Questions about smoking fresh sausage

[bigorangesmoker]

I am going to smoke a pork butt on Friday so I decided I also want to try some fresh sausage. I have never smoked sausage before. I live in Central Florida so I will buy some fresh sausage at my local Publix supermarket. I have no idea how long it should take to smoke the sausage. I average about 240-250 degrees on my GOSM. Do I smoke to temperature like most things or to time like ribs? I am really looking forward to throwing the sausage on the smoker while the butt is on there, but I have no real clue as to what to do in regards to temperature or time. Thanks!

 

[mossymo]

I would advise not to because store bought sausage most likely does not have a cure in it for smoking safely. I would only do it if you were going to eat it right away afterwards and get the sausage from 40º to 140º in 4 hours or less. You could put a few hours of smoke on them, then grill for eating though.

 

[bigorangesmoker]

I am planning on eating it right away. We are having family over so there are plenty of mouths to feed. I have grilled the fresh sausage before and it turned out fine. I just haven't ever done it low and slow.

 

[fpnmf]

Smoke it at 250 til it hits 160 IT.. 

It shouldn't take more than a couple hours at most.

  Craig

 

[BGKYSmoker]

What fp said

Dont play around with low temp sausage smoking if its not with cure added.

OR

If you have a stuffer, cure #1 and some casings but not enough time to grind your own.

Then why not get fresh store bought, de case it and mix in the cure and re stuff.  REMEMBER 1 level tsp cure #1 per every 5 lbs of meat.

Presto

Cured store bought sausage ready for low smoke.

 

[venture]

What everyone has told you.  Hot smoke to temp.  Only cold smoke or low temp smoke when you have cured the meat.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[bigorangesmoker]

Thanks, guys. I will check with the butchers at Publix to see if there is cure in the sausage. If not, I will grab some Johnsonville and throw it on the smoker. Or maybe I will just grill the fresh sausage, then throw it on the smoker.

 

[bmudd14474]

Thanks, guys. I will check with the butchers at Publix to see if there is cure in the sausage. If not, I will grab some Johnsonville and throw it on the smoker. Or maybe I will just grill the fresh sausage, then throw it on the smoker.

If your hot smoking it as long as it gets to temp in less than 4 hours you are fine and given how small they are I do not see it taking that long. If your nervous about it then smoke for a hour and finish on a hot grill to crisp the skin up.

 

[bigorangesmoker]

Thanks so much for all the information! One more question ... whether I grill and/or smoke or just smoke the sausage, at what temperature is it done?

 

[venture]

This depends on the type of sausage.  A store bought sausage should be treated as a fresh sausage and cooked to guidelines depending on the contents.  Cured sausage falls under slightly different guidlines, but you will get to that later.  For now, you will find a lot of good information here.  Be sure to read it all before you decide exactly what you are dealing with:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Sausage_and_Food_Safety/index.asp

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[realtorterry]

If your hot smoking it as long as it gets to temp in less than 4 hours you are fine and given how small they are I do not see it taking that long. If your nervous about it then smoke for a hour and finish on a hot grill to crisp the skin up.

I've done it the same way with no problems, fresh, patties, johnsonvilles, breakfast. If it's a fresh sausage you should have a problem!

 

[Bearcarver]

Most of the replies are right on.

It won't take long for fresh sausage to get done at 240˚, so if it was me, I'd wait until you foil your butt at about 165˚-170˚. Then I'd throw the sausage in. I'd pull the sausage after getting it to at least 160˚ internal temp.

Bear

 

[bigorangesmoker]

Thanks a million, guys. I knew I could get the answers I needed here. Great place! 

 

[boykjo]

dont forget the qveiw and maybe even some bear-veiw.......

joe

 

[SmokinAl]

Good luck!

 

[tar baby]

Ok... First post here, so be nice....  I'm about to get into the smoking business for my own enjoyment, but for now I have a question about something that happened when I went home with some sausage we stuck in the smoker.  I figured this would be a good troubleshooting thread to throw it in...

My parents have an electric smoker... Smoking Joe or whatever the hell it's called... It's just a small one where you put a wood chip pan in the bottom or something... You all probably know the type better than me... so forgive me.

They've had good luck smoking a number of different meats/cuts - pulled pork, ribs.., but this particular day they brought home some fresh sausage (not cured) and put it in the smoker to see what happened. 

I'll have to check with the specifics of the heat/time et al... But it wasn't very long (Less than 1-2 hrs) at all even if it was on high (the thing has a lo/med/high) switch... When he took it out.. I think he waited until it was 160 (was a pork sausage)... we cut into it and it was some of the dryest most crumbly stuff I've ever had.  It was the first time they had smoked a sausage, but I can't imagine that's how it's supposed to turn out and am curious as to whether or not you may have any insight into what happened?

Did the fat drain out? Can you prevent that? They weren't tied links, but a 1 lb rolled cut of sausage with open ends. 

Anyways... Any answers you may be able to provide would be very welcome!!

Look forward to becoming part of the forums

 

[alblancher]

One hour to 160 is pretty fast even for fresh sausage.  Did the fat drain out? I don't know was there a lot of greasy stuff in the bottom of the smoker.?

Have you used this sausage before and been happy with it?  How did the direction say to prepare it.  I have some chaurice here that if I don't cook it in beer or water it comes out pretty crumbly so it may just be the style of sausage.

You can start a new thread, introduce yourself a bit and ask the question again.  Its not uncommon that  once a member answers a question in the thread they don't revisit the thread so you may get more replies by beginning your own thread.

Welcome to SMF

Al

 

[venture]

Rolled sausage is a totally different animal.  That is basically bulk sausage that is meant to be made into patties and fried.  All the advice here has been about stuffed sausage.  Think Johnsonville brats.  Fresh stuffed sausages like these need to be hot smoked.  That means 220 to 250 pit temps.  They need to be cooked to 160-165 internal temps.  That usually takes about 1 1/2 hours or a little more.  We do not cook to time, we cook to internal temp.  Do not try this with rolled or other forms of bulk sausage.  That is a completely different animal.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[SmokinAl]

Sounds like Venture hit the nail on the head.

 

[tar baby]

Thanks so much for the replies!

I'm sure I'll be back here on the forums when I finish reading all the stickies and get my own setup started and going.