The Original Slim Jim Recipes

THE ORIGINAL SLIM JIM

Steps:

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

THE "SLIM" JIM SANDWICH

Steps:

• Place ham in non-stick skillet on low just till sizzles a little, turn over.
• Once heated through turn off stove and put cheese on top so it can melt a little.
• Spread each piece of bread with 1/2 tablespoons of dressing.
• Build sandwich with ham, cheese, tomato and lettuce. Cut in half. Enjoy.

THE SLIM JIM SANDWICH MY WAY

Steps:

• On top halves of toasted buns, spread each with two teaspoons of salad dressing; set aside.
• On a microwave safe plate, separate ham slices and heat through.
• Divide ham into two equal portions on the plate.
• Cover each portion with 2 slices of cheese overlapping each other.
• Heat until cheese is slightly melted.
• On bottom half of each bun, place in this order, 2 lettuce leaves, 2 tomato slices overlapping each other.
• Place cheese covered ham over tomato slices.
• Top with remaining bun. Cut sandwich on the slant (if you really want it to look like the real thing, put two pickle slices, one on each half and stick a toothpick in each pickle).