LEM summer sausage seasoning

Outlaw77

I decided to try LEM's summer sausage seasoning this weekend after I found some pork neck bone trimmings for $0.49/lb. I mixed 4lbs of pork to 5 pounds of beef chuck. Smoked approximately 5 hrs @ 180 degs to 158 internal temp using apple chips. Turned out good.

Cowdogs

That look pretty good.  Are they pink because of curing salts? What recipe did you follow?

Outlaw77

I decided to try the LEM summer seasoning kit that I can get locally at my Academy Sports. It came with the clear fiburous casings and seasoning with seperate cure packet. As for as prep and cooking method, I just did what I've always done. Cubed meat, put in freezer for 30 mins, course grind, mix seasoning and cure with water, mixed seasoning and meat, refrig overnight, next day put meat in freezer for 30 mins, stuffed and placed in refrig until next day, smoked until desired temp, immediately dunked in ice bath to reduce shrinking, and then refrig until ready to eat.

Cure does produce the pink color but some pink is from smoke. Someone smarter than me will have to answer what percentage is attributed to cure and what to smoke.

stike

the cure turned it pink before the smoke ever hit it.

Griffin

That is awesome, Outlaw!! Great job. Looks like I've got another cook to try.

Those pit controllers do such an awesome job keeping a low fire going. Care to share with everybody how you lit your fire as that can be the tricky part?

Outlaw77

Griffin, when I'm doing a sub 200 deg cook, I always clean out ash and old coals. Started with coals filled up to the holes in the firebox. I lit the coals loaded with apple chips in three spots with a torch. Closed lid, turned stoker on (pit temp set to 200), and installed fan. Climbed to 200 within 15-20 mins. Let stabilize at 200 for about 45mins then dropped temp to 180 (I had more fat in sausage than I normally do and didn't want it to render out). Placed sausage on grill.
I have done this cook a bunch without stoker. Not as easy as maintaining 250 but not hard either. Clean firebox and lot of airspace always has worked for me.

Griffin

When I did my Texas Hot Links, I was shooting for 130 for the first hour. I took 3 good size hunks of lump and lit them on the patio with my weed burner, used to tongs to transfer them to my Egg, threw in the placesetter and grate, plugged in the Auber and set it for 130. Was good to go. Never had a problem through the whole cook.

Egg Juju

Makes me long for a cracker... not really... sausage and cheese are all you need!  Looks delicious!

Outlaw77

Egg JuJu, crakers where in the vicinity. Im good at eating. Not so good at picture taking.

Brownie

Wow, They really look great! I love summer sausage.