Bear summer sausage

[fireman81]

Looking to make some summer sausage with the bear I got this year, need a little help with what temp I should have the smoker at, the internal temp I should be looking for. Also should I add beef or pork to this?

 

[mossymo]

I like making summer sausage with 2/3rds red meat to 1/3rd fairly lean pork. For cooking I like just setting in the smoker to dry at 100º for the first hour, then bump to 130º adding smoke for a couple more hours and then bump it to 170º (I never go higher than 190º) to an interanl meat temp of 155º. Immediately when the summer sausage is remove I give it an ice filled cold water to stop internal cooking and prevent casing from shriveling.

I do have the following summer sausage seasoning flavors available if your interested at the link in my signature.
- Summer Sausage
- Cajun Summer Sausage
- Cervelat Summer Sausage
- Garlic Summer Sausage
- Jalapeño Summer Sausage
- North Country Summer Sausage

 

[fireman81]

Thanks mossy, how long would you say that I will have to have it in the smoker? 4-5 hours?

 

[mossymo]

Thanks mossy, how long would you say that I will have to have it in the smoker? 4-5 hours?

How long it takes really depends on the size casing you use and the temp it is cooked at. Keeping temps low reduces the chance of rendering the fat and drying out the product. Typically for summer sausage I use a 2 3/8" casing and it will be 8 plus hours to get to 155º.

 

[murraysmokin]

Curious what ratio of bear are you using for your red meat?

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Shoot for a 70/30 or 75/25 ratio of well trimmed bear to pork. My uncle hunts bear and he uses 75% bear to 25% pork butt. You probably could even go to 80/20 as bear is fairly greasy even with the fat trimmed off.

 

[fireman81]

I was thinking 70% bear w/30% pork.   I have read a little bit about it and that's what most people were doing.

 

[mowin]

I've never made bear SS, however, I've made bear sausage, and i used 70-30 mix.

 

[fireman81]

Im guessing you used pork?

 

[mowin]

Yes, pork. Sorry, should have added that tidbit of info. Lol.

I separate every muscle of the bear and remove all fat, and as much silver skin as possible.

I use pork shoulders as they have a good mix of meat to fat.

 

[fireman81]

Thanks for your help.   

 

[mossymo]

I was thinking 70% bear w/30% pork.

That sure is close to my 67% red meat w/ 33% pork suggestion... :icon_biggrin:

 

[crankybuzzard]

I have no clue how to make it, but I want to try it really bad!

 

[murraysmokin]

I have no clue how to make it, but I want to try it really bad!

Me too. I have a friend who reserved some bear for me I was thinking some mushroom swiss brats or cheddar jalapeño summer. I like the 70/30 mix ratio just gotta find the time now.

 

[Dr. Prepper]

I like making summer sausage with 2/3rds red meat to 1/3rd fairly lean pork. For cooking I like just setting in the smoker to dry at 100º for the first hour, then bump to 130º adding smoke for a couple more hours and then bump it to 170º (I never go higher than 190º) to an interanl meat temp of 155º. Immediately when the summer sausage is remove I give it an ice filled cold water to stop internal cooking and prevent casing from shriveling.

I do have the following summer sausage seasoning flavors available if your interested at the link in my signature.
- Summer Sausage
- Cajun Summer Sausage
- Cervelat Summer Sausage
- Garlic Summer Sausage
- Jalapeño Summer Sausage
- North Country Summer Sausage

Hello Mossymo:

I read that the government advises bear meat to be cooked to 160 to kill any trichinosis and salmonella, but you only cook yours to 155.

Did I get bad info?

 

[mossymo]

We haven't done any meat processing with bear so I am not the expert there, 155 is what we do for venison, buffalo, and elk. I have heard of bear needing an internal temp of 160 as well and that is what I would go with to be on the safe side.

 

[barefooter]

Im gong to making Bear SS this weekend im going to cook IT to 165° and going to use bacon as my filler pork (from a you-tube video so going to try it)
Making it for the first time so only doing a small run 5lbs bear meat 1.5lbs bacon
Using Hi-Mountain SS seasonings

 

[Dr. Prepper]

Im gong to making Bear SS this weekend im going to cook IT to 165° and going to use bacon as my filler pork (from a you-tube video so going to try it)
Making it for the first time so only doing a small run 5lbs bear meat 1.5lbs bacon
Using Hi-Mountain SS seasonings

For my bear as, I made 3 mistakes:

1) Used the fine grinding plate, which resulted in a softer texture than desired;

2) used 1lb tubes, which coupled with the higher smoking temps for bear, resulted in drying out the ss, despite the softer texture; it tasted over smoked;

3) Initially undercooked. Threw it in oven a couple days later and cooked to 170. This firmed up the texture, but added to the dryness problem, and still left an oversmoked taste.

Next time I will only use medium grinding plate, 3lb tubes, and smoke for 3 hours, and finish in oven to 165.

 

[barefooter]

When i got my Bear i ground all scraps with medium grinding plate and vacuum sealed in
5 lbs

Im going to use 1 1/2 lbs tube from LEM

Going to use the Smoker for a few hrs then the oven to finish off for IT 165°. Up here in WI its -10°, so the smoking is going to be working hard this weekend with temps in the low 20's