sausage making/ smoking food/jerky making (recipes and tips)

[itsasmallfarm]

hello every one.

i just gotta into making my own sausage and smoking meat (we just bought a smoker last week) and am looking for any tips or tricks and of course recipes. so i thought why not create a thread of us who love making our own sausage, jerky and meat smoking.

so feel free to share any recipes, tips or tricks. and nothing is off limits here, share any bizarre or different recipes, (got a sausage book with bear and wood chuck sausage recipes) i want to try the bear sausage though. but meatless recipes are also welcomed here

thanks for reading itsasmallfarm out.

 

[Kusanar]

Watching to see the answers you get. I don't have any input at the moment though.

 

[Cajun_MikeR]

OK, so here's the rub I use a lot on Pork...

5T white sugar
5T brown sugar
2T kosher salt or sea salt
2T paprika
1T onion powder
1T ground black pepper
1T garlic powder

So, something to try it out on...

Take a pork shoulder, rinse it, then put it in a large container. Fill the container with apple juice (the cheapest you can find), use an injector and inject the apple juice deep into the shoulder in lots of different spots. Sprinkle some of the rub over the top (1-2 T). Put a lid on it and put it in the fridge at least overnight.

The next day, take the shoulder out and pat dry. Lightly coat with EVOO, then put the rub all over it and massage it into all the nooks and crannies. Put it to the side and let it set for a couple of hours while you get your smoker prepared.

Use apple wood and/or pecan wood (apple is best) and get your smoker producing good smoke. Take the leftover apple juice and any leftover rub and put it in your water pan. Add a rough chopped onion and some garlic (I've even added a nice dark beer before) to the water pan as well. Put the shoulder in the smoker and let it go for about 6-8hrs at about 225F. Take the shoulder off and wrap it in foil (very tightly to help contain the juices and the heat), then put it back on the smoker, on the grille, or in the oven. You want to get the internal temp up to about 190-200F for at least 2 hours (this helps break down the collagen and melt any other fat). Take the shoulder off, wrap it in an old towel, and let it rest for about 20-30mins (inside a cooler if you have one for smoked meats or inside a cool oven or microwave if you don't).

After it rests, put the shoulder in a big, deep dish and commence to shredding. The fat cap will come off with a spoon, if it doesn't slide off by itself when you try to move it. It's really good with either a homemade barbecue sauce or something like Sweet Baby Ray's. You can eat it plain, as a sandwich, on tacos, etc.

The same technique & wood works really well with pork loin as well (especially if you wrap it in bacon and sprinkle a little rub on top just before putting it on the smoker).

 

[BlueBaby]

OK, so here's the rub I use a lot on Pork...

5T white sugar
5T brown sugar
2T kosher salt or sea salt
2T paprika
1T onion powder
1T ground black pepper
1T garlic powder

So, something to try it out on...

Take a pork shoulder, rinse it, then put it in a large container. Fill the container with apple juice (the cheapest you can find), use an injector and inject the apple juice deep into the shoulder in lots of different spots. Sprinkle some of the rub over the top (1-2 T). Put a lid on it and put it in the fridge at least overnight.

The next day, take the shoulder out and pat dry. Lightly coat with EVOO, then put the rub all over it and massage it into all the nooks and crannies. Put it to the side and let it set for a couple of hours while you get your smoker prepared.

Use apple wood and/or pecan wood (apple is best) and get your smoker producing good smoke. Take the leftover apple juice and any leftover rub and put it in your water pan. Add a rough chopped onion and some garlic (I've even added a nice dark beer before) to the water pan as well. Put the shoulder in the smoker and let it go for about 6-8hrs at about 225F. Take the shoulder off and wrap it in foil (very tightly to help contain the juices and the heat), then put it back on the smoker, on the grille, or in the oven. You want to get the internal temp up to about 190-200F for at least 2 hours (this helps break down the collagen and melt any other fat). Take the shoulder off, wrap it in an old towel, and let it rest for about 20-30mins (inside a cooler if you have one for smoked meats or inside a cool oven or microwave if you don't).

After it rests, put the shoulder in a big, deep dish and commence to shredding. The fat cap will come off with a spoon, if it doesn't slide off by itself when you try to move it. It's really good with either a homemade barbecue sauce or something like Sweet Baby Ray's. You can eat it plain, as a sandwich, on tacos, etc.

The same technique & wood works really well with pork loin as well (especially if you wrap it in bacon and sprinkle a little rub on top just before putting it on the smoker).

Thank's for the share, Mike! I noticed that you are over there in Louisiana. Would you happen to have the recipe for those Rabbit Sausages they make over there, or some of that Home-made Boudain?

 

[imnukensc]

I make my own breakfast sausage. I usually stuff it in casings, but it's just as good or better just made into patties. This is the recipe I use. You'll notice there is no sage as I am not a fan of sage. I would rate this as a moderately spicy sausage. You can of course cut back the red pepper flakes or increase them to suit your taste.

• 5 lbs of boneless pork butt

• 2 T non-iodized salt
• 2 t fine ground black pepper
• 2 T crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 t fresh ground nutmeg
• 1 t ground dried thyme
• 1/2 t ground ginger
• 2 T sugar (Optional – I don’t use it)
• 2 T paprika
• 1 cup ice water

1. Trim the pork, cut it into 1 inch cubes, and grind it through the fine plate of your meat grinder.
2. Combine the spices in a container and mix with the 1 cup of ice water.
3. Pour the spice and water combination into the ground pork and mix thoroughly for at least 2 minutes. Use your hands for mixing to assure even distribution.
4. Once the sausage is fully mixed, stuff it into 24-26 mm natural sheep casings.


This sausage should be cooled as soon as it is done. It can be kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. I vacuum package mine and keep it in the freezer until it's time to make more.
Edit: I have no idea why the first two pics went where they went.

 

[igorsMistress]

Following for ideas

 

[Cajun_MikeR]

Boudin (everywhere else spells it incorrectly) is different depending on where you are in the state, but it's all the same basic concept. However, some places will do whatever is necessary to keep their recipe completely secret. For those that don't know, it's a regional delicacy here in South Louisiana, but some will turn up their noses knowing how it's made (my wife did for years). Here's a simple recipe to get you started and then you can tweak the spices as you see fit...

Take a 4lb pork roast, 1lb of pork liver (you can substitute beef liver, but it will change the flavor), 4-6 cloves of garlic and 1-2 large onions (rough chop) and boil it until the roast is falling apart (take the liver out of the pot when it's done, reserve the onion, garlic, and the liquid). Let it cool enough to work with, then go over to your grinder and using a coarse grind plate, grind & mix the roast, liver, garlic, and onion (one pass). It should be slightly chunky, not smooth, hence the coarse plate and only one pass.

Make a pot of rice (2C long grain), cut up 1 bunch of green onion, put your hog casings in water (synthetic casings don't work and alter the flavor dramatically). For those of you that can't have or don't like rice, you can substitute 4C of cauliflower that has been destemmed then pulsed in the food processor and steamed (it should still be firm, but not raw).

In a big mixing bowl (or a sausage mixer if you have one), put the meat/onion/garlic mixture and add in the rice at about a 75% meat - 25% rice ratio. While doing this, add in your seasoning mix (Tony Chachere's, Zatarains, Slap Yo Mama, or some other creole/cajun seasoning...from Louisiana, not something that claims to be creole or cajun seasoning but is actually mostly paprika) to taste. The seasoning mix will get knocked way down by all the meat and rice, so be generous with it. Add in your green onion as well. Check your texture as you're mixing and add the reserved liquid as needed. It's hard to tell via internet the proper consistency, it should stick together in your hand, but if any is off your palm it should fall back into the pot.

Once all this is done, prep your sausage stuffer and start pressing out some links. About 8-10in long links is about right. Once it's all stuffed, you can freeze it, steam it, or toss it on the smoker or grille. You don't need to cook it again (it's all already cooked), you just need to thoroughly warm it up.


IF there is no creole/cajun seasoning around you, mix up the following...

1/4C salt
1/4C granulated garlic
1/4C finely ground black pepper
2T paprika
2T onion powder
2T ground white pepper
1T cayenne pepper

 

[BlueBaby]

Boudin (everywhere else spells it incorrectly) is different depending on where you are in the state, but it's all the same basic concept. However, some places will do whatever is necessary to keep their recipe completely secret. For those that don't know, it's a regional delicacy here in South Louisiana, but some will turn up their noses knowing how it's made (my wife did for years). Here's a simple recipe to get you started and then you can tweak the spices as you see fit...

Take a 4lb pork roast, 1lb of pork liver (you can substitute beef liver, but it will change the flavor), 4-6 cloves of garlic and 1-2 large onions (rough chop) and boil it until the roast is falling apart (take the liver out of the pot when it's done, reserve the onion, garlic, and the liquid). Let it cool enough to work with, then go over to your grinder and using a coarse grind plate, grind & mix the roast, liver, garlic, and onion (one pass). It should be slightly chunky, not smooth, hence the coarse plate and only one pass.

Make a pot of rice (2C long grain), cut up 1 bunch of green onion, put your hog casings in water (synthetic casings don't work and alter the flavor dramatically). For those of you that can't have or don't like rice, you can substitute 4C of cauliflower that has been destemmed then pulsed in the food processor and steamed (it should still be firm, but not raw).

In a big mixing bowl (or a sausage mixer if you have one), put the meat/onion/garlic mixture and add in the rice at about a 75% meat - 25% rice ratio. While doing this, add in your seasoning mix (Tony Chachere's, Zatarains, Slap Yo Mama, or some other creole/cajun seasoning...from Louisiana, not something that claims to be creole or cajun seasoning but is actually mostly paprika) to taste. The seasoning mix will get knocked way down by all the meat and rice, so be generous with it. Add in your green onion as well. Check your texture as you're mixing and add the reserved liquid as needed. It's hard to tell via internet the proper consistency, it should stick together in your hand, but if any is off your palm it should fall back into the pot.

Once all this is done, prep your sausage stuffer and start pressing out some links. About 8-10in long links is about right. Once it's all stuffed, you can freeze it, steam it, or toss it on the smoker or grille. You don't need to cook it again (it's all already cooked), you just need to thoroughly warm it up.


IF there is no creole/cajun seasoning around you, mix up the following...

1/4C salt
1/4C granulated garlic
1/4C finely ground black pepper
2T paprika
2T onion powder
2T ground white pepper
1T cayenne pepper

Thank's Mike, that was fast! Now I don't have to ask you to ship me some from your next batch!