Sous vide before smoking

shyzabrau

Smoking Fanatic

Original poster

Mar 29, 2017

803

168

Troutville, Virginia

• Apr 13, 2017

• #1

My last batch (chicken sausage), I put it in a sous vide bath to an IT of 150 (for a couple of hours, so clearly in the safe zone) before I smoked it. For my previous batch of andouille, I brought it to an IT of 135 (again, for a sufficient duration). I took the chicken to a higher temp just to avoid being too pink (although it has cure #1 so it will still be somewhat pink).

Does anyone else sous vide before smoking? Any downside?

I hung it to dry before smoking.

IMG_1254.JPG

• shyzabrau
• Apr 13, 2017

 

SmokinAl

SMF Hall of Fame Pitmaster

Staff member

Moderator

OTBS Member

★ Lifetime Premier ★

Jun 22, 2009

51,390

12,228

Central Florida (Sebring)

• Apr 13, 2017

• #2

Most guys who use a SV to finish sausage do it after smoking it.

To me it would seem like it wouldn't absorb the smoke as well if you SV it first.

Have you tried it both ways?

Al

 

chef jimmyj

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

SMF Premier Member

★ Lifetime Premier ★

May 12, 2011

22,172

7,150

• Apr 13, 2017

• #3

Cooked meat does not get nearly the smoke penetration of raw meat. But if you like the taste now, no need to mess with it...JJ

 

Last edited: Apr 13, 2017

shyzabrau

Smoking Fanatic

Original poster

Thread starter

Mar 29, 2017

803

168

Troutville, Virginia

• Apr 13, 2017

• #4

When I was thinking about SV after smoking, I was worried that cooking the smoked sausages in a water bath would pull away all the smoke flavor.

 

wild west

Smoking Fanatic

Apr 25, 2016

494

113

Saskatoon Saskatchewan

• Apr 14, 2017

• #5

Shyzabrau said:

When I was thinking about SV after smoking, I was worried that cooking the smoked sausages in a water bath would pull away all the smoke flavor.

Click to expand...

you do loose a little smoke (not much) with a water bath but if you use the sous vide you won't loose any because you still have to bag it.

 

shyzabrau

Smoking Fanatic

Original poster

Thread starter

Mar 29, 2017

803

168

Troutville, Virginia

• Apr 14, 2017

• #6

wild west said:

you do loose a little smoke (not much) with a water bath but if you use the sous vide you won't loose any because you still have to bag it.

Click to expand...

Here's my logic - I would need to do the water bath (using the sous vide circulator) after smoking without bagging because I would want to hang them to bloom after the water bath. If I keep it in the water bath for long enough for the temp to come up to the target (and hold it for the required time), it would expose the sausage to the water for too long (flavor wise). 

Not sure if I'm thinking correctly!

 

wild west

Smoking Fanatic

Apr 25, 2016

494

113

Saskatoon Saskatchewan

• Apr 14, 2017

• #7

I bag and when I'm done hang to bloom. A water bath isn't required before hanging to bloom. If you want them wet before hanging to bloom dunk them in a cold water bath after the sous vide

 

shyzabrau

Smoking Fanatic

Original poster

Thread starter

Mar 29, 2017

803

168

Troutville, Virginia

• Apr 14, 2017

• #8

wild west said:

I bag and when I'm done hang to bloom. A water bath isn't required before hanging to bloom. If you want them wet before hanging to bloom dunk them in a cold water bath after the sous vide

Click to expand...

So you bag em after smoking, sous vide, unbag, hang to bloom, and then repackage for storage?

 

wild west

Smoking Fanatic

Apr 25, 2016

494

113

Saskatoon Saskatchewan

• Apr 14, 2017

• #9

Yes but I just use large Ziploc for the sous vide

 

SmokyMose

Smoking Guru

★ Lifetime Premier ★

Aug 13, 2015

5,331

2,919

Indianapolis, Indiana

• Apr 22, 2017

• #10

Shyzabrau said:

So you bag em after smoking, sous vide, unbag, hang to bloom, and then repackage for storage?

Click to expand...

7
Yes, that's the way to go if you're going to Sous Vide finish. You don't want them in the water without bagging!