Okay, so yesterday I decided to make sausages from scratch. I’ve done it before, but this time I wanted to really nail the internal temperature thing. I’ve had some issues in the past with them being a little dry, so I was determined to get it right.
First, I ground the meat. I used a mix of pork shoulder and some beef chuck, because, why not? I like a bit of beef in my sausage. I made sure the meat was super cold, almost partially frozen, because I’ve read that helps with the texture. Once it was all ground up, I mixed in my spices – you know, the usual suspects: salt, pepper, garlic powder, some paprika, and a little secret blend I won’t reveal.
Next, I stuffed the casings. This is always a bit of a messy process, but hey, that’s part of the fun, right? I used natural hog casings, soaked them in water for a while to make them pliable, and then carefully fed them onto the sausage stuffer. It’s a two-person job, really, but I managed it solo, albeit with a few near-disasters.
Cooking and Temping
Now for the cooking part, and this is where the internal temperature comes in. I decided to go with a low and slow approach. I set my smoker to around 225°F (107°C). I’ve used higher heat in the past, but, I wanted to try to go slower to not over cook the meat.
- I put the sausages in the smoker.
- I inserted a meat thermometer into one of the links. I’ve got one of those fancy digital ones with a probe that you can leave in while it cooks.
- I just let them smoke, keeping an eye on the temperature.
- It took a good few hours.
My target internal temperature was 160-165°F (71-74°C). That’s what I’d read was the safe zone for pork and beef, but also would ensure it is juicy.
Once they hit that range, I pulled them out and let them rest for a bit. Resting is super important! Then, I sliced one open, and man, it was perfect! Juicy, flavorful, and cooked just right. No dry sausage this time!
So, yeah, that’s my sausage-making adventure. Paying attention to that internal temperature really made a difference. I’m definitely going to stick with this low and slow method from now on.
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