Johnny's Summer Sausage

Prep Time - 5 hrs | Difficulty - 5/10

Summer sausage is a traditional cured sausage known for its tangy flavor, firm texture, and longer shelf life than fresh sausage. Historically, it developed as a practical way to preserve meat before refrigeration, especially in Central and Eastern European traditions that later shaped Midwestern American sausage-making. The combination of curing salt, fermentation or controlled acidification, and slow smoking allowed families to safely store sausage during the warmer months, hence the name "summer sausage".

Unlike fresh sausage, summer sausage relies on careful seasoning, appropriate casing, and controlled cooking or smoking to achieve its signature texture and flavor. The process may look intimidating at first, but when broken down step by step, it’s very approachable for home sausage makers willing to take their time, follow basic curing principles, and understand why making sausage at home can be so rewarding.

Johnny’s Summer Sausage recipe focuses on producing a reliable, classic-style sausage with balanced seasoning and a traditional bite, making it a solid option for hunters, home cooks, and anyone looking to make an authentic cured sausage at home.

Ingredients:

• 500 grams Pork
• 500 grams Beef
• 23 grams Salt
• 2.5 grams Insta Cure #1
• 28 grams Fermento
• 5.0 grams Sugar
• 3.0 grams Black pepper
• 2.0 grams Ground coriander
• 10.0 grams Whole mustard seeds
• 2.0 grams Allspice
• 3.5 grams Fresh garlic

Steps:

1. Grind pork and beef through 3/16” plate (5 mm).
2. Mix all ingredients with ground meat.
3. Stuff into beef middles or 61mm fibrous casings and prick thoroughly.
4. Smoke for 3 hours at 140F.
5. Poach at 170F until internal temp reaches 152F.
6. Hang at room temp to bloom for 2 hours.
7. Refrigerate.

Final Takeaway & Troubleshooting Tips

Summer sausage rewards patience and attention to detail. If your first batch isn’t perfect, that’s normal, even experienced sausage makers fine-tune texture and flavor over time.

A few common issues to watch for:

• Dry or crumbly texture: Often caused by cooking at too high a temperature or using meat that’s too lean. Summer sausage benefits from slow, even heat and adequate fat content.
• Casing separation or wrinkling: This typically occurs when the sausage cools too quickly or dries out during cooking. Gradual temperature changes help prevent this.
• Lack of tang or depth of flavor: Flavor improves with proper curing time and even seasoning distribution. Rushing the process can flatten the final taste.
• Cracked or tough casing: Overheating or insufficient moisture during smoking can stress the casing. Gentle heat and steady airflow make a noticeable difference.

For a more “butcher-shop” or deli-style result, consistency matters more than complexity. Keep temperatures controlled, follow curing guidelines carefully, and let the sausage rest properly before slicing. Over time, small adjustments, fat ratio, spice balance, and smoking time will help you dial in a summer sausage that’s not only safe and stable but deeply flavorful.

Summer sausage isn’t just a recipe; it’s a technique. And once you understand how it works, it becomes one of the most satisfying sausages to make at home.