Summer Sausage

Prepare the Meat:

-Chill the beef, pork, and brisket fat in the freezer until firm.

-Grind the chilled meats using a small diameter grinder plate.

Mix the Seasonings:

-In a bowl, combine the salt, pink curing salt #1, granulated garlic, C bind carrot binder, sugar, mustard seeds, black pepper, coriander, allspice, and nutmeg. Mix well.

Combine Meat, Seasonings, and Water:

-Place the ground meat in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

-Add the mixed seasonings to the meat in the mixer.

-While mixing, gradually pour in the cold water (10% of the total weight) to ensure even distribution of the spices. 

-Mix for a couple of minutes until the mixture becomes sticky.

-Add the encapsulated citric acid and continue kneading for a couple more minutes.

Stuff the Sausage:

-Prepare a sausage stuffer and soak the 3-inch cellulose casing in warm water until it becomes flexible.

-Load the meat mixture into the sausage stuffer.

-Slowly and carefully stuff the casing, ensuring there are no air pockets.

-Use a sausage pricker to poke small holes in the casing to prevent it from bursting.

Smoke the Sausage:

-Fire up the mini chudbox with a cold smoke generator filled with sawdust.

-Hang the sausage in the chudbox and let it smoke for a few hours until the internal temperature reaches 150-155 degrees Fahrenheit.

-Remove the sausage from the chudbox and immediately place it in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

-Let the sausage chill in the ice bath for 10-15 minutes.

Air Dry and Chill:

-Hang the smoked sausage to air dry overnight, allowing excess moisture to evaporate.

-Once the sausage has air-dried, transfer it to the refrigerator to cool.

Serve:

-Slice the cooled summer sausage and serve it with your favorite cheese and crackers.

Note: Summer sausage can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks. Make sure to properly wrap and seal the sliced sausage to maintain its freshness. Enjoy!