I am going to be making Summer Sausage, Breakfast Sausage, Hot Dogs and Snack sticks and trying to figure out what seasonings to go with.

Right now I am thinking:
Summer Sausage:
*H Summer Sausage spice (with and without Jalapeno and Cheddar)
*Tons Summer Unit ((with and without Jalapeno and Cheddar)

Breakfast Sausage:
*Maple Flavored Pork

Hot Dogs:
*Apple Bratwurst
*Cranberry flavored
or
*H Summer sausage or Tons Summer Unit with some cheddar???

Snack Sticks:
Gigawatt Hot or jalapeno cheddar
and just cheddar

What are your thoughts on flavors. I am just really worried about the salt content not a big salt person…

Thank you for your help!!!

Jonathon Austin Thank you for the information, very helpful… Maybe you can give me a little more assistance based on your reply… My elk by the way was an archery 6x7 bull and field dressed weight was 560lbs.

Summer Sausage. So I am used to our summer sausage made with whole mustard seed and garlic which was kind of the standard. Then we had either made another batch with cheddar and jalapeno to kick it up a bit. So I am looking for I guess a standard base seasoning that would taste great alone as well to add off with. After reading all the review the Tons and H Summer was what I thought I would use as a base. I guess my question to you would be since you are an employee which would you rather have as a base flavor in all your sausage? What would be the flavor profile difference that stands out to you?

Breakfast links: my family usually orders a maple breakfast sausage so I was thinking the maple flavor as the kids would not be into the hot… Something sweet for breakfast is typically their go to. I might just have to add some apple bacon or some pure maple syrup to the mix?

Hot Dogs: As far as the hot dogs go my wife and I go to this German restaurant that serves a Cranberry pork sausage as well an Apple Sausage she really enjoys. My Mother and Father enjoy just plain cheddar in their dogs so that was my reasoning behind those flavors. I didn’t see just a regular hot dog seasoning could you lead me to it!?

Snack Sticks: Typically my dad and I make just regular sausage snack sticks which I would use the (Tons or H summer) and then add Cheddar to some as well cheddar and jalapeno to spice it up a bit. I noticed the Gigawatt which might be too hot for most however I enjoy some heat. I would rather have heat over too sweet of a snack stick… I did notice the Willie’s and thought of using that as a base however if I ordered the Tons Summer sausage then I would just use that as a base? Again flavor profiles between those very different? Thoughts?

As far as the salt goes I completely understand you meaning as to the cured meats. Is there anything you can see as far as the breakfast sausages or hot dogs go that might have too salty of a flavor as I am just going to use natural casings and then freeze. I haven’t decided if I would smoke first and then freeze the breakfast and hot dogs as of yet. The summer sausage and snack sticks I just expect it…

One last question, after mixing the spices with your seasonings do I have to let them sit over night or for a certain period of time before stuffing. Some kits you have to let the meat sit for 12 hours or so. Thought I would ask as I want to start timing out everything…

Thank you once again for all your help!

How much Jalapeno Flakes should one use when making Summer Sausage and or hot sticks. Per pound?

Thank you for the help!

Good morning all, I am going to be smoking some summer sausage and some snack sticks and had a question regarding the Sure Cure and Encapsulated Citric Acid.

1. Should you use both?
2. If you don’t use Encapsulated Citric Acid you have to let it rest for 24 hours?
3. If I use Encapsulated Citric Acid do I have to smoke the meat right away or can I wait the 24 hours?

Thank you for your help!