The Drying Process

Food Handling

When you receive the summer sausage & smokies refrigetate or freeze them. But you may eat them right away. This is a precooked ready-to-eat, dry- hung sausage. They're great for lunches, carry-along treats, hor d'oeuvres, gifts, snacks..........!

You may like to dry the summer sausage to the hardness of your taste by removing it from the vacuum packaging and hanging it in the bag provided at room tempurature. You can hang it before refrigerating or freezing it or after. We like to hang ours for up to 5 days before removing the casing & thinly slicing to serve with crackers & cheese or for sandwiches. If you haven't eaten all the slices after about 7 days, you may bag & refreeze them for later use.

The smokies will be dryer than the summer sausage when you receive them as they dry quickly during smoking. You don't need to remove the casing to eat them.

Either sausage will dry slowly in the refrigerator.

Recipes

SAUSAGE & SPAGETTI

THIS IS A RECIPE I CREATED FOR LEFTOVER SPAGETTI.  SOME OF THE OTHER INGREDIENTS WERE ALSO HANGING AROUND IN MY FRIG AS LEFTOVERS.  BUT, EVEN IF YOU START FROM SCRATCH WITH SLICING & CHOPPING, IT ONLY TAKES A FEW MINUTES UNTIL YOU'RE READY TO EAT AND IT'S REALLY TASTY!

1) PLACE ABOUT A CUPFUL OF LEFTOVER COOKED SPAGETTI ON DINNER PLATE  

2) COVER WITH A SLICE OF BRICK, MUENSTER OR OTHER MILD CHEESE

3) MICROWAVE UNTIL CHEESE IS MELTED

4) TOP WITH THIN QUARTERED SLICES OF SUMMER SAUSAGE OR THIN SLICES OF SMOKIES

5) TOP THAT WITH DICED FRESH TOMATOES, AVACADO SLICES,  BLACK OLIVES, SALSA & SPOONFUL OF SOUR CREAM

6) EAT!

SAUSAGE & GREEN BEAN HORS DOURVES

THIS RECIPE WAS CREATED BY A CHEF AT OUR FARMERS' MARKET WHO USED THE FRESH PRODUCE THERE TO MAKE NEW DISHES

1) SLICE ABOUT 10 FRESH GREEN BEANS INTO ALMOST PAPER THIN SLICES

2) ADD TO BEANS 2 TBSPS CUBED FRESH GREEN PEPPER (SEEDS & VEINS REMOVED) CUT IN 1/8IN CUBES

3) MARINATE BEANS & GREEN PEPPER IN 2-3 TBSPS OLIVE OIL FOR ABOUT HALF AN HOUR

4) ADD 4-6 1/8IN SLICES OF SUMMER SAUSAGE CUBED INTO 1/8IN PIECES

5) SERVE IN SMALL SPOONFULS ON SMALL ONE-BITE CRACKERS OR TOASTS

STEVE'S SCRAMBLED SAUSAGE EGGS

THIS RECIPE WAS CREATED BY OUR FRIEND STEVE

1) BEAT 2-3 EGGS

2) CUT EACH OF ABOUT 4 THIN SLICES OF SUMMER SAUSAGE INTO EIGHTS

3) POUR INTO PREHEATED SKILLET EGGS, SAUSAGE, 2 TABLESPOONS SHREDDED CHEDDAR

4) SPRINKLE WITH RED PEPPER FLAKES TO YOUR TASTE

5) STIR UNTIL IT REACHES YOUR FAVORITE CONSISTENCY

6) ADD SALT & PEPPER

7) EAT!

LINDA'S TORTILLA WRAP

THIS IS OUR FRIEND LINDA'S RECIPE

1) SLICE SUMMER SAUSAGE INTO ABOUT 6 THIN SLICES

2) LAY THE SAUSAGE ON A FLAT SOFT TORTILLA SHELL

3) TOP WITH A SLICE OF YOUR FAVORITE CHEESE

4) ROLL IT ALL UP, PUT ON A PLAT & MICROWAVE UNTIL CHEESE IS MELTED

4) SERVE WITH SALSA & SOUR CREAM

OUR OLD SAUSAGE SANDWICH

THE MEMORIES GO WAY BACK

1) PLACE 1-2 OUNCES THIN SLICES OF SUMMER SAUSAGE ON A SLICE OF YOUR FAVORITE BREAD

2) ADD A SLICE OR 2 OF BRICK CHEESE

3) SPREAD WITH YOUR FAVORITE JAM OR JELLY

4) TOP WITH A SECOND SLICE OF BREAD

YOU'LL BE BACK FOR MORE!