Sausage smoking

[RedT]

I need training in cooking sausage! Have read and re-read "Home Production of Quality Meats and Sausages" and "Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing" by Rytek Kutas. I feel good about grinding and stuffing sausage, but cooking in a WSM has me stumped. I air-dry the sausage, start at 135 degrees with smoke, increase 10 degrees every hour, and try not to exceed 160, however, the sausage temperature seems to stall at 127 degrees.

After 5 or 6 hours in the WSM, I remove the sausage and put in the electric oven at 170 degrees (the minimum setting possible) and the sausage still takes 3 -4 more hours to climb to 152 degrees! Eight hours cooking seems to be far too long to cook sausage! HELP!

Is there a class in the Phoenix, AZ area that I can take to learn this art of making sausage?

 

[Dwain Pannell]

I set up my charcoal in a "C" shape around the charcoal ring. I start with a row of two all the way around. Then, about half way, I add a layer on top of the row of two. Then, about 3/4 of the way around, I add two layers on top of the row of two. This gives me a ramp up in heat over time by adding fuel to the fire.

I control how much heat by using the vents. Two closed at first and one halfway open while laying on a thick smoke using wood chunks on the layer of two. Then, I begin opening vents in an effort to hit target temps.

It actually works very well. I smoke sausage, bacon and jerky this way. I normally go about 5 to 6 hours until complete.

Probably a more efficient way is to use an ATC but for me part of the hobby is the time spent getting to the destination.

Hope this helps.

 

[RedT]

Thanks, Dwain.... I've tried the "C" shape charcoal ring, but have used a row of two all the way around. Haven't had any luck in controlling the temp by using the vents - especially trying to start at 135 and stepping up 10 degrees at a time. I'll try your method. Have had some luck using a hot plate, but would prefer to use charcoal.

 

[RedT]

By the way...... what temps do you use for smoking sausage? My last smoke stalled at 126 interior temp with 160 - 170 smoke temp. Had to use the electric oven in the house to finish the cook, and was not satisfied with the quality.