American Beef Sausage

Let's Cook

1. Step 1.

   Soak 6 feet of beef or hog casing in warm water for 1 hour.

2. Step 2.

   Cut 4 ounces beef flank, 4 ounces beef top round, 4 ounces beef chuck shoulder, and 4 ounces beef fat into 1-inch chunks.

3. Step 3.

   Process the meat and fat chunks through a sausage maker fitted with the large grinder attachment.

4. Step 4.

   Gently mix the ground meat with 1½ teaspoons curing salt, ¾ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, ½ tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, and ½ tablespoon chopped garlic. Be careful not to mash or tear the meat and fat chunks.

5. Step 5.

   Attach the wet casing to the tubing attachment of the sausage maker. Tie a knot in the end of the casing and poke a small hole at the end to release air.

6. Step 6.

   Feed the meat mixture through the sausage maker into the casing, letting it form a coil. Leave about 1 foot of unfilled casing before cutting it from the machine.

7. Step 7.

   Smooth and shape the filled casing so the diameter is even throughout the coil. Every 6 inches, twist the coil several times to create links. When the entire coil is shaped and linked, knot the end and cut off the excess unfilled casing.

8. Step 8.

   Prepare a smoker according to manufacturer's instructions. Smoke the sausages over hickory chips at 170°F for 3 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.

9. Step 9.

   Remove sausages from the smoker and place them in a bowl of very cold water to stop the cooking. Once cool enough to handle, hang the sausages on a rack or hooks to air-dry in a dry, cool indoor environment for 2 to 3 hours.

10. Step 10.

    Wrap the completely cooled sausages together in parchment paper and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Before serving, heat the sausages using one of the cooking methods.