OFG Summer Sausage

[archeryrob]

Great work, I've recommended your blog to many people I know. Lots of good stuff on there.

 

[mike243]

Looks great next time i make a batch I am going to take my rolling pin and crack some whole pepper corns cause when i was a kid thats what it had in it and wow it was good, store bought is lite on seasonings imo

 

[boykjo]

Nice OFG summer sausage disco............:D

 

[disco]

Great work, I've recommended your blog to many people I know. Lots of good stuff on there.

You are so kind!

 

[disco]

Looks great next time i make a batch I am going to take my rolling pin and crack some whole pepper corns cause when i was a kid thats what it had in it and wow it was good, store bought is lite on seasonings imo

Sounds great!

 

[disco]

Nice OFG summer sausage disco............:D

Thank you, Sir!

 

[hitechredneck]

Just mixed up a bunch of summer sausage from a kit today. First time trying it. I just wanted to confirm something that you did in your OP. You mixed the meat 4 minutes in the mixer? I only did a couple of minutes and it looked like it was fully mixed up. Did you do this longer because it actually takes 4 minutes? Maybe I should mix some more before I stuff the casings? I made 5 lbs.
I also wonder if I got enough fat content into my meat. I followed the directions on the box and went with a 4lb venison to 1lb pork shoulder ratio.
One thing I did notice is that the seasoning package didn't come with any peppercorns. I may have to add some cracked peppercorns to my mix before stuffing too. Just in case :)

 

[disco]

Just mixed up a bunch of summer sausage from a kit today. First time trying it. I just wanted to confirm something that you did in your OP. You mixed the meat 4 minutes in the mixer? I only did a couple of minutes and it looked like it was fully mixed up. Did you do this longer because it actually takes 4 minutes? Maybe I should mix some more before I stuff the casings? I made 5 lbs.
I also wonder if I got enough fat content into my meat. I followed the directions on the box and went with a 4lb venison to 1lb pork shoulder ratio.
One thing I did notice is that the seasoning package didn't come with any peppercorns. I may have to add some cracked peppercorns to my mix before stuffing too. Just in case :)

I mix mine for longer not to mix the meat but to get a more fine texture in the finished product. I find mixing it for 4 minutes gives a firmer sausage more to my liking. I also find I get less fat outs. As for adding peppercorns, be careful. The mix may have a lot of pepper in it already, just not in cracked form so you may be over peppering your sausage. You can wrap some of the mixture in plastic wrap and poach it in simmering water until cooked. It won't be exactly like the finished product but will give you some idea about the level of seasonings and you can decide if you want to add more pepper. As for the fat/meat balance, it is really a matter of taste. If your pork shoulder is quite fatty, 4 to 1 should be ok. I don't like to go less than 2 to 1 lean to pork shoulder but only due to personal tastes. I have seen a lot of smokers I trust use 4 to 1.

 

[dwdunlap]

Disco, I want to get into sausage making and look forward to following your Summer Sausage recipe and methods. However, I am afraid I have confusion with the meats and ratios.

"The first thing I do is mix beef or lean game with pork shoulder. I cube 500 grams (1 pound) of each. In this batch I used beef." "As for the fat/meat balance, it is really a matter of taste. If your pork shoulder is quite fatty, 4 to 1 should be ok. I don't like to go less than 2 to 1 lean to pork shoulder but only due to personal tastes. I have seen a lot of smokers I trust use 4 to 1."

I think I'm missing something here. I don't see how 1 pound of "each" isn't 1 to 1. Please clear up for me so I can make mine just like yours. Also, I too remember cracked pepper in Summer Sausage. If I want to use some cracked, how would you think I should adjust your recipe?

Many thanks David

 

[disco]

Disco, I want to get into sausage making and look forward to following your Summer Sausage recipe and methods. However, I am afraid I have confusion with the meats and ratios.

"The first thing I do is mix beef or lean game with pork shoulder. I cube 500 grams (1 pound) of each. In this batch I used beef." "As for the fat/meat balance, it is really a matter of taste. If your pork shoulder is quite fatty, 4 to 1 should be ok. I don't like to go less than 2 to 1 lean to pork shoulder but only due to personal tastes. I have seen a lot of smokers I trust use 4 to 1."

I think I'm missing something here. I don't see how 1 pound of "each" isn't 1 to 1. Please clear up for me so I can make mine just like yours. Also, I too remember cracked pepper in Summer Sausage. If I want to use some cracked, how would you think I should adjust your recipe?

Many thanks David

I use one to one as my preferred. I was answering a question from hitechredneck about a kit that said to use four parts lean to one part pork and I said you could go that low but it wasn't my preference. He was also asking about adding peppercorns to the kit spices. I strictly warned him that might be too much to add to the kit. My recipe calls for coarse grind or cracked pepper so there is no need to adjust my recipe. Nothing in my response to hitechredneck changes my recipes, I was just discussing his use of a kit and the instructions with the kit.

 

[hitechredneck]

I mix mine for longer not to mix the meat but to get a more fine texture in the finished product. I find mixing it for 4 minutes gives a firmer sausage more to my liking. I also find I get less fat outs. As for adding peppercorns, be careful. The mix may have a lot of pepper in it already, just not in cracked form so you may be over peppering your sausage. You can wrap some of the mixture in plastic wrap and poach it in simmering water until cooked. It won't be exactly like the finished product but will give you some idea about the level of seasonings and you can decide if you want to add more pepper. As for the fat/meat balance, it is really a matter of taste. If your pork shoulder is quite fatty, 4 to 1 should be ok. I don't like to go less than 2 to 1 lean to pork shoulder but only due to personal tastes. I have seen a lot of smokers I trust use 4 to 1.

Thanks for the info. I poached a bit and you’re right. Peppercorns would have been too much. I went ahead and ran everything through the grinder again as part of my stuffing exercise, hopefully it’ll make the mix a bit more firm upon smoking. We’ll see!

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Good job.
Like i say, sometimes KISS is so much easier.
Keep
It
Simple
Stupid

 

[dwdunlap]

I use one to one as my preferred. I was answering a question from hitechredneck about a kit that said to use four parts lean to one part pork and I said you could go that low but it wasn't my preference. He was also asking about adding peppercorns to the kit spices. I strictly warned him that might be too much to add to the kit. My recipe calls for coarse grind or cracked pepper so there is no need to adjust my recipe. Nothing in my response to hitechredneck changes my recipes, I was just discussing his use of a kit and the instructions with the kit.

I want to follow as close to what you do for SS, so I plan to be doing mine 1:1 Beef to pork butt. I'll plan to start smoke at 140* stepping up hourly.

I decided to test my MES 30 gen 2.5 for 140*. I have a PID conroller for temp and set it to 140* and a tube smoker. Went right up to 170* very quickly and stayed. Reset PID to 130* and only but only dropped to 160*. All four probes, (732&TP820) are at grate level within an inch of each other including the PID. I lowered the PID to 110* but only dropped the probes to 150*. After staying there, I wondered if the smoke tube was putting out too much heat and so I removed it and let settle again. That has dropped the probes to 120*!! I didn't realize those pellets are so powerful! Have you had this experience? I should add, the outside temp is 100 glorious TEXAS degrees - Yikes!

I this why so many have gone to the mailbox conversion??

I still have to have smoke. Do you have any ideas?

David

 

[jimmyinsd]

I want to follow as close to what you do for SS, so I plan to be doing mine 1:1 Beef to pork butt. I'll plan to start smoke at 140* stepping up hourly.

I decided to test my MES 30 gen 2.5 for 140*. I have a PID conroller for temp and set it to 140* and a tube smoker. Went right up to 170* very quickly and stayed. Reset PID to 130* and only but only dropped to 160*. All four probes, (732&TP820) are at grate level within an inch of each other including the PID. I lowered the PID to 110* but only dropped the probes to 150*. After staying there, I wondered if the smoke tube was putting out too much heat and so I removed it and let settle again. That has dropped the probes to 120*!! I didn't realize those pellets are so powerful! Have you had this experience? I should add, the outside temp is 100 glorious TEXAS degrees - Yikes!

I this why so many have gone to the mailbox conversion??

I still have to have smoke. Do you have any ideas?

David

I think the mailbox, with a long piece (3' or so) of vent pipe between the box and the smoker should help cool the smoke before it gets to the smoker. That aluminum vent pipe dissipates heat pretty well. However I have to think that in 100 degree heat its going to be a challenge no matter what you do without getting silly. wondering though, why not let the pellets smoke to what ever temp they can achieve and then slowly crank up the MES? no reason IMO that the pellets couldnt be the primary heat source and the electric supplements that.

 

[dwdunlap]

Thanks Jimmy, I asked the master and he informed me the heat problem was probably coming from heat generated by my smoke generating tube. He suggested instead of filling the tube full, to try only half full and then turn level and shake to distribute the pellets only half depth. The result is half as many pellets burning as when full and less heat generated. And boy, that did it!! I refilled the tube half way and shook to get even distribution and relit. Set PID to 110* and after the temp settled down that's where it held! The smoke level while a bit less, did produce more than enough. This method is his possible fix for those using trays - half depth!

However, please note; my MES 30 gen2.5 has been converted and now bypasses the MES controller and is now precisely controlled by a PID controller. Works great!

I think IF cold weather ever returns to Texas; I will be able to smoke cheese at 70*. And if there is still too much heat, then I can use ice to keep the temp down.

 

[disco]

I want to follow as close to what you do for SS, so I plan to be doing mine 1:1 Beef to pork butt. I'll plan to start smoke at 140* stepping up hourly.

I decided to test my MES 30 gen 2.5 for 140*. I have a PID conroller for temp and set it to 140* and a tube smoker. Went right up to 170* very quickly and stayed. Reset PID to 130* and only but only dropped to 160*. All four probes, (732&TP820) are at grate level within an inch of each other including the PID. I lowered the PID to 110* but only dropped the probes to 150*. After staying there, I wondered if the smoke tube was putting out too much heat and so I removed it and let settle again. That has dropped the probes to 120*!! I didn't realize those pellets are so powerful! Have you had this experience? I should add, the outside temp is 100 glorious TEXAS degrees - Yikes!

I this why so many have gone to the mailbox conversion??

I still have to have smoke. Do you have any ideas?

David

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I see you already have some responses. I suspect the high temperature outside had some input to your problems! However I have never used an MES and am sort of guessing.

 

[disco]

Good job.
Like i say, sometimes KISS is so much easier.
Keep
It
Simple
Stupid

Thanks. I need KISS!

 

[nanuk]

ima try the half full pellet thingie... mine puts out FAR TOO MUCH smoke!

I made a smaller diameter tube, but it wouldn't stay lit.
I'll try my bigger one.

gonna have my "mailbox" mod soon!

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Nice SS there D.

 

[nimrod]

Disco, the SS looks delicious! I'll be trying your recipe soon. Also a fan of your blog. I picked up some SS casings but wasn't sure what recipe I was going to use.
Craig