Hungarian Smoked Sausage

Materials

quality beef, 30 %

pork back fat, 70%

1.5 kg (3.3 lb)

3.5 kg (7.7 lb)

salt, 2.3 % (salt in Cure #1 accounted for)

Cure #1

pepper

paprika, sweet

115 g (6-1/2 Tbsp)

3 g (1/2 tsp)

15 g (2 Tbsp)

10 g (5 tsp)

Instructions

1. Curing. Cut meat into 5-6 cm (2") pieces, mix with salt and Cure #1. Place in a container, cover with a cloth and leave for 48 hours in a refrigerator.

2. Grind meat through 2 mm plate. Cut back fat into 15 mm (1/4") pieces.

3. Mix ground beef adding pepper until the mass feels sticky. Mix diced back fat with paprika, then mix everything together. Do not add water.

4. Stuff firmly into 40 mm beef rounds, 50-75 cm (20-30") long. Do not add water. Prick any visible air pockets with a needle.

5. Hang for 1-2 days at 2-6° C (35-42° F), 85-90% humidity. At this stage curing continues and beneficial curing and flavor forming bacteria start to grow.

6. Smoke with a thin cold smoke for 3-4 days until yellow color with occasional red areas is obtained. At this stage natural fermentation takes place. Due to a large amount of fat (fat contains only 15% water), the sausage loses moisture rapidly.

7. Cool down to below 12° C (54° F).

8. Store in refrigerator.