Feral Pig and Moose Sausage

[IronNoggin]

So after my Bow Hunting Partner collected a Feral Pig while hunting last fall, he and I chatted a fair bit about just what to do with the thing. Initial Report Here: http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?110980-I-met-couple-of-feral-pigs-in-the-bush

We decided that it would be a great idea to create a type of Polish Hunter's Sausage with a fair bit of it, and so began the search for just the right recipe. After much searching (including many sites in Polish) we decided to create one based on a Traditional "Mysliwska" (Hunter's Sausage) type, with of course a few alterations of our own.

Here's the main Guest of Honor on the hoof:

http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/Bush_Pig_3.jpg

A short spell ago, my Buddy wandered over to chase steelhead with me, and drug along a hind and both front shoulders from this "guest".

I had a little moose grind left, a bit of domestic free-range pork, and some straight pork fat hanging about, so after some head-scratchin' this is the recipe we came up with:

Tad’s Mysliwska Sausage

Ingredients:

37 Pounds Wild Pig
13 Pounds Domestic Pig
13 Pounds Moose
15 Pounds Pork Fat

Total: 78 Pounds

20 Tblsp Salt
6 Tblsp Prague Cure # 1
12 Tblsp Ground Black Pepper
24 Tblsp Fresh Copped Garlic
12 Tblsp Garlic Powder
7 Tblsp Ground Juniper
28 Grams Marjoram
200 Grams Yellow Mustard Seed
100 Grams Coriander Seed

12 Cups Ice Water
375 ml (Mickey) London Dry Gin

The Feral Pig was ground Coarse (as called for in the traditional recipe), the moose and domestic pork ground medium, and the fat ground fine.

Here's a shot of the whole lot thawing out in a full-sized bathtub:

http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/Tad_Ingredients_Thawing.jpg

After the meat was prepped, we mixed up the cure, spices, water & gin and let sit until all was dissolved / well mixed. Then added that to the meat, sprinkled the two seed types on top and mixed Furiously until it was all well blended. Then into the Uber-Cold Fridge overnight for the various flavors to blend, and to get the meat Damn Cold for shooting the next day:

http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/Tad_Mixed.jpg

Continued...

[Hanrahan]

Damn you...

[IronNoggin]

As we prepared to shoot the sausage, I was once again Very Pleased we had collected that new Cabela's One Horse Commercial Grinder this year! We would have been there for DAYS with the old machine! LOL!

Deciding on 2 foot lengths, we then shot the product into standard hog casings, coiled and hung the sausages to dry a spell:

http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/Tad_Shot_and_Drying.jpg

They were then held for ~ 8 hours at 60 degrees F and were nicely dry to the touch.

Pre-Heated the Smoker to 160 degrees F for an hour or so, then the lot was stuffed inside - arranged most carefully such that none touched each other or any of the walls:

http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/Tad_Into_Smoker.jpg

Even in my Big Box, this run damn near had her at Capacity!

Initial Smoking (Hickory Chips btw) started at 140 degrees F for 2 hours. Then gradually over many more hours the internal temperature of the sausages was brought up to 154 degrees. The Entire Neighborhood simply knew what I was up to, as the Awesome Smell wafted Everywhere!!

That process was Greatly Facilitated by the use of an "Auber" Smoker Control Unit - kind of like a Thermostat on Steroids. It has 6 programmable settings, allowing you very precise control of the heating / smoking process.

Here's a shot of it in action. The left reading is the temperature inside the smoker, and the right, the internal temperature of the meat:

http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/PID_1.jpg

Getting Closer:

http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/PID_2.jpg

When the product's internal temperature reaches your desired level, the unit shuts it all down, sounds an Alarm to let you know, and flashes the fact it has done so:

http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/PID_3.jpg

We've done a PILE of smoking over the years, and now having one of these little units, I honestly do not know how we managed without one! It is a close to Plug 'n Play as it gets!!

Continued...

[IronNoggin]

Damn you...



http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif

[IronNoggin]

At this point, a fair amount of moisture had been shed, and the links had shrunk a little as a consequence.
The Incredibly Fantastic Smell damn near knocked me over when I opened the two bay doors:

http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/Tad_Smoked.jpg

The sausages were Immediately dumped into a large "Coffin" (Fish Cooler) full of ice cold water to drop the heat and halt the cooking process - something that takes ~ 15 minutes or so:

http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/Tad_Bath.jpg

Then onto the racks to "Bloom" overnight:

http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/Tad_Out_of_Bath.jpg

These did Bloom overnight, and are now into the drying process. Held at 65 degrees F, they can dry up to 6 or 7 days. The product was designed to NOT require refrigeration so as to facilitate riding in your pack for multi-day hunts:

http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/Tad_Bloomed_Drying.jpg

Awoke early this morning to check on them and the whole house smells YUMMY!

Simply HAD to have a Taste! And the verdict is: Houston! We Have A WINNER!!! :twisted:
In fact, I believe this is amongst the Very Best we have ever produced!!

This is the Largest batch (77 coils @ over 80 pounds!) we've ever run in all the years working with this stuff. And as much as we may have Whined while doing so, the end result is WELL Worth the effort put in!!

Have a pig hunt lined up in Wyoming this summer, and certainly now HOPING to connect on a few! If I don't I then am going to be putting a LOT of Pressure on my Hunting Partner to dig a couple out of the woods here in BC. LOL!

If you happen to be reading this Buddy, I'll be shipping off your end tomorrow...

Cheers!
Nog

[Glenny]

Wow Nog. My mouth is all awater. I think i just drooled too.

[huntcoop]

I bet those would be great pickled :smile:

[Wentrot]

Looks incredible. Makes me want to build one of them super smokers one day.

[44inchStone]

What kind of smoker are you running? I built a custom cedar one but it just doesnt hold the heat. Have to start from scratch
I have a 1 3/4 HP cabelas grinder. Just pure heaven!!

[hardnocks]

interesting in have heard the stories of feral pigs but that's the first pictures alive or dead that I have seen...meat looks real good

[IronNoggin]

What kind of smoker are you running? I built a custom cedar one but it just doesnt hold the heat.

Custom Home Build. 3" of heavy insulation trapped between Stainless walls. All the digs here: http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?106267-New-Smoker

And I Whole-Heartedly Agree! Those Big Cabela's machines are THE Answer!! :wink:

I've eaten others that were fine all on their own. This one was VERY lean, and somewhat Tough.
Certainly made Fine sausage material though!!

Cheers,
Nog

[New Bow Hunter]

I heard Feral Pigs have moved into Manitoba and wrecking havoc.

[P-17]

This whole thread and related story are interesting. I thought that feral pigs were nocturnal and that's why they were shot with night vision and suppressors in the U.S. I talked to a guy from Saskatchewan who shot feral pigs there at night with a bow, finding a loophole in their regs that allowed this because they were not a game animal and he was not using a firearm.

It would be great if these guys showed themselves during legal shooting hours.

I just wish I had the facilities to do this kind of smoking and sausage-making!

[The Dawg]

Damnit Nog!

[Stone Sheep Steve]

This whole thread and related story are interesting. I thought that feral pigs were nocturnal and that's why they were shot with night vision and suppressors in the U.S. I talked to a guy from Saskatchewan who shot feral pigs there at night with a bow, finding a loophole in their regs that allowed this because they were not a game animal and he was not using a firearm.

It would be great if these guys showed themselves during legal shooting hours.

I just wish I had the facilities to do this kind of smoking and sausage-making!

Saskatchewan is consulting guys from down south to try to figure out how to minimize their feral hog problem before it gets out of hand. I'm sure the govt would love you to kill them all.

Once pressured they are known to go nockturnal but another good way to hunt them is with dogs and knives....apparently.

[TARCHER]

Nice work. Good looking sausage.

[tadpole]

Nog, big thanks for my share of this goodness arriving, however my only input was killing the pig and cooperating on a recipe. I guess tomorrow I move to Greyhound bus station and wait in there for the arrival of the goodies:grin:

[IronNoggin]

Nog, big thanks for my share of this goodness arriving, however my only input was killing the pig and cooperating on a recipe. I guess tomorrow I move to Greyhound bus station and wait in there for the arrival of the goodies:grin:

The Pig was what Made It Happen Buddy! And as such, You now have New Marching Orders! FIND MORE!!! :twisted:

The Recipe we came up with is downright Amazing! Most Excellent Flavor! This one is SAVED and will be worked again!

As for moving into Greyhound - take your sleeping bag! It will be 1.5 days before it lands.... :wink:

Cheers,
Nog

[itsy bitsy xj]

Mmmm
fresh wild bacon