Help with smoking breakfast sausage to freeze for future use

[Jcotrel1]

How can I smoke breakfast sausage (without a cold smoker) and freeze to cook in a skillet later on? Currently, I smoke around 220 for an hour or 2 and quick finish in a skillet. They turn out great. But I want to smoke some for the freezer so I don't have to spend time smoking later on.

Any thoughts?

 

[DanMcG]

Are you using Cure #1?

 

[Jcotrel1]

Are you using Cure #1?

No (but I have it). I use LEM seasoning or Legg's Old Plantation.

 

[DanMcG]

You could smoke them for a couple hours to get the color and flavor, then either SV them or poach in 170° water till they reach 165 internal. so you would basically have a heat and serve sausage.

If they were cured you'd have more options.

 

[Jcotrel1]

You could smoke them for a couple hours to get the color and flavor, then either SV them or poach in 170° water till they reach 165 internal. so you would basically have a heat and serve sausage.

If they were cured you'd have more options.

Good idea! Thanks!

 

[JckDanls 07]

I gotta say... I've ran some breakfast links (natural sheep casings) through the smoke house while doing a batch of snack sticks... We don't really care for em pre-cooked... so we just cook them fresh ... They really need to be cold smoked IMO ...

 

[tallbm]

How can I smoke breakfast sausage (without a cold smoker) and freeze to cook in a skillet later on? Currently, I smoke around 220 for an hour or 2 and quick finish in a skillet. They turn out great. But I want to smoke some for the freezer so I don't have to spend time smoking later on.

Any thoughts?

Hi there and welcome!
I noticed according to your profile that you live in NY. I say this because you actually get cold weather that is easily cold enough for cold smoking.

I bet you could buy and modify a cooler to do some cold smoking and use the outside temps to make it work well.
You would just need to drill/cut a top vent hole and then drill/cut a bottom side hole and hook up a mailbox mod with an A-Maze-N Pellet Smoker (AMNPS) tray and just cold smoke the sausage on racks in the cooler.

I don't know if this is something you are interested in doing but it is a way for you to accomplish what you want to do and I bet you could build all of that for less than $100.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Yep, if your outside temps allow you to keep the smoker temp below 40, you can Cold Smoke as long as you wish. I would use an A-MAZE-N AMNPS Maze with Saw Dust, no heat generated. A couple hours smoke and the sausage is still raw to be Fresh Cooked, anytime...JJ

 

[Jcotrel1]

Hi there and welcome!
I noticed according to your profile that you live in NY. I say this because you actually get cold weather that is easily cold enough for cold smoking.

I bet you could buy and modify a cooler to do some cold smoking and use the outside temps to make it work well.
You would just need to drill/cut a top vent hole and then drill/cut a bottom side hole and hook up a mailbox mod with an A-Maze-N Pellet Smoker (AMNPS) tray and just cold smoke the sausage on racks in the cooler.

I don't know if this is something you are interested in doing but it is a way for you to accomplish what you want to do and I bet you could build all of that for less than $100.

I thought I could just pump the AMNPS right into my MES? No?

 

[tallbm]

I thought I could just pump the AMNPS right into my MES? No?

You absolutely could do that. I didn't notice you mention having an MES so I thought you were trying to figure out a general way to cold some something without any kind of smoker or cold smoker hahaha.

Since you have an MES and live in NY where temps are good for cold smoking then you are basically set once you get an AMNPS. You can cold smoke your sausage and be ready to rock and roll!

One thing though you might want to run a fan blowing horizontally over the top vent so it creates draft and draws the smoke up and out of the MES. Without heat creating draft smoke will build up in the MES and become stale and leave a HORRIBLE taste on the meat. So solve that issue and you are golden :)

 

[Polka]

I cold smoke in eastern Texas where it doesn't get that cold. I put the tube in the bottom below everything. Just so long as I see some smoke, and then know the TBS is moving, I don't worry. I get 4 to 6 hours cold smoke -- delishious! Yes, I use Cure #1

 

[SmokinAl]

I guess I'm weird, but I never smoke breakfast sausage. I just make the patties without cure #1 and freeze them on a cookie sheet. When they are frozen solid, about 3 to 4 hours I vac pack them 2 to a bag & freeze them. Then just thaw & cook in a CI pan.
Al

 

[Polka]

Me neither, but that is what he wants to do. Sounds like it might be good for a change from time to time. r

 

[jcam222]

I guess I'm weird, but I never smoke breakfast sausage. I just make the patties without cure #1 and freeze them on a cookie sheet. When they are frozen solid, about 3 to 4 hours I vac pack them 2 to a bag & freeze them. Then just thaw & cook in a CI pan.
Al

same here Al. This is my first year doing breakfast sausage. I patties up 20 lbs into 1/4 lb patties . , froze them and then vac packed in 1 lbs packs.