online or shared recipes they are TOO bland. It's crazy! Just gotta test and modify and then get fat and happy enjoying the great sausage :)
 
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Hi I didn't fry test..Don't know why because I usually do it. Well as least I got my feet wet into smoking sausage.Next time can't be as bad.
Thanks Dan

It happens, usually when we deviate like the one time from the normal process hahaha.
You'll get it figured out :)
 
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I use pre mixed sausage seasonings from TheSausage Maker, they are a bit on the bland side if you use the amount they recommend, but I always add about 1/3 more than the recipe calls for & they are great. I think they are afraid if they increase the amounts that folks will say they are too strong. But the flavor profile is right on. You have to adjust to your own taste.
Al
 
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I use pre mixed sausage seasonings from TheSausage Maker, they are a bit on the bland side if you use the amount they recommend, but I always add about 1/3 more than the recipe calls for & they are great. I think they are afraid if they increase the amounts that folks will say they are too strong. But the flavor profile is right on. You have to adjust to your own taste.
Al
OK Thanks I'll add more next time, but WHAT made them soo hard?
Dan
 
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HI All Thanks for All the information..My goal here was to make some thing like Texas smoked sausages, where the casing snap and the juices come running out. I used the mixes because I didn't want to add any more spices to the ones I already have.
In my fresh Italian sausages I did use NFDM..I was under the impression that the phosphate should have worked out better.

Well all is not lost, at least I got my feet into smoked sausage.Next time I should be much better results.
Last question could the sausages got soo hard because my smoking temps were too high..They did reach 155 in under 2 hrs. My pellet smoker was set for 180 ,but the probe on grate was reading 200* at times.
Thanks Again
PS Just picked up a 12 lb packer from Sam's..I should now have enough fat for my next try at smoked sausages.
 
HI All Thanks for All the information..My goal here was to make some thing like Texas smoked sausages, where the casing snap and the juices come running out. I used the mixes because I didn't want to add any more spices to the ones I already have.
In my fresh Italian sausages I did use NFDM..I was under the impression that the phosphate should have worked out better.

Well all is not lost, at least I got my feet into smoked sausage.Next time I should be much better results.
Last question could the sausages got soo hard because my smoking temps were too high..They did reach 155 in under 2 hrs. My pellet smoker was set for 180 ,but the probe on grate was reading 200* at times.
Thanks Again
PS Just picked up a 12 lb packer from Sam's..I should now have enough fat for my next try at smoked sausages.

Yeah your temp was too hot. The cooking sausage part of the whole sausage process is that u start at like 100F for 1 hour then bump up 20 degrees every hour until you get to like 170F and then do go over 170F unless doing wild pork or bear then u want to go to 180F and make internal temp of sausage hit 165F to kill micro nasties.

YOu may have a hard time on your pellet grill if it cant go low enough. Same issue with making bacon.
 
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Dan my opinion is it's hard to do small batches from a pre mix .
I just made the Texas hot link from Marianski's web site / book . It's a fresh link , but I added the proper amount of cure 1 and NFDM . Cured over night and smoked the next day . That's a good one .
Here's the link if you need it . Middle column . About five from the bottom .
Hi Looks like good recipe. How big of a batch did you make...I have 3 lbs each of pork butt and brisket trimmings.
Question What % of cure & NFDM should I be using for my 3 lb batches?
Thanks Dan
 
Hi Looks like good recipe. How big of a batch did you make...I have 3 lbs each of pork butt and brisket trimmings.
Question What % of cure & NFDM should I be using for my 3 lb batches?
Thanks Dan
Dan , I did 2 1/2 pounds . That recipe is good . Great as a grilling sausage also .
I used 2.5 grams of cure 1 or a 1/2 tsp for the 2 1/2 pound batch .
I used all pork . I don't weigh the lean to fat ratio , I just grind the butts and figure that gets me close to 80 / 20 . I add all the seasonings and mix .
I measure out the liquid and milk powder and add a little at a time . Mixing until it comes together / gets sticky . Sometimes I use all the liquid , other times I don't . Just depends on the fat . Same with the milk powder .
So I add some liquid , add some milk powder and mix . Still to loose I add some more . Binds together / gets sticky I stop .
Had some last night . Its really good .
20201028_164422.jpg
 
Dan my opinion is it's hard to do small batches from a pre mix .
I just made the Texas hot link from Marianski's web site / book . It's a fresh link , but I added the proper amount of cure 1 and NFDM . Cured over night and smoked the next day . That's a good one .
Here's the link if you need it . Middle column . About five from the bottom .

Hi All I copied that recipe and going with it..Going to make a few changes to it. I'm not too crazy about the heat it has.
This recipe is for 2.2 lbs I'm going to have to bring it up some for my 3 lbs Pork on the left. I did a coarse grind with both. Would this recipe also be good for beef?
NFDM 1360 x 2%= 0.0272=5 Teaspoons??
Thanks Dan
IMG_20201112_135357562.jpg
 
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I measure out the liquid and milk powder and add a little at a time . Mixing until it comes together / gets sticky . Sometimes I use all the liquid , other times I don't . Just depends on the fat . Same with the milk powder .
This is just how I do it , because my opinion is the ratio of fat in the mix plays into it .
5 TBLS sounds like a good number .
 
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Dan , I did 2 1/2 pounds . That recipe is good . Great as a grilling sausage also .
I used 2.5 grams of cure 1 or a 1/2 tsp for the 2 1/2 pound batch .
I used all pork . I don't weigh the lean to fat ratio , I just grind the butts and figure that gets me close to 80 / 20 . I add all the seasonings and mix .
I measure out the liquid and milk powder and add a little at a time . Mixing until it comes together / gets sticky . Sometimes I use all the liquid , other times I don't . Just depends on the fat . Same with the milk powder .
So I add some liquid , add some milk powder and mix . Still to loose I add some more . Binds together / gets sticky I stop .
Had some last night . Its really good .
View attachment 470469
Hi Can I use just plain old mustard instead of the seeds?
Thanks Dan
 
Dan, I do lots of small batches and no way I would be without a scale. Waaay too much room for error. Pick up a $10 gram scale on Amazon or Ebay. TSM mixes were very bland and disappointing to me. I see others have posted similar findings but do not give on mixes. I really like AC Leggs I've used and just got some Owens. chopsaw chopsaw Rich is helping me dial my sausage in and turned me onto NFDM. I used STPP previously and like you was not really impressed with it on sausage. Have not made any Texas "hot gut" style sausage but have researched plenty and these are hot and fast cook smokes not "smoked sausage" smokes where you ramp temps like kielbasa etc.
 
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n
Dan, I do lots of small batches and no way I would be without a scale. Waaay too much room for error. Pick up a $10 gram scale on Amazon or Ebay. TSM mixes were very bland and disappointing to me. I see others have posted similar findings but do not give on mixes. I really like AC Leggs I've used and just got some Owens. chopsaw chopsaw Rich is helping me dial my sausage in and turned me onto NFDM. I used STPP previously and like you was not really impressed with it on sausage. Have not made any Texas "hot gut" style sausage but have researched plenty and these are hot and fast cook smokes not "smoked sausage" smokes where you ramp temps like kielbasa etc.
Hi I'm going to use what I left have over from the premix beef that I tried the 1st time. Also doing a taste test before adding more.
Thanks Dan
 
Hi All I just finished mixing the 3 lbs of beef with the premix I used the 1st time..Did a taste test was nice and juicy.The taste was just OK much better then the 1st time, So I kick it up a bit with coriander , black & red pepper flakes..I'm giving the phosphate another try with just this one. I used 2 teaspoons..Tomorrow I will try and locate mustard seeds, and season the 3 lbs of pork. I will be using NFDM instead of the phosphate.
Once the cure is in the ground up meat and in the fridge, I can wait awhile before stuffing?
Thanks Dan
PS How do I get to post smaller pics?
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IMG_20201113_153845461[1].jpg
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