Homemade Sausage Making

I like making sausage, but BBQ is my first love and a sometimes side job for me. I do custom smoking for folks and cater a little bit.

From my calculations and records, I cooked over 800 pounds of meats on the smoker last year that could be declared BBQ. The largest cook was almost 200 pounds of only briskets at one time.

To me BBQ is about low and slow cooking. Low temperatures (225° - 270°F) and long cook times to really let the meat get nice and tender.

I have a workbook that I made for people that are just beginning in the world of BBQ. It can be found at the link below and is free to anyone and everyone worldwide. To date I know of it being used in 7 different countries.

Cranky Buzzard BBQ Workbook

This weekend I'll be smoking 2 whole chickens, 3 racks of baby back pork ribs, 1 brisket, LOTS of sausage, salmon, and possibly a pork butt if I don't use it for sausage.

I'll post pictures if folks are interested.

Also, if you like the workbook, or would like to see something added to it, please let me know.

Charlie

Oh, Cranky Buzzard also has a Facebook fan page at: Cranky Buzzard Facebook Page

Hey Charlie..... you wrote:

I'll post pictures if folks are interested.

Heck, are we interested? Are we interested? Get real "Chuck"!
Of course we are. Post away pal.

Hey CrankyBuzzard...
I think a lot of folks would like to hear how you Barbecue chicken without scorchin' it. I finally learned about brining the poultry, but it took me ten years to get it through my head. Have you got any "Texas Wisdom" about brining OR info about chicken that doesn't stick?
Thanks, Charlie...
BTW...... what town are you in? And... do you ever travel north to my territory?

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

Hola CW,

I'm located at the border of Richardson, and Plano, TX. I seldom get up to CO. much anymore since I no longer am able to hunt the big critters, but I could be enticed to come up there for some sausage, beverage and BS on the porch!

Since I have MOST of the vertebra in my upper back and neck fused, I can't carry the meat out like I used to. Now I'm relegated to hunting whitetail that I can get to easily, not to mention here in TX a 125 pound deer is a big one!

Brining, I seldom brine anything other than turkey when it comes to BBQ. The secret to anything BBQ from a moisture standpoint is prep and cook style.

I cook my birds at ~250° - 275°F until I get an internal temperature of 167°F in the thigh AND the breast. Even the breast meat on my birds comes out moist and very juicy. What's the secret? Don't cook over direct heat and prep the birds with an olive oil slather prior to rubbing. The olive oil seals in the juices naturally. By doing this you can literally cook chicken without any extra sodium.

For moist briskets and ribs, just follow the directions in my workbook and you'll have to put paper towels under the cutting board when you slice them up. Why paper towels? Because the juice will be running off of the board!

Another tip to getting BBQ that is not scorched, don't use ANY BBQ SAUCE until you are almost ready to pull it from the pit. I never put any BBQ sauce on my meats, I serve the sauce on the side. Now, I DO baste the meats with a mop sauce while they are cooking, and the mop sauce has olive oil in it. The OO will assist in keeping the exterior of the meat "sealed" so the natural juices stay inside. I also shy away from anything tomato or sugar based as a mop sauce since both of those critters tend to scorch and burn.

I'll post pics of the prep, cook, and final shots tomorrow as the day progresses. I'll start a new thread for that.

Oh, gonna make some Texas Smokey Links as well from the recipe that Blackriver posted last week.

Charlie

Hi Kids, Our pal, Kranky Krinkly Krusty Buzzzard, has turned loose with a few of his "secrets". Here they are:

For moist poultry: Don't cook it over direct heat and prep the birds with an olive oil slather prior to rubbing. The olive oil seals in the juices naturally. By doing this you can literally cook chicken without any extra sodium.

Good info Charlie! Here's more of his information folks:

Another tip to getting BBQ that is not scorched, don't use ANY BBQ SAUCE until you are almost ready to pull it from the pit. I never put any BBQ sauce on my meats; I serve the sauce on the side.

Now, I DO baste the meats with a mop sauce while they are cooking, and the mop sauce has olive oil in it. The OO (olive oil) will assist in keeping the exterior of the meat "sealed" so the natural juices stay inside. I also shy away from anything tomato or sugar based as a mop sauce since both of those critters tend to scorch and burn.

Shucks CrankyBuzzard,
Thanks for sharing!

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

I would REALLY be interested in what DaveZak and Trosky have to say about brining! Several other members come to mind too. Some of the "old hands" ya know? Hey guys, do you think a "salty solution" improves the texture or taste?

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

I like to brine when I'm cooking a whole or half bird. If it's just leg quarters I don't. I smoke/grill at a higher temp - usually 300-350+, it will crisp the skin better at a higher temp. I love my chicken cooked over mesquite lump!!

I agree with Nick. A whole bird deserves a brine. I have always found it to be juicier than without a brine. And, I love the distant, yet distinct saltiness of a brined bird. Heck, it saves me from salting it at the table. Kinda like a chef seasoning his delectable delights before bringing them to be served.

For a real treat, check in with Chuckwagon on his recipe for brine cured pink bird.

CrankyBuzzard wrote:Brining, I seldom brine anything other than turkey when it comes to BBQ. The secret to anything BBQ from a moisture standpoint is prep and cook style.

...guess I'd have to agree with that. That's how most people cook brisket in my neck of the woods.

But, reading in another of Chuckwagon's threads about brining/curing ribs before smoking, I was surprised. The idea of ham flavor is not what I look for in ribs. I cook my ribs like I do my brisket, low and slow and with a minimalist rub (mostly pepper, some salt and garlic powder). ...no mopping or moping allowed. The only mop sauce is beer, and it is applied only to the cook, not the meat in the cooker. I smoke 'em in the 225 to 250 degree range for about four hours, and wrap the ribs in foil for the last hour so as to keep 'em moist without any extra efforts. (Most of those other efforts failed, anyway.)(Sounds like I need to try that olive oil business. )

So tell me, am I risking bacterial death by not curing? Seems like my process would be classified "cooking (with smoke)" instead of "smoking (with cook)."

el Ducko wrote:So tell me, am I risking bacterial death by not curing? Seems like my process would be classified "cooking (with smoke)" instead of "smoking (with cook)."

You will be happy to know that you will be ok not using curing salt for your BBQ as long as you are cooking at appropriate temperatures. Those temperatures are high enough to keep those botulium spores from producing toxins. They really start to slow down at 118 F and at 140 F, the spores don't develop into toxins.

Pathogens like salmonella, E. Coli, and Listeria are easily killed as long as you maintain a minimum temperature of 130 F to 165 F long enough. But, this is only if those pathogens haven't grown prior to the cooking process.

So, death by BBQ probably isn't in your future.

story28 wrote:You will be happy to know that you will be ok not using curing salt for your BBQ as long as you are cooking at appropriate temperatures. Those temperatures are high enough to keep those botulium spores from producing toxins. They really start to slow down at 118 F and at 140 F, the spores don't develop into toxins. ... So, death by BBQ probably isn't in your future.

Thanks. Makes sense.
I shouldn't knock Chuckwagon's ham-like ribs without trying them first, but dang! Smoked ribs are sooooo good!

CrankyBuzzard - Your workbook is an inspiration! For me at least, it is absolutely packed with really useful information. Thank you for sharing, I'm so glad I found this thread!

- Marty