Thread: Sausage and Smoke Cooking

My father was born and raised on his grandfather's homestead. Great Grandfather registered his brand (the Diamond D) at the Alpowai Post Office on December 20th 1887 in the Washington Territory. Washington didn't become a state until 1889.

Dad use to talk about the cured and smoked hams, bacon, and he'd almost start to drool. They didn't make smoked sausages only a fresh bulk breakfast sausage. The problem was that when he was a kid he HAD to help with the butchering and all but he didn't WANT to help so he never learned how make the items.

So 30 years or so ago I decided to learn how to make those kind of items along with smoked poultry, fish and others. I have the recipes written down and all three of my children have helped make everything (with the exception of the bacon) and they all could pick up a recipe and make the items. I'm sure that the instructions for the bacon are easy enough that they could make that as well.

When I was working I'd bring in samples for my manager and have them in the produce cooler/which he would have to pass by to get to his rig when he left.

I'd tell him that there were treats in the cooler but nine times out of ten he'd forget by the time he was going home so I started leaving a note on the exit door saying something like "I'm having smoked sausage with my beer are your"? Sometimes I got to witness him stop, read the note and turn around and head to the cooler. When he'd see me he'd smile wave and yell Thank You!

I started cooking in Boy Scouts when I was 12. My patrol leader Carl was four years older than me and would become not only my oldest but best friend. Carl did and still does love to eat. While the other patrols would be having hot dogs, we'd be having a beef roast, potatoes, carrots and gravy all cooked in a Dutch Oven, sometimes over the fire but other times buried and covered with coals.

The adults never cooked for themselves, they drew lots to see who ate with what patrol and they would always want to eat with us.

I loved cooking for my family and still do. These smoked items are always a big hit and I try to have a big variety for their Christmas presents. Thanks to Tim (32t) this year will include several varieties of smoked cheese.

My oldest daughter hosts a Christmas Eve supper and present exchange and I'm thinking of seeing if I could provide a smoked turkey as the main attraction. It's been awhile since I've cured and smoked one but they are damn good.