[USA] Hawaiian Sweet Sausage (Lap Cheong)

IdaKraut · Post by **IdaKraut** » Sun Mar 31, 2013 21:08

There's been a few posts at other sausage making forums regarding this type of sausage. I thought I would give it a go with something a bit different. It turned out really great. I decided to keep it sweet so you can add whatever hot peppers you like to spice it up, but it is really good the way it is. Here's what I used:

Pork butt, ground fine (3mm plate)______________________________1361g (3 lbs)
Less sodium soy sauce, (Walmart brand used)______________________ 63mg
Hoisin sauce_________________________________________________25ml
Honey______________________________________________________30ml
Port wine___________________________________________________30ml
Table sugar__________________________________________________26g
Kosher salt__________________________________________________13.6g
Sesame Oil__________________________________________________10ml
Garlic, dry granulated__________________________________________1.8g
Cure #1_____________________________________________________3.6g
Ginger powdered______________________________________________1.2g
Chinese 5 Spice powder_________________________________________2.0g
Red food color_________________________________________________20 drops
Sodium erythorbate____________________________________________0.75g
Meat binder phosphates (Butcher-Packer used here)___________________6.8g

Combine all ingredients and stuff into medium sized hog casings; mine happened to be about 35 to 40 mm. Tie off at desired intervals. Weigh one of the links and record weight. Hang overnight at cooler temps (under 50° F). Next day, place in smoker and set heat at 135°F for 3 hours. Raise temperature to 160°F and add smoke for only 30 minutes; I used a combo of apple and pecan. Remove smoke after 30 minutes but maintain 160°F temperature until IMT reaches 145°F.
Hang sausage at cool room temperatures (less than 70°F) for 5 days or until weight loss is about 38%. I had mine at 65°F with about 60% humidity for 5 days and the weight loss was 37%.

Freshly stuffed into hog casings:

Weighing sausage and recording weight:

After 5 days of drying at room temp and 37% weight loss:

Give it a try. It really tastes great. I think I will give this a try using 22mm cellulose casings, (the kind that you peel off) adding maybe some dried chipotle and make them into snack sticks.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Mon Apr 01, 2013 04:42

Nice goin' pal. That is a handsome sausage with all the right stuff! Thanks for sharing.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

Cabonaia · Post by **Cabonaia** » Mon Apr 01, 2013 14:55

Hey those look like Douglas' lap cheong. He used a different formula, but boy did they taste great. Very different flavor than what I am used to. (I had tried the commercial product and was very unimpressed). Nice going!

Jeff

TSMODIE · Post by **TSMODIE** » Sun Apr 07, 2013 22:04

This one is definately a must to do. Looks fantastic,Tim

IdaKraut · Post by **IdaKraut** » Mon Apr 08, 2013 16:38

Tim,
I think you'll like them. If you follow my recipe, they will come out very mild and slightly sweet, so you may want to add some heat in form of peppers if you like. Let me know how it turns out.

TSMODIE · Post by **TSMODIE** » Mon Apr 08, 2013 17:13

Thanks, I will let you know, I am planning on doing a batch today, I will let you know how they turn out,Tim

TSMODIE · Post by **TSMODIE** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 18:00

iDA, fantastic recipe, thanls for sharing, I have not found one person that didnt love this sausage, very unique, i followed the recipe exactly, but on half of the 10 lbs, i added red pepper flakes, the heat really balances the sweetness of this sausage, this is definatel a keeper, once again thanks for sharing it,Tim

TSMODIE · Post by **TSMODIE** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 18:04

Also. I let it dry in my cure cabinet for 7 days at 65 degrees and 65% hunidity, I would like to try to dry this a little more, but dont know how long is ok with the cure #1, Chuck, would you have an oppinion on how long I could dry this before having to use #2 cure?

IdaKraut · Post by **IdaKraut** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 18:04

Tim,

Really good looking sausage! I'm glad you liked the recipe.

As far as cure #1 vs. #2, according to the Marianskis' book, it states cure #1 can be used when cure times are short and defined as "up to 14 days". Chuckwagon is the expert and I would go with what he recommends.

TSMODIE · Post by **TSMODIE** » Sat Apr 20, 2013 18:26

I think 14 days would be fine on these, I used my chamber so the temp and humidity could be maintained, so I will try a 14 day dry on these next time, or drop the humidity down a few percent,tim

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 05:12

I let it dry in my cure cabinet for 7 days at 65 degrees and 65% hunidity, I would like to try to dry this a little more, but dont know how long is ok with the cure #1, Chuck, would you have an oppinion on how long I could dry this before having to use #2 cure?

Hi Boys! This is a terrific recipe. My girlfriend went nuts over the stuff!
Yes, 14 days is the magic number. Two weeks is plenty of time. Any longer and the integrity of the texture is compromised.
You've really got a winner here. Thanks.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

IdaKraut · Post by **IdaKraut** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 19:46

CW,

Sure glad your gal friend liked it. Did you alter the recipe? Maybe add some heat in the form of pepper? I'm sure this recipe can improve with the addition of some heat as Tim noted.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 20:46

Hey Ida,
Naw, I didn't change anything. If I did, then it wouldn't be YOUR recipe. It's nice just the way it is.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon