What's With The Flavor ??

Something sure does not sound right! Are you cooking/smoking at a high enough temp? Are you using dry wood? Too much wood? Are you cooking long enough? wow......gray?

Well, I know how to make sausages already, (use of nitrite, etc.).
I used the hickory that came with the smoker and some 1 year old, dried beech.

I followed all the instructions as per the recipes I've found on this website and in the manual as far as times/wood amounts go.
I use a Polder to verify temperatures...

Puzzling, sounds like you're doing everything right. 3 thoughts: Did you weigh the wood? An ounce or two looks like not much but will, if everything's working right, provide plenty of smoke for a few pounds of food.

Are your vent holes open and draining? It's important to let some air in the bottom as well as to let out excess moisture. If you've foiled the bottom, make sure the drain hole is punched out and clear.

Did you check both meat temperature and cooker temperature?

My guess would be way too much humidity.

1. I weighed the wood using a digital scale !
I used 2.5 ounces for 5 pounds of sausage

2. Vent holes clear

3. I use a Polder internal meat thermometer

4. I can't check the interior temperature but the thermostat kicks on and off and the sausage got to 150 deg in about 2 1/2 hours when set to 160, so I guess it's working OK

5. I left the door about 1/16" ajar for the first hour at 110 deg. to allow the humidity to escape, (no smoke during this period, of course).

Let me emphasize that my biggest disappointment is the flavor. The smell and taste resemble what might be expected from sampling the remains of a forest fire or similar conflagration. Is this the traditional home smker flavor ??

Again, sounds like you're doing everything right. You can check the smoker interior temperature by poking your polder probe in a ball of foil and setting it on the rack. With your results, it's either right on or running a bit hot, because that seems a tiny bit fast.

I've successfully smoked several types of sausage using that same procedure (set to 100F, no smoke, door ajar until casings tacky, then raise temperature either gradually for large diameter or at once for smaller to 175F with around 3oz wood) with no excess smokiness. In fact, on Sunday I did a 2lb summer sausage in 3.5" casing that ideally could have been a bit smokier. I use clear fibrous casings and get a nice mahogany finished color. Results taste as good as from the locker plant.

Chops, chicken, pork roast should all come out nicely smoked with just a couple ounces wood. Sure seems strange. Hate to say it, but maybe you're the very rare guy who will need to take advantage of the return policy.

Are you using the Hickory & Beech separtly or together? The symptoms sound like too much wood but the weight quoted sure should work fine. Could try just 1oz. of Hickory and see how that taste? Never tried Beech wood before. Was the Smokette properly seasoned?

1. tjs, thanks for the great advice

2. elz56, I use them seperately and I seasoned the smokette per the instructions

Taking into considerations everything that's been suggested I will make up some sausages in the next day or two, and follow tjs's instructions to the 'T' and report back.

Thanks for all the help and advice.

I would really hate to take advantage of the return offer because there's really no other alternative in this price/quality range.

John,

I use very little hickory. I think that it gets bitter quickly. I like to cut it with apple, cherry, or oak. Humidity does seem high. Give it a chance, it takes a little getting used to. You'll be glad you did.

sure sounds to me like the wood is fowl. i run in to that same problem from time to time. i have learned to smell the wood before using. if it is too pungent, i discard it knowing the results. gotta be careful with purchased woods. the stuff i cut down myself has never given me problems, just the shipped in stuff.

I just don't understand leaving the door ajar. If you cook long enough at the right temp., the moisture will go right out the top with the smoke and gases. Trust your remote temp probe with it down the top hole.

I couldn't fathom why the door had to be left ajar either but it seemed to be S.O.P. so I tried it....

Anyone else have any experience/comments about keeping the door closed ??

I have had mixed results with sausage in my smokette. The door is kept slightly open at the beginning of the smoke so that the casings will dry. if the casings are the least ammount moist the smoke will not penetrate and your sausage will be ruined. He is doing exactly as he should with the door open.
The problem I see with the smokette is humidity. The "Sausage maker" style of smokers have what is called a "cooling draft" Which means that a certain amount of air is introduced into the smoker allowing the moist air to escape out the flue.Which dries and cooks the sausage. The cookshack is a very tight machine where humidity is locked inside, keeping our "Q" nice and moist.
John, What kind of cure are you using? Grey is a sign of improper cure or your cure not penetrating the meat. The nitrite should make your meat stay redish. Sausage is the most difficult thing I have ever smoked! I usually use my cookshack for "Q" and my homemade file cabinet smoker for the sausage. I would also suspect the wood. I have ruined some good meat with foul wood.

I ain't no exspurt. The door open a little does make sense as the CS can have an issue with getting rid of moisture. Not a bad thing just a feature to be aware of.

The only other thing I'd suggest is leave out the Beech one time use the minimum Hickory and see how you like it.

SmokinBubba...

I used pink Instacure #1 at the rate of 1 level tsp/5 lb per the instructions. The meat inside was pink but the outside was "grey". Hanging at room temp for 3-4 hours helped them bloom a bit browner but they still didn't look very nice.
Taking everyone's comments into consideration I'm starting to think that they may not have been dried anough and the smoke didn't take.
I will hang the next bunch at room temp for at least an hour before putting them in the smoker !
I plan to do another batch in the next few days and will report back as promised.

BTW, the first batch of sausage have hung for a week and now they're b-l-a-c-k !!!
Strangely, there are (as best as I can describe them) "dimpled puffs of fat" on the surface too.

They smell not too too bad and the insides look appealing but I can't bring myself to take a taste.

My hound approves though !

By smell, I mean the smoked smell....they smell fine otherwise !

Hope your dog's OK - what type and size of casing did you use?

I agree with the guys above on the door open deal. It just seems to dry out a lot better. Most recipes say to dry until the casings are "tacky" or have no surface moisture. Sometimes one side will get dry quicker, so it makes sense to check carefully.

I used the regular sized natural casings, (30 mm ??)

I have another load ready to go and will do them tomorrow.
This time I will really dry them and will report back how they turned out.

John,

You can go into your own posts and edit. Click on the link that looks like a notepad and pencil and you can delete or modify.

Smokin'

Maybe natural casings are more sensitive as to color - I most often use the man-made type. Hope they turn out for you next try.

I've had real good luck with maple also. Have quite a bit from chopping down a couple of big trees. Bet those maple bats are pretty - here they make the Sluggers out of ash.

Well..things are looking up !

I made a second batch (approx 10#) of naturally cased sausage with Instacure #1 and hung them for a couple of hours at room temperature.

I then placed them in my Smokette at 130 with the door about 1/4" ajar for an hour.
I felt them afterwards and they ranged from just about completely dry to rather bone dry.

I put in 2 oz of mid sized apple chips, (I weighed them and it was a surprising amount - it covered the bottom of the wood bin !).

I buttoned things up and dialed in 140 for an hour, then 150 for and hour, and finally 160 for about 1 3/4 hours until the Polder read 150.

There was smoke until the end and the wood chips were still intact afterwards, (not fully ash yet).

They came out looking very nice and smelled mild.
I put them in cold water for about 10 min and they're hanging for the evening to bloom.

So, all in all, the second attempt appears to have far better results. I think this was helped by;

1. Making sure the casings were r-e-a-l-l-y dry

2. Using a small amount of wood

3. Perhaps using apple instead of hickory or beech

4. Stepping up the temperature gradually

Thanks everyone for all your advice - you've all been great !

John