Question regarding sausage temp

[kawakx125]

I generally make a large batch of smoked Polish at once and freeze for later, always boiling to reheat. Given that, is it necessary to take sausage to 152 if it is not going to be consumed immediately? It takes FOREVER to get it to 152 in the smoker, to date have given up after about 8hrs each time, and my batch this weekend was only at 130 after 8hrs in the smoker. I am only curious because growing up I don't ever remember my dad boiling it to bring it to temp after coming out of the smoker. Right or wrong, I am attempting to replicate his method just so I understand how he did it all those years. If I could eliminate that step since it will end up reaching that when heated later it'd sure save alot of time. If he was taking to 152 in smoker, I'm not sure how he managed to keep casings from drying out either. This weekend the sausage came out PERFECT as far as color and casings go, just wasn't quite up to temp when I pulled it out.

 

[JC in GB]

What kind of smoker are you using? What are you using for temp control? It seems that after 8 hours, a Polish sausage should be over 152 F degrees.

It sounds like your smoker may not have been getting up to temp. What are you using for temp probes and controllers?

I just got done doing a batch of Polish in my smoker. Took about 10 hours but I started out with smoke temps at 40 F degrees.

Pulled when IT reached 165, probably could have pulled them a bit sooner. They were ready to eat out of the smoker. If you wanted to snap into one right away.

When reheating, I put the sausage into 170 F degree water until heated through.

JC

 

[chopsaw]

I'm using an MES 30 . I've had it take any where from 7 or 8 hours , up to 12 hours depending on the size of the batch . Starting temps and how fast you step up plays into it also . I dry at 130 for a couple hours , then step 10 degrees an hour until I reach 165 / 170 smoker temp . Let it ride until sausage reaches 152 ish .
In answer to you question , once I start it , I take it to finish temp / safe to eat .

 

[kawakx125]

Using a converted hot cabinet as a smoker. I haven't got a PID on it yet, but was just using my ET-730 to monitor smoker temp and meat temp. Smoker actually holds pretty constant using the thermostat it came with.

 

[JC in GB]

Using a converted hot cabinet as a smoker. I haven't got a PID on it yet, but was just using my ET-730 to monitor smoker temp and meat temp. Smoker actually holds pretty constant using the thermostat it came with.

I would verify your temp probes are accurate. You can add a PID for a small investment. Even less if you are familiar with electrical wiring.

Is it possible that you have too much airflow through the cabinet?

JC

 

[kawakx125]

the temp probes have been verified accurate. It is entirely possible there was too much airflow as i had the AMNPS flare up a couple times. This was only the first run of this smoker with meat in it so I wanted to get a baseline before I started buying things. I need more heat definitely, likely going to put me in 240v range. Warm up temps are very slow but once there it holds well.

 

[chopsaw]

I have closed the top vent AFTER all smoke is applied to speed up the finish , but smoker temp stays at 170 max for me .

 

[JC in GB]

the temp probes have been verified accurate. It is entirely possible there was too much airflow as i had the AMNPS flare up a couple times. This was only the first run of this smoker with meat in it so I wanted to get a baseline before I started buying things. I need more heat definitely, likely going to put me in 240v range. Warm up temps are very slow but once there it holds well.

Sounds like you just need a bit of experience with your pit and you will have it cooking along smoothly. Hope your next batch gets done on time.

JC

 

[kawakx125]

More heat is definitely in order. I am likely going to block off all existing venting on bottom of cabinet and do something adjustable. I really just wanted to see how it acted with a large load of meat before I started chopping on it. I was just surprised that the smoker temp vs meat temp after 8hrs or so. Maybe having to open it a couple times to snuff out the AMNPS made that much of a difference.

 

[JC in GB]

More heat is definitely in order. I am likely going to block off all existing venting on bottom of cabinet and do something adjustable. I really just wanted to see how it acted with a large load of meat before I started chopping on it. I was just surprised that the smoker temp vs meat temp after 8hrs or so. Maybe having to open it a couple times to snuff out the AMNPS made that much of a difference.

Hope you get it figured out sooner rather than later. How about some pics of your rig and your sausage cook?

JC

 

[wild west]

Your sausage doesnt need to be taken to 152( smoking sausage with cure #1 added). You can use pasturization tables to determine how long the sausage needs to be held at various temps to make it safe for consumption. Do a search on the forum for pasturization tables. Dave Omak has posted them numerous times. I would recommend taking the IT to at least 142 or the texture will not be firm enough to eat straight away. I use a rig similar to yours with a gutted 1500 watt hot plate and an auber pid. Works great for sausage as well as long overnight cooks.

 

[oberst]

I always smoke sausage to the time I want to apply smoke; say 5 hours of smoke with my MES. At a temp of 165 at the highest. The internal temp is usually in the 120’s. No problem. Sausage then goes into the oven to finish, set on convection. That way I get exactly how much smoke I want and after that don’t take more than 45 minute finish the batch. Oven is way more consistent and faster than my smoker anyway.

 

[daveomak]

2 things to think about....
If you add water to your sausage mix, as it heats up, the evaporation of the water cools the meat... same thing when you sweat, it cools you... Relax and wait and do NOT crank the temp up on the smoker....
I smoke my sausages at 155-160 ish.... after the smoke has been applied, I close down the exhaust on my MES 30 to about 5-10% open...
Then I wait and check the sausage temps...
When they get to 135F, I start timing the cook time... after 1.5 hours at that temp, (extra time added for safety) it's done and perfectly safe to eat... NO fat out, NO moisture loss....

Temperature Time
°F (°C) (Minutes)
130 ..... 112 min
131 ..... 89 min
132 ..... 71 min
133 ..... 56 min
134 ..... 45 min
135 ..... 36 min
136 ..... 28 min
137 ..... 23 min
138 ..... 18 min
139 ..... 15 min
140 ..... 12 min
141 ........ 9 min
142 ....... 8 min
143 ....... 6 min
144 ...... 5 min
145 ...... 4 min
Table C.1: Pasteurization times for
beef, corned beef, lamb, pork
and cured pork (FDA, 2009, 3-401.11.B.2).

Check sausages in different locations in the smoker as most smokers do not have uniform temperatures across all zones...

....

 

[chef jimmyj]

Most Cured Smoked Sausage recipes call for smoking progessively, to an IT or 152, with or without a Hot Water Bath to finish the cook. This makes smoking and cooking the sausage a No Brainer, easy and Safe method for ready to eat sausage. As Dave points out, if you dive deeper into understanding Pasteurization, have excellent Thermometers and can control the smoker temp accurately, you can cook to a lower pasteurizing IT.
We do not recommend Cold Smoking, at temps within the Danger Zone and Freezing Raw to be cooked later...JJ

 

[JC in GB]

2 things to think about....
If you add water to your sausage mix, as it heats up, the evaporation of the water cools the meat... same thing when you sweat, it cools you... Relax and wait and do NOT crank the temp up on the smoker....
I smoke my sausages at 155-160 ish.... after the smoke has been applied, I close down the exhaust on my MES 30 to about 5-10% open...
Then I wait and check the sausage temps...
When they get to 135F, I start timing the cook time... after 1.5 hours at that temp, (extra time added for safety) it's done and perfectly safe to eat... NO fat out, NO moisture loss....

Temperature Time
°F (°C) (Minutes)
130 ..... 112 min
131 ..... 89 min
132 ..... 71 min
133 ..... 56 min
134 ..... 45 min
135 ..... 36 min
136 ..... 28 min
137 ..... 23 min
138 ..... 18 min
139 ..... 15 min
140 ..... 12 min
141 ........ 9 min
142 ....... 8 min
143 ....... 6 min
144 ...... 5 min
145 ...... 4 min
Table C.1: Pasteurization times for
beef, corned beef, lamb, pork
and cured pork (FDA, 2009, 3-401.11.B.2).

Check sausages in different locations in the smoker as most smokers do not have uniform temperatures across all zones...

....

Great info Dave.

Thanks for that.

JC

 

[oberst]

What Omak says is a little of what I have done but not to the extent he has used the pasteurization tables. Going with a lower temp for a longer time as he describes is what I’ll be trying. My last batch of semi-dried polish just didn’t turn out that well; too dry and a little mealy. Only ran the oven to 170 to finish but I think that rushed the sausage enough to degrade the quality. In my upper post I talk about oven finishing in 45 minutes or less. Dave’s post has me rethinking that as too aggressive for at least some sausages. After all the work on a batch and hours of smoking, why push for the finishing temp too quickly when following the tables per Dave’s approach may improve quality; even a little reduction in fat out and moisture loss can mean a noticeable quality difference I’m thinking.

 

[diezelsmoke]

I have closed the top vent AFTER all smoke is applied to speed up the finish , but smoker temp stays at 170 max for me .

Second that and maybe turn temp to 200* depending on outside temp.

 

[daveomak]

Second that and maybe turn temp to 200* depending on outside temp.

150-160F will cook the sausage and there's no fat out...

 

[pushok2018]

I have closed the top vent AFTER all smoke is applied to speed up the finish , but smoker temp stays at 170 max for me .

This is exactly how it work for me. In fact I am trying not to go higher then 167F but sometimes it goes up to 170F.

150-160F will cook the sausage and there's no fat out...

...and this is why I don't want to exceed 170F limit - to prevent fat out.

 

[chopsaw]

Yup . 165 is my normal max . If I'm done with smoke , and I think the sausage is cooling due to evaporation , I'll close the vent and maybe bump to 170 if it's close . Never any higher .