Homemade Sausage Making

I`m beginning to feel like Redzed, the muli-tasker, what with my soppressata and capicola drying in the Fridge with their UMAi bag wrappings. Yesterday DW had me put down a Canadian Bacon. I`ve been using a wet brine so wanted to try a dry cure this time. I have used the recipe Northfork posted some time ago. What`s one more item for the fridge, eh.

Pork Loin---5000 grams 1818 grams
Cure#1--- 12.48 grams =0.25% 4.6 g
Kosher Salt- 77.5 grams=1.54% 33.0 g
Brown Sugar 200 grams= 4.02% 74.0 g
Nutmeg(ground)-.6 grams=0.01% 0.2 g
Cinnamon(grnd)- .6 grams-0.01% 0.2 g

As suggested by Northfork, I will take it out of the fridge in 10 days and smother it in Montreal Seasoning and smoke with a combination of apple and hickory. What the heck can I have for lunch while I`m being so damn patient.

Go buy a brisket, Phil. Remember what Betsy & I taught ya- - rub only, smoke at 250 to 275 degF starting about 4AM if you want lunch. (...which is why, these days, we do it for dinner.) Go to an IMT of 190 or so. Wrap in foil the last hour or so. If you want, finish it in a 300 degree oven for the last half hour or so until you hit IMT target.

...and for heaven's sake, keep the rub simple- - black pepper, onion powder, garlic power, salt. ...eh?
Duk

Actually, try the Montreal seasoning as the rub. ...should give the brisket some "zing!"

I agree with Mr. Ducko, and that is what I did.
When I can't cold smoke, I hot smoke.
A little change of setup helps, as we all know, one have to eat.

Seems like everything else I make I have to plan ahead - brisket too Brisket is definitely on the list though especially after our trip to Texas Hill Country where Duk introduced us to amazing bbq brisket

Now we're talkin' !

Hey, Gulyas, please tell us what your instrumentation is. One of my smokers is a Masterbuilt that looks about the same, but the temperature controller is WAY off. ...and is that tray below the meat a smoke distributor? That looks like a good idea.

Gulyas, that looks magnificent! Lip-smacking good!
Ursula

Hey, hey, Gulyas... you wrote:

I agree with Mr. Ducko, and that is what I did.

So do I... BUT don't tell him! That is ONE smart, crafty, intelligent, scheming, Duk! But, dang... he's a great cook, brewmeister, and sausage-maker... and he really knows what he's doing. Just don't tell him that because his hat won't fit now! I had his Texas brisket last night and it was amazing! I just keep missing ol' Duk! Yup, "missing him"! But my AIM is improving each day as I practice at the rifle range.

I have 2 Bradley smoker, (one is digital), but the temp. is adjustable only in 10 degrees steps, what is not good enough to me. So I got an Auber PID controller, that was made for my smoker.

http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_ ... cts_id=380

They have other ones too, for different smokers.

And that tray below the meat is a smoke distributor, that helps even out the heat too, because the heater is mounted on the back wall.

This controller works fine.

Hey Mr. CW,

I know DUK is a very nice guy, but I'm not going to tell him now......

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank You Ursula.

Gulyás wrote:...Bradley smoker, (one is digital), but the ...
...smoke distributor, that helps even out the heat...

Thanks, Gulyas. ...just as I suspected. I stuck some digital thermometers in mine, one near the controller's location, and the doggone thing was 25 degrees off and gained 1.05 degrees for every degree of set point. I took out the chip tray and chip addition tube, and that helped somewhat, but it's still way off, and the temperature profile from bottom to top is really steep. I plugged the readings into Excel and made a table of "set point" versus "actual," and that helps, but of course that doesn't affect the temperature profile.

I've built a fan unit, but it's not very effective. I had hoped to mix the air & smoke a bit better, so I can hang sausages vertically, but it's still not even temperature enough. I guess I'm stuck with horizontal racks. Maybe if I build a smoke distributor like yours, out of an old aluminum cookie sheet, it would help. (Or at least I could smoke cookies!)

What do you think?

There are different ways to improve, like You can see here on video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3Xcopdg4B0

But my idea is to put a layer of lava rocks on the bottom shelf.
You may have to use a screen, so they don't fall down.

Gulyás wrote:...my idea is to put a layer of lava rocks on the bottom shelf.
You may have to use a screen, so they don't fall down.

You have side-entry smoke, looks like, so you would place the lava rocks on a shelf just above the smoke entry? That looks like a good (easy, too) idea. I'll try it. Thanks!

That should help heat distribution, too, although it will probably increase my temperature controller's "dead band." You can tune this out with the integral part of your PID controller, but I can't, unfortunately. (Mine is off/on "bang-bang" control.)

I'll try it shortly. Thanks for the help.

In my smoker below the meat is a drip tray, but it has slots in it, therefore it distributes the smoke too.
Because your goal is to spread the smoke more evenly, I think a layer of lava rocks should do it.
It have to be above the smoke entry to do that.
The rocks will also store heat, so controlling the heat will be a little different/slower.

You very welcome, if it helped.