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Ok, ive been tasked with making all beef tx hot link sausage for a friend's party

westernbbq
westernbbq Posts: 2,490
in EggHead Forum
Cant be crazy hot, but medium heat is ok.   Ill be grinding, spicing, stuffing and smoking about 25 lb of the stuff so i gotta do it right.  Looking at chuck as main meat component.  Maybe some brisket with the non hard fat mixed in....

Spices ill be using include b&w pepper, cayenne, chili powder, red pepper flakes, salt, cumin, yellow mustard powder amd yellow mustard seed, sugar, minced garlic, maybe onion powder,   

If there is anything to be added to this distinguished list, kindly share.  Please.  I cant screw this up...i really need to come through for a good friend.

If they told me all beef does that mean no hog casings?  I read beef casings can be too tough for sausage

Any help out there from egg nation would be appreciated.

Thanks!
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Comments

  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 11,185
    Props to you and yes you will need Hog Casings ...for a start go 80/20 I would prefer 75/25. Use hard pork fat not beef ...shoot for ( me) 2% salt 1 cup water /5 pounds meat...the rest is just seasoning ...for me I'd do 1/2 pepper to the salt probably 1/2 tbs per lb of meat same with Paprika easy on the cumin .25 on the garlic and onion @20stone hello 
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • 20stone
    20stone Posts: 1,961
    +1 on the pork fat (back fat is best), and pork casings

    A few other points:
    • If you are going to cold smoke you should also add some Cure 1 (I'll dig up quantities if you are going this way). I actually prefer fresh hot smoked at the time it is served, but we do cold smoke as well. Let me know
    • Beef tends to get more crumbly than pork, so a lot of folks will use a binder like dry milk to help hold it together.  Whether you do that or not, you will want to mix the sausage a lot after grinding to get it good and sticky
    • Beef soaks up more water than pork.  I don't know if @lkapigian's recipe is beef specific.  If not, plan on more, and you want it (and everything else) really, really cold
    • For 25 lbs, you will want to grind in batches, pulling your meat/fat out of the freezer as you go (depending on how fast your grinder is). If you ste the full amount on the counter, the last bit will be warmer than you like when you grind it. 
    • Last, you might clarify "all beef", as they may have folks that don't dig on swine and are strict about it, forcing you to make some changes. I'd make sure you know that first. If that ends up being the case, you'll be using beef fat and sheep casings, I suspect. 
    Keep us up to date. This sounds fun.

    PS, where is home for you?
    (now only 16 stone)

    Joule SV
    GE induction stove
    Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
    Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
    Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
    Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
    Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
    Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location

    Austin, TX
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  • westernbbq
    westernbbq Posts: 2,490
    @20stone, i am in beautiful and soon to be rainy phoenix, arizona...


    I think the group im cooking for isnt a strict no pork one...hog casings in my experience provide the best sausage results

    I have a LEM #12 grinder, a 15# and a 5# LEM hand crank stuffer plus a big subzero freezer so equipment-wise i am set

    A lot of the reading i did about tx hot links indicated they were all beef, no mention of pork fat or of any kind of casings used 


    This project is a few weeks away so ill practice in small batches and come up with something awesome
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  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564
    PM sent. =)
    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
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  • CarolinaQ
    CarolinaQ Posts: 81
    Boom. 

    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1210610/texas-style-hot-links
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  • 20stone
    20stone Posts: 1,961
    CarolinaQ said:
    Boom. 

    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1210610/texas-style-hot-links
    +1 on the links link

    westernbbq said:
    I think the group im cooking for isnt a strict no pork one...hog casings in my experience provide the best sausage results..

    A lot of the reading i did about tx hot links indicated they were all beef, no mention of pork fat or of any kind of casings used 
    If that is the case, I would definitely use pork fat, and even some pork trim to add to the mix.  Beef can be made into sausage...pork is sausage.
    (now only 16 stone)

    Joule SV
    GE induction stove
    Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
    Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
    Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
    Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
    Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
    Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location

    Austin, TX
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  • thetrim
    thetrim Posts: 11,377
    Save yourself a lot of time and effort....


    =======================================
    XL 6/06, Mini 6/12, L 10/12, Mini #2 12/14 MiniMax 3/16 Large #2 11/20 Legacy from my FIL - RIP
    Tampa Bay, FL
    EIB 6 Oct 95
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  • 20stone
    20stone Posts: 1,961
    thetrim said:
    Save yourself a lot of time and effort....


    1 - Earl Campbell is the best.  As a lifetime Houstonian and UT alum, I won't say an unkind word about the man.  Also, for you f*&*^ing millials, Earl Campbell was a bulldozer of a human being running back for the Horns and Oilers during the 70s and 80s.  He usually hit harder than he got hit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt0_lIC3Og8

    2 - @thetrim, I know you are trolling, but I am making my rage face anyway.
    (now only 16 stone)

    Joule SV
    GE induction stove
    Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
    Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
    Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
    Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
    Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
    Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location

    Austin, TX
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  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564
    Go with these!! =)


    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
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  • 20stone
    20stone Posts: 1,961
    Hotch said:
    Go with these!! =)


    The s$$^%list gets longer and longer
    (now only 16 stone)

    Joule SV
    GE induction stove
    Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
    Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
    Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
    Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
    Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
    Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location

    Austin, TX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 23,138
    westernbbq said:
    @20stone, i am in beautiful and soon to be rainy phoenix, arizona...


    I think the group im cooking for isnt a strict no pork one...hog casings in my experience provide the best sausage results

    I have a LEM #12 grinder, a 15# and a 5# LEM hand crank stuffer plus a big subzero freezer so equipment-wise i am set

    A lot of the reading i did about tx hot links indicated they were all beef, no mention of pork fat or of any kind of casings used 


    This project is a few weeks away so ill practice in small batches and come up with something awesome
    TX beef sausage is made with beef trimmings and pork fat and casings for the most part. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • thetrim
    thetrim Posts: 11,377
    Sorry, gents.  As a Texas transplant living in Florida, I have a soft spot in my belly for ECHL and will have one every chance I get.  Truth be told, I freaking love the hot links, although I do recognize it doesn't meet the high standards of the @20stone @caliking @The Cen-Tex Smoker team and the quality product you would put out.   


    =======================================
    XL 6/06, Mini 6/12, L 10/12, Mini #2 12/14 MiniMax 3/16 Large #2 11/20 Legacy from my FIL - RIP
    Tampa Bay, FL
    EIB 6 Oct 95
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  • thetrim
    thetrim Posts: 11,377
    And, I don't remember Earl's U Texas days, but I was a big fan of his Oilers Days and got whipped many a time for turning several t-shirts into Earl Campbell tear away jerseys with my neighborhood hooligans when growing up in the SWAT (SouthWest Alief, TX)
    =======================================
    XL 6/06, Mini 6/12, L 10/12, Mini #2 12/14 MiniMax 3/16 Large #2 11/20 Legacy from my FIL - RIP
    Tampa Bay, FL
    EIB 6 Oct 95
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • 20stone
    20stone Posts: 1,961
    thetrim said:
    Sorry, gents.  As a Texas transplant living in Florida, I have a soft spot in my belly for ECHL and will have one every chance I get. 
    I don't blame you for that.

    As for our game, we are getting better all the time, but still have our misses.
    (now only 16 stone)

    Joule SV
    GE induction stove
    Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
    Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
    Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
    Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
    Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
    Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location

    Austin, TX
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  • westernbbq
    westernbbq Posts: 2,490
    Hotch said:
    PM sent. =)
    got it brothaman...thanks mucho
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