OK so now that all you good folk have drooled over my sausages here is the recipe and process.
I have done things this way for years............not saying its the best ......................but I am still alive to tell the story
you can use these recipes or use any one of the commercial mixtures out there that all you do is add the meat
The process is the same.
Summer Sausage
3 1/2 pounds medium ground Venison
1 1/2 pound fine ground pork
4 Tbsp coarse salt
1 1/2 tbsp. black pepper
3 tsp. sage
1 tbsp. brown sugar
6-8 cloves pressed garlic ( or 6 tsp granulated garlic)
1 tbsp. granulated onion
2 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. mustard seed
1 cup red wine
1 tbsp. liquid smoke ( if not using a smoker)
1 1/2 tsp FS cure= 8 grams ( or whatever cure you use follow the directions per pound)
combine all the ingredients and refrigerate for 48 hours for the spices and cure to get into all the mixture
I mix the spices in the cup of wine and try dissolve most and then pour it into the meat mixture
I use a Kitchenaid mixture with the dough hook to mix it all.
Jerky Nuggets
5 pounds venison cut into small cubes
1 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 finely chopped onion (or 1 1/2 tbsp. granulated)
5 cloves pressed garlic (or 5 tsp granulated)
t tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp. liquid smoke ( if not using a smoker)
1 1/2 tsp FS cure ( or cure of your choice)
combine everything together and refrigerate for 12-24 hours
Oven Processing Summer Sausage
take the sausage out of the refrigerator and let it warm to room temperature ( can take up to 2 hours)
preheat the oven to 150-170 degrees
spread out the sausages so they are not touching
insert a temperature probe into one of the sausages and bring the internal temperature up to around 130 degrees ( around 1/2 hour to 45 minutes)
put in a tray of water in the bottom of the oven so the cases don't dry out too much and remember to turn the sausages so the bottoms don't over cook
when the internal temperature is reached increase the oven temperature to 180 -200 degrees and bring the internal temperature of the sausage to 155 degrees.
Take the sausages out and dip in ice cold water for at least 10 minutes. This helps to set the fat in the sausages.
Hang the sausages and let them air dry for a couple hours then put them in the refrigerator to cool down overnight before packaging.
Smoking Summer Sausage
Preheat smoker to around 140 degrees
Hang the sausages from your smoker rods and insert your temperature probe into one of them
Cook the sausages until the internal temperature comes up to around 90 degrees
start your smoke and add in a tray of water to prevent the casings from drying out
reset the temperature to around 150 to 170 degrees and cook till the internal temperature reaches about 140 degrees
when that temperature has been reached turn up the smoker to around 180 degrees and bring the internal temperature of the sausage to 155 degrees
Take the sausages out of the smoker and dip in ice water for at least 10 minutes
Hang for a couple hours to air dry then put them in the fridge to cool down overnight before packaging
Processing Jerky Nuggets
Pretty much the same process in the oven or smoker
preheat the oven or smoker to around 350 degrees
put the meat in and use the temperature probe in one piece and bring up the internal temperature to at least 155 degrees
if you are using a smoker put in a pan of water to create steam to help bring up the temperature of the meat
now lower the temperature of the oven or smoker to around 140 to 160 degrees and take out the temperature probe
In the smoker apply the smoke now
Dry out the meat to your liking and remember to rotate the racks for more consistent drying
If you want to use a dehydrator put the meat in after the internal temperature has reached the 155 degrees.
Hope this helps.........enjoy
