My neighbors were perplexed when my dad showed up and we assembled it. My girls used it as a playhouse all day until it was time for its intended purpose

Nice pictures. Thanks for sharing.

Did you make any dried sausage?

What is your mix for dried sausage vs regular sausage ?

I didn't make any dried. We used 66/33 deer to pork. I had 30 lbs of deer meat, so I added 15lbs of pork for 45lbs total. We stuffed 40 and used the rest for pan sausage.

For the summer sausage, I used 85/15 deer to pork.

On smoked link sausage we do 70% pork, 30% deer. Dried is 50/50.

Do you put the whole grill in the bottom of the smokehouse? Or do ya have some piping to vent it in?

I smell a project.......

I put the whole thing in there after the coals were ready. Then I put the soaked pecan discs that I had cut on top of the coals. Put the lid on it with all the adjustments wide open (we tried with the lid off but it made fire)

It got up to 130 or so at the sausage level. Pulled it after 3 hours

I've already built my kids a makeshift "mine" out of plywood in the back yard, complete with hooks on the roof to hang their tools. Looks like I also have a smokehouse.

where do you buy your casing?

I was curious why it was dark. Using that much deer will do that.

Love the smokehouse!

I order mine on Amazon

It never got hot, so no issue. The plywood wasn't PT as far as I know.

I was always intimidated by the idea of making sausage. Summer sausage was a gateway drug. Now I'm hooked, and it's easy. Tedious and time consuming, but not difficult.

Well done sir!!


We do ours in January with a hog. Always a fun weekend.

Awesome.

We do ours in January with doe and a hog. Always a fun weekend.

So it's not really a cold smoke but also not a hot smoke. Isn't that temp dangling in the danger zone? Serious question.

I'm cooking it again when I eat it, so I think I'm fine. I put cure in it. I cook the summer sausage to 165 because I'm going straight to table with it.

It goes into the freezer and then I either cook it in the oven or grill it. Never had a problem, but I've done it a few times. My FIL does 150lbs with his buddies every year and they do it the same way. Never had an issue

From what I have always been told, by guys that have done this a long time, you either want to cold smoke and not get much above a certain temp, which is pretty cool. or you want to hot smoke and cook it all the way, then freeze. We put cure in everything just in case, so that should help.

Just curious mainly as I am definitely not an expert. It looks great!

I'm hurriedly eating through last years. I have about 10 lbs pan and 2 lbs chorizo left. All jerky, smoked and summer is gone.

I was more than happy to help this weekend. That pan and summer sausage was good stuff.

Also had a good laugh about your cushion conundrum.

Glad you liked the sausage. Looked like a fun weekend. Glad the offspring remembered the Lee Harvey rule.

dahouse, tell us what the purpose is for the 4x4s on the side and the extra square or plywood (air input?)

I live in Katy suburbia, so my driveway slopes a bunch. The 4x6's leveled it up, and the plywood sealed the hole to reduce the airflow.

Great work. A few questions:

(1) how many pounds cheese per 50 lbs meat?
(2j can you provide more details on making the summer sausage? Is the mixture the same as pan sausage, and how do you get it in the wrapping...I assume it's not stuffed like casings. And do you also smoke the summer sausage?
(3) anyone have suggestions for concentration of dried jalapeos per 50 lbs meat?

We make 300 lbs link sausage every year based on my grandfathers recipe, but it's time that we get a bit more creative with the recipes. Thanks for the info.

(1) how many pounds cheese per 50 lbs meat? The rule of thumb is 1 lbs cheese per 10 lbs of meat, I use a bit more than that, probably 2/10. The high temp is sold in 5lbs bags so 1 bag should do.
(2) can you provide more details on making the summer sausage? Is the mixture the same as pan sausage, and how do you get it in the wrapping...I assume it's not stuffed like casings. And do you also smoke the summer sausage?

The summer sausage mixture is 85/15 deer to pork. Grind together and mix in seasoning. I use LEM summer sausage seasoning but there are a bunch out there. You mix the seasoning with water per the directions and mix the slurry into the meat.
Soak your fibrous casings for 10 mins or so in room temp water. I buy mine at allied kenko or LEM. Then stuff them with whatever you have, sausage stuffer or stuffing attachment on grinder.
You can either tie the end off with string or use hog rings with hog ring pliers.
Links sit overnight in the fridge, then cook at 200-225 until 165 internal temp, either in the oven or on the smoker, your choice (I do mine in the oven)
Once they hit temp, throw them in an ice bath for a few mins, we use a cooler with a 20 lbs bag of ice and fill with water.
After they cool off, dry them off, cut into whatever size you like, and vacuum seal or wrap for the freezer. The casings I use are 1.5" x 20", they make a link about 16" long (1.5lbs). I cut into 3 equal pieces and vacuum seal them.

(3) anyone have suggestions for concentration of dried jalapeos per 50 lbs meat? Everything I saw said 1-3 Tbsp per pound. I didn't measure, I just put all the jalapenos that I could fit into my dehydrator and crushed them up after. I bet I had 20 Tbsp for my 17 lbs. I saw 1 pound bags of dried crushed jalapenos at Allied Kenko for $18.