SALAMI TIME

[reinhard1]

Just got finished with smoking 10 pounds of beef salami.  Really liked the slight tang to the flavor and the texture.  Wish I had venison but hopefully that will happen during deer camp this year.  I just posted the whole process from start to finish on my blog in the Homemade Sausage Page www.sausageheavenoutdoors.com .  Kind of a long post there but I'll post some of the pics here.  Now is the time to plan on making sausage for deer camp.  I got some boneless pork loins in the brine right now for Canadian bacon for camp but sausage is also going there.  Making some smoked polish and smoked chili dogs also.  Always give some away for the guy's up north, so I'll be a busy camper for awhile.  I use the 1 pound capacity non-edible fibrous casings for salami and summer sausage.  Perfect size for crackers and cheese.  You could use the 3 pound capacity if you like the larger slices for sandwiches.  I used the AMPS tube smoker in my barrel type grill/smoker to cold smoke the sticks before I put some heat on them.  Cold smoked for over 5 hours to get good smoke and color. Then used charcoal to get the temp up to 190 or so to finish them of with an internal of 160 degrees.  Turned out great.  Here are some pics:

 

All stuffed and tied up and ready for the smoker.

In the smoker they go for a long cold smoke.  Over 5 hours.

Here they are after I pulled them out of the smoker.  Great color and the smell was awesome.

After I take them out of the smoker when they reach an internal of 160 degrees I put them in the sink with cold water.  This stops the cooking process and shrinkage.

After a stay in the fridge overnight they are ready for vac packing and of course for snacking.  good luck.

[pikestabber]

Yes! Thank you! I have been looking for a good salami recipe for some time now and this looks perfect. Thanks, Reinhard!

Have you made venison pepperoni before? I found one recipe online but was not happy with the results. Too sweet and not very "pepperoni" tasting...

Edited September 16, 2015 by pikestabber

[reinhard1]

No I haven't made any pepperoni at all.  I will check around with some of my buds who make sausage and see if they have a good one.  Some of the pepperoni methods require cure#2 and require long curing and special temps, but there are other quicker one's as well.  Next time I make this salami I will add some cracked black peppers and high temp cheese to what I already have as my recipe.  That's the fun part, you can always tweek it.  But it is good the way it is now with the seasoning I ordered and the things I added.  Got some buds who like cheese in their summer or salami.  Whole cracked black peppers is something I wanted to add but forgot.  Don't have a set amount of that yet figured out but I'll take a good guess at it LOL.  good luck.

[RebelSS]

Ahhh gawd!!!! Where's the cheese and crackers??! 

[leechlake]

I quit watching the food channel at non eating times because it made me eat, this thread is way worse.    I think my nephews will either have to drag deer this year or their uncle.  You guys are making me fat.

[delcecchi]

I quit watching the food channel at non eating times because it made me eat, this thread is way worse.    I think my nephews will either have to drag deer this year or their uncle.  You guys are making me fat.

I see all this food and wonder how people eat all that stuff.  Are you all football lineman size guys who dig ditches all day, and run marathons on weekends?

[RebelSS]

I see all this food and wonder how people eat all that stuff.  Are you all football lineman size guys who dig ditches all day, and run marathons on weekends?

Define "football lineman size". 

[LindellProStaf]

Ya R1's recipes all look so good.  I am a sausage rookie.  Have done it twice.  Turned out good..  I see his sausage ideas and say I am going to do that to my wife.  Then the next day I say and I want to do that one.  And on and on and on.  I need to pick one and go instead of drooling over all of these ideas.  I am partial to the ring bologna one from a week or so ago.  I am 5'10" and 190 lbs. Del..   My wife has been coaxing me to go for a walk to the end of the driveway with her and the dog every morning and every evening.  It is not too taxing and feels good.  Making room for sausages.....   :-)

[delcecchi]

 

Define "football lineman size". 

At least like 6'2" and 250 lb for high school, maybe 6'4" and 300 for more advanced. 

I thought of it when I saw this article in the Rochester PB. 

What if you ate like a football lineman?

 

 

Posted: Tuesday, September 15, 2015 11:05 am | Updated: 11:05 am, Tue Sep 15, 2015.

Daniel Neman, Tribune News Service

The average woman needs about 1,800 or 2,000 calories to get through her day. For the average man, it is more like 2,400 calories.

But what if you're an athlete? What if you're, say, an offensive lineman on a professional football team?

The more you physically exert yourself, the more calories you need for fuel. The average offensive lineman requires 6,200 to 6,500 calories a day to perform at his peak with sufficient energy throughout an entire game.

Even a lowly quarterback needs 5,200 to 5,400 calories.

Obviously, athletes don't eat like the rest of us, and elite athletes don't eat like ordinary athletes.

......

[reinhard1]

I'm 6 foot and 230 pounds.  Walk with my lab every day about a mile and a half at our local park here [Bunker Lake Park].  Only miss the walk if it rains or if I fish or hunt.  I think if you are going to make something for family, friends, or even myself, it should taste good.  Hard to do with lite this and lite that.  I don't use anything that says lite in it. But I do drink some stuff that say's lite on it at times LOL   A great dark beer is hard to beat though.  I don't eat as much as I used to though.  Maybe it's part of getting older. 

Most of the sausage I make is given away.  I just enjoy making it and trying new stuff.  You can make great food, but even the calorie count is up there, it's the portion you eat that's the key.  Of course excercise is important also.  I worked a physical job most of my life.  Now in retirement I know I have to keep active, so I try to do that.  But as far as cooking in general,  I try to put flavor in food mixed with nutrition for the most part.  I do make some over the top calorie meals at times but not often.  

I like watching food shows at times like the food channel and others.  Some of those recipe's require expensive ingredients. I think you can make great meals with affordable ingredients.  For example a chuck eye steak is my favorite steak.  All it is, is a extension of a rib-eye but half the cost.  I make meals at times to last two days.  This way I can have a full day for the to do list.  Besides, I enjoy cooking, grilling, smoking, and sausage making.  good luck.

[delcecchi]

That's great.  I marvel at the pictures I see here.

[pikestabber]

Had a question, Reinhard, on that salami mix. I have ordered from Curly's before and highly recommend them, but was wondering if that salami mix has some "tang" to it. It's a preference I have for salami and summer sausage, and I know you can use different things to achieve it (citric acid, fermento, buttermilk,, etc), but am wondering how the Curly's mix tastes in terms of that type of flavor profile?

PS, for anyone not familiar with Curly's Sausage Kitchen...google, order, repeat. They are top notch and they are fast to reply to emails if you need help (they gave me perfect step-by-step directions to cure a hog leg and smoke my first ham which was OUT OF THIS WORLD and 10x better than any ham I've ever had). Their venison bacon mix is worth its weight in gold

Edited September 17, 2015 by pikestabber

[reinhard1]

Yes it has a notable tang to it.  Completely different than summer sausage.  Of course you could add what you mentioned above but since i have added the extra garlic and mustard seeds that also adds an element of flavors to it.  But if you could have their summer sausage and this salami  next to each other in a taste test you could surely taste the difference.  The venison bacon seasoning you mentioned is something I use as my summer sausage base.  I have also used it for sticks.  I have even used the polish sausage seasoning for sticks.  It's just smoked longer at lower temps and not given a ice bath at the end.  Here is the venison bacon mix in a loaf form.

 

Got some slices going.  This is what got me going into using it for summer base.

 

Closer look.  This is when I made it the first time.  I fried some for breakfast, and then I just ate some the way it was and I said right there, that this is perfect for a summer base.  I get the 100 pound batch so I can make small amounts of summer when I need it.  6 Tablespoons per 5 pounds.  You can see how I make it on my blog.  Reinhard

[bobberineyes]

Well, it was my first crack at it. Mixed everything up yesterday and stuffed it all this morning.  I didn't have any curly products but used most of Reinhard s and some of lems seasoning.  The salami was pretty easy to stuff, they are loaded with hot pepper flakes. The beef/cheese sticks really was no fun stuffing in sheep casings so did the rest in collagen. On the smoker now at 140 and bump it up as the day goes on. I have no idea why the photos are sideways. ..

[RebelSS]

O boy o boy....I can smell them from here!!!  AAhhhhhh....

[leechlake]

I'm 5'8" and was 170 and after I eat Labs Kraut Dinner I've got in slow cooker I'm going to weigh 180.  The "Dad Bod" craze is my only chance at feeling good about my body image!

Thursday Night- thick cut pork chops and I mean these buggers with almost 2 inches.

Friday- Sushi, wife got it, she over ordered and I over ate.

Saturday- pulled pork and a few beverage, "few" is relative term

Sunday- Lab's Kraut Dinner- snacks during Vikings game.

I can't figure out why I'm not losing weight?

[RebelSS]

I'm 5'8" and was 170 and after I eat Labs Kraut Dinner I've got in slow cooker I'm going to weigh 180.  The "Dad Bod" craze is my only chance at feeling good about my body image!

Thursday Night- thick cut pork chops and I mean these buggers with almost 2 inches.

Friday- Sushi, wife got it, she over ordered and I over ate.

Saturday- pulled pork and a few beverage, "few" is relative term

Sunday- Lab's Kraut Dinner- snacks during Vikings game.

I can't figure out why I'm not losing weight?

Well, that's obvious. You clearly need a heavier fork, and need to do more reps with it. Also, eat with a beverage in one hand, and the fork in the other, this will help balance out your upper body strength. I'm happy to offer advice anytime. 

I.m 6'1 and 230 lbs, and should be defensive lineman size by Winter's end. 

Edited September 20, 2015 by RebelSS

[delcecchi]

Well, it was my first crack at it. Mixed everything up yesterday and stuffed it all this morning.  I didn't have any curly products but used most of Reinhard s and some of lems seasoning.  The salami was pretty easy to stuff, they are loaded with hot pepper flakes. The beef/cheese sticks really was no fun stuffing in sheep casings so did the rest in collagen. On the smoker now at 140 and bump it up as the day goes on. I have no idea why the photos are sideways. ..

The pictures are sideways because you took them with your phone in portrait mode.  I forget what the solution is to get them right side up. 

[RebelSS]

Landscape mode, I believe...

[leechlake]

I figured it out.  Before you post edit the photo on your phone or computer and make it more "up and down" than left and right.  

Del, that looks awesome upside down, sideways whatever.

[reinhard1]

Ya those sheep casings are a pain to use.  That's why I use collagen casings in the 22mm size.  Have to make sure that the stuffing tube is the right size for the collagen casings.  Stuff the collagen casings dry, unlike natural casings.  Make sure that you put the left over collagen casings back in a zip lock plastic bag, otherwise they will get brittle and crack.  They are not made for linking as well.  The only thing I use collagen casings for is for sticks.  Fibrous non-edible casings for stuff like summer or salami, and natural hog casings for everything else. I'll be watching for the  finished product.   good luck.

[bobberineyes]

Well Reinhard,  the salami turned out real good and moist, the pepper jack stcks kind of dry for my liking,  everyone else thought they were fine. The sticks especially shrank up inside the casings making the look factor not real impressive, but I'm sure the toilet won't really care.  I'll keep at it, but I sure have some more learning to do, that's for sure...there,  that pic played by the rules. 

 

 

Edited September 20, 2015 by bobberineyes

[reinhard1]

That looks good!!!!  Don't worry about the sticks wrinkling up.  They do in one way or another because we don't give them a cold bath so there is some shrinkage.  Sticks for that reason tend to be more chewy than summer sausage for example.  However finding that balance in proper mix ratio's of beef and pork , liquid [water or beer], and a binder like powdered milk will give you the results you want.  It doesn't happen the first time or maybe the second time but it will happen.  I've made some terrible stuff in the past.  But because I have made sausage for over 40 years, you are bound to make it happen.  You can follow instructions to a tee and still mess up in the smoking process also.  Nothing runs perfect as we all know so paying attention during that smoking process  is just as important to grinding the proper mix and all the rest.  I'm finding that cold smoking the sausage first and then cranking the heat up is the best way to go.   I have also made great sausage in the oven without the smoker at times.  When it's 20 below outside, I stay inside [unless I'm out on the lake].  Only thing that is missing is that smoky flavor,  but it's still good believe me.  Let me know if it happens that you can't use that smoker and I can help you with the oven deal.  good luck.

 

 

[Mid-Lake Rock]

Reinhard:

I've got two questions for you.

1. I don't have a stuffer.  Do you think I can stuff those casings by using my jerky gun to fill the casing and tie the end tight?

2. After the cold smoke, how much time did you need to get the internal temp to 165?

Thanks. 

[reinhard1]

Yes you can use a jerky gun if it's the decent size one like the LEM for example and tie  the ends.   When you get a chance and can afford a stuffer go to Northern Tool.  You can get a Kitchner 5 pound stuffer for under $100 bucks.  Believe me it will be the best investment you will have in sausage making next to a grinder.  It will make all of this more enjoyable.  You can also form the sausage into logs  and do it that way.  May not be as pretty looking like a well shaped stuffed tube but it works just fine.  That's the way I first made mine, but stuffing is quicker for me and using the fibrous casings is the way to go for me now.  

You start with a low temp as I did in my step by step  [you can check my blog also in the Smokin Hot page  www.sausageheavenoutdoors.com] .  I think the time was around 5 hours or so.  Follow the step by step and keep an eye on your temp. gauge.  Times vary, but they should be fairly close.  Let me know if you need any more help with this.  good luck.