25# boston butt rough cut into about 1" chunks.
6 level TBSPS sea salt (non-iodized)
5 level tsps. cure #1
2.5 TBSPS Black pepper
3 TBSPS Cayenne pepper
2.5 TBSPS Accent (Monosodium Glutamate)
1.5 TBSPS granulated garlic
1.5 TBSPS granulated onion
1 TBSPS Paprika
1 TBSP dark brown sugar
1.5 tsp. dry mustard powder
.5 tsp ground corriander
.5 tsp gumbo file powder (ground dried sassafrass leaves) *optional-gives it a fruity root beer note and melds with the smoke nicely
5 cups dry milk powder
2.5 cups very, very cold ice water
1. Soak casing for about 25 minutes.
2.-Chill cubed meat and fat in freezer until semi-frozen along with grinder neck assembly. Chill meat to below 34* to get a clean cut on the fat. Fill a 2 qt. pitcher 1/3 with ice then top with cold water and stir, set aside.
3. While meat is chilling, clean up your work space. then measure out cure into a small 2 cup glass bowl and set aside. Measure out all seasonings into one 2 qt. bowl and mix well, set aside. Measure out dry milk powder into a 2 qt. steel bowl, set aside. Flush natural sausage casing with water and rinse thoroughly flushing each piece with water, set aside in a bowl of water for stuffing.
4. Into a 25# plastic tub, grind meat through course plate into 3/8~1/2" chunks, then change grinder plates to 6mm or 1/4 inch plate. Grind meat again into another 25# tub.
5. Pour out 1 cup of ice water into a 2 cup measuring cup then add the cure to the water. Stir very thoroughly. Poke holes into the grind with your gloved hand, then pour the ice cold cure water over the meat, mix in kneading the meat a few times. Add 4 cups of ice water to the seasoning mix and stir well. Pour this evenly onto meat. Add dry milk powder spreading evenly. Mix the sausage very well for about 2~3 minutes with either a wood spoon, plastic spatula, or gloved hands until the mix becomes sticky and tacky-very important step for the sausage to bind properly! put grind in frige while you prep the stuffer.(I do not recommend using a stuffer neck on the grinder for this reason. You will get much better results with smoked sausage using a stuffer and properly mixing the grind. )
6. Stuff sausage into casing to make coils, leaving 4" of casing on either end. Once the casing is stuffed, twist the sausage into 6~8" links. Place finished links into a 25# plastic tote and refrigerate. Let sit in frig. for 12~24 hours to allow the salt and cure to distribute evenly and let the seasonings meld into the meat. This also helps the sausage binder (milk powder) to form gels between the voids in the meat which will hold onto the moisture as the links smoke.
7. After 12~24 hours, prep and pre- heat smoker. Bring up to 90~100* then load sausage into smoker to dry for 30 minutes. Insert temp probe into largest link and set probe alarm for 154*. Add wood chips to smoker and raise heat to 120* and smoke for 2~3 hours until internal temp. of sausage reaches 100*. Raise heat 10* every hour until you reach 160~170*. Raise heat to 170* and smoke until internal temp reaches 154* and hold it there for 12 minutes. Do not let heat go above 180* or you risk fat out and will end up with dry sausages.
8. Pull links to cool and then place in cool water bath until links are room temp. (helps prevent shrinkage and wrinkles; sets the color)
package and freeze.
Wood- I like both hickory and pecan, but you can use any wood you like.
