Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Food, Cooking, and Game Preparation 25 lbs of venison polish sausage ready to smoke tomorrow

Just finished 25 lbs of polish sausage (Leggs seasoning kit, cure and a little powdered milk, 25% pork butt) in natural casings. The natural casing thing was a first for me this year and will be the preferred method from now on. Made me a little queezy at first (washing out the casings etc), but the finished product looks so good. Will begin smoking tomorrow. Probably take me a couple days as my smoking space is limited in the ceramid dome smoker.

Looks good. I made sausage for the first time this year and wish I hadn't waited so long.

How was the Italian. I've never tried to smoke it. I've been waiting to find out.

Looks darn good RBH!

The smoked italian was pretty good, but the italian in general is a little strong for me. It goes great on pizza or in lasagna or spagetti, but to eat it plain like a bratworst, it's a little strong to eat on its own for me. I'm anxious to see how the polish turns out as I am smoking it now. We will see.
Here's about 12 lbs of the polish in the smoker..

Sweet! I can smell that from here!

Looking good, you can send leftovers

Polish sausage verdict: It's a winner hands down. Tastes almost exactly like the smoked Keilbasa you buy vacuum packed at the grocery store. I could do all my venison now in just 3 things: Jerkey, summer sausage, and smoked polish sausage. My 6 year old daughter and her buddy from across the street couldn't stop eating it. And she helped me make it, knowing it was "pig guts" that we used for casings. This stuff can easily be sliced in hot dog lengths, grilled or nuked, and served on a hot dog bun, cut up and put in "red beans and rice", served in "beanie wenies", etc., etc.
Took me 2 batches on the grill to smoke 26 lbs of polish sausage. Pretty much all day from about 1-11pm. Smoked em low and slow at about 200'.

How was the moistness? 6 lbs of pork butt, being generous (and for easy figuring) to the fat is %50 fat, would be 12% fat in the sausage. I'd made some kielbasa, and while the flavor was good, I'm going to up my fat the next go round.

Looks like my percentages were off a bit. I added a 9 lb butt and 2 lbs of pork trimmings and 2 cups of powdered milk and 3 lbs of water to the meat and seasoning mixture. Smoked to 155' and put in ice bath to stop the cooking. Moisture was great. If anything, almost too moist. we'll see what it's like after totally cooling in fridge overnight in freezer bags. Can't immagine it needs any more moisture.