Summer sausage not getting done

[ctaylor]

Hey everybody,

Need some quick advice for the pros please and thanks in advance.

I've got about 11 rolls of 2 1/2" x 20" logs in the smoker right now and set on 165. I started at 100 and worked my way up to the 165. It has been at 165 for about 11 hours and only has an internal temp of 145. It's a brand new MES gen 2.5. I have 3 thermometers inside it and they are reading about the same internal temp For the sausage. One thermometer also reads the temp of the smoker which I have it set on.

It doesn't seem like the sausage is getting any more done then It already is. It doesn't seem like it should take the sausage this long to get to temp. I'm getting a little worried about something going wrong here. Also, some of the casings are getting a little crinkled up. Any help to save this batch would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

photo 1.JPG

• ctaylor
• Dec 1, 2015

photo 2.JPG

• ctaylor
• Dec 1, 2015

 

[tropics]

Use a hot water bath to finish them,I would check your thermo probes also be fore starting another smoke.Good Luck

Richie

 

[chef jimmyj]

Not sure why the stall. Do you have a pan or pot big enough to hold them in 165°F Water? This will quickly finish and plump the casing...JJ

 

[ctaylor]

When i stuck the thermometer in the end of the roll, the logs seems very juicy still.  I dont think the fat has rendered because  i never went over 170.  I followed the recipe to the T and it is one i found on this site that seemed to have very good reviews.  Would it be taking so long because it is taken so long to dry out?  I wouldnt think you would want it to dry out though.

Also, if i cant get it on up to temp and decide to put it in the water bath, what temp should i get the water up to before dumping them in?

 

[chef jimmyj]

Looks like there is no issue going higher than 165, up to 180°F Chick this recent thread with same stall problem...JJ

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/236571/summer-sausage-stall

 

[ctaylor]

I suppose I'll try setting my smoker on 180 and hope the spikes dont stay for too long.  If my IT still doesnt come up by after i get off work this afternoon I will have to try dumping the sausage in the hot water to finish it out.

Is it normal for the sausage still to be that "juicy" at this point or is most of that supposed to evaporate/drain out by now?...or does all that "juice" stay in the sausage?

 

[boykjo]

Be patient!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It can take up to 22 hrs. You will get a severe stall when you pack a smoker especially with 2.5" x 20" logs. keep temps below 175 and hang on for the ride

Joe 

 

[crankybuzzard]

 
Be patient!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It can take up to 22 hrs. You will get a severe stall when you pack a smoker especially with 2.5" x 20" logs. keep temps below 175 and hang on for the ride

Joe 

YEP!!! What Joe said...

That's why I never plan to go to bed when doing a full box of SS.  It never cooks the same way twice it seems!  Once it starts to move, it'll move along nicely.

As for the moisture, once you cool them down, all will be fine.  At the temp you're running, there will be some proteins and such that will be liquidfied for a bit.

Be sure and post pics of the end result.

Oh, by the way, I'm also a ctaylor!

 

[ctaylor]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'll post pics when it finally gets there. I still like about 6 more degrees till I cool it off. By now all the casings look shriveled up. Once I cool them back off and let them bloom, will they start to look good again or stay shriveled up.?

I've read where some people will dump there's in 170 degree water at the very end to make the casing look good again. Should I try this or go about the normal process of cooling and letting the sausage bloom?

Sorry for all the newb questions as this is my first time smoking anything.

 

[bmudd14474]

Hows it going ?

 

[hoity toit]

 
Be patient!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It can take up to 22 hrs. You will get a severe stall when you pack a smoker especially with 2.5" x 20" logs. keep temps below 175 and hang on for the ride

Joe 

He is right , if your smoker is packed full the stall is long, patience, it will get there. I learned that lesson myself baby sitting the smoker for 22 hrs. on a full batch I did.

 

[driedstick]

Did they get done??

A full smoker is a happy smoker

DS
 

 

[crankybuzzard]

 
Did they get done??

A full smoker is a happy smoker

DS
 

Sure hope so by now!  If not, that stall is one for the books!  

Seriously, bad or good, let us know.

 

[ctaylor]

Thanks everyone for telling me to be patient. I woke up at 2:30 this morning and the IT was 155 on all the rolls. I took them out and cooled them down to about 100 and then hung them to bloom until about 6 this morning. After that I packaged and froze some of them.

The sausage turned out very good and is seasoned nicely. It seems to have good texture and I can't complain especially since this is my first time. One thing I am bummed about is that all the casings are somewhat shriveled up but still doesn't take away from the flavor of the sausage. When I started the smoking process, I didnt have any water in the pan, once I noticed them starting to shrivel up, I opened the door and filled the pan with water. Maybe someone can enlighten me on why they shriveled up so badly, was it maybe not having water in the pan until IT temps reached around 140 and I realized it too late or the super long cook times?

From start to finish, which I started at 100 degrees with the door cracked and worked up to 175 degrees was about 34 hours. A very long process, the smoker was full with 11 large rolls. I also did open the door several times, I got excited and wanted to make sure the temp probe that come with the smoker was accurate by putting another instant read thermometer in the sausage. I think this may be one thing that contributed to the super long cook time.

I just put another batch of sausage in the smoker with the same recipe. These 9 rolls had been sitting in the fridge for about 3 days before placing in the smoker. IT is at 130 right now and have been in the smoker for around 10 hours so far. Hopefully this batch doesn't take near as long.

I will try to post pics here soon of the finished product. Thanks again everyone.

 

[driedstick]

Glad it turned out BUT  

   

 LOL 

A full smoker is a happy smoker 

DS
 

 

[ctaylor]

Finally got the pics posted but they are in my original post.

 

[pc farmer]

They look great to me. Nice job

 

[crankybuzzard]

I really don't see a problem there! Give me a cracker and a cold beer, and I'd be all over that slice!

Keep this in mind... Pretty isn't always tasty.... Ugly is sometimes gourmet!

Your SS looks just fine to me. Also, since it's your first, it's great!

Follow some of the advice you've been given and you'll have what you want soon!

 

[bmudd14474]

The reason they shriveled up is because you had air pockets in the sausage. This happens with you dont stick the casings and dont have all the air worked out. I started using SS casings from Waltons Inc which are pre stuck and then I just made sure to stuff extremely tight and I have got it to where I have almost no shrivel in any of the casings.

That being said they look good and it really only matters that they taste good Thumbs Up

 

[hoity toit]

Hey everybody,

Need some quick advice for the pros please and thanks in advance.

I've got about 11 rolls of 2 1/2" x 20" logs in the smoker right now and set on 165. I started at 100 and worked my way up to the 165. It has been at 165 for about 11 hours and only has an internal temp of 145. It's a brand new MES gen 2.5. I have 3 thermometers inside it and they are reading about the same internal temp For the sausage. One thermometer also reads the temp of the smoker which I have it set on.

It doesn't seem like the sausage is getting any more done then It already is. It doesn't seem like it should take the sausage this long to get to temp. I'm getting a little worried about something going wrong here. Also, some of the casings are getting a little crinkled up. Any help to save this batch would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

photo 1.JPG

• ctaylor
• Dec 1, 2015

photo 2.JPG

• ctaylor
• Dec 1, 2015

I wouldn't be too concerned about the look of the casing. Just say it gives it character and it is whats inside that counts most.