Kielbasa Smoking Help

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jamieziegler5

Newbie
Original poster
Mar 27, 2017
3
10
I need some Kielbasa smoking help. I made a 10 lb batch of venison kielbasa this weekend, 8 lbs venison, 2 lbs ground pork. I used two tablespoons of cure per the recipe. I smoked it on my Camp Chef SmokePro on Low Smoke, approx. 165 degrees for about 4 hours. I had my temp probe in the thickest piece on the smoker. I pulled it off when it hit 160 degrees and dunked in an ice bath to stop cooking process. I ate a couple pieces over the weekend and it was perfect. 

However, this morning I sliced a piece for breakfast and it seemed to be under cooked. It was more toward the center of a long link. 

My question is, if I discover more of the sausage is under cooked, can I still finish cooking them at this point via boiling, pan frying or grilling? Would these still be safe to eat if I finished cooking them this way?
 
I would place the sausage in a par boil of water @ 180 degrees and take the sausage temp to 160 degrees IT then cool and bloom again. Evidently you had cold spots in your smoker and in areas it didnt cook to a safe temp.. next time to be sure its cooked all through out the sausage probe in several areas of the sausage or finish in a parboil.

Your recipe is probably a misprint. Should have been 2 level teaspoons not tablespoons

IMO your level of nitrite is high and not safe. I would pitch it.

My 2 cents
 
DONT PITCH THE SAUSAGE!!! You are fine. No where near a toxic level and Cooking heating over 140 reduces Nitrite concentration by more than 2/3. As far as raw interior, follow Joe's advice and heat to an IT of 150 in 165 degree water...JJ
 
Some math,...

2Tbs of Cure is about 35g+/-.

6.25% is Nitrite or 2.178g

The toxicity level for a 140lb man is 4.6g Nitrite.

So, .IN ONE SITTING...You would have to eat the entire 10 pounds Kielbasa, RAW, seasoned with 2 more Tablespoons of Cure #1 for the extra kick!

So no need to get rid of what you got but remember...2 teaspoons for 10 lb next time...JJ
 
Last edited:
Most of the "EXPERTS" recommend rearranging the sausage in the smoker at least once during the process because of the uneven heat.

  My calibrated probe usually reads 5 to 8 degrees high-----at that point-----the temps of several sausages, in different areas, should be verified with a calibrated quick read pen. I have had 15 degree differences in the same batch.

 Below is some info from USDA  on temps and time to kill parasites-----it"s not as high as most people think. The recipes are usually higher to provide a safety margin.

 The cure is mostly intended for botulinum---and you certainly have enough of that.
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Cooking - Commercial preparation of pork products by cooking requires that meat be heated to internal temperatures which have been shown to inactivate trichinae. For example, Trichinella spiralis is killed in 47 minutes at 52� C (125.6� F), in 6 minutes at 55� C (131� F), and in < 1 minute at

60� C (140� F). It should be noted that these times and temperatures apply only when the product reaches and maintains temperatures evenly distributed throughout the meat. Alternative methods of heating, particularly the use of microwaves, have been shown to give different results, with parasites not completely inactivated when product was heated to reach a prescribed end-point temperature. The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations for processed pork products reflects experimental data, and requires pork to be cooked for 2 hours at 52.2� C (126� F), for 15 minutes at 55.6� C (132� F), and for 1 minute at 60� C (140� F).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that consumers of fresh pork cook the product to an internal temperature of 71� C or 160� F. Although this is considerably higher than temperatures at which trichinae are killed (about 55� C or 131� F), it allows for different methods of cooking which do not always result in even distribution of temperature throughout the meat. It should be noted that heating to 77� C (171� F) or 82� C (180� F) was not completely effective when cooking was performed using microwaves.
 
Thank you all for the input. I went back and checked my notes to realize it was a misprint on my part when I typed this out. I used 2 teaspoons of cure. Got the recipe from Hank Shaws website. Will definitely spot check the sausage in various places next time with temp probe.
 
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