Donna,
Good one, but a jerky shooter looks like a caulking gun. It's got a tube about the same size as a tube of caulking like you use around a tub or sink to seal it. You put a stuffing tube on the end and fill the tube with the sausage mixture then put it into the gun. grab the pistol grip and squeeze the trigger with all of your fingers. this forces the mixture out the stuffing tube. You can put a casing on the tube or just lay the mixture out in strips.
As far as my favorite sausage recipes I am still searching them out. I have found many recipes on the net and have gotten them from friends and I purchased one sausage book so far "Eldon's Sausage & Jerky Handbook". I am definately still in the learning stage. However I just took my latest creation out of the smoker this afternoon and it is delicious. It's a summer sausage. I combined two recipes with a couple additions of my own. This one is a keeper in my recipe list.
10lb ground beef (should be no more then 70% lean)
5ts tender quick
5ts kosher salt
1 1/2ts powdered hickory smoke flavor
3tbs corn syrup solids
2tbs sugar
2tbs ground mustard
2tbs white pepper
1ts ground coriander
1 1/2ts garlic powder
1tbs sesame oil
1/2 cup dehydrated bell pepper
1/2 cup dehydrated jalapeno pepper
2 cups non fat dry milk
1 cup water
Mix well and form into two inch rolls and cure in refridgerator for 2-3 days. Smoke at 175 until internal temperature reaches 155. Remove and let sit on a rack until they come to room temperature. Slice and enjoy. Keep in the fridge or freeze.
As far as techniques, etc. I am still learning myself but here are a few things that I have learned about sausage making.
1. It's easy, almost as easy as putting some Q into the smoker.
2. The most important thing is good sanitation with your equipment and ingredients.
3. Mix your dry spices well before applying to the meat. Spread the meat out and cover it with spices. Mix together then spread it out again, add more spices. Repeat until all the spices have been added into the mixture. During this process add the liquid ingrediants a bit at the time.
4. You cure sausage that you are going to smoke but you don't have to cure sausage that you are going to cook. By cooking I mean using a high heat source (stove or grill) and no smoke. When you add smoke to the equation be sure you have cured the sausage mixture first. The smoke takes away the oxygen and this closes the circle of events that can lead to food poisioning.
5. Sausage is done at about 155 degrees. 160 won't hurt but 150 is the minimum I would go from a health standpoint.
6. Well I am sure there is a number 6 and more after that but its late and my brain is closing down on me so I quit for now.
Sausage Man
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