The Original Slim Jim

Directions

1. 1
   Rinse salt off the sausage casing.
2. 2
   Soak in ice water for at least 1 hour.
3. 3
   Combine meat and fat.
4. 4
   Run the mixture through a meat grinder into a large bowl, using the finest setting.
5. 5
   Add all ingredients, along with one cup of ice water.
6. 6
   Knead vigorously until mixture is the consistency of bread dough (about 8 minutes).
7. 7
   Rinse casing one last time.
8. 8
   Choose the narrowest gauge tube of your sausage press.
9. 9
   Splash the tube with ice water, then pull the casing over it.
10. 10
    Transfer the mixture, about two fistfuls at a time, to the sausage press and then pump the meat into the casing, splashing more water on the tubing as needed to stop the casing from tearing.
11. 11
    Preheat an electric smoker to 100 degrees.
12. 12
    Hang sausage in the smoker for 22 hours.
13. 13
    Temperature should never dip below 90 degrees or go above 110 degrees.
14. 14
    After 22 hours, raise the temperature to 150 degrees and cook until the internal temperature reaches 150 to 155 degrees (about 30 minutes).
15. 15
    Remove from smoker and let cool at about 50 degrees in a dry place for 4 hours.
16. 16
    Cut sausage into 4-inch lengths.