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  5. Another Rookie Question on Smoked Sausage

Another Rookie Question on Smoked Sausage

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Meat Processing
25 Posts 9 Posters 1.0k Views 9 Watching
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  • U unclelar1

    mikesr I never smoke my sausage that hot.
    Because I always cook it some way before I eat it.
    I make allot of kielbasa, and I hang overnight in cooler. Then smoke for 10 hrs and never let smoker get over 125* I start slow and it usually takes about 2 hrs to get to my maintain temp.
    Rarely is casings tougher than a light snap.
    Once in a while I get tough casing but attribute it to bad casings

    M Offline
    M Offline
    mikesr
    Yearling
    wrote on last edited by
    #7

    unclelar1 - I’ve not heard of smoking the sausage at such a sustained low temp - I think you would call that cold smoking the sausage. Do you then grill or otherwise cook the sausage to 160 degrees?

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    • U Offline
      U Offline
      unclelar1
      wrote on last edited by
      #8

      Yes, it is cooked before eating.
      Simmered in kraut w/ potatoes, or with pierogies.
      Or grilled.

      M 1 Reply Last reply
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      • U unclelar1

        Yes, it is cooked before eating.
        Simmered in kraut w/ potatoes, or with pierogies.
        Or grilled.

        M Offline
        M Offline
        mikesr
        Yearling
        wrote on last edited by
        #9

        unclelar1 - Thanks. Are you able to freeze/thaw/cook and get the same results? Do you use cure? Natural casings?

        U 1 Reply Last reply
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        • M mikesr

          MT Elk Hunter - I’m using natural hog casings.

          M Offline
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          MT Elk Hunter
          Yearling
          wrote on last edited by
          #10

          mikesr how many hours does it take to reach your desired internal temp? Are you running of water and experiencing a stall?

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          • M MT Elk Hunter

            mikesr how many hours does it take to reach your desired internal temp? Are you running of water and experiencing a stall?

            M Offline
            M Offline
            mikesr
            Yearling
            wrote on last edited by
            #11

            MT Elk Hunter - Starting from refrigerator temp, I’d say 4 - 5 hours.

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            • M MT Elk Hunter

              mikesr how many hours does it take to reach your desired internal temp? Are you running of water and experiencing a stall?

              M Offline
              M Offline
              mikesr
              Yearling
              wrote on last edited by
              #12

              MT Elk Hunter - Not running out of water, and I don’t think I’m experiencing a stall such as I have with a pork shoulder or brisket. Thanks Elk Hunter.

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              • M mikesr

                unclelar1 - Thanks. Are you able to freeze/thaw/cook and get the same results? Do you use cure? Natural casings?

                U Offline
                U Offline
                unclelar1
                wrote on last edited by
                #13

                mikesr Yes , I vacuum seal and feeze.
                It always taste better fresh but you dont lose much in the freezer, especially with the vac seal.I use all natural hog casing. and I use the proper ratio of pink cure on all my smoked sausage and jerky
                my kielbasa is the only smoked sausage I smoke at a lower temp.
                my sticks and salami etc. I always smoke til proper internal of finish in my slow cook oven till proper temp.

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                • U unclelar1

                  mikesr Yes , I vacuum seal and feeze.
                  It always taste better fresh but you dont lose much in the freezer, especially with the vac seal.I use all natural hog casing. and I use the proper ratio of pink cure on all my smoked sausage and jerky
                  my kielbasa is the only smoked sausage I smoke at a lower temp.
                  my sticks and salami etc. I always smoke til proper internal of finish in my slow cook oven till proper temp.

                  M Offline
                  M Offline
                  mikesr
                  Yearling
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #14

                  unclelar1 - Thanks Unclelar1. I may give that a try. Your process is very different from anything I’ve tried. I’d love to get rid of that tough casing.

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                  • U unclelar1

                    mikesr I never smoke my sausage that hot.
                    Because I always cook it some way before I eat it.
                    I make allot of kielbasa, and I hang overnight in cooler. Then smoke for 10 hrs and never let smoker get over 125* I start slow and it usually takes about 2 hrs to get to my maintain temp.
                    Rarely is casings tougher than a light snap.
                    Once in a while I get tough casing but attribute it to bad casings

                    ChefC Offline
                    ChefC Offline
                    Chef
                    Canning Dry Cured Sausage Primo Grills Team Blue Sous Vide Power User Cast Iron
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #15

                    unclelar1 That is how I do a smoked sausage when I do large barbecues. I fully cook it prior to serving. Always a very light snap at best. Very tender.

                    M 1 Reply Last reply
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                    • ChefC Chef

                      unclelar1 That is how I do a smoked sausage when I do large barbecues. I fully cook it prior to serving. Always a very light snap at best. Very tender.

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                      mikesr
                      Yearling
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #16

                      Chef - Thanks. I will try it.

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                      • M mikesr

                        I posted a while back about tough natural skins on smoked sausage. Thank you for your much needed advice that I have put into practice. I purchased an Auber temperature controller (a great product) to more precisely control temperature and employed Jonathan’s smoke schedule:
                        125 - 1 hour
                        140 - 1hour
                        155 - 1 hour
                        175 to 160 degrees internal
                        The sausage has a fantastic flavor, but skins are still leathery to the point of being unchewable. I pretty much follow the procedures shown in the Meatgistics recipes and videos. I rinse and soak the fresh casings overnight before stuffing. I humidify the smoker cabinet with a water pan. This last batch, I soaked them in an ice bath after they reached the proper internal temperature. That helped a little, but not nearly enough. The skins are still inedible. FYI, we do enjoy a snap, but these don’t snap, they tear. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks.

                        Riley RenwickR Offline
                        Riley RenwickR Offline
                        Riley Renwick
                        Yearling
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #17

                        mikesr Try holding your sausage overnight in a tub of Tupperware with a lid in a room that is slightly chilled. The condensation from the residual heat off the sausage will soften the skins.

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                        • Riley RenwickR Riley Renwick

                          mikesr Try holding your sausage overnight in a tub of Tupperware with a lid in a room that is slightly chilled. The condensation from the residual heat off the sausage will soften the skins.

                          M Offline
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                          mikesr
                          Yearling
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #18

                          Riley Renwick - Thanks Riley. Is that pre or post-smoking?

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                          • M Offline
                            M Offline
                            mikesr
                            Yearling
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #19

                            Would collagen casings produce a more tender bite out of the smoker?

                            M 1 Reply Last reply
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                            • Riley Renwick 0R Offline
                              Riley Renwick 0R Offline
                              Riley Renwick 0
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #20

                              Post smoking

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                              • M mikesr

                                Would collagen casings produce a more tender bite out of the smoker?

                                M Offline
                                M Offline
                                MT Elk Hunter
                                Yearling
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #21

                                mikesr Natural casings have a better snap when bitten.

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                                • JonathonJ Offline
                                  JonathonJ Offline
                                  Jonathon
                                  Team Blue Admin Walton's Employee Power User
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #22

                                  MT Elk Hunter So I agree but I have documentation from Devro that says otherwise, which is a great example of how anyone can make any study say anything they want! Im guessing humidity is your major issue, usually, when I have a tougher casing something went wrong with humidity in the smoker. If you haven’t already check out this post https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/1099/cured-sausage-205-advanced-thermal-processing

                                  Recently I have found that using a shammy type material works even better, it takes up a little more space but it was able to completely empty an oversized water bowl in the PK in just a few hours.

                                  Get more help with your processing questions and learn more about processing meat by subscribing to our waltonsinc.com youtube page at https://wltns.link/waltonstv I am a Gorilla, love yourself

                                  M 1 Reply Last reply
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                                  • JonathonJ Jonathon

                                    MT Elk Hunter So I agree but I have documentation from Devro that says otherwise, which is a great example of how anyone can make any study say anything they want! Im guessing humidity is your major issue, usually, when I have a tougher casing something went wrong with humidity in the smoker. If you haven’t already check out this post https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/1099/cured-sausage-205-advanced-thermal-processing

                                    Recently I have found that using a shammy type material works even better, it takes up a little more space but it was able to completely empty an oversized water bowl in the PK in just a few hours.

                                    M Offline
                                    M Offline
                                    mikesr
                                    Yearling
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #23

                                    Jonathon - Thank you for that info. I do use a water pan, but at the prolonged cook times below 150, I don’t know that it gives off that much moisture. I’ll check it out.

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                                    • P Offline
                                      P Offline
                                      Parksider
                                      Team Blue PK100 Power User
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #24

                                      I never thermal process sticks while smoking them. I smoke below 150F until they have the color I like-nice deep cherry color using the smoked collagen 19mm casings.
                                      Then into water bath to cook to 155F then shower with cold water. I don’t get dry sticks, I don’t get dry chewy skins. Been doing it tho way for decades.

                                      John C.

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                                      • M Offline
                                        M Offline
                                        mikesr
                                        Yearling
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #25

                                        Thanks Parksider. I’ll give it a try. I’m about to place an order with Walton’s. I’ll give the collagen casings and process a try.

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