It's Wild Hog Sausage Day!

[indaswamp]

I case my sausage using a stuffer. I set up on an island in the kitchen. I measure from the tip of the stuffer horn to the edge of the island and slide the stuffer so it is 24" from the edge. As I stuff a casing, I just stretch it out straight and if it's not long enough, just fill some more. When it's long enough, I pull extra casing off the horn and cut, tie. Easy Pease. It actually went faster than I thought to stuff all 60# of loops.

 

[indaswamp]

Got the links loaded up in the smokehouse to bloom. Love the cold weather! It's 42 outside-perfect for blooming!

I set the link on the lowest rack to check the spacing. Good to go!

that's 60# of sausage on 4 poles. About 15# per pole. Loops are the way to go for my smokehouse. I started off alternating 8 and 7 but still had a couple links left over I needed to hang. Had enough room to spread the links out to the sides and go 9 and 8. Perfect. I also expect the links to sag a little which will increase the air space between the links.

Need to practice with length, some were a little long. Surprisingly, I only had 1 blowout with the new casings. I like the loops because I can fill them up and not worry about busting them when I twist links. Gives me a full link without guessing. I like it.

Once I get the links the correct length, I definitely will be able to smoke 120# of sausage using the top 2 racks, which is what I was shooting for when I built it.

Moved the links to the top rack and snapped a pic from the bottom looking up. Good spacing.

 

[indaswamp]

Couple of small dia. links are from left-over casing from the previous sausage project. Next time I'll save those for making fresh sausages. The new casing is a large dia.; almost 1 1/2"... Gonna be some fat links!

I'll let the links bloom for 4~6 hours, then I'll fire up the smokehouse tonight while the temp. is cold. Much better draft and smoke with low temps in the 20's. Been waiting for a day like this since I built the smokehouse.:)

 

[indaswamp]

Checked the weather for tonight, low of 26* with Relative Humidity 52~74%. Perfect.

 

[indaswamp]

Started the smoke @6:30pm. Want to get at least 8 hours of smoke on them before I finish.

Using Pecan and Hickory pellets.

 

[indaswamp]

Correction- Pellicle, not bloom.

4 hours in and INT is @ 100*. Just bumped the smokehouse temp up to 130* for about an hour. Should have snapped a pic. when I opened the door to check to wood. I'll need to add more in about an hour so I'll snap one then.

 

[indaswamp]

Looking Good. INT @109*; added wood and bumped the temp. up to 140*...

 

[indaswamp]

INT@144*, just bumped the temp. to 170* to push the INT to 154*. Should be pulling the links off in about an hour or so...

 

[indaswamp]

FYI,
Trichinella Fact Sheet:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/trichinae/docs/fact_sheet.htm

 

[indaswamp]

Pulled 'em @ 4:45am. Took roughly 10 hours, little longer than I expected but I did have one propane burner blow out from a gust of wind so that set me back about an hour. Got 'em soaking in cold water. I'll put them on ice in a bit, then I'm gonna crash. I'll post pics. of the final results later today. The sample link I ate was delicious though!

 

[indaswamp]

Pic. before I pulled 'em...

I had a slight temp. spike to 177* when the INT was around 140*. I think it caused a minor fat out as I could see a sheen on the links. Sausage is still great though. I was checking the smokehouse every 15 min. going in and out. Too cold to stay outside and watch it. LOL! I need to get one of those remote temp. monitors!

 

[indaswamp]

Money Shot...

Don't know how many packages I vacuum sealed, but the entire bottom tray of one freezer is full now.

 

[indaswamp]

wow!!looks so amazing!

Thanks. This batch of wild hog sausage is so mild, I can't tell it's wild. Tastes like domestic pork to me. And I used the fat on the wild hog along with some domestic fat to get the fat content up to ~25%

 

[whistech]

That is some fantastic looking smoked sausage. Great job.

 

[indaswamp]

That is some fantastic looking smoked sausage. Great job.

Thanks whistech. I cooked redbeans and rice with wild hog sausage last night, It was real good and the links are firm and hold together. I plan on making some venison/pork sausage soon too. My regular smoked and possibly some jalapeno cheese smoked.

 

[driedstick]

Looks good,, from here I would have some of that please.

A full smoker is a happy smoker

 

[indaswamp]

Thanks driedstick.

 

[tallbm]

Looks fantastic! I love me some wild pork and so far I like the sausage flavor form it better than store bought/farm raised pork :)

 

[indaswamp]

tallbm- I plan on giving 10# of sausage to the guy that traps the hogs....to keep the pork train going....

Last year he gave us 10 hogs and we ended up with 160# of meat...free.

 

[tallbm]

tallbm- I plan on giving 10# of sausage to the guy that traps the hogs....to keep the pork train going....

Last year he gave us 10 hogs and we ended up with 160# of meat...free.

Damnnnnn! I'm jealous! :)