Make sure you build initrd with MODULES=dep and not "all" modules via /etc/initramfs-tools/conf.d/* or in /etc/initramfs-tools/initramfs.conf as well CONFIG_DEBUG_INFO=n in kernel config.
I usually trim down the config to the minimal and then merely throw "make modules_install" after the kernel is done and then "make install".
I'll give it a try your way. Thank you. Dennis