Smoking Sausage at Low Temps - Advice Needed

[bakerboy7]

So, I'm planning on making a test batch of kielbasa (krakowska style) this weekend.  I have put together a formula that I feel will be nice to start with and I'll tweak as needed.

I have made many sausages over the years but have only smoked them using a small Alto Shamm.

I will be smoking this time using my BSKD.  Basically, a vertical smoker with a SFB.

Despite the challenges I have encountered stabilizing temps with this unit, I have it figured out pretty well but only at high temps.  I have made a nice charcoal basket of 3/4" expanded metal that holds about 20# of briquettes and wood chunks and I have only used the minion method.

This big question is: what is the best way to maintain the low temps that are desirable when smoking sausage?

Should I only make a small fire and adjust the damper on the SFB or is there another method?

I should add that my test batch will be about 10#. Five pounds of regular and five pounds of spicy.

I will be using Kingsford blue and my AMNS.

I look forward to all input from the masters.

Chris

 

[BGKYSmoker]

I would start with a small amount of charcoal. Let this burn down white so you dont get the charcoal taste on the casings. Open vents all the way. Its going to be hard but not impossible to keep low temps. The sausage will take smoke fast, dont over smoke it or you will be tossing it out.

 

[alblancher]

I cant offer any advice for your specific smoker but if the sausage you are making has cure 1 in it you can cold smoke for a couple of hours then smoke at the temperatures you are able to maintain.  In my little offset I can reliably maintain temps in the 220 range, by cold smoking first, the sausage is in the smoke for 5 or 6 hours instead of the one or two hours just in the smoker.

 

[bakerboy7]

Thanks for the advice, guys. Not sure what I'm gonna do yet, but I'll let you know how it turns out.

BTW, I will be using TQ as my cure so, cold smoking first may be the route I take.

 

[bakerboy7]

 

[SmokinAl]

Let us know how it turns out!

 

[erain]

if using the AMNS for smoke, how about an appropriate sized hot plate element to maintain your smoker at desired temps?

 

[tjohnson]

I like Al's cold smoke idea and Erain's hot plate idea.

Tough call!

TJ

 

[bakerboy7]

I'm leaning towards Al's suggestion and using the AMNS with hickory to cold smoke first and get some cherry pre-burned in the fire pit for the cooking portion.

Stuffed it up this morning and will get it going tomorrow after church.

Thanks again for the advice, guys. I'll post the results later tomorrow with pics.

 

[bakerboy7]

if using the AMNS for smoke, how about an appropriate sized hot plate element to maintain your smoker at desired temps?

Thanks!  This is a great idea for smoking over the winter.  Maybe I'll even move the smoker to the deck.

And here I thought it was going to be a long, cold, smokeless winter.