30 odd lbs of Jalapeño Popper Brats done today.
21 lbs pork butt, 3.5 lbs bacon, 2.5 lbs high temp mozzarella, stuffed this run I’m 26-28 sheep casings. They sure did turn out good!

I also like the Hatch and the Blue Ribbon. With that said the Jalapeno Popper is hard to beat especially when you make them with elk.

Last bit of Goose and Sandhill Crane from last years season is done. Turned it into Pastrami. This is one of the products I make that everybody can’t get enough of. Huge hit in elk camp every year.
Ready to fill the freezer again this year!

Did about 30lbs of elk summer sausage last weekend. About 1/3 H Summer and 2/3 Jalapeno and added mozzarella and cheddar. Taste and texture are on point, but I’m only slightly concerned about the wrinkled casings. Smoke schedule was 125 for an hour vents full open, 140 for an hour added smoke and water pan with sponges and closed vents to 1/3 open, 155 for 2 hours, 160 until IT of 130 then into a 175 water bath to finish, then into an ice bath for 20minutes. The casings looked good and tight when I pulled them from the smoker they were wrinkled in the water bath.
Any thoughts on why they may have wrinkled?
Thanks

Dave in AZ here are a couple more pictures. One is out of the smoker resting and the other is sliced. In the recipe I use it called for honey as one of the sweetners I use molasses instead, I feel that it fits better with the brown sugar. I have also adjusted the amount of salt (not the curing salt) to bring down the salt content and not I have a product that is quiet mild with just a hint of sweetness.

Denny O 21lbs of pork butt (4.5mm grind x2), 3.5 lbs bacon (cooked & chopped), 2.5 lbs high temp mozzarella, 1qt pickled Jalapenos, one package of the Jalapeno popper mix and one 4 oz of carrot fiber. Mixed just long enough to bring it all together and stuffed in 26-28mm sheep casing.
I get the bacon from a restaurant supply, in a 10lb box. It comes cooked and chopped like in the photo.

IVERYAN yes the I used the chicken stock as moisture in the mix, the whole container.

John Belvedere they are all linked and vacuumed packed now. Made patties with what was in the bottom of the stuffer, looks like brat burgers this afternoon…

cntryboy added moisture.

Jonathon I agree pork fat would be better, however the small place I have my elk processed doesn’t have pork to add. I generally have pork fat to add if I need additional. The casings I used were the tubed natural hog 35-38mm. Smoke schedule was 150 for 3 hours, 160 for 2 hours them 170 to an IT of 150. Using a Yoder pellet grill, it was also the first time using the Yoder for smoking, so me figuring it out may be part of it too. I gave some to a friend and he said it was really good, so it could just be me/the link I cut into for a snack.

Those look outstanding!

I need this in my life! Great job!

wdaly stamps are free here in Texas, just have to add them to your lic.

Dave in AZ here are a couple more pictures. One is out of the smoker resting and the other is sliced. In the recipe I use it called for honey as one of the sweetners I use molasses instead, I feel that it fits better with the brown sugar. I have also adjusted the amount of salt (not the curing salt) to bring down the salt content and not I have a product that is quiet mild with just a hint of sweetness.

Last bit of Goose and Sandhill Crane from last years season is done. Turned it into Pastrami. This is one of the products I make that everybody can’t get enough of. Huge hit in elk camp every year.
Ready to fill the freezer again this year!

Mean Dean Yes 2.5” casing. After the water bath right into ice bath for 20 minutes. Left out on the counter stacked to air dry and bloom for 3-4 hours. Then in the refrigerator about 18 hours before vac packing.

Cabelas90 I think it was about 7hrs.

Cabelas90 the meat block was 80/20, (10%beef fat 10% pork fat). I feel like I had a good protein extraction, I mixed 8-9 minutes alternating between forward and reverse. I didn’t have much fat loss during smoking, the casings were dry when they went into the water bath and there was no fat on the drip pan in the smoker. I will consider a shorter drying cycle, that’s a look and see how dry they are timing deal I think.
Thanks for the input.

Did about 30lbs of elk summer sausage last weekend. About 1/3 H Summer and 2/3 Jalapeno and added mozzarella and cheddar. Taste and texture are on point, but I’m only slightly concerned about the wrinkled casings. Smoke schedule was 125 for an hour vents full open, 140 for an hour added smoke and water pan with sponges and closed vents to 1/3 open, 155 for 2 hours, 160 until IT of 130 then into a 175 water bath to finish, then into an ice bath for 20minutes. The casings looked good and tight when I pulled them from the smoker they were wrinkled in the water bath.
Any thoughts on why they may have wrinkled?
Thanks

cntryboy added moisture.