Curing & Smoking

Smoked Pork Sausage

Smoked fresh pork sausage is a traditional "home style" product. When produced at home, it was cold smoked in the smokehouse for several days. During this process a natural fermentation occurred which produced the characteristic tang or flavor of the product. An internal temperature of 140ºF is required to kill any trichina which may be present.

Ingredients
for 100 pounds of pork trimmings (60% lean)

Mild

• (3 3/4 cups) 1 lb. 14 oz. salt
• (1 cup) 7 oz. sugar
• (1 cup) 5 oz. black pepper
• (1 cup) 2 oz. rubbed sage

Hot - add to above ingredients

• (10 Tbs.) 2 to 3 oz. crushed dried pepper
• (10 Tbs.) 2 to 4 oz. ground red pepper

Mix spices with trimmings; grind once through 3/8-inch plate and then through 3/16-inch plate. Stuff in natural casings (pork rounds) or collagen casings.

Place the stuffed sausage on racks or smoke sticks and hang in the cooler for 36 to 48 hours. Place the sausage in the smokehouse. Heat house to 100 to 110ºF, with dampers open, until the sausage surface is tacky to touch. Close dampers, introduce smoke. Smoke for two to six hours depending upon color desired. Raise smokehouse temperature to 125ºF after two hours of smoking, 145ºF after three hours. Continue smoking until the internal product temperature reaches 140ºF. Maintain a relative humidity of approximately 40 percent in the smokehouse during smoking.

This document was extracted from "Sausage and Smoked Meat Formulation and Processing", 1982. Bulletin 865, Cooperative Extension Service, The University of Georgia, Athens. By A. Estes Reynolds, Jr. and George A. Schuler, Extension Food Scientists.

top ^

How do I? Can · Freeze · Dry · Cure & Smoke · Ferment · Pickle · Make Jam & Jelly · Store

Home · Publications · Search · Seasonal Tips · Info Request · Multimedia · FAQs · Contact · Links