SAUSAGE PHOTO GALLERY (Without Original Recipes)
- Chuckwagon
- Veteran
- Posts: 4494
- Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 04:51
- Location: Rocky Mountains
Hi Big John,
Hog casings (upper intestines) are sold in 91-meter lengths cut into "hanks" 1 to 2 meters long and gathered into bundles called "shorts". Their average diameter is about 35 millimeters and may be used for cooked sausages, pepperoni, Italian sausage, Kielbasa, Kishka, larger franks, and a host of other stuffed sausages. Hog middles (middle intestines called "chitterlings") are curly in appearance and cut into one-meter lengths, sold in bundles of nine or ten. They are available in wide, medium, or narrow calibers, determined by the location of the item within the animal. Middles are ideal for Braunschweiger, liver sausages, dry salami, and Italian salami. Hog bungs (called "fat ends") are the intestine`s extreme southern end of a north-bound pig. Bungs are sold individually and are used primarily for liver sausage and Branschweiger, Genoa salami, Thuringer, and summer sausage. Diameters vary from 55 to 90 millimeters.
There is no real "trick" to handling the stuff, but there are a few things that may help. First, you need a large, washable, work surface or table. It`s best if it has a small tilt to drain water, and even better, a sink in it. Stainless steel is ideal but expensive. If you go to the plumbing and hardware shop, you can get all sorts of ideas for making your own nozzle for quick loading of casings. I have a slippery plastic "gooseneck" rising straight up from a sink in the table. The pipe is reduced to 3/4" and rises a foot and a half then makes a u-turn before being cut off, leaving plenty of workspace. A custom pointed nozzle (I made myself) fits on the end. When a "short" of hanks is removed from the cooler, I place it in a plastic bucket of water to help with the handling of the thing and to find ends. I pull the ends up over the edge of the bucket until I need them. Next, I trim the ragged ends squarely with a pair of scissors. This makes for easy loading onto the nozzle. I`ve found that if I keep a small open bowl of salt on the table, I can dip my forefinger and thumb in it to help with the handling of the casings when laying them out on the table. I place another plastic bucket into the table-sink and fill it with water. I place only one casing at a time into it while a small stream of water straightens it out in coils in the water. When the water reaches the end of the casing and flows out, I increase the flow and flush out the salt thoroughly. My stuffer swivels to the sink for easy loading but I still start by filling a water "bubble" inside each casing so it lubricates the nozzle as it slides on. The bubble of water stays in front of the stuffing horn as the casing slides onto the horn. Never use butter or any other "lubricant" as this will cause "smearing" and problems with texture later in the smoker. If you are not near a sink, you may have to use a dish of water to start your bubble. I just priced a 5 lb. vertical stuffer at the Sausagemaker. Their basic no-frills model is #50510. It sells for 125 bucks and has a stainless steel cylinder and chrome-plated frame. Yes, it has nylon gears but in my opinion, if a prudent person stops cranking when the piston hits the bottom of the cylinder, it will last indefinitely. I used one of these for years and still use it when making smaller batches. I`ve found it to be a top quality product. Tell "Mrs. K" to look at it as an investment. It will pay for itself in the long run and prevent you from using foul language around the kitchen!
One last thing JB, ... please don`t waste your money on one of those curved "horn-type" stuffers. It requires three men and a boy just to pull the lever down... and your language will go from bad to worse. Why, I`ve seen full-grown men throw a fit right in their own kitchen, just trying to pull that handle down. Soon, a blue cloud of language hangs over the house and the police are called in. The wife starts packing her bags and the poor sausage stuffin` cowboy is taken away in a straight-jacket muttering all sorts of indecent, incoherent syllables with inappropriate 4-letter words. So, my ol` pal... play it safe and just tell her that all the boys at WD are urging her to give you the go-ahead on a VERTICAL (geared) stuffer.
Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
Hog casings (upper intestines) are sold in 91-meter lengths cut into "hanks" 1 to 2 meters long and gathered into bundles called "shorts". Their average diameter is about 35 millimeters and may be used for cooked sausages, pepperoni, Italian sausage, Kielbasa, Kishka, larger franks, and a host of other stuffed sausages. Hog middles (middle intestines called "chitterlings") are curly in appearance and cut into one-meter lengths, sold in bundles of nine or ten. They are available in wide, medium, or narrow calibers, determined by the location of the item within the animal. Middles are ideal for Braunschweiger, liver sausages, dry salami, and Italian salami. Hog bungs (called "fat ends") are the intestine`s extreme southern end of a north-bound pig. Bungs are sold individually and are used primarily for liver sausage and Branschweiger, Genoa salami, Thuringer, and summer sausage. Diameters vary from 55 to 90 millimeters.
There is no real "trick" to handling the stuff, but there are a few things that may help. First, you need a large, washable, work surface or table. It`s best if it has a small tilt to drain water, and even better, a sink in it. Stainless steel is ideal but expensive. If you go to the plumbing and hardware shop, you can get all sorts of ideas for making your own nozzle for quick loading of casings. I have a slippery plastic "gooseneck" rising straight up from a sink in the table. The pipe is reduced to 3/4" and rises a foot and a half then makes a u-turn before being cut off, leaving plenty of workspace. A custom pointed nozzle (I made myself) fits on the end. When a "short" of hanks is removed from the cooler, I place it in a plastic bucket of water to help with the handling of the thing and to find ends. I pull the ends up over the edge of the bucket until I need them. Next, I trim the ragged ends squarely with a pair of scissors. This makes for easy loading onto the nozzle. I`ve found that if I keep a small open bowl of salt on the table, I can dip my forefinger and thumb in it to help with the handling of the casings when laying them out on the table. I place another plastic bucket into the table-sink and fill it with water. I place only one casing at a time into it while a small stream of water straightens it out in coils in the water. When the water reaches the end of the casing and flows out, I increase the flow and flush out the salt thoroughly. My stuffer swivels to the sink for easy loading but I still start by filling a water "bubble" inside each casing so it lubricates the nozzle as it slides on. The bubble of water stays in front of the stuffing horn as the casing slides onto the horn. Never use butter or any other "lubricant" as this will cause "smearing" and problems with texture later in the smoker. If you are not near a sink, you may have to use a dish of water to start your bubble. I just priced a 5 lb. vertical stuffer at the Sausagemaker. Their basic no-frills model is #50510. It sells for 125 bucks and has a stainless steel cylinder and chrome-plated frame. Yes, it has nylon gears but in my opinion, if a prudent person stops cranking when the piston hits the bottom of the cylinder, it will last indefinitely. I used one of these for years and still use it when making smaller batches. I`ve found it to be a top quality product. Tell "Mrs. K" to look at it as an investment. It will pay for itself in the long run and prevent you from using foul language around the kitchen!
One last thing JB, ... please don`t waste your money on one of those curved "horn-type" stuffers. It requires three men and a boy just to pull the lever down... and your language will go from bad to worse. Why, I`ve seen full-grown men throw a fit right in their own kitchen, just trying to pull that handle down. Soon, a blue cloud of language hangs over the house and the police are called in. The wife starts packing her bags and the poor sausage stuffin` cowboy is taken away in a straight-jacket muttering all sorts of indecent, incoherent syllables with inappropriate 4-letter words. So, my ol` pal... play it safe and just tell her that all the boys at WD are urging her to give you the go-ahead on a VERTICAL (geared) stuffer.
Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill!
Cheddar Kielbasa's in the smoker
My last run in my smoker didn't go so well. Today is the second run and I'm doing some applewood smoke and cheddar-kielbasa. Pics to come later today (or you can check @hgsausageworks on twitter for updates throughout the day).
- Chuckwagon
- Veteran
- Posts: 4494
- Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 04:51
- Location: Rocky Mountains
Thanks Chuckwagon....here's a link to photos of the final product with recipe:
http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?p=6580#6580
http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.php?p=6580#6580
I was wondering the same thing. I was going to do a little reading before posting here but since you mentioned it, let's see what everyone else has to say. For more information they were 4 hrs on applewood...max sausage internal temp was high 70's. Brough to 150 degrees F in water bath, iced then bloomed with a fan for an additonal 90 min. I would love more color so any input would be appreciated.
- nepas
- Frequent User
- Posts: 121
- Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2011 00:45
- Location: Savannah, Gerogia & NE PA
- Contact:
Pizza/Nacho Cheese Stix
Making some pizza/nacho cheese sticks for a guy here out of his venison.
So here is a 2 lb test batch to see how it turns out before i mix the other 15 lbs.
I was looking at a very small jar of nacho cheese powder compairing it to the regular cheese powder. Only missing item from the regular was jalapeno powder....Hey i can fix that ;D
The mix is AC LEGGS OP Pizza stick mix.
In the fridge, will stuff and smoke tomorrow.
Here i'm grinding the rest of the venison.
All mixed with my fat cut in and in the fridge so it can marry before i mix and stuff.
So here is a 2 lb test batch to see how it turns out before i mix the other 15 lbs.
I was looking at a very small jar of nacho cheese powder compairing it to the regular cheese powder. Only missing item from the regular was jalapeno powder....Hey i can fix that ;D
The mix is AC LEGGS OP Pizza stick mix.
In the fridge, will stuff and smoke tomorrow.
Here i'm grinding the rest of the venison.
All mixed with my fat cut in and in the fridge so it can marry before i mix and stuff.
Hey Chuckwagon,
John
You must supply pictures of this my old mind is just baffled at thisChuckwagon wrote:I have a slippery plastic "gooseneck" rising straight up from a sink in the table.
I have seen a few at yard sales and have been tempted but I have my eye on a vertical stuffer like the one you mentioned from the Sausagemaker web site. Just need to open my wallet (Afraid to lose my Pet Moths )Chuckwagon wrote:One last thing JB, ... please don`t waste your money on one of those curved "horn-type" stuffers. It requires three men and a boy just to pull the lever down... and your language will go from bad to worse.
John
Jerbear,
John
How long did you smoke them for? I assume from the Internal Temperature in the high 70's that you were cold smoking as opposed to hot smoking? If so it would take some time to develop some color, also color would depend on the amount of smoke applied for the length of time you smoked them for. If you were cold smoking it could take 6+ hours depending on the strength to obtain some color! And from most of my newbie research 10 to 12 hours is normal for a cold smoking process and could even go a couple of days in length!JerBear wrote:I was wondering the same thing. I was going to do a little reading before posting here but since you mentioned it, let's see what everyone else has to say. For more information they were 4 hrs on applewood...max sausage internal temp was high 70's. Brough to 150 degrees F in water bath, iced then bloomed with a fan for an additonal 90 min. I would love more color so any input would be appreciated.
John