Eastman Outdoors Smoke Summer Sausage Question No, Help!

[MLN1963]

I bought a Eastman Outdoors Smoke Summer Sausage kit from WM. Wife read the instructions and we went to town, mixed it 85/15 with bacon ends and bits. It says 4 steps: grind, mix, regrind/stuff, refrigerate. There are no other instructions.

http://www.eastmanoutdoors.com/summe...ge-kit-15-lbs-

http://dev.eastmanoutdoors.com/cms/s...NST%20copy.pdf

Is that truly it? No cooking, no smoking, nothing else? There is cure in it, but you would think there would be a time it needed to set? Anyway, I'm clueless and the wife is totally freaked out over "RAW" venison and pork. I must say I'm a little apprehensive too.

[Double S]

I have no experience with OTC Seasoning mixes. I've been using a seasoning mix from my neighbor. His German/Russian ancestors brought the mix over from the old country. He won't even tell me the amount of each ingredient in each batch. He has it ready to mix for our 25 pound mixer. When we make sausage, we grind and mix and add the seasoning the afternoon prior. We don't double grind. It's a matter of texture for us. You might like it double ground. We cover the batch in plastic and let it set overnight in the fridge for the Seasoning to infuse with the meat and settle. The next day, we do a final mix prior to stuffing. After the stuffing, they go straight to the Outdoor smoker to hang. After the Smoker reaches the proper temperature we smoke it for two to 5 hours depending on what we are smoking and the amount. But make sure you use a Temp gauge to make sure the internal temperature has been reached for health reasons before we pull the sausage out. It comes with the Prague powder correct..the pink anti bacteria stuff?. I would follow their instruction and then tweak it to your liking down the road. After the meat is smoked and cured to proper temperature we drop them in a cold ice water tube ASAP. It stops the cooking process and cools it down fast so that bacteria doesn't form. If you cool it slow, bacteria can set at a certain temperature. Once the meat has cooled, We cut them up and place them in vacuum sealed freezer bags. I love my vacuum sealer. I have meat and sausages from last year that still taste great. Now depending on the casing your using..Some casing don't do well when placed under cold water. Follow the direction for that casing. Some smokers just smoke and don't cure. So you will have to place it in the oven to make sure it reaches proper temperature and is safe to eat. Some other Smokers can get hot enough to Smoke and Cure at the same time. I'm not sure which one you have. Some people like to freeze the meats after stuffing. Smoke, Cook or grill it later on. We Smoke Summer sausage right after stuffing. My two cents.

[MLN1963]

I have no experience with OTC Seasoning mixes. I've been using a seasoning mix from my neighbor. His German/Russian ancestors brought the mix over from the old country. He won't even tell me the amount of each ingredient in each batch. He has it ready to mix for our 25 pound mixer. When we make sausage, we grind and mix and add the seasoning the afternoon prior. We don't double grind. It's a matter of texture for us. You might like it double ground. We cover the batch in plastic and let it set overnight in the fridge for the Seasoning to infuse with the meat and settle. The next day, we do a final mix prior to stuffing. After the stuffing, they go straight to the Outdoor smoker to hang. After the Smoker reaches the proper temperature we smoke it for two to 5 hours depending on what we are smoking and the amount. But make sure you use a Temp gauge to make sure the internal temperature has been reached for health reasons before we pull the sausage out. It comes with the Prague powder correct..the pink anti bacteria stuff?. I would follow their instruction and then tweak it to your liking down the road. After the meat is smoked and cured to proper temperature we drop them in a cold ice water tube ASAP. It stops the cooking process and cools it down fast so that bacteria doesn't form. If you cool it slow, bacteria can set at a certain temperature. Once the meat has cooled, We cut them up and place them in vacuum sealed freezer bags. I love my vacuum sealer. I have meat and sausages from last year that still taste great. Now depending on the casing your using..Some casing don't do well when placed under cold water. Follow the direction for that casing. Some smokers just smoke and don't cure. So you will have to place it in the oven to make sure it reaches proper temperature and is safe to eat. Some other Smokers can get hot enough to Smoke and Cure at the same time. I'm not sure which one you have. Some people like to freeze the meats after stuffing. Smoke, Cook or grill it later on. We Smoke Summer sausage right after stuffing. My two cents.

Speedykills, thanks for nothing.

Simon

That is just it, it doesn't call for anything but refrigeration after stuffing. Also there is no mention of how long it needs to be refrigerated? I can smell the refrigerator and it is definitely smoke flavored. No sort of cooking what so ever. It must be the cure that "cooks" it? As you can see by the instructions in the second link I provided there is nothing after stuffing and refrigerating.

I remember reading some time back that there are two main types of cure. One is pink and the other is sometimes not (not positive on this one). They have two separate uses and if mixed up can invite problems. One package I used was called cure and not colored pink so I assume it is is Prague powder 2? Hell, I don't know. If I had a smoker I would smoke them for good measure. As it is I may cook them in my oven unless I hear differently from you or guys Eastman Outdoors.

[Speedykills]

LOL.....ya i was thinking sausage not summer sausage which i have never made.....your fast if you caught that....

[RLW]

Those instructions do say "Never eat uncooked sausage"

I like to course grind up about 10lbs well trimmed scrap deer meat and the same with 1-2lbs of beef fat, then medium grind/blend together.
The summer sausage mix gets mixed in with it, as your instructions indicate, then placed in refrigerator overnight (12-24hrs).
The next day I'll tightly stuff meat into 2" diameter casing, then take stuffed casing and hang in smoker....your choice of wood chips (I like Hickory)........and let sausages slow cook over several hours as Double S mentioned.

I bought an inexpensive Little Chief electric smoker probably close to 20 years ago and it's worked fine for my little once a year summer sausage smoking.
Empty/refill the wood pan w/fresh chips each hour a couple times, then just let it cook.
Since it can be cold out when I do this, I did end up getting an insulated cover for it to help keep cooking temp up. After they have cooked for a few hours, I stick the probe of my electric meat thermometer in middle one of the sausage sticks and if not done, continue to let it slow cook until meat hits 140 degrees.

[ElkSlayer]

Hey nice to read you made some ...now dont panic... I beleave they just omit saying smoke it...every reciepe I have read say the same place in fridge for 24 hr. then smoke to 140 one says 170 then cool after to stop cooking...I have avoided the ready made package ...If it were me to please the wife I would cook it in a smoker or Oven on very low temp and do not close oven door...I use a fork to prop it open a few inches

[MLN1963]

I am attempting to cook them in the oven as we speak. I don't have a smoker so the oven will do for the time being. I got a temp probe from WM and I think I am on my way.

I'm using the oven cooking instructions from Eldon's Sausage website. http://www.eldonsausage.com/InfoPage...ven Processing

[RLW]

I am attempting to cook them in the oven as we speak..........

That method never worked out well for me..........first time I tried it, after about 30 minutes, my wife threw me and the meat out the door
FYI: Have a foil lined drip pan in there

[MLN1963]

That method never worked out well for me..........first time I tried it, after about 30 minutes, my wife threw me and the meat out the door
FYI: Have a foil lined drip pan in there

Well hell! I don't have a choice so it has to work! Ha!

I put foil on the bottom of the oven like the instructions said. I guess it will be my mess to clean up anyway so I'm sticking to the plan, I don't have another plan anyway!

The wife is at work and will be home for lunch. If you don't here from me after 13:00 hours assume she has killed me and I'm in the dumpster with the sausage.

I have class tonight at 17:30 so I hope this is done by then. That is probably asking for a lot.

[Double S]

like stated above Use a drip pan. Make sure no fat drops straight onto any flame. This will cause a flash over and possibly cause a fire. I don't know If I've brought it up on here. I know i have on AT, If you can find a used old All metal interior Refrigerator. Those are great for a DIY Smoker. There's tons of video's on Youtube on how to make one. Even a Small smoker cooler. The Fridge Smoker will Smoke and cook the meats. Check out the local paper for the little big chief smokers. They are fairly inexpensive new and cheap used. I got mine at a yard sale for 20 bucks with extra grates. The issue with the smoker is that smokes but wont get hot enough to Cook thicker meat. it works alright on thin cut jerk jerky. So after your happy with the smoking, you then transfer the meat to an oven for final cooking to get it to the proper internal temperature.