New to this site

[FreezerFull]

Hello- I just found this site and it seems there is a lot of knowledge floating around about sausage making, so I thought it a good idea to join. I live near Baltimore, and I have way too many hobbies- primarily wild game sausage, hot sauce, gardening, cooking, hunting (the source of my sausage meat!).
I've been making wild game sausages and cured meats at home for about 12 years now (various fresh recipes as well as bologna, frankfurters, pastrami, andouille, etc etc) and I'm interested in moving into more dry cured recipes like German Landjeager, salami, and summer sausage.
I'll ask my first question here, but perhaps there is a better place on this board. When it comes to deciding between Cure #1 and #2, I have seen it posted that Cure #2 is used for "long-cured" sausages. Is the drying time for sausages like salamis (weeks to a coupe months) considered part of the curing time, or is the curing time primarily the first days at higher temperature, followed by a long drying time? In other words, if a sausage is prepared with Cure #1, gently smoked and "fully cooked" can it be safely dried for several weeks to improve the texture?
Looking forward to your comments-

[NCPaul]

Welcome to the forum. I'm not aware of any sausages that are " fully cooked" then dried. Some are cold smoked then dried ( and use cure # 2 ). The first few days at higher temperature are usually for fermentation with a starter culture, though they will cure as well during this time.

[ericrice]

Rather than me attempt to explain I would direct you to the link below froma well known and respected site. I think it has most, if not all, of what you are looking for.

http://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage ... ed-sausage

[FreezerFull]

Thanks for the quick replies, and the excellent link!
When I say "fully cooked" I mean during the smoking I bring the sausage to about 145F because using wild game meat, I have always been a little apprehensive about cold smoking and drying as the preservation method.
Any comments on safety issues related to substituting venison, elk, goose in standard sausage recipes? I do all my own butchering, so I know how the meat has been handled.

[BriCan]

Thanks for the quick replies, and the excellent link!
When I say "fully cooked" I mean during the smoking I bring the sausage to about 145F because using wild game meat,

Can I have a tad more input please? What sausage and why 145F ~~~ Legit questions

I have always been a little apprehensive about cold smoking and drying as the preservation method.

again; why?

[FreezerFull]

BriCan-
Regarding your questions about my comments:
All of my sausages are a combination of wild game (primarily venison) and pork. I have read several places about concerns with trichinae in wild game meat, and that freezing along USDA guidelines for pork may not be sufficient for wild game. So, up to now, I have mostly made "cooked" versions of sausages for safety sake and lack of other authoritative info about using game meat in semi dry or dry sausages.
I have typically prepared a cooked sausage (such as bologna) and I bring it to a final temperature of about 145-150F (although I have seen guidelines ranging from 137-160F). Now I am trying some commercial salami mixes with blends of venison and pork, and in my first attempts I have followed the same cooking procedure as for my bologna.....because I've always done it that way. The flavor is OK (different from my bologna which is a good thing) but the texture is too soft- not salami-like. So....I am trying some drying of the cooked salami-flavored sausages in a refrigerator (this week marks week 4 drying with about 26% weight loss and no indication of case hardening). However this recipe calls for cure #1, and I am concerned if my drying conditions (refrigerated) for 4 weeks are still safe.
In reading through the website (link provided by ericrice) it seems that the salt content in dried salami recipes may provide the necessary protection vs trichinae, so I may venture into dried sausage recipes if I can set up adequate fermenting and drying conditions here.
Sorry for the long post, but you asked....