Cut the pork shoulder and fat back into 1 inch cubes, keeping them separate. Place both in the freezer for 30 minutes until firm but not frozen solid.

Combine the salt, black pepper, paprika, cayenne, thyme, garlic powder, and pink curing salt in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly to distribute all the spices evenly.

Pass the chilled pork and fat through the coarse grinding plate of your meat grinder into a large bowl. Work quickly to keep everything cold.

Add the spice blend and fresh minced garlic to the ground meat. Pour in the ice cold water and mix with your hands for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky and cohesive.

Rinse the soaked hog casings thoroughly under cold running water, inside and out. Slide one end onto your sausage stuffer nozzle, bunching the entire length of casing onto it.

Feed the meat mixture into the stuffer and begin filling the casings, applying steady pressure. Aim for links about 6 inches long, twisting in alternating directions between each link. Tie off the ends with butcher twine.

Place the stuffed sausages on a sheet pan lined with a wire rack. Refrigerate uncovered for 12 to 24 hours to cure and form a pellicle.

Set up your smoker for indirect cooking at 175 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Add your pecan or hickory wood chunks to generate smoke.

Hang the sausages or lay them on the smoker grates with space between each link. Smoke for 2.5 to 3 hours until the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees Fahrenheit, rotating halfway through.

Remove the sausages from the smoker and let them rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. Then refrigerate until completely cool before packaging.