Jalapeño, cheddar sausage question

[smokininthegarden]

l am looking to make some jalapeño, cheddar, kielbasa this weekend and was wondering if
anyone could recommend what type of jalapeño to use, fresh or Pickled? Another option to
use would be dried jalapeño but I don’t have any on hand, I know these are used in most
commercial sausages but chances finding any where I live would be slim to nonexistent.

So back to the fresh or pickled. They both will probably introduce some liquid into the sausage during the cooking process and that is my concern. I have a one gallon crock of
pickled jalapeño that I made a while ago that I would like to use, my thoughts are I could put
some of these in a clean wash towel and wring out some or most of the liquid, then they could
somewhat reconstitute during the cooking process???

Looking for anyone with experience on this or just any general thoughts.

Cal

 

[smokerjim]

I don't think a little liquid will hurt anything.

 

[chopsaw]

I always use fresh , or I have some that were frozen from fresh . Not enough added moisture to worry about . Can be a crap shoot on the heat level with Jalapeno .

 

[desertlites]

fresh here also

 

[indaswamp]

see the link in my sig. for jalapeno cheddar sausage.

 

[hillbillyrkstr]

i also have used fresh. I chop and freeze the night before so they hold up while making the sausage.

Good luck

 

[bfelgar]

I just finish 90lbs of jalapeno cheddar. I've used pickled, dried and fresh and fresh is by far my favorite. Bright green color and more jalapeno flavor.

 

[indaswamp]

I just finish 90lbs of jalapeno cheddar. I've used pickled, dried and fresh and fresh is by far my favorite. Bright green color and more jalapeno flavor.

Beautiful Links Man!!

 

[bfelgar]

Beautiful Links Man!!

Thank you.

 

[SmokinAl]

I always use fresh, but I do take the seeds out.
Al

 

[indaswamp]

X2 SmokinAl....

 

[bacon_crazy510]

I'd be concerned about the effect the vinegar might have. Sometimes it can break down the casing. But there's probably not enough of it if you drain and dry the peppers.

Keep us updated on the results!!

 

[indaswamp]

Too much vinegar can also affect a good bind in the sausages meat paste. Not a problem for grill links, they will be tender, but for slice and cook sausages, they may fall apart. But we don't usually slice and cook with jalapeno cheddar links....

 

[zwiller]

see the link in my sig. for jalapeno cheddar sausage.

Was going to bust you for not giving the details but found them on post 46. Very interesting you mix vinegar and cure... There was some debate that is potentially volatile and could break down cure effectiveness but this eases my mind even though I was somewhat confident the issue was overstated.

 

[smokininthegarden]

Thanks for all of the comments guys. I picked up some fresh jalapeños on my way home from
Work today and will give them a try. I will also get some dried jalapeño’s on order and try them
also in my next batch. I agree with the vinegar thing it may not be the best for
link sausage.

Cal

 

[indaswamp]

Was going to bust you for not giving the details but found them on post 46. Very interesting you mix vinegar and cure... There was some debate that is potentially volatile and could break down cure effectiveness but this eases my mind even though I was somewhat confident the issue was overstated.

Yea, I used it in those links. Just can't use too much or it will be mushy after smoking. if I want tang in a sausage I intend to cook with by slicing into pieces, I prefer to use encapsulated citric acid powder. The coating on it will not melt until above like 135* which allows the sausage to bind and the cure to work before the citric acid is released into the meat paste. Works great when step smoking up to 170*. Get a few hours of smoke on them them step up the heat.

 

[murraysmokin]

I use dried jalapenos for brats sticks & summer sausage it is great never had an issue depending on who is eating them depends on my quantity for heat.