1st Post---Homeade Smoke Shack

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CajunChris

Fire Starter
Original poster
May 7, 2018
50
35
Syracuse, New York
Greetings this is my first post, love this website and finally registered. I bought a 10 dollar metal cabinet off Craigslist and turned it into a smoke shack for sausage. It was pretty much all set up, just simple double door cabinet which even has a moveable rod at the top (used for hanging coats ha). Being a BGE owner, I also have a Digi Q. I popped a hole in the bottom of the cabinet and put an extra Digi q adapter in it. So basically I am using the Digi Q on the cabinet instead of the Egg. It really works great, just thought I would share some pics. I did some Andouille on it last week, and this week I am smoking some "Roasted Cherry Pepper and Green Onion Sausage (which Ive dubbed "X-mas Sausage" because of the colors). Was not sure if I should post this in the build or sausage section, so my apologizes as a newbie!

 
Nice first post and welcome to the site. Shack looks good as well as the sausage.

point for sure
Chris
 
Just wanted to update the verdict on the first smoke shack burn...I did a small batch of the Cherry Pepper and Green Onion Sausage from above. Shack worked out well, the digi Q was pretty efficient given the size of the cabinet. I had to tend to it more than the BGE of course but I was satisfied with the outcome. The sausage was smoked since 7am....its 430 now. I actually only went to 140 instead of the desired 155 but I had to pull it because I will not be home. However, it will be cooked before eaten...just hanging for awhile to bloom!
 
Cajun Chris, morning...
As indaswamp mentioned, there is a USDA chart for pasteurization of meats etc. that make it safe to eat at lower temperatures....
From the chart, the higher the temperature, the faster bacteria dies...
From the chart, at a given temperature say 130 deg. F, the longer food is held at that temperature, more bacteria die..
So, given all that, you can create an "almost" sterile food that is perfectly safe to consume.... at 135 F... if held at that internal temperature long enough... Without overcooking... without fat running out...
Thermal Death Time Curve.png
Pasteurization chart.png
Pasteurization Table beef etc..jpg
 
..., there is a USDA chart for pasteurization of meats etc. that make it safe to eat at lower temperatures....

Sorry to drag up an old post here but a thought popped into my head.

Let's say I put my "back bacon" into the smoker, and had the smoker temp at 215F.
after two hours the IT is above 130F by a hair or two....
So I let it sit, stalled, there for 2 hours, and the IT only went up to 137F...

according to the chart, it would be considered safe to eat, so I "Could" call it cooked and eat it cold without another heating?

am I thinking this correct?
 
The IT MUST be at the noted temperature for the noted time.... ALL parts of the meat must be at that temperature... Your thermometer MUST be calibrated...
I extend the TIME by an hour or so... Some charts are a 5D reduction... some 7D reduction... and Doug Baldwins charts in his Sous-Vide Cooking Publication are 12D.... I tend to follow the 12D time/temp charts... and then add more time...
 
Note the 7D & 5D reductions... Those may not be safe for individuals that have compromised immune systems.. Increase the time, at the given temperature to increase the D log reductions...

Pasteurization Table chicken and turkey.jpg



pasteurization ground meattable 001.jpg
 
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