Is a 32mm casing strong enough to hang a one foot sausage in the smoker.? My smoker has the depth but diameter doesn’t allow laying large number of sausage flat.

Good Info, thanks for your time.

OK, that’s good enough for me. Thanks for your insight and, once again, saving ma a lot of problems.

Thanks for your quick replies. I mentioned the step up of heat and I got that from Cured Sausage 107 - Basics for Making Sumer Sausage under the heading of “Thermal Processing and Smoking”. Somewhere in the posts I read that the graduated heating from 120 up to the 160 internal was to insure that the entire sausage was cooked evenly and not cook the outside first with high initial heat. I may have mis-read something, what am I missing? By the way, I was having problems with the casing wrinkling and someone else posted the question with Waltons suggesting mixing better and a really cold bath. Did both and problem totally solved.

The process of finishing with water has worked very well, but requires constant monitoring. I am about to get delivery of one of the sous vide heater devices to solve that, but what if I used the sous vide process for the whole cooking process? The step up of the heat at your suggested increments would be simplified and given that I have some summer sausage ready to go and the wind chill today is -24, the sous vide might help. I have combined some left over spices from previous cooks, so the taste is in the meat. My plan is to use the same increments and the same time at each heat level as suggested. Is there anything bad in this theory/process that is sneaking up on me and I don’t see coming?

processhead You are right on target. I have a Weber kettle and am using a Slow 'N Sear from SnS grills. A found a rotisserie setup which includes a ring about 6 inches high. I have mounted the grate on top of that which gives me a little more height and if I use the “snake” method in the Slow N Sear, actually doesn’t do too bad, but with this setup you can only refine so far. Hard to seal the smoke in. Anyway, given that my setup is a little primitive and with input from patient people like you and the others, I get along OK. Thanks again for your input, I really appreciate your time.

bocephus Thanks for your time answering my questions. I am going to follow that advise. I am working on a method to monitor water temp with a probe from one of my meat thermometers. Thanks for your time.

Jonathon Thanks for your time. I am in the process of rigging up a method to monitor the temp of the water. I think I can use a probe from my Maverick meat temp. This will fix the problem, and also greatly cut down on my temp monitoring at the smoker. Thanks again.

Couple Summer Sausage Questions

• When summer sausage is in the smoker on the heading for 140 degrees, how do you know when it gets there? I have tried to insert a remote temp probe in the tie at the end of the tube and that seems to work OK, but I have too many logs and not enough probes. I don’t want to poke holes during the smoking process, so is there a science I’m not aware of?
  -Is there a thermometer that I can hang on the side of a container that will allow me to regulate the temp? Top of my oven is too hot and exceeds 175
  -I have been having really tasty results, I run the temp up to 160 on the smoker by gradually increasing the temp, and I quench in ice water till cool, dry it, store in refrigerator over night and vacuum pack and still have wrinkling. However, I do have problems controlling the temp at the low end. Could it be that the temp is too high on the low end?
  Thanks for your support, It’s obvious I don’t have the most sophisticated equipment, but want to get the most I can out of what I have.

If I made some fresh sausage, grilled it to 160, let it cool, vacuum packed it and stored at under 40 degrees, how long do you think it would last? Is this a risky venture? I have done a lot of smoked sausage that I vacuum packed, froze and when ready to consume, poached in water. Am curious how long it will last if not frozen. Freezer space is a premium and since I discovered this site, which has caused my output to outrun my freezer space.

Well, I put all my theories aside and did just what you folks suggested. Slow baked in oven, summer sausage seasoning with Waltons Hickory Smoke Seasoning and Carrot fiber. Gradually increased the temp and ended up with my best summer sausage to date. The casing was a little wrinkled, but taste and texture was great. Also did some hot dogs with the Chili Dog seasoning and some Carrot Fiber, another success. The Chili Dog Seasoning is really great. Thank for all the support.

Is it OK to make summer sausage and bake it in an oven? Also, would you still need the cure? I realize might have a moisture problem and some shrinkage of the casing, but if there is a process for this, what is it? I don’t always have time to mind the smoker.

Thanks for the insight, really appreciate your time and expertise. Going to give it another try asap.

Jonathon Not Walton’s fault at all, I have done enough of this that I should have known better. However, I am new to the Meat Binder products. Most recipes and bagged additives advise how much water to use. If using the Carrot Fiber, do you just use the water is recommended or, given you have the fiber, do you up the water content. If yes, is there a rule of thumb how much?

OK, I gave it a try and appears I’m not as smart as I look!! I made three 1 lb batches to try some stuff and did not turn out well. My first time with Carrot Binder, Sure Cure, Hickory Smoke and Chili Dog Seasoning. I usually smoke and this is my first time using the water cook.
Here’s what I did
-I made 3- 1 lb batches, all of which contained 1 tbsn & 2 tspn Carrot Binder,
1/4 tsp (4 oz) Sure Cure Pink
-All were cooked in water, starting temp around 140 and up to 175.
-All were tossed into ice water when they reached 160
-All were done at the same time on the same oven top and heat measured constantly with a digital probe.
Batch 1. Added 1/2 Tsp Hickory Smoke, 3 oz of water and Callagen Casing.
Result: Really bad. Casing fell off, what casings stayed on had water in them and when I removed the lose casings, the meat was done on the inside but some had what looked like raw meat next to the casing. After they cooled were really dry and looked bad. Will probably grind and add to chili. Appeared to have spots of grease on the outside.
Batch 2. Added Chili Dog Seasoning and Callagen casing with 4 oz of water. These appear OK and taste pretty good and casings stayed on. Still kind of dry, but OK
Batch 3. Added some Summer Sausage Seasoning I had laying around and added per the package for 1#. Also added Hickory Smoke Seasoning and used Mahogany Summer Sausage Casing. The casing is not tight at all, meat loose in the casing. Meat appears to be done, but very tender and very moist.

I suspect the water added and the cooking is the problem. Usually I would just try again, but with the Walton World insight and at the risk of really looking stupid, what happened?

I just received my order from Walton’s and since reading Meatgistics, these products should cure many of my past problems. However, I have a couple questions.
-I am using pork shoulder, but I have been trimming off the thick fat on the bottom and not grinding into the sausage mix. Do others include this fat in the grind or remove? My concern is that I may be disrupting my fat content.
-I have been adding Jalapenos to the meat after grinding and before stuffing, same with pineapple. . However, I have not been drying them. Just draining, blotting and adding to the meat. Is this the proper way to add this stuff or should they be dried. Have heard opinions both ways, but I don’t think those I’m talking to know any more than I do which is a problem. Need some expert advise.
-I received Carrot Fiber with my order. However, the “Usage” says 1.59 oz up to 3.59 oz per batch. What is the batch size? How much should I use for 5#
-After smoking the sausage, cooling, overnight in the fridge, left out for an hour and vacuum pack, I notice some moisture on the brats when opening the vacuum bag to eat. Does this present a possible mold problem and if so, what should I change to prevent?
Thank you so much for your time. This is a really great site, can’t say enough good.
As for my other question below, I have decided to go with the experts and not vacuum pack when finishing in the 170 degree bath. Thanks for that advise.

-If I vacuum pack cased sausage in quantities of 2 to 4 and if I have one not cased, can I put a temp probe in the one, poach all at 170 and be reasonably certain that those packaged will be at 158 at the same time as the single one with the probe?
-If I smoke to 130 and decide to vacuum pack , is there any process to do prior to packing or do they go right from the smoker to the vacuum pack and to the water?

If you grind your own turkey, do you grind the skin or not?

Parksider Thank you for your time. Very helpful. I also have a digital thermometer with 4 probes. I’m doing a test now to try to hold 170. The oven heat cycle allows swings in temp. I assume it would require constant monitoring or add cold water ? Someone said they vacuum pack prior to water heat. How would they monitor temp?

Screamin Also, doesn’t the water effect the smoke deposit on the casing?