First time kielbasa... need quick advice!

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worktogthr

Master of the Pit
Original poster
OTBS Member
SMF Premier Member
Nov 3, 2013
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Massapequa, NY (Long Island)
I am smoking my first kielbasa today. Meat has cure in it. Stuffed it today and now am smoking in the MES at a temp around 145. I let it dry at room temp which was about 72 degrees and low humidity for an hour and half until it felt dry to the touch (central air). Now my concern is that it's IT is rising faster than I thought it would and I want to make sure I have enough smoke. If it gets to 152 IT (my target) and it still doesn't have be color I want should I just shut down the smoker and cold smoke it. Or should I cut the heat down now to stop the IT from climbing.

Smoker temp and meat probe are all correct. Very recently tested maverick.

Thanks!
 
Turn the temp down or off..... smoke until it's right.... then cook...

Thanks!! I turned it down to 100 smoker temp. If the IT climbs too fast once it reaches 140 I will shut down the smoker all together. I know it has cure in it but 140 just makes me feel better, you know food safety and what not.
 
Dave has you covered, good job on checking your mavs a lot of people seem to forget that. 

Good luck and let us know how it turns out. and you know what they say 
th_What_NO_QVIEW.gif
LOL

A full smoker is a happy smoker 

DS 
 
Well it's been a couple hours?? Hows it going?? hope is all worked out for you 

DS

Thanks! It's going well but I wish I never turned the temp down hahaha. It's stuck at 127 IT forever. Color looked great after 3.5-4 hours so I cut the smoke and just have them in the smoker at 160. Is their a sausage stall at such low temps? Again, thanks for the help. I'll get some q view when all is said and done
 
Thanks! It's going well but I wish I never turned the temp down hahaha. It's stuck at 127 IT forever. Color looked great after 3.5-4 hours so I cut the smoke and just have them in the smoker at 160. Is their a sausage stall at such low temps? Again, thanks for the help. I'll get some q view when all is said and done
Ya sausages can I never had it with the 19mm-22mm snack sticks but with the larger Summer sausage like 2 1/2"Fiborous - yep. 

Good learning exp. at that and  you will know next time if the smoker does that to you. Wonder if your smoker was having a temp swing after putting them cold sausages in there with door open while you were putting them in?? Did you open the door at all while smoking per say to check on ampts or anything?? just could have some unforseen factors you may have not thought of. 

I know it is hard and I don't do it but maybe keep a log?? 

Good luck and can't wait to see the money shot. 

DS
 
 
I know you are probably doing 32-38mm casing I have never done these yet so don't know if you will have a stall on that size casing. 

DS
 
I know you are probably doing 32-38mm casing I have never done these yet so don't know if you will have a stall on that size casing. 


DS

Using 32-38 casings and the temps are finally climbing up. Hard thing too is that I am inexperienced stuffer so I don't have it down to consistant size yet. I know different areas of smoker run hotter so I have been opening the door to rotate the shelves and take temps of different size sausages. Definitely w beginner at this hahah . Question... The recipe I am using says pull at 152, but is that hard and fast. Would 145 be ok as I can eat pork at that temp safely?
 
Using 32-38 casings and the temps are finally climbing up. Hard thing too is that I am inexperienced stuffer so I don't have it down to consistant size yet. I know different areas of smoker run hotter so I have been opening the door to rotate the shelves and take temps of different size sausages. Definitely w beginner at this hahah . Question... The recipe I am using says pull at 152, but is that hard and fast. Would 145 be ok as I can eat pork at that temp safely?
Not sure on pulling I always pull at 152 not a any faster I know some of the guys and gals on here pull like at 149 and it will coast up to 152 while resting?? Are you suppose to cold bath these?? If you are cold bathing them I would do 152 it may be for texture is why they say that, ?? 

So you are opening doors to rotate??? Why do we not have any pics yet?? 
Rules.gif
 LOL 

Good luck 
 
I am going to cold water bath and then hang for a couple of hours to bloom. I will let it ride to 152 and I will get you some pics after I eat dinner hahah
 
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Looks great - Nice job and way to stay with it and for that = POINTS


DS 

Thanks!!! Couldn't have done it without your help! Here's a couple of more pics of our joint effort haha



Thanks for the points and again thanks for the help along the way.

Things learned:

I could always cut the heat later and finish cold smoking.

I need a sausage pricker or use a skewer or something at least because I have a lot of unattractive look on air pockets onnthe casing.
 
Yea, Dave has a great point.  But sometimes you just gotta get some meat in the smoker!

Trying to hit a specific temp in a large poorly insulated box with a kitchen thermometer, with poorly designed propane controls, with wind, and a hundred other variables, plus managing smoke generation, is difficult to say the least.  Especially when due to the outside temps your margin of error is reduced by 50 degrees.  

So, use the smoker to put smoke on, and use a water bath to control your temps.  As long as you can stay under 140ish in your smoker, you're not going to have any issues with temps rising too fast etc in the time that you need to put on smoke.  I've found that for kielbasa, 3-4 hours of smoke is plenty, so as long as I'm under 140, I don't really worry about where it's at.  After the smoke, then use a water bath at 170 degrees until the internal on the kielbasa is 153-154, then move it to an ice bath until down to 100 or so.  Then you're done. 

This method, while you have to wash two more pots (so many dishes, right?!?), has saved me an incredible amount of headaches.  The water baths really only take a few minutes, and your sausage is cooked to temp and hanging in a fraction of the time it would take playing around with smoker temps.

 
Yea, Dave has a great point.  But sometimes you just gotta get some meat in the smoker!

Trying to hit a specific temp in a large poorly insulated box with a kitchen thermometer, with poorly designed propane controls, with wind, and a hundred other variables, plus managing smoke generation, is difficult to say the least.  Especially when due to the outside temps your margin of error is reduced by 50 degrees.  

So, use the smoker to put smoke on, and use a water bath to control your temps.  As long as you can stay under 140ish in your smoker, you're not going to have any issues with temps rising too fast etc in the time that you need to put on smoke.  I've found that for kielbasa, 3-4 hours of smoke is plenty, so as long as I'm under 140, I don't really worry about where it's at.  After the smoke, then use a water bath at 170 degrees until the internal on the kielbasa is 153-154, then move it to an ice bath until down to 100 or so.  Then you're done. 

This method, while you have to wash two more pots (so many dishes, right?!?), has saved me an incredible amount of headaches.  The water baths really only take a few minutes, and your sausage is cooked to temp and hanging in a fraction of the time it would take playing around with smoker temps.


Thanks for the advice! I'll have to try this next time. What do you use for the water bath to keep the water temp where you want it? Do I see another gadget in my future? Hahah. Definitely sounds appealing to apply smoke for 3-4 hours and then finish quickly.
 
Nah, I just use my kitchen stove and thermometer to monitor water temps. (See photo above) Two therms would be useful, one for meat, one for water, but I'm cheap and still use just one. It turns out fine.

I posted a thread "Kielbasa w/Qview" a few months ago that shows all the steps, and there are a bunch of other threads in the archives too. Let us know if you have questions.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/174666/kielbasa-w-qview
 
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