Beef Summer Sausage

Since we raise our own beef, we are blessed to eat a variety of meat, and the steak seems to disappear first. That leaves us with an abundance of hamburger, which is extremely useful in numerous recipes, of course. I make cheeseburgers, chili, spaghetti, lasagna, vegetable-beef soup, hamburger gravy, Hamburger Helper, and the list goes on and on, like the shrimp possibilities recited by “Bubba” Blue in Forrest Gump. Recently, I wanted to try something different and make summer sausage out of our own meat. I remember my in-laws used to make it from deer meat, and I suspected our beef would be just as tasty, or even better! So I did some research – extensive minutes spent scrolling through recipes on Pinterest – and found a recipe that looked good and easy with a minimum of ingredients. The original recipe was published as  “Beef Summer Sausage” from Amy Engberson's blog Little Dairy on the Prairie.

I adapted it just a touch, because I did not have garlic salt, and I forgot how much pepper to put in.

Ingredients List:

4 # lean ground beef

¼ cup Tender Quick

2 T. Liquid Smoke

1 t. granulated garlic (or garlic salt)

Pepper according to your taste. The original called for two teaspoons, but I probably used less than one.

The Process:

          I started with 4 lbs. lean ground beef. I added ¼ cup of Tender Quick, which I bought at the Amish store and mixed it together. I wore rubber gloves and mixed it up literally by hand. I put that mixture back into the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, I added 2 generous tablespoons of Liquid Smoke, a teaspoon of granulated garlic, some freshly ground pepper (I didn’t measure it, but probably less than a teaspoon). Again, I folded it all in using gloved hands. Then I divided it in four pieces and shaped it into logs in plastic wrap. I just used my hands to squeeze it out into the shape I wanted. We like the bigger snack crackers, so I made them to fit.

Then I unwrapped them and put them on my broiler pan. I popped them in the oven for four hours at 225 degrees. The whole house filled with the smell of that garlicky smoky goodness. They came out beautifully, and I couldn’t wait to slice of a piece or two and taste it. Yummy! Perfection with our favorite cheese on a cracker. I will definitely be making this recipe again.