Time in Smoker?

[hydrostan]

This is perplexing to us:
When we smoke summer sausage, usually 2 to 2.5" casings, we get the internal temperature to 152-157° in about 3 hours.
When we smoke Kielbasa, to get to that temperature it takes almost 6 hours. This is using 35-38 mm casings.
Why would the smaller diameter casings take more time? Is it because the kielbasa is stuffed in hog casings vs. fiber casings for the summer sausage???

 

[indaswamp]

What temperature are you smoking both the summer sausage and the kielbasa?

How many pounds of SS and Kielbasa are you smoking?

How many cubic ft. is the inside of your smoker?

Without knowing these variables, I will venture a guess. The batch of kielbasa was larger than the SS. Meat is a thermal sink, meaning that the meat paste is absorbing heat as it cooks. IF for example, you try to fill up a small MES with 20# of sausage in hog casings, it will take a long time to get the links up to temp. because of the water evaporating out of the links.

 

[indaswamp]

This is perplexing to us:
When we smoke summer sausage, usually 2 to 2.5" casings, we get the internal temperature to 152-157° in about 3 hours.
When we smoke Kielbasa, to get to that temperature it takes almost 6 hours. This is using 35-38 mm casings.
Why would the smaller diameter casings take less time? Is it because the kielbasa is stuffed in hog casings vs. fiber casings for the summer sausage???

I think you meant to say "Why would the smaller diameter casings take MORE time?" Am I correct? You kielbasa is taking longer to cook than the SS???

 

[JckDanls 07]

Also.. seems like a mighty quick cook for the SS... As Swamp asked... what temps are you cooking at ??

 

[hydrostan]

What temperature are you smoking both the summer sausage and the kielbasa?

How many pounds of SS and Kielbasa are you smoking?

How many cubic ft. is the inside of your smoker?

Without knowing these variables, I will venture a guess. The batch of kielbasa was larger than the SS. Meat is a thermal sink, meaning that the meat paste is absorbing heat as it cooks. IF for example, you try to fill up a small MES with 20# of sausage in hog casings, it will take a long time to get the links up to temp. because of the water evaporating out of the links.

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We did 12 lbs. of summer sausage, 12 chubs. Kielbasa was 9 lbs, and I only smoked 6 links. So, I had more summer sausage in the smoker than I did kielbasa, and yet the summer sausage took a shorter time to smoke. Temp varied from 180 to 205 during the smoking. I have a feeling your last statement about water evaporating from the links may be the cause. this is not the 1st time I have experienced this.

 

[hydrostan]

I think you meant to say "Why would the smaller diameter casings take MORE time?" Am I correct? You kielbasa is taking longer to cook than the SS???

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Yes, thank you for correcting my error.

 

[indaswamp]

What smoker did you use?

Hmmm... I don't know. I do not use collagen casings. I personally do not like it. Is it permeable? As in, will it sweat water? If not, then that may be why it cooked so fast...kind of like when wrapping a brisket and pushing it through the stall....no evaporation cooling effect....

So you are warm grilling/hot smoking your sausages with that high a temperature. How was the texture of the sausage? Was it dry after cooking for 6 hours? Did you hold 185~200 the entire time?

I prefer to warm smoke my sausages starting with a low temp of 120* and step the temp up to about 170. I cook to INT of 152* for 15~20 minutes on most of my sausages, all except wild hog. I hold the temp @ ~130* for 3~4 hours to get so really good smoke penetration on the links. then step the temp up about 10* every hour keeping the smokehouse temp running roughly 25~30* above the INT of the links. This gently cooks the sausage so that it does not tighten up and squeeze all the moisture out.

 

[indaswamp]

Are you using a water pan with water?

 

[indaswamp]

And if you don't mind me asking....

Where are you located? Are you at a high elevation? And what was the outside temperature when you were smoking? was it really cold outside?

 

[chef jimmyj]

Is your grind for both the same? I fine grind SS but like a coarse grind on Kielbasa. Finer grind is less dense and transfers heat faster...JJ

 

[indaswamp]

Did not consider that... Great post jj!

 

[indaswamp]

I know when I smoke andouille that is extremely coarse and stuffed in 2~2.5" beef middles, it takes 10+ hours to finish it in the smokehouse....

 

[hydrostan]

Are you using a water pan with water?

Yes, I always use a water pan

 

[hydrostan]

Is your grind for both the same? I fine grind SS but like a coarse grind on Kielbasa. Finer grind is less dense and transfers heat faster...JJ

I always grind with the "middle" plate...not fine nor course.

 

[hydrostan]

And if you don't mind me asking....

Where are you located? Are you at a high elevation? And what was the outside temperature when you were smoking? was it really cold outside?

I'm in Oregon, low elevation...700 ft. the last 2 smokes have been with the outside temp in the mid 40s.

 

[indaswamp]

Water pan 'usually' helps to prevent the stall because the air is so saturated that the evaporation cooling effect is negligible.

Hmmmm...I'll keep pondering...

 

[indaswamp]

I'm in Oregon, low elevation...700 ft. the last 2 smokes have been with the outside temp in the mid 40s.

Last two smokes being the SS and the Sausage? Same outside temps. both days you smoked?

 

[hydrostan]

What smoker did you use?

Hmmm... I don't know. I do not use collagen casings. I personally do not like it. Is it permeable? As in, will it sweat water? If not, then that may be why it cooked so fast...kind of like when wrapping a brisket and pushing it through the stall....no evaporation cooling effect....

So you are warm grilling/hot smoking your sausages with that high a temperature. How was the texture of the sausage? Was it dry after cooking for 6 hours? Did you hold 185~200 the entire time?

I prefer to warm smoke my sausages starting with a low temp of 120* and step the temp up to about 170. I cook to INT of 152* for 15~20 minutes on most of my sausages, all except wild hog. I hold the temp @ ~130* for 3~4 hours to get so really good smoke penetration on the links. then step the temp up about 10* every hour keeping the smokehouse temp running roughly 25~30* above the INT of the links. This gently cooks the sausage so that it does not tighten up and squeeze all the moisture out.

I usually hold the temp 120 - 130° for the 1st hour, and then bump it up to at least 185° after that. I never get the chips to burn at lower temps. The texture of the sausage was good...got a lot of compliments on the taste. Good comments....appreciate the advise!

 

[indaswamp]

check out the AMNPS pellet tray. There are a lot of members here that swear buy it for smoking at low temps which is a problem in some smokers. Smoking @185, you are likely getting some fat out. And the jump from 120~130* to 185* is the likely the reason why your sausages are sweating, the meat is tightening up and squeezing moisture out of the links. Try to keep the temp below 170* if you can.

Think of a hamburger when you throw it on a flaming hot 450~500* grill...if you do not press an indention in the middle, you will end up with a ball. Same thing happens in a link of sausage, it squeezes tight with a big temp increase.

If you get the AMNPS, learn how to use it, and step your temps up 10* an hour trying to stay 25~30* above the sausage INT, the meat paste will rise in temp gently and will not tighten up fast like a hamburger. Once it gets to about 135ish, the meat is pretty much set...until you fry or grill it....

Hope this helps.....

 

[hydrostan]

Last two smokes being the SS and the Sausage? Same outside temps. both days you smoked?

Yes. Again, we are very happy with the end result, and get lots of compliments from our friends who we share the sausage with. It just bugs the hell out of me why I can't figure out the smoking times.