Snack Sticks endurance

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okiecat

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Dec 3, 2011
83
16
SW Oklahoma
Why does a little 19mm snack take so long to smoke and get to 160. I have a mes 40 with PID and gutted and diffuser plate. It runs perfectly top to bottom, side to middle. Im doing 12# at a time. Have 3 sticks cut to fit above top rack groove. Each stick will hold 7-8 tubes 32” long. I run 90min@120, 70min@130, 3hr@145, 3hrs@160, Then I set it at170 for 5hrs and hope it doesnt shut off. This is my 5th batch in last 2 months. Been taking 11-14hrs. Yesterday was perfect 75* and wind 3-6
 
Smoke them as long as u want for flavor and the put them in the oven to get your IT. I got worn out waiting for my smoker to get the necessary temp. I usually smoke sticks 6-7 hours and they are around 130 degrees with my smoker set to 160. In the oven set to 165 convection they come up to 152 degrees pretty fast. I don’t shoot for any final temp in particular, as much as follow the time and temp tables (USDA I think) that have been posted on these pages.
 
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Why does a little 19mm snack take so long to smoke and get to 160. I have a mes 40 with PID and gutted and diffuser plate. It runs perfectly top to bottom, side to middle. Im doing 12# at a time. Have 3 sticks cut to fit above top rack groove. Each stick will hold 7-8 tubes 32” long. I run 90min@120, 70min@130, 3hr@145, 3hrs@160, Then I set it at170 for 5hrs and hope it doesnt shut off. This is my 5th batch in last 2 months. Been taking 11-14hrs. Yesterday was perfect 75* and wind 3-6


I would suggest you tweak you process a little bit to reduce time.
Why? I have found (and also read) that meat only wants to get as hot as about set temp minus 15F degrees. After that 15minus degrees it moves up sloooooowly if at all.

So if you set to 145F for 3 hours then it may hit 130F and just sit there for a loooooong time. Not benefit and no real push for it to come up to temp until you push to 160F which then will only want to push to about 145F.

So I would suggest you cut down all your 3 hour times down to 1hr or 1.5hrs.
That alone would reduce your overall time about 4hrs less and likely more.

Give this a shot and I bet you start to solve your long smoking time problems :)
 
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Heat absorption is mostly affected by the difference in temperature between the item being heated and the source of the heat. I can't recall the formulation, can look it up if you want. If temperature difference is small time to absorb will be longer.
 
I agree with tallbm .
I stopped doing the 10 degree bump on the hour . I make sure the sausage is dry and almost room temp before I go in the smoker . I further dry at 130 for an hour , then start the smoke . When I get the color I like I step to 145 for 30 minutes , then it steps right to 165 . That's where I leave it until they hit 152 .
No more waiting around and no more hard casings .
 
I agree with tallbm .
I stopped doing the 10 degree bump on the hour . I make sure the sausage is dry and almost room temp before I go in the smoker . I further dry at 130 for an hour , then start the smoke . When I get the color I like I step to 145 for 30 minutes , then it steps right to 165 . That's where I leave it until they hit 152 .
No more waiting around and no more hard casings .
Hahaha glad you mentioned your process.
I do a similar accelerated process myself :D
 
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The reason it is taking so long is evaporative cooling off the sausage surface. You can close the top damper down 60-75% to increase the humidity in the chamber and reduce airflow. this will slow the evaporative cooling effect and the sausages will continue to heat up internally.

25*F difference in temp is better... when the links reach a point where they are within 25*F of your chamber temp., then it is time to bump the temp. like chopsaw suggests.
 
The reason it is taking so long is evaporative cooling off the sausage surface.
Yup . That's the reason I hang at room temp for 60 to 90 minutes before going into the smoker .
Getting acclimated at the start of the smoke , and smoker set to close to the IT at the end .
 
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thanks to all, Yes I hang for 1hr at room temp. I also notice they are pretty dry by then. I don’t add smoke for first 90min. I’m using an Amazin tube. I also close damper 3/4 of way and I plug the hole for adding chips with my modified handle.. one thing I notices is some say 152* and some say 162*. Which is it. This batch is plenty dry and firm. Not good.
 
Waaaaay to complicated. Set for 140 and let the casings dry for an hour. add smoke and bump to 180. pull sticks at 152
 
180 is a bit high, never go over 170

I have never in my 7 years of making my own stick or kielbasa etc have had fat out at that temp, if that is what you have concerns with my cooking temperature.
OP find a temp that works for you and use it.
 
I have never in my 7 years of making my own stick or kielbasa etc have had fat out at that temp, if that is what you have concerns with my cooking temperature.
OP find a temp that works for you and use it.

Yup what ever works for each person, I agree. That was my opinion, you know what they say about opinions?
 
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