My sausage didn't turn out great

Former Member

I tried my first batch of smoked sausage today and wasn't pleased with the results.

I made about fifteen pounds of German sausage and started it out in my smoker at 100F for an hour. I then increased the temp to 150F for two hours. I checked the IT and it was at 80 so I bumped it up to 180. It was in the smokehouse for a total of seven hours.

It is very cold today at -2C and my smoker was full making me think that I over filled it. When I pulled them out, the IT was 150F but they werre not the desired brown in color. I should also mention that my chips did not burn well either even though the smoker maintained proper temps. Most are greyish in color and I will finish them off in the oven.

Any suggestions on hwere I went wrong or did I cover it in the above?

TIA

5/9/091:19 AM

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Former Member

I find that you get too much moisture in the cookshack to do small diameter sausages. It is really hard to obtain the desired color. I use a regular wood smoker or a propane smoker that has more of an airflow and will dry the sausage more and thereby get the color that I want.
joe b

5/9/097:08 AM

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trucky1008Member

I agree with Joe on the moisture issue. What I have learned to do is crack the door open on the cookshack for the first hour or so to allow the moisture out. This will also help in getting the casings dry which is need for the smoke to penetrate into the sausage.

5/9/097:50 AM

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Former Member

Yes, I agree with Trucky1008. I think you have a dry casing issue. Kutas book ALWAYS states to hang sausage in 100-120 degree smoker with NO smoke till dry looking, then apply wood to smoke to temp. As equal importance is to shower the done sausages with cool water till they reach an internal temp aroung 100 degrees to stop shrinking. Jamey

7/8/0911:16 PM

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Former Member

For better smoke, also try chips or pellets or even sawdust. If you use chunks they don't always smoke at such low temps.

7/9/097:23 AM

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