Featured Scortched casings, how do I prevent this ???

[DLDave]

Hello All,

I’ve been smoking venison sausage in a Master built smoker for a few years now but can never achieve the results I’m looking for. The sausage taste great but I always manage to scorch part of the casings as I bring the internal temperature up to 160 degrees. The problem is mostly cosmetic and seems to have little or no impact on the quality of the meat but, I gift a lot of this to family and friends and would like for it to have a more professional appearance.

I use 2.5” fibrous casings from Eldon’s sausage. I tried bringing the temperature up slowly and don’t go above 180 on the smoker setting, same results, scorching on the ends. I tried finishing it in an electric oven, same results. I suspect it’s not the direct heat that causing this but maybe the IR radiation you get from the electric elements.

I’m hoping someone here has seen and solved this problem in their electric smoker.

 

[tropics]

You could finish it at a lower IT if you hold it for a certain amount of time.
You may wish to PM daveomak for safe ITs
Richie

 

[mike243]

Is that a electric smoker or gas? I never have issue with my masterbuilt electric smoker

 

[FFchampMT]

I’m hoping someone here has seen and solved this problem in their electric smoker.

I get this same thing occasionally.
Are you using a smoke tube or tray? I usually tent over my tube with tinfoil and it helps, you could also use your bottom rack and put tinfoil under your sausages as well.
I think, as you suspect, there's higher heat radiating from the heat deflector and/or the smoke tube.

 

[DLDave]

Thanks FFchampMT,

I'll try some extra foil shielding to see if I can cut down on the direct heat exposure. This smoker has a tray in the bottom and the heating element appears to be well covered. There are obviously some hot spots or poor heat distribution contributing to this problem.

 

[indaswamp]

Your sausages are likely scorching because you are cooking them at to high heat for too long. No need to cook to 160*F. Use the pasteurization tables and cook to a lower internal temp. but hold it there for the recommended time. No need to go above 170-175*F except maybe at the very end for less than 10 minutes to push the INT of the links over the finish line if they stall out.

INT 140*F for 30 minutes is safe per the USDA. Just be sure to put the probe in a link that is in the coolest part of your smoker to ensure all sausages are cooked properly.

 

[tallbm]

Hello All,

I’ve been smoking venison sausage in a Master built smoker for a few years now but can never achieve the results I’m looking for. The sausage taste great but I always manage to scorch part of the casings as I bring the internal temperature up to 160 degrees. The problem is mostly cosmetic and seems to have little or no impact on the quality of the meat but, I gift a lot of this to family and friends and would like for it to have a more professional appearance.

I use 2.5” fibrous casings from Eldon’s sausage. I tried bringing the temperature up slowly and don’t go above 180 on the smoker setting, same results, scorching on the ends. I tried finishing it in an electric oven, same results. I suspect it’s not the direct heat that causing this but maybe the IR radiation you get from the electric elements.

I’m hoping someone here has seen and solved this problem in their electric smoker.

Hi there and welcome!

The other's are giving you great info.

If you decide you don't want to change your current method then probably foiling the ends of your sausage castings should provide a radiant barrier to help out some.
Something you and simply try with minimal effort or change :)