I am getting a horrible yen to try making some reasonably authentic Portuguese linguiça and chouriço. I have never made sausage before, working with casings, string, doing the very careful vertical smoke, etc. There used to be a little market in Portland, Oregon, that had a legendary meat counter where you could get these. Once you have had it, you can't settle for less -- and certainly not Mexican chorizo.
I would have to buy or build a smokehouse and a meat grinder, probably.
Anyone out there a serious sausage maker? Ann, don't you make your own?

This is what I am getting qt:
https://leitesculinaria.com/39...uguese-chourico.html

Hey Bill: In this day and age won't that little market in Portland, Oregon (if it's still in business) literally ship you some of those wonderful and authentic sausages? It's worth a try at least! Can't hurt to ask!

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
I am getting a horrible yen to try making some reasonably authentic Portuguese linguiça and chouriço. I have never made sausage before, working with casings, string, doing the very careful vertical smoke, etc. There used to be a little market in Portland, Oregon, that had a legendary meat counter where you could get these. Once you have had it, you can't settle for less -- and certainly not Mexican chorizo.
I would have to buy or build a smokehouse and a meat grinder, probably.
Anyone out there a serious sausage maker? Ann, don't you make your own?

This is what I am getting qt:
https://leitesculinaria.com/39...uguese-chourico.html

I'm still trying to find a good smoker. Everything looks like junk out there!

Masterbuilt is a great smoker used by many up here!

UEG: I don't think that market is there anymore.
Waterrat, the Masterbuilt comes up in a lot of "10 best" type reviews.

With the Masterbuilt and many others the negative reviews are that the element on the electric models burns out pretty fast. On propane fired many tell me it is too hard to control the temperature which is apparently necessary for things like smoked sausage. Temps are done in stages for them.

I had bought a Masterbuilt over the summer but returned it the next day. The main door wasn't welded on the hinges right. Looked pretty cheaply made overall. Minimal effort on the welds for sure. I hate to spend the money on something that will only work for a short time.

Same with my grill. I grill almost every night for dinner. These things just do not last long.

BTW- As I am writing this I am watching two adult bald eagles flying over my front prairie field apparently fighting. At least that is what it looks like. Sure are big birds.

A good place to learn the craft. Lots of experienced and friendly people here:

Sausage, Snack Sticks and Jerky Making

Never eaten a sausage.

Never will.

You lot must be insane!

Saeed, I will get down to basics here.

Have you never had a Hebrew National all beef Kosher hot dog?

A sesame seed bun and Dijon mustard, chopped onions and sweet pickle relish complete the feast.

Best hot dog on earth!

I also like sweet Italian sausage, for a sandwich or a pizza, and linguica and chorizo for Cajun jambalaya and Portuguese cioppino.

The rest can be iffy, in my experience. As an example, I never did like kielbasa. Too fatty.

As another, I had a meat processor in Newfoundland make up some sausage from the less tender cuts of a moose I killed up there one autumn.

I did not like it!

Now, the tenderloins were a different story.

I wager "Nathan's" are better than Hebrew National for hot dogs.

Most cultures have some sort of sausage. Not sure why Saeed's doesn't.

Ann, cleaned my Traeger this afternoon and listened to the lovely soft calls of sandhills high above. They are supposed to be very good eating, but I love the goofy oafs too much to harm one.
My perspective is definitely changing with age.
A feral hog? No problemo if I ever get the chance.

Ann, Nathan’s are not even in the top three.

Bill, you are a poet. I have never heard a better or more poetic description of a large ungainly bird than “goofy oaf.”

Perfect.

the BEST smoker I ever made/had was made from an old Norge refer. If you can find one, snatch it up. They are porcelain lined, + after replacing the shelves with re-bar rods from wooden side supports, install a small pan at the bottom to hold the wood chips, + a piece of copper tubing that is trimmed at an angle that can be drawn or withdrawn to deal with airflow to the chips/coals.To make it an airtight seal, use silicone caulking on one side only, covering it with wax paper + sealing the door for 24 hours. It will make a perfect seal/gasket ; I have used this in the past to make a perfect fit head gasket on vehicles, as it will withstand 600 degrees, + brother, if you are reaching 600 degrees in either your car or smoker, you have more major issues to be concerned with.

Paddy and Declan immigrated to the US.

They were in New York, and Declan saw a HOT DOG stand.

"Hey Paddy, the bloody Yanks eat DOGS!"

Paddy says "Shut up Declan! We are in America. We will do as the Americans do and eat dogs. Here, I will us some"

He goes and buys two hot dogs.

They walk to the park, and sit on a bench.

Declan wasn't too sure about this business of eating dogs, so he unwraps his, and looks at it.

"Hey Paddy! Which part of the dog did YOU get?"

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
Ann, Nathan’s are not even in the top three.

Bill, you are a poet. I have never heard a better or more poetic description of a large ungainly bird than “goofy oaf.”

Perfect.

I've tried both. Nathan's is tops for me.

I am currently leaning towards this smoker:

https://www.bradleysmoker.com/...oker/?v=7516fd43adaa

Saeed, have you tried any smoked meats? Fish? What about cured smoked meats?

Ann, good luck if you go with Bradley. I had one years ago that wouldn't hold temps consistently, and I found that being limited to the Bradley compressed wood pucks for fuel could be inconvenient. When it worked, it put out a very good product though.

quote:

Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:
I am currently leaning towards this smoker:

https://www.bradleysmoker.com/...oker/?v=7516fd43adaa

Saeed, have you tried any smoked meats? Fish? What about cured smoked meats?

No.

I like my meat fresh.

Kill it.

Cook it.

In Africa Rene makes biltong for me.

But my own recipe.

The meat is cut, and cooked with some spices.

Then dried.

Question for you, Bill. Was your Bradley digital or analog?

Ann, I believe it was analog. I'm analog myself.

LOL, nothing wrong with that. I wonder if the digital models, which is what I am considering, are better nowadays. I still have not decided.

Bradley gets really good reviews but it is expensive. Masterbuilt get crap reviews.

quote:

Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:

I've tried both. Nathan's is tops for me.

Ann, Nathan’s hot dogs are 100% beef, but they are not kosher.

I will not eat any hot dog made without rabbinic supervision.

I am interested in your search for a good smoker. I used to use my regular Webber grill.

But it rusted out and I pitched it. So now I am looking for a grill and a smoker for next season.

I hope you are able to find a good one.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:

quote:

Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:

I've tried both. Nathan's is tops for me.

Ann, Nathan’s hot dogs are 100% beef, but they are not kosher.

I will not eat any hot dog made without rabbinic supervision.

I am interested in your search for a good smoker. I used to use my regular Webber grill.

But it rusted out and I pitched it. So now I am looking for a grill and a smoker for next season.

I hope you are able to find a good one.

LOL. Well, just say a prayer before you open the package.

quote:

THIS IS THE ORIGINAL

In 1916, Polish immigrant Nathan Handwerker started a nickel hot dog stand on Coney Island with a $300 loan from two friends and his wife’s secret spice recipe. Today, Nathan’s is the most famous hot dog in the world, with restaurants across the globe, products in every supermarket in America and millions of fans. And yes, the original Coney Island restaurant is still there at the corner of Surf and Stillwell – home of our annual Hot Dog Eating Contest.

I have to run to town for errands tomorrow. Gonna buy the jumbo size Nathan's now that I am in the mood for a good hotdog again. Mmm!

Mike, have you considered a smoke tube? I use one to do cheeses. It's for cold smoking but it does work on a chicken or any other meat you smoke, you still will need to cook it after. I use maple pellets and stick the thing inside my propane grill. Really not suitable for doing smoked sausages as they need to smoke with heat at staggered temps.

Not sure how a pellet grill/smoker would work for sausage smoking, but I've grilled and smoked all kinds of stuff on my Pit Boss - steaks, chops, chicken, ribs, roasts, leg of lamb, mac and cheese, etc. Works like a champ.

Ann, I have not heard of a smoke tube. I will look into it.

Sounds like less than I really want, though.

I’m looking for something that will smoke a dry rubbed beef brisket low and slow for ten to twelve hours.

So good.

Kinda along the same lines, I recommend the Book, "The Master Butcher's Singing Club", by Louise Erdrich. It is the story of a German immigrant after war 1 that comes to America + builds up his fortune from his German roots of sausage making, + oh so much more. A very good read! One of my favorites from our book club.

Mike, something like this one. I have used one on my Weber Genesis to cold-smoke cheese, and with the Weber going, to put some smoke into a pork butt, etc. It's no substitute for a real smoker, though.

https://www.amazon.com/Smoke-T...-1516679065912&psc=1

Fascinating!

Normal people eat proper meat.

Not some funny variety made up of bits and pieces!

Normal people avoid smoking.

And you lot want to smoke your food!

Bloody hell!

What next??

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
Mike, something like this one. I have used one on my Weber Genesis to cold-smoke cheese, and with the Weber going, to put some smoke into a pork butt, etc. It's no substitute for a real smoker, though.

https://www.amazon.com/Smoke-T...-1516679065912&psc=1

Ah, now I get it. I have used a flat baking pan with aluminum foil wrapped apple or hickory wood chips to do the same thing.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Fascinating!

Normal people eat proper meat.

Not some funny variety made up of bits and pieces!

Normal people avoid smoking.

And you lot want to smoke your food!

Bloody hell!

What next??

Saeed, don't knock it 'til you've tried it!

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Your next sausage

Haha! Reminds me of the Pepsi Challenge.

Or better yet, the red wine challenge done years ago on the streets of Paris, where random, and then selected, connoisseur, tasters overwhelmingly preferred California to French wines!

Okay, saw this clever idea. Guy makes his own pucks for his Bradley Original. He says they work great.



I live in the land of hickory and honey and can easily do this.

Well I'll be darned. And they burn properly, eh? Pretty clever.

Several guys have mentioned that this method works just fine in those Bradley's! Only one person said he mixes their pucks with his wood slices.

Pretty cool, Ann.

The hickory and apple wood chips I have seen and used are pretty dry.

Does it matter if those pucks are green or wet? Do you have to dry them out?

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Fascinating!

Normal people eat proper meat.

Not some funny variety made up of bits and pieces!

Normal people avoid smoking.

And you lot want to smoke your food!

Bloody hell!

What next??

You've never had venison jerky that has been smoked? No smoked jerky from any of the plains game? No smoked salmon? No smoked chicken or turkey? No liquor from charred barrels? I cannot go hunting or fishing without a decent supply of smoked food and beverage! Not even for a day trip.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
Pretty cool, Ann.

The hickory and apple wood chips I have seen and used are pretty dry.

Does it matter if those pucks are green or wet? Do you have to dry them out?

I'm not sure, Mike. I know store bought packaged stuff is dry. Some green might be good? Good question but new territory for me.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
Ann, I have not heard of a smoke tube. I will look into it.

Sounds like less than I really want, though.

I’m looking for something that will smoke a dry rubbed beef brisket low and slow for ten to twelve hours.

So good.

Check out Cook Shack electric smokers. I've had one for ten years, awesome for brisket and pork butts!