Venison Summer Sausage Curing Question

[gj pit club]

I am making venison summer sausage for the first time. I have added pork shoulder between 25-30% of the total. Last night I combined the venison, pork, seasoning and cure (from LEM backwoods) to the meat and put it in the casings. I left them in the fridge overnight, and this morning they are still soft to the touch, I was under the impression that it should be hard now. At this point, the sausages have been in the fridge for 11-12 hours. What should I do, or is that ok to -start smoking?

 

[skooter]

I use the same LEM kit. I begin smoking as soon as it’s stuffed in the casing. It usually takes about six hours to get up to Temp. For what it’s worth I don’t add any fat to my venison when I make summer sausage. I like it a lot better that way.

 

[gj pit club]

So it is ok to smoke before it gets hard from the cure? Sorry, I am new to this, but every video I have seen shows it curing overnight in the fridge, and they say it has hardened. Also, what temp do you smoke this at?

 

[chopsaw]

Follow the directions on the kit you used .

I'm doing some right now . Over nite in fridge then hang at room temperature for couple hours. In smoker no smoke 130 for 1 hour then start the smoke . Just what works for me .
Again follow the directions on the kit you used .

 

[gj pit club]

Follow the directions on the kit you used .

I'm doing some right now . Over nite in fridge then hang at room temperature for couple hours. In smoker no smoke 130 for 1 hour then start the smoke . Just what works for me .
Again follow the directions on the kit you used .

Did yours harden overnight? I have followed directions almost exactly, except that I had a little over 9 pounds of meat and used the seasoning/cure for 10 pounds of meat.

 

[gj pit club]

I use the same LEM kit. I begin smoking as soon as it’s stuffed in the casing. It usually takes about six hours to get up to Temp. For what it’s worth I don’t add any fat to my venison when I make summer sausage. I like it a lot better that way.

What temp do you smoke at?

 

[driedstick]

Mine does not harden,,,Cure will make it sticky when mixing and harder to mix the next day but does not harden,, I start my smoker at 120 for 2hrs or so no smoke,,, this will dry the casings,,, start smoke and bump 10* each hour till smoker gets to 170,, do not go above 170 you may have fat out,,,, go till your IT temp is 152* Water bath Larger casing but snack sticks I do not water bath.

Good luck and let us know how it goes,,, What size casings are you using.

 

[biteme7951]

It will not get hard from the cure, it may firm up but not get hard. Did you stuff the casings tightly? Are you confusing the hardening you are referring to with the case hardening that happens from the outside drying out as in a salami? that is not necessarily a good thing with summer sausage. If they aren't packed tight can you spin them and reclamp the ends? If they are firm then smoke away!

Barry.

 

[gj pit club]

Mine does not harden,,,Cure will make it sticky when mixing and harder to mix the next day but does not harden,, I start my smoker at 120 for 2hrs or so no smoke,,, this will dry the casings,,, start smoke and bump 10* each hour till smoker gets to 170,, do not go above 170 you may have fat out,,,, go till your IT temp is 152* Water bath Larger casing but snack sticks I do not water bath.

Good luck and let us know how it goes,,, What size casings are you using.

Thank you for the information. I am using the large casings normal size for summer sausage, I think 2 inch? I have the smoker at 190, the video I watched by AllThingsBBQ which I like, the guy smoked at 200 till the sausage got to 160 internal. Should I go down to 170?

 

[chopsaw]

Follow what Dried stick told you . Yes lower the heat .

 

[BGKYSmoker]

To high of a starting temp will harden the meat just under the casing which will take longer to get to the IT of 152* and make a fat-out. Always start at a low temp 130-140 and work your way to 165-170 smoker temp.

Yes you can finish in a hot water of 165* and you will need to keep the water moving or there again you can get a fat-out.

 

[gj pit club]

What is a fat out?

 

[gj pit club]

To high of a starting temp will harden the meat just under the casing which will take longer to get to the IT of 152* and make a fat-out. Always start at a low temp 130-140 and work your way to 165-170 smoker temp.

Yes you can finish in a hot water of 165* and you will need to keep the water moving or there again you can get a fat-out.

What is a fat out?

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Fat-out is when the temp is to high and renders the fat to its liquid stage. Thus leaking meat fat all over and between the meat and casing. When a fat-out happens the meat gets dry and crumbly.

 

[chopsaw]

Let us know how it came out , and post a sliced pic .

 

[gj pit club]

Let us know how it came out , and post a sliced pic .

It tastes great, very tender and juicy, with good flavor. Thank you very much for your help. The pic is of one of the 4 small sausages we did, we also made 2 of the huge sausages as well.
View media item 553326

 

[gj pit club]

It tastes great, very tender and juicy, with good flavor. Thank you very much for your help. The pic is of one of the 4 small sausages we did, we also made 2 of the huge sausages as well.

This is very close up, I should have probably just done a regular zoom.