As we learned from Smoke's Tim Byres earlier this week, he enjoys making his own charcuterie. The day we visited the chef he had just finished carving up half a hog for use in the restaurant's various barbecue recipes. And that was just for a single day's use.
We were anxious to try our hand at sausage-making and Byres was happy to oblige. Below is a recipe for the sausage he made for us. Perhaps the recipe isn't for the faint of heart, but most of the products necessary to make it can be found at Hirsch's or Rudolph's meat markets in Dallas, or your favorite butcher. So maybe some bucking up is in order.
Ingredients:
Sweet Paprika and Fennel Seed Smoked Sausage
Yield: 5 lb 3 lb. Beef Chuck, Lean 1.5 lb. Pork Shoulder, Ground 1 cup BBQ Beef Chile Rub - See Recipe .5 cup Smoked Paprika 2 Tbsp. Kosher Salt 1 cup Non-Fat Dry Milk 1/3 cup Whole Toasted Fennel Seeds Natural Pork Casing Meat Grinder Plate MED (use a hand crank grinder or the grinding attachment on a Kitchenade mixer - or have the meat pre-ground to medium)
Recipe:
Step 1: Grind Meat
Step 2: Combine Ground Meat and Seasonings then re-grind. Fold in the Fennel Seeds at the end to keep whole.
Step 3: Refrigerate 2 hrs then stuff into 1 lb links and hold.
Step 4: Smoke the sausages per method below.
Smoking: (Directions for use in a multiple shelf indirect heat sourced smoker) Step 1: Remove bottom and middle racks to replace with sausage dowels and preheat Pit.
Step 2: Smoke at 130 degrees until the skin is dry, 45 min on bottom rack
Step 3: Once the skin is dry, raise the sausage dowels up a shelf to 165 degrees and Smoke until internal temp is 150 degrees
Step 4: Remove to ice bath to stop cooking and hang in refrigerator to let meat set up for at least one day.
Chile Rub for Smoked Beef Sausage
Yield: 2.5 cup Ingredients: Group 1: 1/3 cup Chili Powder 1/3 cup Smoked Paprika 2 Tbsp. Garlic, Granulated 1 Tbsp. Cumin, Ground 1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper, Fine Ground
Group 2: .5 cup Kosher salt 2/3 cup Sugar, Dark Brown 3 Tbsp. Sugar, Granulated
Recipe:
Step 1: Combine all of the pre-ground spices in group (1) and mix evenly, then hold.
Step 2: Combine the Sugars and Salt in Group (2) in a food processor and pulse to incorporate. Once the sugar and salt are mixed add the spices a quarter at a time pulsing the mixture after each addition.
Step 3: Hold in an air tight 1 qt. mason jar. The spice rub will loose some of its aroma after long storage, but it can be lightly re-toasted if this happens.
