Productive Morning

Post by **Butterbean** » Sun Feb 12, 2017 18:32

Had a good morning in the swamps. Just have to get busy cleaning everything. I think I'll make a blended sausage using both meats. Beaver tastes the same as beef so whatever should turn out good. Any suggestions on good sausages with a beef pork blend? I plan on making either smoked or fresh.

fatboyz · Post by **fatboyz** » Mon Feb 13, 2017 15:05

I make everything with a beef (deer) pork blend. How about a Jalapeno cheese smokie (Kielbasa)? I use a spice mix but if you took your favorite smoked Kielbasa recipe and add 10% cheese, a Jalapeno Jack like Tilamook is fantastic, plus 5g/kg ground Jalapeno, and 5g/kg Jalapeno flakes.

Sleebus · Post by **Sleebus** » Mon Feb 13, 2017 19:08

I've been really happy with how this one turned out. Equally good fresh (leave out cure) or smoked (leave in cure)

Pork 75.00%
Beef 25.00%
salt 1.75%
pepper 0.38%
Crushed garlic 1.00%
water 3.13%
Cure #1 0.25%
Mustard seeds 0.10%

Post by **redzed** » Tue Feb 14, 2017 14:41

Geez Butterbean, do you ever buy anything at a supermarket?

K98 AL · Post by **K98 AL** » Tue Feb 14, 2017 19:16

Man, that sounds like a great day in the swamp. How about a "hunter sausage", heavy on the juniper berries? I mixed some venison, wild pig, added dom pork fat and smoked. There's several recipes out there, fits the wild pig really well.

Post by **Butterbean** » Wed Feb 15, 2017 20:48

Thanks for the ideas. I don't have any jalapeno flakes but do have some cheese. I may try Sleebus's recipe but add cheese. I also have a bunch of elk I need to do something with so I may add it all together and see what all I can make. Maybe the hunter sausage also.

Sleebus · Post by **Sleebus** » Thu Feb 16, 2017 16:54

I think you'll like it. I've taken the cured/smoked version over to parties and it's been really well received. Fresh version is tasty too.

Post by **Butterbean** » Fri Feb 17, 2017 06:27

Sleebus wrote:I think you'll like it. I've taken the cured/smoked version over to parties and it's been really well received. Fresh version is tasty too.

Its very nice. Thanks for the suggestion. I like how the garlic hits you then the black pepper comes into play. I also like how you occasionally get a bite on a mustard seed. Very nice. I think the mince would also make for some great meatballs.

I made two batches. One following your recipe to the letter only adding some cheese. (didn't figure it could hurt)

The second batch I followed the recipe only I added 0.28% Chipotle powder and 0.28% jalapeno flakes and 8% cheese. This one is neat in that it tastes just like the original only once the black pepper fades the chipotle creeps in at the same volume as the black pepper only at the end. Also, the jalapeno pepper flakes give a nice touch. I didn't use the 5g rate for fear of it overpowering the original recipe because I wanted only to compliment it.

I'll let them rest in the cooler tonight and smoke them tomorrow so I'll know then exactly how they taste but here is a slice I cut from a piece I poached. This is the adjusted recipe. Oh, and I was mistaken on the meat being elk. This was antelope. So the meats are wild hog, antelope and beaver.

Sleebus · Post by **Sleebus** » Fri Feb 17, 2017 15:29

Cool, glad you liked it. The addition of the Chipotle and Jalapeno flakes sounds really interesting. What kind of cheese did you use? I do like a cheesy sausage from time to time. Anything special I should know about putting cheese in sausage?

Post by **Butterbean** » Fri Feb 17, 2017 17:24

I used a high melt cheddar as it was all the local butcher had at the time. I think the recommendation for adding cheese is 5-10%. Its best to use the high melt cheese but I've used regular cheese in a pinch. Incidentally, if you happen to make cheese to make the high melt cheese you can just let your curd firm up longer where it gets real squeaky like.

I think you'd like the pepper addition. At the rate I used it the heat was at the same level as your recipe - taste wise - only it came into play just as the black pepper was fading. I dehydrated some jalapenos and only used the skins so this only added a little jalapeno flavor which was about as pronounced as the mustard seed. Of course all of this is based on the test pieces prior to resting overnight and smoking. I have them in the smokehouse now and they are getting bathed in cherry smoke at the moment. I hope they will ready in a few hours for the final testing.

Post by **Butterbean** » Fri Feb 17, 2017 22:41

I was well pleased with the outcome.

Coming off the cherry smoke.

Sliced and tested. Very good.

Made some pasta cooked venison broth then served with a sauce reduction using venison broth and homemade tomato sauce with mushrooms, olives, onion and garlic. This may be considered peasant food but its pretty good eating.

Sleebus · Post by **Sleebus** » Sat Feb 18, 2017 05:34

Looks great!

Post by **Butterbean** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 01:50

Good end of to the day. 2 sows and a piglet. Speckled one had to be left because she was to big to drag the distance. Gave it a good try but it was just too thick, wet, brambly and she was too heavy.

Did get these in the truck.

Now its time to clean them.

Post by **Bob K** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 19:34

Nice! Do you skin those?

Post by **Butterbean** » Sun Mar 05, 2017 20:06

I skinned the big one but the little one I attempted to scald. Attempted is the key word here.

Man did I have a train wreck with that. After I had finished scraping the hair on half of it I finally threw in the towel and admitted defeat. Heck, I spent more time on that little thing than I did on the big one and still ended up skinning it.