Processing Week 2024....

[Culinary Otter]

Nice thanks for the explanation

 

[indaswamp]

Defrosted the freezer today in preperation for filling it up with all my share of the processed meats from processing day...19 years old and still kicking....

This afternoon, went by the firehouse to grab all my stuff. 100# of ground venison and beef, along with 20# of venison/pork fresh sausage. Filled up once again until next season...venison/beef grind top shelf and right side of second shelf. Venison fresh sausage second shelf left side. Venison whole muscles shelves 3 and 4. Wild hog Smoked sausage in bottom basket, along with 40# of frozen Louisiana shrimp tails...pre-cooked meals on the door.....

 

[indaswamp]

Few pictures from Saturday...

coarse grind venison/beef...

And in the ice chest...we had about 175# all in...

mixed well to distribute the fat evenly for second grind...

And here is a pic. of the new double door freezer...

Someone took a lot more pictures, but I don't remember who took them with their phone. Me stuffing meat bags, and coiling fresh sausage. I spent most of the day operating the 30# stuffer.

 

[Timber II]

Great stuff indaswamp! Your set for a while! Ha! Did ya unplug the freezer to defrost it or just turn dial to the defrost setting? I got one I need to do the same thing to.

 

[indaswamp]

Unplugged. No defrost setting on this one. filled up a 5 gallon bucket with ice so it was time....

 

[indaswamp]

Doing the smoke sausage today that we postponed. Had to wait 3 hours for it to get cold enough in the freezer to grind in totes. Had to keep flipping and stirring every 20 minutes or so.

Layering the meat, binder, cure #1 and seasoning in a 120qt. Ice chest....used the 6mm plate, my favorite plate for smoke sausage.

Adding ice cold water as I go for ease of mixing...

150# inda ice chest, ready to mix...

Gonna end up with 250# Cajun smoke sausage. I am grinding and mixing 150# today, will stuff tomorrow then inda fridge.

 

[indaswamp]

Sorry guys for not a lot of pics.....just me in the kitchen today.The firemen will be helping me with another 100# on Thursday though so I'll get more pics....

 

[indaswamp]

One more pic....

About 42.5# in each tote. 150# meat + 5.25# salt, cure #1, seasoning, phosphate, and milk powder + 15# added water (10%). So 170.25# total. I will lose the 15# of added water when I smoke them. You can see the meat already starting to turn grey after sitting for just an hour with the cure on it.....

 

[Timber II]

Impressive my man!!

 

[indaswamp]

Got 284# of stuffed cajun smoke sausage. Will have to do 3 consecutive smoke days...about 90-95# each run. First run starts early tomorrow morning. Pics. when I load up the smokehouse....

 

[indaswamp]

Loaded Round 1 of the sausages inda smokehouse around 8:45am. Drying casings now, about to roll smoke to them. Using hickory and cherry...

 

[Fueling Around]

Some busy days ahead for you.
How far is it between the sausage kitchen and the smokehouse?

 

[indaswamp]

Some busy days ahead for you.
How far is it between the sausage kitchen and the smokehouse?

Not far. But I have all the stuffed sausages in bags, on ice in 150qt. ice chests at my house. Wake up, rinse repeat....for the next two days....

 

[indaswamp]

INT hit 136*F @4pm. Time to close the dampers off by 50-60% and hold temp. for an hour and a half. Got about an hour to go and they will be ready to pull from the smokehouse.

 

[indaswamp]

And done....Final INT was 144*F after holding for 1.5 hours. Definitely LOG7 reduction...and probably higher...

In water bath while I go get more ice to chill them down.

 

[indaswamp]

Bloom pic....

These sausages are about 30% fat. very very slight fat out, but nothing major. just a few drops of grease on the water when in the bath. Now in a bag and on ice in a 150qt. ice chest...

 

[Timber II]

Swamp man them look real good!!!!

 

[indaswamp]

Swamp man them look real good!!!!

Thank you Timber II! Round #2 inda smokehouse now to dry...Roll smoke in about an hour....