Elk Sausage Electric Smoking:

 

We finally finished the butchering of the two Cow Elk on Saturday. See my Thanksgiving post for more information.

I don’t like the way butchers rush through meat processing, missing hairs, burning hair off with torches and wasting meat. I de-bone everything, cut it into the common cuts and vacuum seal the meat before freezing it.

I am putting way too much wear on Rhonda’s KitchenAid Pro 6 when grinding the meat so I just bought a Cabela’s Pro Series Grinder  IK-523860.

We used the Cabela’s Snack Stick Kit with 17 pounds of freshly 4.5mm ground Elk. The kit comes with seasonings and cure for two 15 pound batches of sausage. We already used half of the kit before, but only had enough casings for 10 pounds of meat this time. Follow the directions from the kit for casing prep and Sausage mixing.

Elk has no fat in the meat but does have a little on the rump and chest. We mixed 98% meat to 2% fat.

When we ran out of casings I just put the big stuffer tube and extruded sausage rolls.

We just fed the snack links casings through a rack from my Masterbuilt Electric Smoker. Do not put any through the last side holes because they touch the side of the smoker. We did not leave enough air space for equal drying.

I started the pre-heat at 7:00pm with the smoker temp at 140*F with the vent open.

At 7:30pm I put in the meat and added a tray of Mesquite Wood Chips.

I put a cookie sheet under the Sausage Roles because I thought they would fall apart. You can skip the sheet. More air is better.

At 8:30pm I closed the vent to 1/8^th open and added mesquite. The temp is still at 140*F.

I added mesquite wood again at 9:00 and 10:00pm.

At 11:00 I added mesquite and increased the temp to 160*F.

At 12:00 midnight I installed a Wireless Meat Thermometer Probe into the center sausage role. The meat temp was at 130*F. I closed the vent and raised the smoker temp to 170*F.

At 12:30 the probe was at 137*F so I increased the smoker temp to 180*F as per the directions in the Cabela’s kit.

At 1:00am the probe was at 144*F and at 1:30am it was at 146*F so I increased the smoker temp to 190*F.

At 2:00am the probe temp was 144*F. With a drop of 2*F, I jumped the smoker temp to 200*F. I watched the probe temp start up again.

Wow, at 2:47am the probe finally reached 156*F. The kit said that was the minimum temp needed.

I rinsed the casing snack links under cool water and stacked to air dry and cool a bit more before Ziploc bagging them for the refrigerator.

 

Excellent flavor throughout, but I did have a few dry spots.

The next day, I sealed 2 of the Sausage Roles per 8 inch wide vacuum bags. I put a handful in the 8 inch wide bags for the Snack links. I froze all but a couple of bags.

Thanksgiving Electric Smoking:

It has been a busy few weeks. Stewart and I both harvested Antlerless Elk during the week prior to Thanksgiving. Times are hard in Arizona, but the true American spirit cannot be broken by the White House.

During our hunt we past this camp of fellow hard working Americans who are making the best of things. God Bless America !!!!! 

We were drawn for a muzzleloader hunt and ended up with two young yet mature cow (female) elk. We filled the freezer with organic extremely low fat, low cholesterol meat. As you can see when I field dress an elk the ravens and coyotes don’t even get a meal.

We butcher our own meat and vacuum seal it before freezing it. I did save some good roasts for the smoker. The picture below was Monday before Thanksgiving.

Our old Seal-A-Meal finally died during the first quarter. Rhonda had predicted its demise and had already bought a FoodSaver V3230. I highly recommend both brands and they will pay for themselves even if you don’t hunt.

 

The picture below is of the pies Rhonda baked Wednesday, all from scratch. We buy pie pumpkins to make pumpkin pies. The crusts are all flaky.

Yes we did smoke a 12.95 pound Kroger Frozen Turkey and a 10.34 pound Cook’s Ham Butt Cut.

I started the pre-heat at 5:30am with the temperature set at 225*F with the vent closed on my Masterbuilt Electric Smoker.

I went back in and got the turkey ready. I put it on a small cookie sheet that fits into my smoker. I throw the nasty chemicals marinade packets that come with the bird away. With the vent closed the turkeys get so tender that they fall apart.

I started the Turkey smoking at 6:00am with two loads of cherry wood chips. I added another tray of chips at 7:00am.

At 8:00 I started the Ham and another load of cherry chips. I added cherry chips at 9:00 and 11:00.

I pulled the Turkey and Ham at 12:30 and brought them in to rest before carving. The internal temperature of the Turkey was 175*F. I used a Backyard Grill wireless thermometer.

I cooked another Turkey and Ham in our inside ovens also.

Even with a feast of several side dishes all made from scratch, the meat from the smoker was devoured. Our 31 guests were amazed with the tenderness and flavor of the smoked meats.

I did not have time to take pictures and wash my hands so I never got a picture of the final masterpieces.

 

 

Fourteenth Electric Smoke

This is our first try at an Electric Smoked Turkey. We want to smoke a turkey for Thanksgiving in a few weeks. We could only find a frozen salt injected bird. We bought a 12.66 pound Kroger. We put it in the refrigerator on Tuesday to thaw.

We started the Masterbuilt Electric Smoker pre-heat at 7:21am on Saturday 10/27/12. The temperature was set at 225*F with no water in the pan and vent closed.

We started the preparation of the Turkey at 7:30. I put the bird on a cookie sheet to collect some of the juices. The Smoking was started at 8:00am with 2 trays of Cherry Wood Chips.

A tray of Cherry Wood was added at 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00am. I did not baste the Turkey. I let the skin turn to bark.

 

At 2:00pm we started 4 huge Idaho Potatoes. We are talking 1½ pound spuds.

I put the temperature probe in the Turkey. Wow, it is at 164*F. So much for the guy on the net who says that, “it takes 10 to 12 hours to smoke a Turkey at 235*F”.

I checked the temperature at 2:30pm and it was already past well done at 169*F. I pulled the Turkey at 6½ hours smoke time. I did a wiggle test on a Turkey leg to see if it is done.

 

At 4:00pm I put 4 un-shucked ears of Corn, 3 Goose Neck Squash and 4 Zucchini.  Look at those potatoes. They have been in there for 2 hours and are the size of a Nerf Football.

 

 

I pulled the Vegetables at 6:00pm.

Awesome Turkey. The meat is tender and juicy. It is just falling off the bones and the bones are coming apart.

 

 

Thirteenth Electric Smoke

Lucky 13 in the USA. There were 13 colonies and 13 signers of the Declaration of Independence. There are 13 stripes on our flag, 13 steps on the pyramid on the dollar bill, 13 letters in “Annuit Coeptis”, 13 letters in “E Pluribus Unum”. You became a teenager at 13. Jesus was the 13^th person to sit down at the last supper.

On the menu: Pork Ribs, Beef Loin Tips, Italian Sausage and Salmon.

I started prepairing at 11:55. I put the COSTCO Salmon Fillet on a small cookie sheet that I bought that fits perfectly in the Masterbuilt Electric Smoker. The fillet is skinless and very tender so I did not want it falling through the wire rack. I salted the fillet to taste and left in on the counter for an hour to pellicle.

I started my preheat at 12:30 at 225*F. While the preheat is going I put all the meats on racks and do prep.

Today I am also smoking 3 Pork Ribs from COSTCO, 4 pounds of Beef Loin Tips also from COSTCO. I smothered both of these in a mix of Guy Fieri’s #6, Bill Johnson’s and Stubbs BBQ sauces.  

Rhonda then reminded me that we have Italian Sausage that needed to be smoked too. Everyone who is a serious backpacker knows how to “Make Sh!t Do”. I grabbed a Cake Cooling Rack and a foot of stainless steel spinning wire. I hung the rack under the top smoker rack and added the sausage.

  

I started the smoke at 1:00 pm at 225*F with the vent closed. We are trying Smokehouse brand Cherry Wood Chips that we bought at CAL Ranch.

I added more wood chips at 2:00 and at 3:20 pm.

At 4:00 pm I pulled the salmon. There were some juices on the cookie sheet from the salmon. It came out very moist and tender. The salmon is not for dinner tonight so it did not matter that it is pulled before everything else.

 

Great Dip: 2 pounds Smoked Salmon, 2 pounds Cream Cheese, 1 pint Sour Cream, 1/2 a Red Onion Diced and 4 Jalapeño’s Diced and Deseeded.  

 

I pulled everything at 5:40 pm.

 

Twelfth Electric Smoke

(8-11-12). I have been working too much overtime to even have time to run the smoker. I work and am successful through my efforts, therefore I am a Republican. Today I was called out to work as soon as I started the smoke.

Rhonda jumped in and saved the day.

I did a ½ hour preheat at 225*F.

On the menu are Safeway Pork Ribs that were extra meaty and Chicken Thighs that I smothered in Stubbs BBQ sauce. I also did a Salmon Fillet that was salted to taste and set on the counter for an hour at 3% humidity. Yes there is more, try a few Brats. Oh yea, Mushrooms on every empty spot on the racks.

At 2:10 pm I started the Ribs and chicken with mesquite wood chips. Then I got called out to restore power to part of Sedona, so off to work I go. I did get John McCain’s power back on back in late August when he was at the convention. I wish I could have met him and told him Thank You for everything he has done for our country. He is a true American.

Hopefully Mitt and Paul replace the current liars and clowns of the Obama administration who have failed the middle class and poor. Get out and Vote.

At 2:56 pm Rhonda added the Salmon and more mesquite wood chips.

At3:30 pm she added the mushrooms with tongs to ever empty spot.

At 4:00 pm she put in more wood chips.

At 5:00 pm our guests arrived.

At 6:00 pm Rhonda and my son, Stewart, pulled everything and I arrived home 10 minutes later to an amazing feast with family and friends.

Yes, they did save me some smoked Mushrooms.

 

BBQ – The Yavapai County Fire Ban 2012 has been lifted.

On 7-17-12 Yavapai County and the USDA Forest Service have lifted the fire bans. We have had 5.36 inches of rain at our home, over the last two weeks, before the fire ban was lifted. The Monsoons did not bring rain to some areas of the county until three days ago. Yavapai County is barely smaller than Massachusetts and larger than New Jersey. Elevations above sea level are from 1900 feet to 7979 feet. We live at 4100 feet. Yavapai has 19 official Wilderness areas.

Boneless elk chops with Cajun seasoning and a small salmon fillet over mesquite coals on the BBQ.

Prop the lid on ‘Ol Reliable. The paint is faded and I made a handle with extension a few years. The trick is to get enough oxygen to keep the coals going but not enough for a flame. This BBQ grill replaced my Brinkman Smoker.

With results like this it is awesome. I have the best of outdoor culinary excellence, a good air control wood BBQ grill and a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker. Yes, I still have my ‘Ol potbelly Weber wood BBQ grill that I use when we have big parties.

Eleventh Electric Smoke – God Bless the USA:

Yavapai County, Arizona is still in another season of severe fire restriction July 4^th 2012. The Monsoons have not arrived. We have had a few sprinkles at our home, but it is still dry as a bone. There is absolutely no moisture in the ground. Not allowed to BBQ, no problem.

I started the pre-heat at 5:00 (17:00) at 275*F no water in the pan and the vent closed.

At 5:30 I started six ears of Corn with only 1 layer of husk left on.

17 medium Mushrooms and 14 Hebrew National Beef Franks.

I put 2 loads of Mesquite wood chips and left the temperature at 275*F.

I pulled everything after just one hour at 6:30 (18:30).

We served all this with Fresh Sauerkraut, Onions, Ketchup, Mustard, Homemade Pasta Salad and Buns. What a feast!!!!