Home Made Sausage, Cured, and Smoked Meats

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

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French Laundry Cookbook
Charcuterie
Alinea (more for food Appreciation and flavor ideas than at home cooking recipes)
Larousse Gastronomique
The Complete Robuchon


These are all books I reach for on a continued basis. For ideas, inspiration, questions, everything.


The food looked good dude. I'm glad it turned out so well.

Edit: Another book you absolutely MUST have, just to understand kitchen science and the way food works, is On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee. Guy is an absolute genius. Any question you might have he will answer in two ways, one very straightforward and simple to understand, and another way that gets down to the molecular level so you really become smurterer.

Really? You cook out of TFL more than Bouchon?

Originally Posted by GQgeek

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Really? You cook out of TFL more than Bouchon?

I don't cook out of either. Although when I do go somewhere for ideas or recipes, it's TFL. I think TFL is a much better book.

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

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I don't cook out of either. Although when I do go somewhere for ideas or recipes, it's TFL. I think TFL is a much better book.

everybody reads cookbooks differently. you have to bear in mind that kwilk is a restaurant cook looking for ideas and inspiration. your mileage may vary if you're just looking for something for dinner, or even for a Saturday night dinner party, but you don't have 4-5 years of high-end kitchen experience.

I really like this thread. Great stuff Pio!

Originally Posted by Mr. Moo

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I really like this thread. Great stuff Pio!



Btw, did not wait for tax return for that second smoker. Was on sale at Meat Processing, so just ordered it. Under $300 shipped.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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Btw, did not wait for tax return for that second smoker. Was on sale at Meat Processing, so just ordered it. Under $300 shipped.

That second smoker...is it specifically made for sausage, or will it smoke just about anything?

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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Btw, did not wait for tax return for that second smoker. Was on sale at Meat Processing, so just ordered it. Under $300 shipped.

well played. Seriously though... are you taking sausage orders?

Originally Posted by Mr. Moo

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well played. Seriously though... are you taking sausage orders?

No way would I put another man's sausage in my mouth

Originally Posted by shasta

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No way would I put another man's sausage in my mouth

So, you'd rather put your own?

Originally Posted by BDC2823

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That second smoker...is it specifically made for sausage, or will it smoke just about anything?

The second smoker won't go over about 170 degrees. So it's limited as to what you can smoke. It's the inverse problem with my current Cook Shack, which really won't smoke below about 180. My briskets (which I've posted pics of) smokes at 225 for 12 hours. The second smoker would be unable to do that and it's not set up to handle grease dripping, where as my Cook Shack is.

Actually, that's the heart of the matter: when smoking sausage you don't want it over 165 or so as otherwise the fat will render. Sausage making is all about suspending fat in meat. (I sound like Kyle or Ruhlman now. )

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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The second smoker won't go over about 170 degrees. So it's limited as to what you can smoke. It's the inverse problem with my current Cook Shack, which really won't smoke below about 180. My briskets (which I've posted pics of) smokes at 225 for 12 hours. The second smoker would be unable to do that and it's not set up to handle grease dripping, where as my Cook Shack is.

Actually, that's the heart of the matter: when smoking sausage you don't want it over 165 or so as otherwise the fat will render. Sausage making is all about suspending fat in meat. (I sound like Kyle or Ruhlman now.

)

Well see now I'm just confused. Not because of what you said as you explained everything perfectly, but why the first smoker won't smoke below 180. I understand the second smoker not being able to exceed 170, but just don't really grasp why the first smoker is limited in smoking under 180. Is this common in that you really need to get two different smokers to be able to cover the entire spectrum, or is this moreso an isolated case where you chose the first smoker for a certain reason foregoing the potential to smoke below 170 that the other smokers were capable of?

Originally Posted by BDC2823

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Well see now I'm just confused. Not because of what you said as you explained everything perfectly, but why the first smoker won't smoke below 180. I understand the second smoker not being able to exceed 170, but just don't really grasp why the first smoker is limited in smoking under 180. Is this common in that you really need to get two different smokers to be able to cover the entire spectrum, or is this moreso an isolated case where you chose the first smoker for a certain reason foregoing the potential to smoke below 170 that the other smokers were capable of?

My first smoker, www.cookshack.com , is the best smoker I've ever tried. It's electric, don't have to mess with water pans, adding charcoal, has a digital temp. control. It really, really retains moisture (and the smoke) and is so easy to use. The wood goes in a metal box that sits above the heating element. It just won't combust the wood unless the element is hitting about 180, and the lowest digital setting is 150 anyways. My brisket comes out super moist and it's just no muss, no fuss. No other smoker I know of is just toss the brisket (or whatever meat) in and let it run for 12 hours or so.

The second one does not retain moisture as well. In fact, it has a chimney type flue, specifically so you can open it and dry sausage. Most recipes require an hour or two at 100-120 for drying, then close the flue to 1/4 and crank it up to 165, which will get that to smoking. This one uses sawdust (vs. the wood chunks of the Cook Shack) and sits in a pan, directly on top of the element. So you can dry things out, specifically what the Cook Shack is designed to prevent, and make smoke at lower temps.

I have probably gone over board. I have tried the propane and charcoal types, where you need to play with it all the time. It's worth having the Cook Shack for brisket, ribs, turkey, etc., then having this for sausage. I'm also going to try fish with it, as fish take a low temp.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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My first smoker, www.cookshack.com , is the best smoker I've ever tried. It's electric, don't have to mess with water pans, adding charcoal, has a digital temp. control. It really, really retains moisture (and the smoke) and is so easy to use. The wood goes in a metal box that sits above the heating element. It just won't combust the wood unless the element is hitting about 180, and the lowest digital setting is 150 anyways. My brisket comes out super moist and it's just no muss, no fuss. No other smoker I know of is just toss the brisket (or whatever meat) in and let it run for 12 hours or so.

The second one does not retain moisture as well. In fact, it has a chimney type flue, specifically so you can open it and dry sausage. Most recipes require an hour or two at 100-120 for drying, then close the flue to 1/4 and crank it up to 165, which will get that to smoking. This one uses sawdust (vs. the wood chunks of the Cook Shack) and sits in a pan, directly on top of the element. So you can dry things out, specifically what the Cook Shack is designed to prevent, and make smoke at lower temps.

I have probably gone over board. I have tried the propane and charcoal types, where you need to play with it all the time. It's worth having the Cook Shack for brisket, ribs, turkey, etc., then having this for sausage. I'm also going to try fish with it, as fish take a low temp.

Thanks for all the info. I will be checking out that website and learning more on this subject.

Got some pork liver today. Gonna get to work on it.

P,

just curisous, not making a statement - working with a regular wood burning smoker, if you really choked off the Oxegen, you should be able to keep the temp below 165, no? that just makes it a matter of more work, right?

I don't see myself ever getting a big electric smoker, or more than one, for that matter. I am thinking if it would ever work to try to make sausages. I love sausages, but now the science of it makes it a little daunting.