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Help With Sausage Smoking

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emrah1028

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So I'm new to smoking. Bought an electric smoker and I'm trying to get the hang of it, but I'm running into issues. Today I smoked some venison/pork brats in collagen casings and they came out a little dry and a little crumbly. And the collagen casings just tear off, mostly while in the smoker, and they have no "snap".

I used LEM pre packaged seasoning and put plenty of water in the mix because a previous batch of summer sausage was also dry. I am setting the smoker to 250. Shutting it off when the internal meat probe thermometer reads 165. Carryover heat takes it to about 180.

I think part of my problem is the grind is too fine. Seemed too fine for brats anyway. But what else am I doing wrong?

Emrah
 
In short, you're smoking at way too high of a temperature. You don't want to go above 170 for your smoker temperature; otherwise, you risk melting the fat out of your sausage. Also, I see no mention of a cold water bath after getting them to the final temperature. I only use a smoker at a temp of 130-140 to get the smoke taste, then finish in a 165-ish water bath, followed by a soak in cold water to get the meat temp down to 110 quickly. If you want "snap" to them, use natural hog casings instead of collagen.

Many of your questions are answered here: http://blog.sausagemaker.com/

While you're on that website, get their book and read it before making any more: http://www.sausagemaker.com/Great-Sausage-Recipes-and-Meat-Curing-p/26-1010.htm
 
What T-Bass said. You're smoker is too high, you're taking them to way too high of an IT. Personally, I don't use the hot bath, I just finish them in the smoker.
 
I'll definitely check out that blog. Been perusing the smokingmeatforums site as well. I was setting it to 250 (but stopping smoking when I internal temp hit 165) because I've read about the 40/140/4 rule. Maybe I just don't have a grasp of the entire process. I know there are different techniques, but here goes:

1. What exactly is the purpose of smoking? Cooking all the way? Flavor only? Preservation due to smoke?

2. Do you cook the sausage completely in the smoker? Or do you smoke for a little bit to add smoke flavor, then take them out and boil them? Do you boil first, then smoke?

3. How tight shoujd the casings be packed while stuffing? Every time I "twirl" another section off into a link, it gets tighter and tighter.

4. Do you smoke while the links are all still attached? Or do you twirl links, cut off each link, then smoke individually? If so, how do you keep stuffing from pouring out the end?

5. Last question. Am I supposed to pin-prick tiny holes in the casing where air pockets are?

Emrah
 
1. Color, flavor, and some preservation. I only "smoke" for part of the time it's in the smoker. You need to make sure the casings are dry before starting the smoke. I put them in the smoker for about an hour at a low temp (110) with draft and damper wide open to dry them. Then I put in a pan of wood and turn it up to 130-140 with damper 1/4 open for about three hours. As stated above I don't finish in the smoker so put them in 160-170 water bath until internal temp of about 155 is reached. Water and steam are faster than finishing in the smoker is the only reason I do it. There's nothing wrong with leaving them in the smoker to get internal temp up to what you want. Just don't be tempted to turn the smoker temp up to speed up the process. Yes, they are fully cooked, but not from "smoking."
2. No boiling! Not even simmering. Mine are fully cooked in water after smoking.
3. You'll get a feel for it through experience. I've never used collagen casings so don't know how full to fill them.
4. Yes, I smoke/cook them in a continuous rope. I fill the casing, link with alternating twisting, and tie off the open end. I've put them in the smoker on rods and coiled them flat on the smoking rack and can't tell any difference.
5. Yes, otherwise fat will pool in the air pockets.

Buy the book I linked above. It'll be $30 well-spent.
 
Thanks. I visited that site and especially read the explanations on various casings. Says collagen is the weakest (as I've discovered) and natural casings are stronger, but apparently smell bad (before) cooking. Not sure that smell thing will fly with the wife at my household! Do they sell edible casings stronger than collagen but without the stink?

Emrah
 
So how do you keep the juices in if you poke holes in the air pockets? My drip tray was full of water/juice when I was done.

Emrah
 
Love me some Hank Shaw! I need to listen to his salami 101 podcast again, because I felt like I did when in was in calculus class. So much info to take in and so many terms I'm unfamiliar with. The teacher would be on the third chalkboard full of equations and I'd still be trying to figure out what we did a half hour ago.

Emrah
 
if your venison mix is very lean,i would add either pork fat pieces,,or possibly try some olive oil in the meat blend to add moisture,,either should improve the dryness.
 
If you want to make a smoked sausage while not worrying about the 40/140/4 rule, you need to add cure #1 to your sausage. I recommend either the book by Rytek Kutas or the one by Adam Marianski. I would read the Marianski book first.
 
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