We’re so excited for opening day to finally come around because deer season is almost here. But, before we start stocking the freezer, we need to make some room. Today, we are giving you the steps to making summer sausage. This recipe for a classic and tasty sausage is a great way to get rid of the leftovers from last year’s hunt. These sausages travel well and are the perfect snack to take along on your hunt this fall.
We will show you how to make a real, sour summer sausage in this article using tools that you can buy and use at home to get professional results. It’s time to talk about the science behind flavoring and the spices we use to make our favorite summer sausage. If you make sausage at home, you can use any of the Bearded Butcher Blend Seasonings. In fact, we often do. But for this recipe, we want to show you how and why certain spices are so important for making the best summer sausage ever.
Summer sausage is a flavorful cured sausage that’s smoked and fully cooked, making it ready to eat right out of the package. It’s a popular choice for cookouts, parties, and snacking thanks to its zesty taste and finger-friendly size. But achieving that ideal snappy texture requires properly ice bathing the links once they emerge from the smoker.
Ice bathing rapidly cools the sausages to set the casings and halt the cooking process. It prevents the interior from drying out while also avoiding shriveling or bursting of the casings Getting the temperature and timing right is crucial for plump, firm summer sausages every time
Here’s everything you need to know about how long to ice bath summer sausage for the best results, including tips for troubleshooting and storing your smoked links.
Why Ice Bath Summer Sausage?
Ice bathing is a critical step after smoking summer sausage. Here’s why it’s so important
- Halts cooking to prevent overdrying the interior
- Sets the casing to avoid shriveling or bursting
- Helps sausages retain moisture for a juicy bite
- Gives the casing a firm “snap” when bitten into
- Develops the bright pink smoked color on the exterior
- Adds a safety buffer if temperature wasn’t high enough
The rapid cooling sets the proteins and fats in the sausage to achieve that perfect firm yet pliable texture summer sausage is known for.
How Long Should You Ice Bath Summer Sausage?
The ideal ice bath time for summer sausage is 10-15 minutes. This ensures the interior has sufficiently cooled while avoiding the casing becoming too cold and risking a rubbery texture.
Immediately after removing the sausages from the smoker, submerge them in an ice water bath. Use a thermometer to monitor the internal temp, which should reach 80-85°F during the 10-15 minute bath.
You can prepare the ice bath while the sausage is still smoking so it’s ready to go. Use ice cubes and cold water in a large container like a stainless steel bowl or lug.
Don’t let the sausages soak any longer than 15 minutes maximum. The casings can become overly softened, wrinkly, or split if over-chilled.
Proper Ice Bath Temperature for Summer Sausage
For best results, the ice bath should cool the sausages around 70-75°F lower than the finished internal temp. If smoked to the USDA-recommended 155°F, aim for an ice bath temp of 80-85°F.
Monitor the ice bath temperature with a thermometer and add more ice as needed to maintain around 80°F. The colder the water, the faster the cooling so you may need less time for a true ice bath.
Even using cold tap water without ice can effectively cool the sausages with the right timing. The goal is rapidly dropping the temperature to set the casings.
Step-by-Step Ice Bath Process
Follow these steps for perfectly cooled summer sausage:
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Prepare ice bath – Fill container with ice cubes and water.
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Remove sausage from smoker once internal temp reaches 155°F.
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Immediately submerge links in ice bath.
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Swirl sausages gently to evenly cool on all sides.
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Check internal temp after 10 minutes – should be around 85°F.
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Leave sausages in for 5 more minutes if needed to reach 80-85°F.
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Remove sausages and pat dry with paper towels.
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Bloom sausages at room temp 1-2 hours.
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Refrigerate overnight before vacuum sealing.
Troubleshooting Ice Bath Issues
Having trouble getting the right texture from ice bathing? Here are some common issues and fixes:
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Wrinkled casings – Ice bath too long. Limit to 10-15 mins max.
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Split casings – Temperature drop too sudden. Use warmer ice bath around 85°F.
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Soft texture – Internal temp not high enough before bath. Smoke to 155°F minimum.
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Hard, dry interior – Sausages oversmoked. Remove from smoker at 155°F.
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Fat separating – Sausages cooked too hot. Keep smoker under 180°F.
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White spots – Hard water minerals. Use filtered or distilled water for ice bath.
Storing and Serving Summer Sausage
Once successfully ice bathed and refrigerated overnight, summer sausage links should be vacuum sealed and can keep for 1-2 months refrigerated or 6 months frozen.
Thaw frozen links in the refrigerator overnight before serving. Summer sausage tastes best sliced thin and served at room temperature with mustard, cheeses, and crackers.
Tips for Making Perfect Summer Sausage
Besides ice bathing, follow these best practices for flawless homemade summer sausage:
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Use a digital thermometer to monitor internal temp precisely.
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Mix the filling well for evenly distributed fat and seasoning.
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Avoid air pockets when stuffing casings.
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Hang sausages vertically while smoking for even cooking.
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Use a cool smoke around 150-170°F for proper fat rendering.
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Weigh links after stuffing to portion servings evenly.
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Bloom 1-2 hours before chilling to develop color and flavor.
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Vacuum seal portions for longer shelf life.
Choosing the Right Casings
Summer sausage can be stuffed into either natural or collagen casings, each with pros and cons:
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Natural casings – Made from animal intestines, must be kept refrigerated. Require gentle handling but provide authentic snap.
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Collagen casings – Made from collagen protein, store at room temp. Sturdier than natural but less snap.
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Cloth mesh casings – Reusable manmade fabric, easy to use. Good for beginners but less traditional appearance.
No matter the casing, ice bathing helps it retain moisture and firm up properly around the filling.
Customize Your Own Summer Sausage Flavors
One of the best parts about making summer sausage at home is customizing fun, new flavors. Mix up your next batch with unique ingredients like:
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Spicy – chipotle pepper, ancho chile, cayenne
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Fruity – dried cranberries, pineapple, mango
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Savory – basil, sun-dried tomato, figs, fennel
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Sweet – brown sugar, maple, honey
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Smoky – smoked paprika, liquid smoke, bacon
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Spicy-Sweet – jalapeño, chili powder, brown sugar
The options are endless for putting your own spin on summer sausage!
Make Sausage Snacks for Camping and Hunting Trips
Homemade summer sausage is a perfect take-along snack for camping, fishing, and hunting trips thanks to its durable casing and cured, ready-to-eat preparation.
Vacuum seal portions in reusable containers to protect the sausages in your pack. Summer sausage keeps for months out of refrigeration, provides protein-rich energy, and satisfies hunger in the wilderness.
Plus, customizing your own flavors makes for a treat to share back at the campsite or lodge. For an even heartier appetizer, slice summer sausages and serve with crackers, crusty bread, and mustard.
Perfectly ice bathing your summer sausage links is one of the most important steps for achieving that ideal firm yet juicy texture. By rapidly cooling the sausages after smoking, you halt the cooking process to lock in moisture and firm up the casings.
An ice bath for 10-15 minutes with a temperature around 80°F yields the best results. Monitor the internal temperature and remove the sausages once they’ve cooled to 80-85°F.
Troubleshoot any issues with an adjusted bath time or temp. And take advantage of summer sausage’s versatility by playing with fun new flavors to make it your own.
Kicking Up the Flavor of Traditional Summer Sausage
Okay, remember at the beginning we said we were making a traditional summer sausage. Well, that’s what we have just done. You can add a few “top secret” ingredients to your sausage to make it stand out if you want to make it extraordinary.
For our second batch of summer sausages we are making today, the secret ingredients are high-temperature cheddar cheese and dried jalapenos. You should try out some of the different flavors of high-temp cheese and find your favorite. They are all really excellent, high-quality products we love to use. You can also use fresh peppers, and you should also experiment with different types. Try out a Caribbean Hot Pepper, ghost chilies, or even bell pepper for a mild take on summer sausage. Of course, some red chili flakes don’t hurt either when you are trying to get a little extra heat in there.
We are going to fold these ingredients in by hand rather than get the mixer dirty again. Be careful to avoid overworking the meat. Overworked ground meat is tough, dry, and not very palatable.
Sausage Stuffing Tricks
For our summer sausage, we are going to use our all-time favorite sausage casings. These casings are made in Illinois by Viskase and come pre-tied at one end with a string for hanging. These are 2.5” casings that are about 20” long. We will get about two-and-a-half pounds of ground meat into each casing.
A pair of C-clamps should be put on the bottom of your sausage stuffer to keep it stable while you turn the handle. The casings have been soaking in warm water for about 30 minutes, so they are all ready. When you soak casings, make sure to get the inside and outside.
The trick to getting a good sausage is to make sure there are no air pockets in the stuffed sausage. Our sausage stuffer is a 15 lb. version from MeatYourMaker.com. It has an air release valve handy for keeping air out of the sausage. When you put the casing on the tube, slide the whole length on before starting to crank the stuffer. Hold the casing firmly with your thumb and forefinger at the end of the tube to prevent air bubbles. Air pockets will make your finished sausage look weird, but can also make an opportunity for green mold to grow, which is bad for your health.
When there are only a few inches of casing left, turn the stuffer’s crank a few times in the opposite direction. When the crank is turned backward, the pressure on the tube is released. This stops the meat from exploding when the stuffed sausage is taken out. We use butcher’s twine to tie off our sausage simply because it’s cheap, easily available, and works great. You can use hog rings, clamps, or whatever tie-off you prefer.
8 tips for PERFECT Summer Sausage
FAQ
How long should you ice bath summer sausage?
How to cool down summer sausage?
How long is curing time for summer sausage?
How long do you water bath sausage?
Can you put summer sausage in an ice bath?
Ice baths are exactly as their name suggests water with ice. Submerge your summer sausage into the ice bath for 10 to 15 minutes. Then hang to dry in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Now the debate on this method is that you are reintroducing moisture into the meat, which would defeat the purpose of the summer sausage.
How long should you keep sausage in an ice bath?
To cool the sausage, leave it in an ice bath for 10-15 minutes. This halts the cooking process and sets the casings. Once the sausages are out of the bath, place them in the refrigerator overnight.
Should I cold water bath summer sausage?
If you are bringing them up to temp in the smoker I would cold water bath all sausages. Don’t let them get much past 155 or the fat will start dripping and you will have dry shriveled sausages. Re: Cold water bath for Summer Sausage ?? Re: Cold water bath for Summer Sausage ??
How do you keep summer sausage from overcooking?
You need to bring the temperature down from 155°F to 100°F or lower quickly to prevent the sausage from overcooking and drying out too much. Ice baths are exactly as their name suggests water with ice. Submerge your summer sausage into the ice bath for 10 to 15 minutes. Then hang to dry in the refrigerator for 24 hours.