Smoked chorizo and brat making weekend

[colorado russ]

Well, given the warm weather this coming weekend and I still have snow in the yard, think I\'ll start on my spring/summer sausage making.

Last weekend I made Filipino Lumpia - some with ground elk and some with ground pork/shrimp. Turned out great! The prep work and rolling those little buggers is very time consuming. So, these are only shared at the house with family and friends!

This weekend I think it\'ll be smoked chorizo and brats. I\'ve got the chorizo recipe just need to pick out a brat recipe. Considering a kit for the brats but not 100% sure which way to go yet. Likely will spice myself and add green chiles.

Both sausages will be in natural hog casings and I plan on getting fresh spices from Penzey\'s or Savory Spice. Will smoke enough for a couple of meals and rest will be vacuum sealed and put in the freezer.

If anyone here has suggestions/tips/recipes/comments on sausage making/smoker use, please post so I can learn more.

Will post some pics of the process this weekend.

 

[iccyman001]

I\'ll see you in 12 hours Russ!!!!!!
I\'ll be the taste tester!!! :dance2:

 

[cohunter14]

Russ, unless you have already purchased the casings I would just go with a Cabelas kit. It\'s so cheap and you can certainly add more spices to it if you desire, or green chilis like you mentioned. They make it so simple and it\'s so cheap that it\'s hard not to go that route in my opinion. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

 

[colorado russ]

You\'re right about the kits making it much easier and I can add more spices. Biggest concern with me and the Mrs is amount of sodium and any preservatives. Understand you have to have cure or a preservative in that regards but no MSG kinda stuff!

Going to Sportsman\'s Warehouse this weekend and see what they\'ve got in stock. Don\'t want to drive all the way to Cabela\'s if I don\'t have to. Bass Pro has Backwood\'s kits which are from LEM I believe but never used. Always had good results with Hi-Country so will see Friday.

Plan is to mix spices into meat Friday after work, cover overnight in fridge, stuff Saturday morning and have on smoker that afternoon. Not sure about weather on Sunday so bumping things up a day.

 

[Tdiesel]

Dang it\'s 7 in the morning and that\'s sounding dang good please give a report when your done yum yum

 

[colorado russ]

Tod, I\'ll just bring some down and we can try the coyotes again(I\'ll drive down the night before and sleep at the Loaf & Jug)!!