pauliedmondsjr great top. We do the same with hogs, especially boars. We use a clean large cooler and debone at least the hind quarters. All small pieces for sausage go into a cleaned crawfish sack and then in the cooler. I use pre-chilled water, ice and salt, change the water once a day. Since the water is very cold due to the salt, we can do this for 5 - 7 days. The meat is very mild tasting. We don’t like to waste animals we kill, great way to process even large hogs.

demmerich I have not dry cured any meat but am interested in trying. I have used a larding needle for the last two years. Bought several to threat spears of thick cut bacon into my deer roast and deer steaks. The bacon changes the flavor for the better and the steaks in particular are more tender. The procedure is not that easy. I will write a separate post on how to do it and will include some photos. Bottom line, try it, I bought
My needles for under $10.

D R Baron said in Meat stuffer issues meat exploding out of canister:

check seal may be upside down, i had that problem once.

Jonathon I enjoyed this line of questions and comments, it made me think. Here is my related question: Assume I use 25 lbs. of meat to make summer sausage and add one package, 4 oz., of Carrot Fiber and 80 oz. of water. The ratio is 20 times the weight of water to the weight of CF. In other words, I am adding 5 lbs. 4 oz. of water/CF paste to my meat dough. Should I adjust the amount of salt and spices, I add to the dough? I am concerned that the flavor will be weaker if I don’t add spices for the new total, 30 lbs. curious as to what y’all thinking.

PapaSop said in Grinders:

Just about to fire up my new #22 Butcher series when I read by the switch not to run in reverse more than five seconds at a time. That’s fine when grinding but what about when using the #44 mixer? I know your videos say to run in reverse for one minute intervals during mixing process. Thanks.

I have used CFB in various sausages, it is a great product, especially in lean sausages. Usually use 8 oz of water per 5 lbs of meat. While I am typing this, I am smoking 30 lbs of summer sausage. I am going for a semi-dry endproduct, firm to a good thumb push and easy to slice thin. I am not using any water and no fillers since adding water would be counter productive to achieving my desired final product.

I am in the process of making summer sausage. Will dry/smoke flavor in the smoker. I ground my 30 lbs. of Beef/Pork mix with a 10mm (3/8) plate last Thursday morning. Added the required amount of cure, 1.2 oz. I am mixing the meat twice a day to ensure that all meat is coming in contact with the cure. Keeping meat at 34 degrees in fridge. After 8 days, this Friday, I will add spices, mix meat and grind for second time with 6mm (1/4 inch) plate. Finally, here is my question: Since the meat should be thoroughly cured, do I have to smoke it to a temp of 152 or higher? I prefer not to smoke that high, I like the texture of summer sausage better if smoked to lower temp. I do not want my fat to render/melt. Am using 12" x 2.4" Walton’s pre-struck casings.

You might want to open your chimney all the way and prop the door open 1 to 3 inches, this should lower the temperature significantly. This how I get my smoker down to 125 to start the drying cycle for jerky.