Summer Sausage

Combine all dry seasonings (curing salt, black pepper, mustard seed, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes) in a bowl and mix well.

Sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over the ground beef and stir until fully incorporated.

Transfer the seasoned meat to a container, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2–3 days, mixing once or twice each day to ensure even distribution of the cure.

After curing, stuff the meat into 2‑inch by 10‑inch synthetic casings, tying off the ends with string to form chubs.

Place the sausage chubs in a smoker preheated to 172°F using cherry and hickory wood chips and smoke for 10.5 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 155°F.

Immediately plunge the smoked sausages into an ice‑water bath to stop cooking, then let them cool to about 120°F before air‑drying for 1 hour.

Refrigerate the sausages overnight, then slice and serve with sweet hot mustard, cheese, and crackers.