Summer sausage is there a stall?
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I keep my summer sausage batches small 10-15 lbs. due to sinker capacity. I use the 2 1/2” casing and limit them to just about 2.5-2.75 lb. each. I pretty much use the time/temp increase method demonstrated in the Waltons video. I hit a stall after reaching approximately 145-150°. After reaching this temp I’m thinking I’ve about got it but at this point it seems to reach a stall similar to cooking a pork butt. It then takes me upwards of 15 hrs to bring it to the 160-165°. Is this a normal timeframe?
Smoker heating capacity can be a limiting factor in getting your product internal temperature steps to keep increasing.
You can confirm this by reducing the weight of the product in the smoker while monitoring any changes in your cooking cycle and whether your internal temperature continue to stall.
twilliams suggestions are all valid points as well.
What kind of smoker are you using? Electric, gas or other? If electric, what is the watt rating.
Paul
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Smoker heating capacity can be a limiting factor in getting your product internal temperature steps to keep increasing.
You can confirm this by reducing the weight of the product in the smoker while monitoring any changes in your cooking cycle and whether your internal temperature continue to stall.
twilliams suggestions are all valid points as well.
What kind of smoker are you using? Electric, gas or other? If electric, what is the watt rating.
processhead denny66 as well as how insulated is your smoker to retain consistent heat and temperatures
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Yes, I get a stall like that at least a creep), but I don’t mind it at all. Since I’m shooting for a semi-dried product, I’m happy to get some extra evaporation. I keep it gentle with the temperature increases, too, to avoid fat out and case hardening. My favorite batches have been the ones I let go long.
When I’ve had enough of the waiting, I pop them into the sous vide for a quick finish.
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If you want a quick result. Bump temp up slow. When it gets to 130deg ,finish in sous vide. You will never experience a stall ever again and can get a good nights sleep to boot.
If the women don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy - Red Green
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Smoker heating capacity can be a limiting factor in getting your product internal temperature steps to keep increasing.
You can confirm this by reducing the weight of the product in the smoker while monitoring any changes in your cooking cycle and whether your internal temperature continue to stall.
twilliams suggestions are all valid points as well.
What kind of smoker are you using? Electric, gas or other? If electric, what is the watt rating.
processhead said in Summer sausage is there a stall?:
Smoker heating capacity can be a limiting factor in getting your product internal temperature steps to keep increasing.
You can confirm this by reducing the weight of the product in the smoker while monitoring any changes in your cooking cycle and whether your internal temperature continue to stall.
twilliams suggestions are all valid points as well.
What kind of smoker are you using? Electric, gas or other? If electric, what is the watt rating.
As I stated I’m only making 10-15# batches. I’m using one of the cheaper electric smokers. I have used two different methods of monitoring the temp in the smoker and comparing it with the digital settings on the smoker itself. One is an oven thermometer that I leave in the smoker and also I have used a maverick remote probe that has been tested accurate place in the smoker.
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Yes, I get a stall like that at least a creep), but I don’t mind it at all. Since I’m shooting for a semi-dried product, I’m happy to get some extra evaporation. I keep it gentle with the temperature increases, too, to avoid fat out and case hardening. My favorite batches have been the ones I let go long.
When I’ve had enough of the waiting, I pop them into the sous vide for a quick finish.
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If you want a quick result. Bump temp up slow. When it gets to 130deg ,finish in sous vide. You will never experience a stall ever again and can get a good nights sleep to boot.
smokinbubba said in Summer sausage is there a stall?:
If you want a quick result. Bump temp up slow. When it gets to 130deg ,finish in sous vide. You will never experience a stall ever again and can get a good nights sleep to boot.
I don’t know if I can do something I can’t pronounce!!! Isn’t specialized (read expensive) equipment needed here?
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smokinbubba said in Summer sausage is there a stall?:
If you want a quick result. Bump temp up slow. When it gets to 130deg ,finish in sous vide. You will never experience a stall ever again and can get a good nights sleep to boot.
I don’t know if I can do something I can’t pronounce!!! Isn’t specialized (read expensive) equipment needed here?
denny66 said in Summer sausage is there a stall?:
smokinbubba said in Summer sausage is there a stall?:
If you want a quick result. Bump temp up slow. When it gets to 130deg ,finish in sous vide. You will never experience a stall ever again and can get a good nights sleep to boot.
I don’t know if I can do something I can’t pronounce!!! Isn’t specialized (read expensive) equipment needed here?
While the sous vide systems are really nice, people have been using hot water to cook and process sausage for a long time before the recent surge in their popularity.
You can use a large kettle and a heat source like a propane burner or stove top to accomplish the same thing. You need to manually monitor temperatures and stir the kettle from time to time.
The sous vide systems use controls and automation to do the same thing which offers convenience you don’t get with a simple kettle and burner.
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denny66 said in Summer sausage is there a stall?:
Give me more info please in case hardening or where I might find more info. Thanks
Case hardening is the term used to describe when the casing and a layer of surface meat dries and hardens too quickly early in the thermal processing cycle. When the case hardened layer forms, it interferes with the transfer of smoke flavor into the product and can interfere with the transfer of moisture out of the product that is needed for slow, controlled drying of the interior meat at the center of the casing.
Case hardening typically happens when the temperature in the smoker starts out too high and the humidity is to low, all of which dries the casing surface and the layer of meat just under the surface. This is why you usually see smoke schedules start out at low temps and are raised gradually over a period of time.
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denny66 its easy. Pronounced sue v. And not expensive at all. I use an elcheapo yissvic brand from amazon. I think it was $59 or $69. I didnt want to spend big money on another kitchen gadget if it wouldnt work for my sausage addiction. Honestly, i will never make sausage without it (except fresh of course) ever again.
Using a smoker alone can really limit you as to what can be accomplished. In my experience, anything more than 1.5" diameter was unreachable due to the verrry long smoke time. Now i am making 4" bologna and 2 5" trail bologna on a regular basis. My 4" bambi bologna was even cooked start to finish sv. No smoker required! The longer sausage stays in the smoker the more time there is for things to go wrong. Especially drying out. Cooking or finishing in water stops the drying process for obvious reasons. Plus u can use the sv cooker to cook salmon, chicken, boose. You name it -
denny66 said in Summer sausage is there a stall?:
Give me more info please in case hardening or where I might find more info. Thanks
Case hardening is the term used to describe when the casing and a layer of surface meat dries and hardens too quickly early in the thermal processing cycle. When the case hardened layer forms, it interferes with the transfer of smoke flavor into the product and can interfere with the transfer of moisture out of the product that is needed for slow, controlled drying of the interior meat at the center of the casing.
Case hardening typically happens when the temperature in the smoker starts out too high and the humidity is to low, all of which dries the casing surface and the layer of meat just under the surface. This is why you usually see smoke schedules start out at low temps and are raised gradually over a period of time.
processhead said in Summer sausage is there a stall?:
denny66 said in Summer sausage is there a stall?:
Give me more info please in case hardening or where I might find more info. Thanks
Case hardening is the term used to describe when the casing and a layer of surface meat dries and hardens too quickly early in the thermal processing cycle. When the case hardened layer forms, it interferes with the transfer of smoke flavor into the product and can interfere with the transfer of moisture out of the product that is needed for slow, controlled drying of the interior meat at the center of the casing.
Case hardening typically happens when the temperature in the smoker starts out too high and the humidity is to low, all of which dries the casing surface and the layer of meat just under the surface. This is why you usually see smoke schedules start out at low temps and are raised gradually over a period of time.
That maybe what’s happening to me. I know I start my temps out correct (by a calibrated thermometer)but every time I make SS I seem to develop a slight rind under the casing. Somewhat tougher and dryer in nature than the rest of the sausage. Probably slightly over 1/8” thick.
So it must come down to moisture in my smoker. I don’t have to ever add any water to my very small water pan. Maybe I need to try the sponge method shown in Jonathan’s video? -
processhead said in Summer sausage is there a stall?:
denny66 said in Summer sausage is there a stall?:
Give me more info please in case hardening or where I might find more info. Thanks
Case hardening is the term used to describe when the casing and a layer of surface meat dries and hardens too quickly early in the thermal processing cycle. When the case hardened layer forms, it interferes with the transfer of smoke flavor into the product and can interfere with the transfer of moisture out of the product that is needed for slow, controlled drying of the interior meat at the center of the casing.
Case hardening typically happens when the temperature in the smoker starts out too high and the humidity is to low, all of which dries the casing surface and the layer of meat just under the surface. This is why you usually see smoke schedules start out at low temps and are raised gradually over a period of time.
That maybe what’s happening to me. I know I start my temps out correct (by a calibrated thermometer)but every time I make SS I seem to develop a slight rind under the casing. Somewhat tougher and dryer in nature than the rest of the sausage. Probably slightly over 1/8” thick.
So it must come down to moisture in my smoker. I don’t have to ever add any water to my very small water pan. Maybe I need to try the sponge method shown in Jonathan’s video?Sometimes there can be hot spots in a smoker. Electric smokers with exposed elements are bad about high heat in the vicinity of the element. Need to keep sausage away from heating elements or put in a shield to diffuse the heat.
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denny66 its easy. Pronounced sue v. And not expensive at all. I use an elcheapo yissvic brand from amazon. I think it was $59 or $69. I didnt want to spend big money on another kitchen gadget if it wouldnt work for my sausage addiction. Honestly, i will never make sausage without it (except fresh of course) ever again.
Using a smoker alone can really limit you as to what can be accomplished. In my experience, anything more than 1.5" diameter was unreachable due to the verrry long smoke time. Now i am making 4" bologna and 2 5" trail bologna on a regular basis. My 4" bambi bologna was even cooked start to finish sv. No smoker required! The longer sausage stays in the smoker the more time there is for things to go wrong. Especially drying out. Cooking or finishing in water stops the drying process for obvious reasons. Plus u can use the sv cooker to cook salmon, chicken, boose. You name itsmokinbubba
Sorry I didn’t mean to skip over you. I had to get clearances from Team Blue Police in order to have direct communications with a team orange. Just a jokin I wanted to cover 1 subject at a time. I’m seriously thinking of trying the sous vide method of finishing off my sausage. I might look it up on YouTube first and give a homemade rig a go first if not too complicated. Thanks for the info. -
smokinbubba
Sorry I didn’t mean to skip over you. I had to get clearances from Team Blue Police in order to have direct communications with a team orange. Just a jokin I wanted to cover 1 subject at a time. I’m seriously thinking of trying the sous vide method of finishing off my sausage. I might look it up on YouTube first and give a homemade rig a go first if not too complicated. Thanks for the info.denny66 said in Summer sausage is there a stall?:
I might look it up on YouTube first and give a homemade rig a go first if not too complicated.
Sous vide is great because you have precise control over temperature and a bit more quicker cooking from convection from the water circulation. However, you really can get by fine just by poaching. It’s more hands-on, but it’ll probably give you a better idea if you like what sous vide does for your product.
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I keep my summer sausage batches small 10-15 lbs. due to sinker capacity. I use the 2 1/2” casing and limit them to just about 2.5-2.75 lb. each. I pretty much use the time/temp increase method demonstrated in the Waltons video. I hit a stall after reaching approximately 145-150°. After reaching this temp I’m thinking I’ve about got it but at this point it seems to reach a stall similar to cooking a pork butt. It then takes me upwards of 15 hrs to bring it to the 160-165°. Is this a normal timeframe?
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You can use a turkey roaster and it will do the same thing as a more expensive setup
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All good advise above. The sous vide advantage is precise temp control of the water. I understand many bologna manufactures use a steam cabinet to finish. I just like my steam wetter
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Well this is a dated thread, but I searched for it because I made come Kielbasa a few days ago and smoked them. I have been making and smoking sausage for a long time. I have never experienced a stall while smoking sausage. I have with brisket, but never sausage. I was very frustrated after attending the smoker from early in the morning until late afternoon. I finally gave up and took it out. So now I just finish cooking it as I use it. Well, reading over this thread I see that this is a common issue for some people. And I basically got the answers I needed. I hope it never happens again.
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If you want a quick result. Bump temp up slow. When it gets to 130deg ,finish in sous vide. You will never experience a stall ever again and can get a good nights sleep to boot.
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