Apparently ssv3 and I share a brain...

[Swine Spectator]

So the wife and kids made one last run to the beach before school started this week. I had the house to myself and decided to make some sausage. After digging in the freezer, I discovered I had one last pack of Hatch Chiles. I've made Hatch Chile sausage before, but I wanted to improve upon it. I decided to add bacon.

Here is what I came up with:

4lbs 4 oz pork
12 oz bacon
4 oz roasted Hatch Chile
4 oz high temp cheddar
2 TBS paprika
1 TBS ea black pepper, cumin, oregano
Salt, Cure #1, Sodium Erythorbate, milk powder (% by weight)
2 C water

Ground, mixed, and stuffed on Saturday night.

I got up early and lit the Shirley. I have used the warmer plenty, but I have never actually used it as a vertical smoker. I paid for those dang sausage rods - lets use 'em! At the bottom is some tasso I am making to season beans. (I also put two racks of ribs and a chuckie in the main chamber, but neglected to take pics)

Two hours in and the IT is 145°. Starting to get some nice color.

30 min later - tasso is done and the sausages are temping 158°-160° - into the ice bath.

I hung the sausages to bloom, but had to sneak a bite:

Here is the final product and my high-tech blooming rack:

All-in-all a very nice sausage. I had hoped for a bit more heat from the Chiles. I may go to 6 or even 8 oz next time. Or more black pepper. The high-temp cheese is a good addition as well.

 

[ssv3]

Looking great sir! I caught the bug from Sudsnswine.:-D

 

[Fooball]

Those look tasty. Why do the ice bath?

 

[Stingerhook]

Mighty fine David.

 

[SmokinAussie]

Ice bath solidifies the fat and juices inside the sausage. It's now essentially a hot smoked and cured sausage you can eat cold if you want. If you let it cool naturally the sausage loses moisture and goes dry.

Bloody nice work David!

 

[Big George's BBQ]

That looks and sounds amazing

 

[Swine Spectator]

@Fooball - the ice bath arrests the cooking process and cools it quickly. It helps shrink the casing and make it stick to the meat. Then you hang it at room temp for 1-2 hours to bloom, which allows the casing to darken and get nice color.

 

[Fooball]

@Fooball - the ice bath arrests the cooking process and cools it quickly. It helps shrink the casing and make it stick to the meat. Then you hang it at room temp for 1-2 hours to bloom, which allows the casing to darken and get nice color.

Yes I knew it is a way to stop the cooking in a hurry. Didn't know it affected the casing. My thought was it would rinse off some of the smoke flavor that's on the casing so was wondering why you do it.

I'm learning sausage......