Smoking Fresh Kielbasa


 
There is a Polish Deli nearby that makes their own fresh kielbasa and I would like to smoke some this weekend, any suggestions for smoker temp / wood type / meat temperature?
 
The kielbasa should be smoked already.

If you want to smoke to cook it, just smoke it at 250 until it's at an internal of 155-160 or so, then grill really quickly and carefully over direct heat just to get some color.
 
Using too high heat or direct heat for too long will cause your sausages to split and you'll lose lots of fat and juices that should be going in your mouth.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">The kielbasa should be smoked already. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Until we hear back from Paul we won't know for sure but I frequently buy fresh kielbasa locally. It's not smoked or cooked. Depending on the source often frozen due to it's short shelf life. If it doesn't contain any cure then a faster (higher) smoke/cook would be called for. If it does contain cure, then I always go a lot lower and longer to build more smoke flavor.
If I'm gonna grill after the smoking, I'll shoot for a bit lower internal temp; 145-150.
 
Yeah Marc I guess fresh kielbasa wouldn't be smoked but in my mind it's akin to saying "fresh andouille" which doesn't really exist.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">If it doesn't contain any cure then a faster (higher) smoke/cook would be called for. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Not really. As long as you are cooking to pasteurization temps - and you would be - it's not necessary to speed the smoke. Further, cooking fresh sausage at higher heat can toughen the skin. Lower temps are fine.

Alternatively, for even color: To grill or smoke, first immerse the sausages in very hot water (bring enough water to a simmer on the stove then remove the pot from the heat; immerse the sausages) for 20 minutes. Remove, drain, pat dry, then grill or smoke gently till just cooked through.
 
Kevin, wouldn't there still be an issue of time to reach temp?
My preference has been to start cold fresh sausage in a cold smoker allowing a long climb (hours) to temperature.
 
It would depend on what you mean by 'hours' and whether the sausage contains pink salt. Most kielbasa formulations include it. As you note, faster might be called for if it doesn't, but we're not talking minutes. Hours is fine as long as it's reasonable, like < 4, and it should not take nearly that long, even if one starts out with cooler temps (85?F) and light smoke, then ramps to mid range (~120?F), then finishes higher (180-200?F) to the target internal. Typically this should take < 3 hours.

Sausage not being consumed immediately should be cooled quickly by a cold water immersion or a cold water spray.
 
I love fresh kielbasa on the smoker.

Did some a few weeks ago when I cooked some ribs. Cooked at 275° till 160° internal, let rest for a bit. Turned out perfect.

At 275° they had great color and did not split.
 
<< smoked fresh Kielbasa many times...
the last time was Labour Day weekend. Temps were around 225ºF for two hours. And they were great!

Kevin, why the cold water immersion if storing? To prevent the sausage from shriveling?
 
Yes.

First, to prevent the casings from shriveling oddly; secondly, to get them on the way to cold before packing for the fridge or freezer.
 
First off, I wanted to thank everyone for the great responses. I am astounded at the level of knowledge and the willingness to share knowledge, Thanks!!

Second, I haven't been to the deli in years, and since I work nights their hours of operation do not work well with my schedule until the end of my work week which is today. When I go I will ask the questions posed here to find out the specifics of their process to find the best means to smoke it.

Thanks again Guys!!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Marc:
Paul, do you know if they use any sodium nitrite in the kielbasa mix? Which deli? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

It is Golemo Market on Millbury St. in Worcester, MA. I haven't had a chance to ask them about their process.
 
Paul, Wasn't sure of your location. That's a bit more north of the deli's I'm familiar with. However, from what I've now learned as well, the issue of the sausage containing cure or not will be moot assuming your smoking/cooking times will be less then three or four hours. I've gone as long as six hours & that was my reason for asking about the inclusion of pink salt. Please post your results!
 
I used this thread yesterday to smoke some fresh, natural casing kielbasa from Stanley's Market in Toledo, Ohio, renowned for their polish-style kielbasa. Using my Genesis 1000, burner #1 was set at low, #2 & 3 off. I placed a hickory pack from a Weber 4-pack assortment in the corner under the cooking grate on the flavorizer bars where the #1 burner and cross-bar meet. After it started to smoke, I set the kielbasa (9 big sticks) on the back of the cooking grates and on the back shelf for indirect heat. The hood thermometer read 180 and an electronic thermometer on the back shelf in contact with the shelf read 200. After 1 hour I bumped the heat to medium and temps rose to 200 hood / 238 shelf. After another hour internal kielbasa temps were 180-200. No splitting, grease barely leaking out of 1 stick, wonderful color. I removed and placed them in water, then placed in refrigerator. The information here was very helpful. I see we can't 'like' on this forum, but a very big thank you to all!
 
One of the great kielbasa makers in the country is Czerw's (pronounced "Shev's") in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia. They sold quite a few varieties of both smoked and fresh. Their excellent advice for reheating smoked kielbasa was to simply drop it in boiling water for a few minutes. It comes out fat, juicy and delicious. Works much better than grilling or in a frying pan. Incidentally, there were always bags and bags of Kingsford blue stacked up back by the huge walk-in smoker. They know what works.

Jeff
 
The way we Slavs usually eat Kielbasa is right out of the Easter Basket, cold! Easter for Orthodox Christians is this Sunday, April 8. We put ham, kielbasa, bacon, salt, Easter eggs, homemade cheese (Hrutka), bread (Pascha), wine and Easter candy in our basket, gather in a circle in the yard of the church after services and the priest comes out and blesses us and the baskets. Afterwards, we get together with the whole extended family and everyone eats a feast comprised of the contents of everyone's basket. So this hand-smoked kielbasa I made will be a conversation starter during dinner! Our church used to be Russian Orthodox (we're American Orthodox now) so that's why I'm Dave 'DaRooskie'! A place spelled 'Czerw's' and pronounced 'Shev's' is definitely polish! Jak se mas?
 

 

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