summer sausage

[GODUCKS]

Going to make my attempt at making venison summer sausage but have a couple questions.

1)I will be using Pit Boss vertical smoker, everything I have read says no smoke for 1 hour, that’s not possible with vertical pellet smoker.

2. Lowest temp on the smoker is 150, so what should my schedule look like with 150 being lowest available.

Given these 2 critical elements and I can not follow, is making a good SS still possible and what if any changes should I make to ensure good product? Thanks for any available help and input guys.

[processhead]

This sounds very doable. To work around the 1 hour with no smoke, I would suggest air drying at room temperature for an hour or two before placing in the smoker. Then start your smoker at 150 degrees with full open dampers. The fact that you have room temp product in the chamber will delay somewhat how quickly you get up to 150 chamber temperature setpoint.

The purpose of no smoke for the first hour is to let the exterior of the product warm up and dry so moisture or smoke condense on the surface. A dry surface will absorb smoke more efficiently. A wet cool surface will not You will achieve the same result by air drying at room temperature.

Raise the temperature set point after 2-3 hours smoke time to get your product internal temperature up to about 158. Alternately, you could finish in a hot water bath after 2-3 hours of smoking, depending on the diameter of the summer sausage.

[TexLaw]

How low does your oven go? You might be able to start in there and then move to the smoker.

[processhead]

TexLaw said in summer sausage:

How low does your oven go? You might be able to start in there and then move to the smoker.

Another good option. Most ovens can be kept fairly low if you partially prop the door open.

[TexLaw]

processhead Something else I’ve considered is starting in a water bath because that also is easy to hold a low temperature. Bring them up to a good temperature to set the sausage (say 135ish or so), and then move to the smoker with no sawdust. Dry adequately, and then add the sawdust and let that bit of nature take its course for a couple/few hours or so. Finish in another water bath, if so desired.

I’ve not done that (and I don’t know that I will since I have my PK 100), but it was something I thought about at one time.

[processhead]

TexLaw said in summer sausage:

processhead Something else I’ve considered is starting in a water bath because that also is easy to hold a low temperature. Bring them up to a good temperature to set the sausage (say 135ish or so), and then move to the smoker with no sawdust. Dry adequately, and then add the sawdust and let that bit of nature take its course for a couple/few hours or so. Finish in another water bath, if so desired.

I’ve not done that (and I don’t know that I will since I have my PK 100), but it was something I thought about at one time.

I see no reason why that would not work with your PK100.
Since the OP is heating/ smoking with pellets, I suspect he will need another alternative for drying.

[Denny O]

Crack open the door, ice in the water pan, point a small fan at the cracked open door, there are many ways. Also start out with cold smoke, maybe?

[caryfr5]

I’ve done 6+ batches of SS in my pitboss and all turned out excellant! Loved by all. I use a Ink Bird wireless temp probe and it tells me the actual temp in the smoker is about 15 degrees lower than what the smoker says

[GODUCKS]

Thank you all for the great suggestions, people starting out in sausage making would not be successful without you all, it would end up in frustration, wasted money, meat, time and effort. Every time someone helps out a beginner, it is appreciated more than you know.

[cdavis]

GODUCKS well said . I feel the same way.