OFG Smokies

I have made hot dogs, summer sausage, snack sticks, and more. For some reason, I never got around to making a smokie. I don’t know why. I love smokies.

My good buddy, Norm, is getting a Bradley Smoker and asked about a smokie recipe. I referred him to a recipe from a smoker I trust but decided I had to throw my hat in the ring and overcome my oversight.

The kind of meat you use in a smokie varies. It is usually mostly lean beef or game with some fatty pork shoulder to add moisture and texture. If you want to get in a fight, ask smokers the proportion of lean meat and fatty pork that should be used. I like a fair amount of pork and use 30 % to 40 % pork and the remainder lean beef or game.

I used 65% lean ground beef and 35 % fatty pork shoulder. You can vary to your tastes. You need to grind any whole muscle meat through a fine plate on a meat grinder.

You will be using curing salts. These can be called Prague Powder #1, Instacure #1, Pink Salt #1 or a myriad of brand names. Check the label and make sure it is 92.75% salt and 6.25% sodium nitrite. No other ratio will do.

Curing salts give the smokie its pink colour and cured taste. It also inhibits bacterial growth during the long smoke over low heat.

Curing salts are often dyed pink because using too much curing salts is dangerous and bad for you. You cannot use it in place of regular salt. You must measure the amounts carefully and stick to the ratios in the recipe.

It is critical that the meat be very cold, or you won’t get a good texture. I like to put it in the freezer for about 40 minutes to just get a frozen crust on it. I also put the canister of my stuffer in the freezer.

For each KG of meat used mix the following together:

• 15 ml (6.45 grams) ground mustard
• 14 ml (17.9 grams) Kosher salt
• 12 ml (6 grams) paprika
• 8 ml (6 grams) garlic powder
• 6 ml (6.5 grams) sugar
• 6 ml (2.9 grams) white pepper
• 1.75 ml (2.5 grams) Prague powder #1
• 3 ml (1.5 grams) ground coriander
• 1 ml (0.8 grams) onion powder
• 1 ml (0.4 grams) mace
• 1 ml (0.4 grams) cayenne
• 1 ml (0.2 grams) dried marjoram

For the out of step Americans, for each pound of meat mix:

• 1 1/2 tsp ground mustard
• 1 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/5 tsp Prague powder #1
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/8 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp mace
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• 1/8 tsp dried marjoram

Mix the following together for each KG of meat:

• 125 ml ice water
• 14 ml corn syrup
• 1 ml Sriracha sauce

In American measures for each pound of meat:

• 1/4 cup ice water
• 1 1/4 tsp corn syrup
• 1/8 tsp Sriracha sauce

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to make a slurry.

Spread the meat out on a tray and press finger holes in it. Pour the slurry over the meat. Fold the meat towards you and press flat. Rotate the pan 1/4 turn, rotate toward you and press it flat. Continue mixing for 3 minutes. Put the meat in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Put the meat in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat the meat with the paddle at medium low for 3 minutes. Put the meat in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Beat the meat with the paddle for another 3 minutes and put it in the freezer for 20 minutes. You are looking for a sticky mass.

Stuff the meat into 32 mm (1 1/4 inch) collagen casings.

Pinch every six inches on the casings and cut at the pinch.

Store the sausages in the fridge for 24 hours.

Put the sausages on a rack at room temperature for one hour, wiping them several times with paper towels to dry thoroughly.

I did these in my Bradley P10 Smoker.

Preheat your smoker to 140 F (60 C). Smoke the sausages for 1 hour.

Increase the heat to 150 F (66 C). Smoke for 1 hour.

Increase the heat to 160 F (71 C). Smoke for 1 hour.

Increase the heat to 170 F (77 C). Smoke for 1 hour or until the internal temperature of the smokie is 155 F (68 C), whichever comes first.

If the smokie has not reached an internal temperature of 155 F (68 C), Increase the heat to 180 F (82 C). Cook the smokie until the internal temperature reaches 155 F (68 C).

When the smokies are up to temperature, plunge them in ice water for 5 minutes. Put the sausages on a rack at room temperature for 2 hours and then refrigerate overnight to let the smoke flavour even out.

Of course, I had to grill one up to try it.

It was delicious but it did have a problem. I couldn’t get a second picture without a bite disappearing from the smokie!

The Verdict

These were terrific. They have a great texture with a firm bite. There is just a touch of heat, a good smoke level, and a deep rich flavour.

I should have done these sooner.

The Old Fat Guy