Rookie Questions on Smoker Sausage
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I agree with Joe Hell. I have had much better luck if I soak the casings at least overnight in the refrigerator, sometimes up to two days. In a pinch, very warm or almost hot out of the tap for at least an hour. But the day ahead of stuffing always worked best for me.
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mikesr SureGel would not be the best option for a fresh sausage, I would recommend Carrot fiber for that. I use about half the normal amount when using Carrot fiber on a fresh sausage like bratwurst or breakfast sausage and that has been perfect for me.
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Just to toss in my two cents, I’ve been using Super Bind (carrot fiber and potato starch), and I like it quite a bit. I’ve not used straight carrot fiber, so I cannot compare the two. As much as folks rave about straight carrot fiber, though, I have a feeling that I would still be quite happy with it.
I really need to try soaking my casings overnight. My last couple or few batches have had problems with the casing sticking on the horn.
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mikesr I have an older charbroil electric smoker. I purchased an auber instruments WSD-1500H-W it was a little pricey at $240.00 but it works great at maintaining temperature and it’s programmable for smoke schedule. Also has an app you can use to monitor/modify schedule on your phone or tablet. It has 1 probe for smoker temperature and 2 for IT. only problem, I could have used the money to upgrade smoker
.Joe1 I Purchased the Auber and I am currently getting to know it. But it is definitely a major step up from the analog thermostat control that came with the unit. Still learning how it interacts with the Cookshack, but the Auber unit is definitely going to make a big difference. I would definitely recommend it to anybody with an older analog smoker. Will keep you posted.
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mikesr said in Rookie Questions on Smoker Sausage:
Thanks Joe1. That’s the system my research has led me to. It’s great to hear that it works as advertised. I thought about upgrading my smoker too. Only problem: it’s built in to an outdoor cook center and nothing else would fit. Sounds like the Auber Instruments is at least part of the solution. Thanks!
The older analog electric smokers can be problematic with temperature control. This doesn’t matter so much with butts, hams, etc. but, with more delicate smokes just doesn’t work well.
A small IVC (Insulated Vertical Cabinet) may fit in your fabbed in spot for the Cookshack. If take measurements, Humphrey’s from the NorthEast can custom build to fit your kitchen center. Backwoods is another possible solution.
The other option for this type of smoking is a cold smoker. You can always finish it off hotter and faster there or give it a quick blast in the Cookshack. Personally, for this type of smoke, I would start with one my WSM (Weber Smokey Mountain) where I can really throttle down for a slow smoke and then open up for a high heat finish. Craigslist and Letsgo is your friend here. I got a 14" and an 18" model both like new and gently used for $100 by watching the listings for one not being loved in someone’s garage or shed.
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Joe1 I Purchased the Auber and I am currently getting to know it. But it is definitely a major step up from the analog thermostat control that came with the unit. Still learning how it interacts with the Cookshack, but the Auber unit is definitely going to make a big difference. I would definitely recommend it to anybody with an older analog smoker. Will keep you posted.
mikesr first thing I did was calibrate the 3 probes in boiling and ice cold water, the app has a system config screen to adjust temp offset so all probes read the same. Next is locate if there are hot/cold spots in the smoker. Does your smoker have a fan?
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mikesr first thing I did was calibrate the 3 probes in boiling and ice cold water, the app has a system config screen to adjust temp offset so all probes read the same. Next is locate if there are hot/cold spots in the smoker. Does your smoker have a fan?
Joe1 I tested the probes with crushed ice slush and all three were right on. No offset required. I haven’t tested for hot spots but good idea. No fan - unfortunately, because the cabinet is built in to a structure, there’s not enough clearance for the motor.
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I just changed smokers and came up with leathery skin sausage.
I used water pan during the process at 180F.
I believe it is the heavy smoke i used at 180F for 5 hrs.
Should have been light smoke .
I am believing too much smoke caused it.
I usually smoke at 160F 4 hrs. then 200F for 1 hr.
Did not do this and smoked for 5hrs 180 and 200 at 1 hr full smoke. -
I think you might be dehydrating your product. Go to the learning center here and watch the how to videos on fresh and cured sausages. I think your thermal processing schedule is a little high to start. I think you will find your Answers there.
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I agree with Samspade, too hot.
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I just changed smokers and came up with leathery skin sausage.
I used water pan during the process at 180F.
I believe it is the heavy smoke i used at 180F for 5 hrs.
Should have been light smoke .
I am believing too much smoke caused it.
I usually smoke at 160F 4 hrs. then 200F for 1 hr.
Did not do this and smoked for 5hrs 180 and 200 at 1 hr full smoke.tombilliodeaux also did you have a leave in thermometer in the meat? It just seemed to long to hot.
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tombilliodeaux Also consider the relative humidity in your smoker and airflow. If it was dry out and you had a lot of airflow within the smoker then 5 hours at 180 is going to be a problem for the skin of the sausage. What did you stuff them into? natural and collagen are fairly close but there are differences and there are differences within collagen as well. I’d guess you got some case hardening from either overcooking, or over-drying the outside of the sausage too quickly. New smokers can take a little bit of time to get used to!
Adding a pan for humidity is good, but it is not going to a ton on its own. Here is some more information on doing that https://meatgistics.waltons.com/topic/1099/cured-sausage-205-advanced-thermal-processing I love this hack but we need to do an actual video on it now that we are (hopefully) better at doing videos!
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For what it’s worth, I use the Auber PID controller in my old Cookshack analog smoker and it gives me great temperature/time control. I’ve been battling tough hog casings all along, but less so since I’ve used the following: Temp 115 for 45min; 140 for 60min; 155 for 60min; 170 until internal temp reaches 140 degrees. Then into the sous vide cooker at 165 for one hour, then into a water bath to cool down. It’s a bit of a process, but the casing turns out much less tough (but still more tough than my wife and I would prefer - we like a snap, but not “tough”). Still trying to improve on it, so any suggestions much appreciated. The sausage I make is smoked Keilbasa. I do use a pan of water for humidity.
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mikesr Makes sense that finishing it in water would help prevent the casings from drying as much and since you are getting better results with that I would say adding more Relative Humidity for the time it is in the smoker would help even more. I still think finishing in Sous Vide is the way to go, but by preventing them from drying out as much in the smoke phase you should be happier with your product.
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Thanks Jonathon. I’ll try more humidity on a batch of wild duck/goose kielbasa that I’m going to put together in the next few weeks. Do you add humidity from the very beginning, or do you wait some time to add it?
mikesr from the beginning I would say. The goal is to keep it from drying out. Adding humidity also makes things cook much faster, so there is less time to dry out. Then when you hit the “stall” around 140f, where meat temp doesn’t rise because it is losing as much energy due to evaporation as it absorbs… well, a high relative humidity fights that also. Thats why many will wrap a brisket with foil or paper at that point to get them rapidly past that stall.
Anyhoo, your stated cook schedule looks about perfect so you probably know all that. You may not know that the USFDA FSIS really pushes high relative humidity for all cooking in it’s Cooking Guidelines for Meat and Poultry Products, requiring a RH above 90% or you have to meet alternative methods. And 90% is a lot, more than a pan of water gets you, usually a sealed oven or steam injection. Not required for meat in sausage casings, but while reading their case studies, I did see several pros mention they got better case texture, less tough, by cooking sausages up at very high RH anyways. Just a datapoint I read that supports what Jonathon said above. -
sidpost Thanks. I decided that the path of least resistance is going to be to stick with the old Cookshack and control it with the Auber WSD 1500H-W. Not the least expensive solution, but all the reports I’ve read are good.
mikesr said in Rookie Questions on Smoker Sausage:
Cookshack
Ain’t nothing wrong with an OLD Cookshack smoker!
Heck I’d take it off yer hands!
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