Par-smoking sausage and double smoking

[ks_wayward_son]

Has anyone had good success with smoking, say, Polish/Kielbasa during the first phase of the cooking process and then immediately removing from the smoker to be frozen for later? That is, not getting the sausage all the way to the 152-160 finished temp? I'm wondering because it may work to partially get the initial smoke flavoring into the meat then freezing the links to be grilled later, sort of like a smoked/fresh sausage hybrid?

Another question. I have been using the water bath method to knock SERIOUS time off of my smoked sausage/snack stick cooks. I was wondering how many of you do a double smoke after you pull from the water bath, shower, and hang to cure/dry? I've done this a few times with summer sausage, but I don't know if any more smoke flavoring can/will penetrate the meat after the first run? Thanks a bunch!

 

[SmokinEdge]

Has anyone had good success with smoking, say, Polish/Kielbasa during the first phase of the cooking process and then immediately removing from the smoker to be frozen for later? That is, not getting the sausage all the way to the 152-160 finished temp? I'm wondering because it may work to partially get the initial smoke flavoring into the meat then freezing the links to be grilled later, sort of like a smoked/fresh sausage hybrid?

Another question. I have been using the water bath method to knock SERIOUS time off of my smoked sausage/snack stick cooks. I was wondering how many of you do a double smoke after you pull from the water bath, shower, and hang to cure/dry? I've done this a few times with summer sausage, but I don't know if any more smoke flavoring can/will penetrate the meat after the first run? Thanks a bunch!

Not sure why you would want to do any of the things you listed. Please explain.

 

[ks_wayward_son]

I like the flavor of grilled sausage/dogs and the sear it provides. I was wondering if bringing the temp all the way up to fully cooked, then "shocking" the sausages with a colder temp and refrigerating/freezing them would affect the texture of the grind and casings too much to be grilled later on. For polish/kielbasa and other such sausages I use hog casing and after the whole process I'm afraid it would toughen up the casing and meat. That's why I was wondering if the sausages were a bit undercooked, the texture of the grind/meat would still be a little looser and casing would still be somewhat pliable and able to be grilled from the high heat, yet still provide the initial smoky flavor.

For my second question, I probably should have mentioned I didn't add more heat to the summer sausage/snack sticks. Just additional cold smoke for a few hours. I didn't know if the process would be a waste of time to try and add more smoke or if it would add more smoky flavor. I guess in my flawed way of thinking, I'm afraid some of the smokiness "washes away" after using the water bath to poach the finished product.

 

[ks_wayward_son]

I'd thought that since there was cure/prague powder in the meat mixture it would stabilize everything. I'd figured you could cold smoke the sausage for few hours, then remove it and vacuum seal it and freeze it. Then you could grill it when ready? Not a safe idea I guess....

 

[daveomak]

NEVER partially smoke/cook any meat.... Doing that allows for bacteria to start growing on the way up in temp and again back down in temp, BEFORE it is killed !!!! Doing so allows for some serious bacteria multiplication....

 

[PolishDeli]

Grilling smoked sausage is something i do regularly. Here is a post of mine showing just that:

Smoked Kiełbasa - Grilled

Made 5 pounds of zwyczajna kiełbasa (regular sausage) this weekend. Used a boston butt for meat. Apple chips for smoke. After smoking, we grilled up a coil for dinner. Pictures below: After smoking On the grill On the plate Thanks for looking

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Prior to grilling, the sausage was already fully done and had been frozen. This way, i can just seer it on the grill without worrying about IT. Or i can eat it cold.
The benefit of your proposed "smoked/fresh sausage hybrid" is not obvious to me.

As for double smoking: no need for it. By the time the meat reaches 150F or so, you're not getting much smoke penetration.
If i wanted super extra smokey flavors, I'd experiment with using smoked spices as opposed to double smoking the meat.
And don't worry, you're not washing away any smoke flavors with the water bath.

 

[ks_wayward_son]

Polish Deli...sure looks good! Do you water bath your sausage to get to temp or do you take it all the way up in your smoker? Good idea to try some smoked spices. I've had pretty good success with cumin, chili, and paprika. Not to mention salt. Man that stuff smells great.

 

[PolishDeli]

These are the approximate smoking i steps i usualy follow for sausages. I don't run around with a stop watch, and i still experiment, so quoted times are not gospel.

1 - once sausages are stuffed either (a) hang at room temp for an hr or (b) refrigerate over night to cure (you are adding cure#1, right?)
2 - let the smoker stabalize at 100F, then load sausages into the smoker. Let them dry in the chamber for ~1hr with No smoke
3 - bump up the temperature to 150F and start applying smoke.
4 - keep increasing the temp by ~ 25F every 30min until (a) IT=156F or (b) smoker temp maxes out.
5 - once IT=156F, ice water bath for 15min
6 - hang at room temp for an hour
7 - taste test, and refrigerate or vac seal and freeze.

If I'm not smoking the sausages, ill usually vac seal and SV to 156F before freezing.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

NEVER partially smoke/cook any meat.... Doing that allows for bacteria to start growing on the way up in temp and again back down in temp, BEFORE it is killed !!!! Doing so allows for some serious bacteria multiplication....

Yup

What Dave said

 

[SmokinEdge]

These are the approximate smoking i steps i usualy follow for sausages. I don't run around with a stop watch, and i still experiment, so quoted times are not gospel.

1 - once sausages are stuffed either (a) hang at room temp for an hr or (b) refrigerate over night to cure (you are adding cure#1, right?)
2 - let the smoker stabalize at 100F, then load sausages into the smoker. Let them dry in the chamber for ~1hr with No smoke
3 - bump up the temperature to 150F and start applying smoke.
4 - keep increasing the temp by ~ 25F every 30min until (a) IT=156F or (b) smoker temp maxes out.
5 - once IT=156F, ice water bath for 15min
6 - hang at room temp for an hour
7 - taste test, and refrigerate or vac seal and freeze.

If I'm not smoking the sausages, ill usually vac seal and SV to 156F before freezing.

All good stuff and I agree. However I pull my sausage at 145* then I soak them in water with just enough ice to become room temperature once the links have plunged for a few minutes.

 

[ks_wayward_son]

Smokinedge why do you prefer 145? Just curious as I have always heard at least 152 before pulling.

I might have to give it a go to keep my sausages/snack sticks in smoker to full IT finish instead of water bath and compare my results.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Char-Grilled or Broiled Kielbasa is the way we frequently enjoy Kielbasa. My wife and I grew up with Kielbasa cooked Old School, simmered with Sauerkraut and we love it but the kids, not so much.
On occasion we simmer Cabbage, onion,celery,carrots and potatoes, until tender and add Kielbasa to the pot the last 30 minutes. Turns a ring or two of Kielbasa into a meal for 6 adults...JJ