Sausage making question....

[padronman]

Good morning SMF peeps! So I am going to start making sausage. I have read books, online posts, watched videos and am ready to start my adventure. I have a couple quick easy questions...

1. I read in several places that if you are going to smoke your sausage to NEVER do it without using curing salt.....because of the low cooking temps (160F) it gets into the food safety danger zone. Yet I see so many people on here and other places post their recipes.......and smoke their sausage without Cure being listed. So that's why I am confused. Should I just add 1tsp per 5 lbs of meat no matter what recipe I use? I plan on smoking most if not all of my sausage.

2. There is no way in hell I am paying $30 for a sausage rod or fit my Smokin-It #2.....so is it ok to go buy some thick wooden dowels to hang the sausage on? Low smoking temp shouldn't burn the wood correct?

Well that's it for now.....I am sure I will have more ??? And when I get started lots of sausage Q view

Scott

 

[crazzycajun]

Not a expert and haven't seen the recipes your talking about but figur if your internal temp isn't above 140f in 4 hours you need cure. I'm not familiar with your smoker but I use dowel rods as do many others I would try to find some made out of hard wood if possible jmho good luck.

 

[shyzabrau]

You might consider using Q-MATZ. I would prefer to hang my sausages, but I have limited space in my smoker and if I'm doing more than five pounds at a time, hanging isn't practical.

Here's what my smoker looks like loaded up with sausage:

image6.JPG

• shyzabrau
• May 21, 2017

The impressions left behind are not nearly as noticeable as putting the sausages directly on the racks. Here is a picture of the batch after they finished smoking (just the ones in pork casings, clearly):

IMG_1692.JPG

• shyzabrau
• May 21, 2017

 

[worktogthr]

If you are smoking sausage at 160, cure #1 is definitely needed at 1tsp/5 lbs of meat.  The danger zone does come into play without it.  I also have limited space in my MES30 and love using the q mats too!

 

[boykjo]

Good morning SMF peeps! So I am going to start making sausage. I have read books, online posts, watched videos and am ready to start my adventure. I have a couple quick easy questions...

1. I read in several places that if you are going to smoke your sausage to NEVER do it without using curing salt.....because of the low cooking temps (160F) it gets into the food safety danger zone. Yet I see so many people on here and other places post their recipes.......and smoke their sausage without Cure being listed. So that's why I am confused. Should I just add 1tsp per 5 lbs of meat no matter what recipe I use? I plan on smoking most if not all of my sausage.

boykjo

 

[chef jimmyj]

I use wood dowels for sausage at temps up to 225°F. I notch a flat spot on the ends so they don't roll. All the uncured sausage, Brats, ltalian, breakfast, l smoke at 225 to an lT of 165. Cured sausage, Kielbasa, Country, Andouille, l smoke starting at 130 and bump 10° an hour to 170. I smoke to an lT of 145...JJ

 

[padronman]

I use wood dowels for sausage at temps up to 225°F. I notch a flat spot on the ends so they don't roll. All the uncured sausage, Brats, ltalian, breakfast, l smoke at 225 to an lT of 165. Cured sausage, Kielbasa, Country, Andouille, l smoke starting at 130 and bump 10° an hour to 170. I smoke to an lT of 145...JJ

Thanks for all the responses so far. It is much appreciated. One more question.....so a "fresh" type sausage like say Italian.....can cure be added or will it change the taste and texture? Is there a good guide to what should be cured and what should be uncured?

Thanks again!!

Scott

 

[shyzabrau]

I haven't done any side by side tests, so I can't say for sure if I would detect a difference in taste or texture. I suspect no for the texture, but a bit of hamminess in the taste.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Yes....Adding cure to a normally Fresh Sausage and smoking it, will give the color, texture and hammy flavor of something like Kielbasa but with the herbs and spices you used. That said, adding cure to a fresh sausage and poaching, frying or hot grilling them, leaves the meat Pink, even cooked to 165, but does not make a huge flavor impact. Example...l make 20 pound batches of Kielbasa with cure. 15 pounds gets low temp smoked and 5 pounds l simmer with Sauerkraut. The result is two completely different tastes, both delicious...JJ

 

[chef jimmyj]

There are some recipe sites that break down into Cured and Fresh sausages. Search homemade sausage recipes and take a look sround. There are also lots of books and sites with sausages of the world recipes. Each country has their type and includes whether cure is added or not. German sausages come in many varieties, some with and others without cure. Look for something that sounds good and make it. The recipe will say to add cure or not. Example of how things change with cure. Take a Bratwurst recipe add cure and smoke it, you are pretty close to a Knackwurst. Both have similar seasoning, one with cure and smoke. One no cure and simmered,fried or grilled...JJ

 

[tallbm]

Thanks for all the responses so far. It is much appreciated. One more question.....so a "fresh" type sausage like say Italian.....can cure be added or will it change the taste and texture? Is there a good guide to what should be cured and what should be uncured?

Thanks again!!

Scott

Yes cure can be added to any "fresh" sausage even if you don't plan to smoke it.  I have Franks that have cure added and I grill 99% of them like fresh sausage.  The benefit of the cure is that I can smoke them if I want, which I will be doing soon :)

I think the cure will give you a little different of a taste compared to not having it but how much I'm not sure, just like Shyz I have not done a side by side test either.

As for a guide, I think a rule of thumb is that if you plan to smoke it then add cure.  See when you smoke sausage you do it at like 160-170F so you dont cause the fat to melt out.  So the time it takes to cook the sausage will take hours and hours so cure will be needed.

Now for sausages that are traditionally smoked:

-Franks/Hot Dogs

-Summer Sausage

-Texas Style BBQ Sausage (German/Czech/etc influence)

-Snack Sticks

-more I can't think of :)

 

[crazymoon]

Scott, Another easy  sausage hanging idea is a piece of stainless or aluminum angle iron cut to fit your smoker, cheap at most big box stores. Good luck and have fun with sausage making !

 

[tallbm]

I noticed many use wooden dowels.

I have read up on the subject in the past and I read where many people go to a place like a Home Depot and get any UNTREATED hardwood wooden dowel and just cut them to length for what they need.

I believe a Hardwood dowel would be the kind of wood that is smoked with like Oak and would eliminate the possibility of getting cedar or pine wood which would be not good.  Again untreated would be the way to go to avoid any chemicals and such.

As I get into smoking sausage I have the idea of hanging sausage from the top wrack via stainless hooks I have.  That is if I even hang it at all.  I think I will find I'm happy laying sausage on q-mats on my smoker racks while I could see hanging summer sausage or bologna with the stainless hooks from the top wrack.   I won't know what I will end doing/liking until I really get into it.

The good news is my next planned smoke is about 3 -4 pounds of cured feral hog pork franks, once I get some electric connectors I'm waiting on in the mail to do a minor tweak to some wires in my controller box.

I hope this info helps :)

 

[padronman]

I noticed many use wooden dowels.

I have read up on the subject in the past and I read where many people go to a place like a Home Depot and get any UNTREATED hardwood wooden dowel and just cut them to length for what they need.

I believe a Hardwood dowel would be the kind of wood that is smoked with like Oak and would eliminate the possibility of getting cedar or pine wood which would be not good.  Again untreated would be the way to go to avoid any chemicals and such.

As I get into smoking sausage I have the idea of hanging sausage from the top wrack via stainless hooks I have.  That is if I even hang it at all.  I think I will find I'm happy laying sausage on q-mats on my smoker racks while I could see hanging summer sausage or bologna with the stainless hooks from the top wrack.   I won't know what I will end doing/liking until I really get into it.

The good news is my next planned smoke is about 3 -4 pounds of cured feral hog pork franks, once I get some electric connectors I'm waiting on in the mail to do a minor tweak to some wires in my controller box.

I hope this info helps :)

Yes all the info you guys are sharing is helping. I got wooden dowels, untreated and I'm cutting to length and flattening the ends to keep from rolling. I got 3 of them so lots of room for say a 10lb batch or more. [emoji]128578[/emoji] I'm waiting on my other supplies then I will will get started and see what comes of this new adventure!

 

[beardawg]

You will spend a bunch of money, but will have fun doing it...lol

 

[myownidaho]

I used oak dowels and s-hooks, and hang them from the bottom of the rack.

IMG_2256.JPG

• myownidaho
• May 24, 2017

IMG_2747.JPG

• myownidaho
• May 24, 2017

 

[indaswamp]

 
Scott, Another easy  sausage hanging idea is a piece of stainless or aluminum angle iron cut to fit your smoker, cheap at most big box stores. Good luck and have fun with sausage making !

I use 1" aluminum conduit cut to fit my smoker. It's cheap, readily available, easy to clean, and will not burn @ smoking temps.

 

[tropics]

Scott if your smoker is square you can make a rack

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/174140/sausage-jerky-rack-mes40-w-step-by-step

Richie

 

[padronman]

Scott if your smoker is square you can make a rack

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/174140/sausage-jerky-rack-mes40-w-step-by-step

Richie

Thanks Richie. Mine is square so this is on my to do list. Waiting for my #5-7 lb stuffer to arrive then its game on!!!

Scott