Can't Hit Internal Temp

[cruiser rod]

I'm doing my first Venison Kielbasa smoke in my new 40" MES. I started out at 160° for 12 hours and only hit 125° internal temp. I really thought I'd be at 140° by that time or a little higher. I'm not at 180° and the internal temp is only at 131°. Before anyone asks, I have used another temp probe and I got the same exact internal reading. I'm trying to get to 152° without melting all the fat in the Kielbasa. Am I doing something wrong? I had a 30" MES previously and never had this problem.

 

[LOW_IN_SLO]

Would check these things without knowing your specifics:
1. Is your BBQ thermometer different from your meat probe? If so, check the BBQ thermometer.
2. Are you bringing your sausage straight from the fridge? Usually will take a considerable amount of time to bring to temp if starting meat temp is extremely low.

 

[cruiser rod]

Would check these things without knowing your specifics:
1. Is your BBQ thermometer different from your meat probe? If so, check the BBQ thermometer.
2. Are you bringing your sausage straight from the fridge? Usually will take a considerable amount of time to bring to temp if starting meat temp is extremely low.

Ywo separate therometers the same reading. The kielbasa was out of the fridge for 2 hours in room temp prir to going in smoker. I'm now 18 hours in the smoker at 144° internal with smoker set at 190°.

 

[LOW_IN_SLO]

Yeah, 2 hours will not change temp much. I often run hot on my smoker initially. This allows meat to get up to room temp

 

[cruiser rod]

I also had the kielbasa hang in the smoker for one hour at 100° prior to adding water, wood chips and raising the temp to 160°. I thnk with all things considered that I did the initial internal temp did not keep me from hitting the internal temp of 152°. I finally raised the temp to 200° to reach the 152° internal temp which took 19 total hours. I have a beautiful mahogany color but I thing I sacrificed a good bit of fat.

 

[tpc74]

Have you double checked your thermometer for the smoker temp lately? When I was using my maverick everything looked fine one day but I found one thermometer was off from the other. Testing them both revealed that one was reading about 20 degrees higher all the time for some reason. I contacted the company and they sent me two brand new probes. Haven’t had any trouble since with that unit (other then the display has always been somewhat dim).

 

[mike243]

A heavily loaded unit might struggle to keep the temps at set point, all the meat will be a heat sink and keep temps below set point, they look great from here. Outside temps will affect it a lot also least ways on my 40"

 

[chopsaw]

The kielbasa was out of the fridge for 2 hours in room temp prir to going in smoker.

60 to 90 minutes is good . 2 hours is fine too . Plenty of time .

I also had the kielbasa hang in the smoker for one hour at 100°

Yup . That's good too , I usually start at 120 / 130 . Same thing .

prior to adding water,

Add water to the pan ? I would personally skip the water , but if you like to add it , make sure the water is heated up .

Like Mike said , the load will effect it for sure .

Opening the door does as well . Causes the sausage to sweat , which cools it down .
I've started smoking for color , the poaching on the stove to finish any smoked sausage that's hog casing size .

If you want to plump the ones that wrinkled back up , dip them in some simmering water ( not boiling ) for 90 seconds or so . Should bring them right back .

 

[cruiser rod]

Have you double checked your thermometer for the smoker temp lately?

I used 2 seperate therometers and got the same exact reading.

 

[cruiser rod]

Maybe it's me but how long should it take to smoke 15 pounds of kielbasa in a 40" MES? 19 hours seemed long to me.

 

[zwiller]

We've all been there. Guys have given some good stuff. While that is a pretty big load, I think the 40 can handle it but yeah it will take longer. One thing that helped me and did not see it posted was "closing the vent" after enough color/smoke. I say that in quotes as I throw a rag and brick over the vent. This traps and keeps the humidity in the smoker and reduces the evaporative cooling of the meat which is the issue at hand. Smoke say 6-8hrs up to 12hrs and close it up to cook get IT where you want. As was said, cracking he door is a HUGE problem ESPECIALLY in the winter, resist this at ALL costs. All that being said, looks tasty and would call it a W to me.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Do you have a sous vide? Some here smoke till they get the color they want then finish in the sous vide. Then you don't have to take to 152, they will get pasteurized after a certain amount of time at certain temps.

Ryan

 

[okie sawbones]

Do you have a sous vide? Some here smoke till they get the color they want then finish in the sous vide. Then you don't have to take to 152, they will get pasteurized after a certain amount of time at certain temps.

Ryan

Good, easy way to do it! I have also used a large stock pot, heated to 165F on the stove, but it is harder to keep the temperature even.

 

[smokerjim]

I do 10lb

in my mes 30 ,1hr at 100 then I set at 120 then add 10 degrees every hour until internal temp 155. it's pretty consistantly 8-9 hours.

 

[chopsaw]

I have also used a large stock pot, heated to 165F on the stove, but it is harder to keep the temperature even.

175ish for 30 minutes on a hog sized casing and your good . I like it better than SV for results and time involved .

After I get the pot close to temp , I add water to the pot to keep it there . I have an electric stove , so that may make a difference over gas . Works pretty good like that . I really don't have to mess with it much .

 

[cruiser rod]

Do you have a sous vide? Some here smoke till they get the color they want then finish in the sous vide. Then you don't have to take to 152, they will get pasteurized after a certain amount of time at certain temps.

Ryan

I'm not familiar with sous vide. When I finish my smoke I do cold bath for 5 minutes and let the kielbasa hang at room temp to bloom for an hour before going into the fridge. What is the internal temp you take yours to?

 

[Brokenhandle]

I'm not familiar with sous vide. When I finish my smoke I do cold bath for 5 minutes and let the kielbasa hang at room temp to bloom for an hour before going into the fridge. What is the internal temp you take yours to?

I mainly do sticks and summer sausage, I take some to the 152 - 155 ish temps, but if I got a late start I have gone by this chart for pasteurization...

Pasteurization Times and Temperatures

Non intact meats can be interpreted as patties, sausage, loaves.... Maybe... I'm not sure... This chart is for a 5.0 log reduction... I prefer to take any meats to a 7.0 log reduction, or more.... It only takes more time... I would add at least 20% more time to be on the safe side...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

If you need to find this article in the future it can be found in the sausage section.

Ryan

 

[cruiser rod]

I mainly do sticks and summer sausage, I take some to the 152 - 155 ish temps, but if I got a late start I have gone by this chart for pasteurization...

Pasteurization Times and Temperatures

Non intact meats can be interpreted as patties, sausage, loaves.... Maybe... I'm not sure... This chart is for a 5.0 log reduction... I prefer to take any meats to a 7.0 log reduction, or more.... It only takes more time... I would add at least 20% more time to be on the safe side...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

If you need to find this article in the future it can be found in the sausage section.

Ryan

How would you do it with what I'm working with?

 

[DMPitzl]

I'm doing my first Venison Kielbasa smoke in my new 40" MES. I started out at 160° for 12 hours and only hit 125° internal temp. I really thought I'd be at 140° by that time or a little higher. I'm not at 180° and the internal temp is only at 131°. Before anyone asks, I have used another temp probe and I got the same exact internal reading. I'm trying to get to 152° without melting all the fat in the Kielbasa. Am I doing something wrong? I had a 30" MES previously and never had this problem.

How cold is it outside, you may need to bump up the temp, I had to do that a few times when the temp outside was below 20 degrees.

 

[Brokenhandle]

How would you do it with what I'm working with?

Follow some of the tips these guys have given you... some make alot more sausage than I do.
To clear a couple of things up, you were talking of internal temps, and mentioned 2 thermometers... that you have tested in ice and boiling water and know they are accurate?
Need to verify what temp your smoker is actually at for temp, and what variance there is. My mes 30 used to have 25 degree temp swings before I added the Auber pid.
I would not add any water, never do.
Guessing maybe you were maxed out on amount of meat you had in there.
What was outside temp? Windy? Humidity level? All of these things can make a difference.
Does your mes 40 have the door with a window?
As mentioned earlier.... how many times were you opening door to add chips, check temps?
There could be several of these things that would make a difference.

Ryan