Hoping for a quick answer

rich-

Meat Mopper

Original poster

Feb 14, 2011

292

16

Ocean Shores, Washington

• Oct 7, 2013

• #1

I have 5# of Shooter ricks Brats stuffed and I did add 1 tsp cure 1.

What is best, smoke them or not smoke them.

i I understand about either freezing them or eating them soon, But if I smoke them is there a downfall to it?

Thanks Rich-

 

daveomak

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Nov 12, 2010

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Omak,Washington,U.S.A.

• Oct 7, 2013

• #2

Rich, evening....   I like Brats smoked..  With cure in them, you can cold smoke them as long as you want....  Freeze first, on a sheet tray, and vac pack for use later...  Then you can cook normally...   I like them poached in beer, onions, garlic etc at 145-160 deg. poaching liquid..  I will poach them for an hour or longer..   That's just me.. I like to render a little fat and replace it with flavored beer...  

You can fully cook them in the smoker also...  I would smoke at 160 probably for 12 + hours to get the temp up....  You don't need smoke that whole time....  what ever tickles your fancy...  

Dave

 

• 

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rich-

Meat Mopper

Original poster

Thread starter

Feb 14, 2011

292

16

Ocean Shores, Washington

• Oct 7, 2013

• #3

Dave, good afternoon, Thank you for your quick reply. I guess I'm so engrossed in smoking I just thought everything I make is to be smoked.

This is the first time I did any Brats, My son came out from Aberdeen and we made him a small batch of Polish Sausage ( 2 1/2#) (again first time) and he then prodded me into making the Brats.

Well I had already had the Brats in the smoker and they were at an IT of m94 degrees, so I left them go to 107 degrees IT with smoke and then shut off the heat and left the amzn-p  burning for about 45 minutes, then pulled them and will finish off the cook either by poaching or grilling when we eat them, Until then I will vac pack and freeze them tomorrow.

This was also my first time to stuff into Hog casing as well, Its not as scary as I had pictured it to be.

I know this post is worthless without pictures, My only excuse is I just got mwrapped up in the process and never thought of pictures, Sorry to everyone.

Rich-

 

bkleinsmid

Smoking Fanatic

Mar 11, 2010

478

31

Penn Valley, CA

• Oct 7, 2013

• #4

Rich.......I have to agree with Dave........a beer, butter, and onion hot tub to finish. A roll around the grill for grill marks if you like. I will even throw green and red bell peppers in the tub.........then the onions and bells on a griddle for a bit for color and in a bun.........hog heaven.......

Brad

 

smokinhusker

Legendary Pitmaster

Oct 20, 2010

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Mountains west of Colorado Springs, CO

• Oct 7, 2013

• #5

You got some spot on advice! I usually cold smoke, then vac seal for cooking later! I tried the hot smoking until they were done, but then putting them on the grill or in the "hot tub" meant they were cooked twice and tended to be a bit dry. 

I totally understand no pics, first time is always a bit daunting!

 

boykjo

Renowned Sausage Maker

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Apr 28, 2010

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Raleigh,NC

• Oct 8, 2013

• #6

Rich- said:

 
I know this post is worthless without pictures, My only excuse is I just got mwrapped up in the process and never thought of pictures, Sorry to everyone.

Rich-

Click to expand...

We'll let ya slide this time Rich but don't let it happen again...... 

         .My mother hung me on a coat rack once.......... once......         Lol

 

rich-

Meat Mopper

Original poster

Thread starter

Feb 14, 2011

292

16

Ocean Shores, Washington

• Oct 8, 2013

• #7

I wish to thank ma;ll of you who answered my question. As said earlier, I did let them go to 107 IT and left the cherry pellet smoke go for the better part of an additional hour with no heat???????? not sure if that did any good or not, BUT

I boiled up 2 of them today in beer for lunch and The taste is better than any store bought I have had. My wife likes the flavor but she doesn't like much heat, and these are just on the edge to being to spicy for her. OH WELL, can't please everyone.

I used Shooter Ricks recipe and added 1 tsp of cure #1.

Looking forward to making another batch real soon and will be better at posting pictures etc.

Rich-

 

so ms smoker

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Dec 20, 2010

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Gulfport, MS

• Oct 8, 2013

• #8

  Glad they came out great! Practice makes perfect, so you just have to do many more!

  Mike

 

rtbbq2

Master of the Pit

Mar 2, 2012

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Minneapolis MN/Riding Country USA

• Oct 9, 2013

• #9

 .........Always nice to see a few pics....Your punch card is now full....Qviews next time Rick....Lol.....

 

rich-

Meat Mopper

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Thread starter

Feb 14, 2011

292

16

Ocean Shores, Washington

• Oct 9, 2013

• #10

RTBBQ2, I understand and can only say this:

I am so happy about the way my Brats turned out and tasted, I will be extra sure to add pictures of my next batch, which I don't think will be all that long. The only thing I need to improve on is linking the brats, about 1/4 of the brats I linked came un-twisted, but it just made for an extra long one.

I have had the natural hog casing in its original package for close to 2 years, mostly because I was kinda afraid to use them, Just one of those things, Afraid of the unknown, Now that i know what it is like to stuff into hog casings, Watch out and watch me go.

Rich-

 

daveomak

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Nov 12, 2010

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Omak,Washington,U.S.A.

• Oct 9, 2013

• #11

Rich......  Soooooooooooooooo, I guess, as an old dog, you can still learn new tricks...

Way to go and glad you joined the "Old dogs learning new stuff" club.......

Old Dog Dave

 

rich-

Meat Mopper

Original poster

Thread starter

Feb 14, 2011

292

16

Ocean Shores, Washington

• Oct 9, 2013

• #12

Dave, Your are correct, I have often said that a guy is never to old to learn new tricks, I started this meat smoking hobby just a couple years ago, I had never smoked anything until I was in my late 60's. Now at 70, I feel I am only just beginning, and I am so thankful that I stumbled upon this site, I can't even begin to say what all I have learned since I joined this forum.

When I started out, I was mainly interested in learning to and making snack sticks, There is an old fashioned meat market near Yelm, Wa. that makes some darn good pepperoni, I have bought and ate it since I moved to Tacoma in 1967, Well I have yet to match their flavor in pepperoni, but for me and most of my family, with the help of BearCarver and his Bearloaf recipe, I have developed a pepperoni that we all like the flavor better than the Yelm place.

Long story short, I think I might be about to graduate from Kindergarten to the first grade in the school of meat smoking.

Rich-