Smoked Country Sausage Recipe

Close-up of Smoked Country Sausage cross-cut. Beautiful texture.

Smoked Country Sausage Recipe

Course: Appetizer, Sausage, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: country sausage, smoked country sausage

Prep Time: 3

Cook Time: 5

Curing time: 2

Total Time: 2 8

Servings:

Calories: 85kcal

Author: Victor

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

Ingredients

1,000 g pork butt
12 g kosher salt
2.5 g Cure #1 level
3 g Rubbed sage
3.5 g black pepper
1.5 g cayenne pepper optional
0.5 g nutmeg
2 g onion powder
1 g garlic powder
60 ml ice water see the notes

Instructions

Weigh the meat in grams. Divide the total weight by 1000, then multiply each ingredient by that number, except the water (see notes). For example, if the meat weighs 2350 g, you need to multiply the ingredients specified above by 2.35. Using the metric system makes this a lot easier.
Cut the meat into 2" (5-6 cm) pieces, mix with salt and Cure #1. Place it in a container, cover, and refrigerate for 24-48 hours.
Remove the meat from the fridge, mix with the seasonings, and grind it through the 3/16" (4.5mm) plate.
Mix the ground meat well, adding ice water, until the meat becomes sticky.
Stuff into hog casings (28-32 mm) and tie into rings. Prick any visible air pockets with a needle.
Dry for about 60 minutes in the smoker at about 110F - 130F without smoke.
Smoke at around 130F - 140F for 2-4 hours, until the casings develop brown color with a red tint. You may have to re-arrange smoke sticks during smoking to achieve even color.
Poach at 167F - 176F for 25 - 35 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 154F -158F.
Shower with cold water for about 5 min, then let cool down and dry.
Hang the sausage in a cool room or a curing chamber for 5-7 days to dry at about 55F and 75% relative humidity. This will prolong the shelf life and intensify the flavor of the sausage. If you don't have a cold room or a curing chamber, loosely wrap the sausage in unglazed butcher paper and place it in the fridge. Flip and shuffle once every day for about 1-2 weeks.
Store in a refrigerator or vacuum seal and freeze for long-term storage.

Notes

I usually add another 60 ml at 3000 g, then another 60 ml at 9000 g, etc. But also keep an eye on the consistency. If the meat is stiff, add more water.

Nutrition