How To Make Jerky and Sausage
Jerky Instructions
Slice the meat with the grain (for chewy) or against the grain (for tender.) The jerky cure gives the flavor of bacon to your jerky. Mix cure to 12-15# of meat. Use a very lean product, free of fat. Use as much water necessary to get a complete mix. The less water you use, the faster the product will cook. Cure works best if set overnight, but can work in 1 hr. soak time. Smoke, dehydrate, or cook to 160 degrees. Chill, package, and freeze. If jerky meat is 97% lean, you can produce shelf staple product, but its best to refrigerate and freeze if not consumed after processing.
Pepperoni Instructions
When making pepperoni, its best to use 90% lean with 10% pork fat. This will insure a good blend and bind. Do not use suet or kidney fat. Grind product through medium plate. Mix seasoning with 25# of meat. Use approximately 16-32 ounces of water. This will keep the meat moist through the stuffing procedure. Grind again though fine plate. Stuff pepperoni through 21mm collagen casings. It's not necessary to pre-soak casings. Do so if you wish. Smoke and cook to 160 degrees internal temperature. It's best to refrigerate and freeze if not consumed after processing.
Fresh Sausage
When making fresh sausage, grind meat through medium plate. Mix 50% lean game with 50% pork fat (not suet or kidney fat.) Follow directions on package of seasoning for amount of meat used. Grind again through medium or fine plate. Stuff sausage in hog casings or make patties or bulk packages and freeze. Fresh sausage will not stay red when cooking, as there is no cure in the seasoning. All fresh sausage should be cooked thoroughly before consuming.
Salami or Summer Sausage
When making salami or summer sausage products, it's best to use 90% lean with 10% pork fat. Do not use suet or kidney fat. This will insure a good blend and bind. Grind product through medium plate. Mix seasoning with approximately 16-32 ounces of water for 25# of product. This will keep meat moist through stuffing procedure. Grind again through fine plate. Stuff salami or summer sausage into 1x10 or 2 ½ x24 casings. Pre-soak casing before stuffing. Smoke and cook to 160 degrees internal temperature. It's best to refrigerate and freeze if not consumed after processing.
German Sausage Instructions
When making German sausage, use 50% lean game with 50% fat pork trim. Do not use suet or kidney fat. Grind meat through medium plate. Mix German sausage seasoning with 25 lbs. of meat. Enclosed is a cure packet. This will insure that the sausage will keep red in color when it is cooked. If you don't want the red color, don't use the cure packet. Grind again through medium plate. When stuffing into hog casings pre-soak and flush casing before stuffing. Open ends of casings and let water flow inside casings before placing on the stuffer horn. After stuffing sausage, smoke and cook to 160 degrees internal temperature. It's best to refrigerate and freeze if not consumed after processing.