First time

[ramosthompson]

I made 3lbs of cured Texas Hot Links (recipe at 2 Guys and a Cooler) last night. I let cure in the fridge for 13 hours, then cool smoked in my drum using Traeger Plum Pellets for 5 hours. Temps in the drum started at 100 degrees and topped out at 140. Internal sausage temp was 115.

Plunged sausages in an ice-water bath for twenty minutes, temps down to 58 before drying, vac sealing, and then finishing in my Anova sous vide. Set sous vide to 154 degrees.

Will put in another ice-water bath before putting some in the fridge and the rest in the freezer.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Nice, next time save some steps and come out of the smoker and straight into the water bath. Then cold shower or soak, then hang to bloom. Good work though.

 

[ramosthompson]

Interesting experience using my sous vide to finish. It took about 3 hours to get all sausages past 140 degrees. The were plumper but not by much.

 

[thirdeye]

... and welcome aboard.

... then cool smoked in my drum using Traeger Plum Pellets for 5 hours. Temps in the drum started at 100 degrees and topped out at 140. Internal sausage temp was 115.

I do a lot of cold smoking in my drums in those same pit temp ranges, it has a perfect draft and a lot of volume, so the smoke stays cool. On some days, I get creative and block the lid open a few inches as well. Bacon, Summer sausage, "daveomak Ham", and so forth all work well. What are you using for your smoke generator?

interesting experience using my sous vide to finish. It took about 3 hours to get all sausages past 140 degrees.

Years before SV, I would finish Summer sausage and some smoked sausage in a water pan in the oven, or a tabletop roaster oven. SV makes the hot water bath technique much more precise. I wonder if your ice bath caused the long finish time?

 

[DougE]

Nice, next time save some steps and come out of the smoker and straight into the water bath. Then cold shower or soak, then hang to bloom. Good work though.

Ditto. I go straight from the smoker to the sous vide pot, nekkid. I don't vac seal sausages for poaching. Just straight into the SV pot as is. Then a cold water bath and hang to dry/bloom after they hit about 151° IT.

 

[ramosthompson]

View attachment 697452
... and welcome aboard.


I do a lot of cold smoking in my drums in those same pit temp ranges, it has a perfect draft and a lot of volume, so the smoke stays cool. On some days, I get creative and block the lid open a few inches as well. Bacon, Summer sausage, "daveomak Ham", and so forth all work well. What are you using for your smoke generator?

Years before SV, I would finish Summer sausage and some smoked sausage in a water pan in the oven, or a tabletop roaster oven. SV makes the hot water bath technique much more precise. I wonder if your ice bath caused the long finish time?

I used a smoke tube with Traeger pecan pellets. Set it on the bottom my Pit Barrel. Did a pretty good job. I started hanging sausages but color was uneven, more on the top closest to the lid. So I put them all on the grate that is about 8-10 inches below the lid. Finished nicely. What drum system do you use?

 

[ramosthompson]

View attachment 697452
... and welcome aboard.


I do a lot of cold smoking in my drums in those same pit temp ranges, it has a perfect draft and a lot of volume, so the smoke stays cool. On some days, I get creative and block the lid open a few inches as well. Bacon, Summer sausage, "daveomak Ham", and so forth all work well. What are you using for your smoke generator?

Years before SV, I would finish Summer sausage and some smoked sausage in a water pan in the oven, or a tabletop roaster oven. SV makes the hot water bath technique much more precise. I wonder if your ice bath caused the long finish time?

What temp do you bring your sausages to, and for how long, before stopping the cooking process?

 

[SmokinEdge]

Ditto. I go straight from the smoker to the sous vide pot, nekkid. I don't vac seal sausages for poaching. Just straight into the SV pot as is. Then a cold water bath and hang to dry/bloom after they hit about 151° IT.

Exactly.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Did ya take pics? Gotta have pics lol!

Ryan

 

[ramosthompson]

I was asked for pics. Here you go!

 

[ramosthompson]

Did ya take pics? Gotta have pics lol!

Ryan

Just posted pics.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Delicious! That’s what I see. Nice work.

 

[DougE]

Great looking sausages!

 

[thirdeye]

What drum system do you use?

I have two Big Drum Smokers (BDS) that were early in the "manufactured" line of drum smokers. Mine are about 20 years old and are unique because they are 6" or so taller than a standard drum, and have large charcoal baskets. I have a hanging rack, a grate, room for a second grate and like you, I use a pellet tube. You can see it in the bottom of the smoker. I prefer a gentle smoke and plenty of draft.

I learned about the "U-bolt" mod here on the forum, and I use that which slows down the burn a little.

This is a good example of how I will block the lid open, which has really good draw, and keeps the heat at a minimum. This amount of smoke is about perfect for my taste. It's the "less is more better" philosophy .

What temp do you bring your sausages to, and for how long, before stopping the cooking process?

I don't use the ice bath until after they reach 153° - 155°.
In the smoker, I mostly monitor the pit temp and the color when cold/cool smoking of cured sausages. And in the spring and fall my sausage internal will be in the 70°F to 100°-ish before I oven-finish or water bath finish.

 

[ramosthompson]

View attachment 697539
I have two Big Drum Smokers (BDS) that were early in the "manufactured" line of drum smokers. Mine are about 20 years old and are unique because they are 6" or so taller than a standard drum, and have large charcoal baskets. I have a hanging rack, a grate, room for a second grate and like you, I use a pellet tube. You can see it in the bottom of the smoker. I prefer a gentle smoke and plenty of draft.
View attachment 697540
I learned about the "U-bolt" mod here on the forum, and I use that which slows down the burn a little.
View attachment 697541
This is a good example of how I will block the lid open, which has really good draw, and keeps the heat at a minimum. This amount of smoke is about perfect for my taste. It's the "less is more better" philosophy .
View attachment 697542

I don't use the ice bath until after they reach 153° - 155°.
In the smoker, I mostly monitor the pit temp and the color when cold/cool smoking of cured sausages. And in the spring and fall my sausage internal will be in the 70°F to 100°-ish before I oven-finish or water bath finish.

Thanks for your replies. My drum is of the 33 gallon variety. Do you monitor the ambient temp inside the drum? Mine can start around 85 - 100, depending on cloud cover. In the sun temps can get up to 140. If I move to the shade they stay between 125-131.

 

[thirdeye]

Do you monitor the ambient temp inside the drum? Mine can start around 85 - 100, depending on cloud cover. In the sun temps can get up to 140. If I move to the shade they stay between 125-131.

I'll check the pit temp a few times during the smoke with a cable thermometer, but like you... I take steps to have the drum out of direct sunlight, and I pick cool days. I watch the weather more carefully when I'm smoking cheese or butter, and with things like slabs of bacon.