Hanging Snack Sticks and Sausages

[Zac Frampton]

This may have been discussed before but I couldn't find anything.

I just got an MES 40 so I can hang the snack sticks and wonder what others have done to make this work well. Dowels in the rack track?

I don't want to end up with a pile in the bottom of the smoker.

 

[normanaj]

Yup,dowels in the rack track. I cut a shallow slot near each end to keep them from rolling and that's pretty much it.

 

[zwiller]

Yep, dowels are the classic. You could also just drape them from the rack. Not much room in the 30 so some us added "L" brackets at the top.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Make sure you use hardwood dowels, oak, maple but don’t use a soft wood like pine. Or you can also use small angle iron 3/8” or smaller if you can find it.

 

[KBFlyer]

Used to use dowels but they are a pain in the butt. They tend to roll out of place and can burn if to close to the heat. I now use the corner aluminum. They work great and are cheap at any hardware store.

 

[Winterrider]

Sticks for hanging sausages in smoker?

I keep running into these "hanging sticks" when searching for snack stick recipes and am wondering what I can use in my MB vertical propane smoker. Considering the way my racks slide into shallow tracks on each side wall, I don't think the tracks are deep enough to support the ends of some sort...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Check tallbm post #16

 

[chopsaw]

I just got an MES 40 so I can hang the snack sticks and wonder what others have done to make this work well. Dowels in the rack track?

Dowels work great . I have a MES 30 . I added angles at the top of the smoker . I can hang 20 " SS when using the angle position .

If you want to add angles , use a length of 2X4 as a gauge .

You can use a rod on the angle ,

or use the rack with hooks .


I built a rack to match the inside of my 30 . That way I can hang the sausage before smoking to dry and warm up in the house .

Then I pick the rods up and go to the smoker . No loading / unloading of the sausage .

Then in to bloom post smoke . Again just grab the rod and bring it in to hang .


This is a setup that Richie tropics built a while back . Really nice work by him .

Sausage/Jerky Rack MES40 w step by step

Sausage Rack MES40 Materials 2 2x24x1/2 1/2" oak 10' 1/2 dowel rods oak hickory these are food safe I used (5) 1/2"x36" 1/2" Ell shape screw Tools Miter box and saw Cooping saw Drill with 1/2" speed bit Instructions Cut the 2x24x1/2 into 2 quill...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[GatorAGR]

I just used mine for the first time last weekend. Found dowels at Menards that fit perfectly in the shelf slot snug so the don’t roll. Can’t recall the size.

 

[tallbm]

This may have been discussed before but I couldn't find anything.

I just got an MES 40 so I can hang the snack sticks and wonder what others have done to make this work well. Dowels in the rack track?

I don't want to end up with a pile in the bottom of the smoker.

Hi there and welcome!
I personally think the angle iron/aluminum is much more elegant, especially when fitted well with the 1 inch dowels but I had my wood setup going well before that idea came about lol.

Here is the link to the post that Winterrider mentioned:
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/sticks-for-hanging-sausages-in-smoker.319012/#post-2391251

I saw this idea online somewhere and duplicated it.
Learn from my pain and go ahead and start with 1 inch untreated Oak dowels (hardwood).

I cut the little dowel holders from some untreated birch wood.

Also that wood board you see is another birch wood board I cut and I lay on top of my racks to reduce space when smoking.


I smoke using the bottom rack 1st and then fill upwards. Often I am doing just a 1 rack smoke so I put that board on the next higher wire rack holders and it helps keep heat from immediately escaping out of the vent. Just a simple little mod/hack to help maintain temps more efficiently (though I use a PID controller).

Finally, when I smoke sausage I always have the bottom rack in place as well. If the sausages somehow fall off or if the wooden dowel would fail (happens with much thinner dowels) then the rack is there to catch the sausage so it doesn't lay on the heating element or stuff right over the heating element :D

I hope this info helps :D

 

[boykjo]

You can use rebar. Wrap in foil for easy clean up when your done and the sausage bend isn't so big.