What Kind of Sausages do you Smoke?

YYZegger

I smoked some hot Italian sausages on the weekend in my LBGE, 250 degrees approximately 1h 45min until 160 degrees internal temp.  They looked really good, but tasted too smokey.  Used lump with some Cherry chunks.  The family didn't really like them, and neither did I.  
While visiting the great state of Texas for some work, I sampled a lot of BBQ in Austin, and found the sausages to be quite excellent.  What kind of sausage should I be using ?   Thanks!

Thatgrimguy

Conecuh. There is no other.

fishlessman

keilbasa is usually smoked here. i normally grill sausages and hit them with a bbq sauce at the end, it wipes off that bitter smoke, when smoking fresh sausages i see folks splash them afterwards in ice water to keep them from pruning, then onto a hot grill or pan

johnkitchens

We like Italian sausage, but we also really like Roger Wood Lumberjack Sausage.  

northGAcock

I love some of the sausages that The Fresh Market produces. I don't have a large set of options for purchasing fresh (uncooked linkage. Chorizo, Italian, Kielbasa....they make it....I cook it. My favorite however is an onion sausage I can find locally at a butcher shop. Unfortunately, it is not located in a convenient spot for me. But will make the trip for special occasions.

Ladeback69

I usually do kielbasa, one spicy and one regular.  I smoke them about 225 to 250 for 2 hours or so with apple wood.  I get my sausage from a local sausage butcher, called the Krizman's Sausage in Kansas City, KS.

http://www.krizmansausage.com/

johnkitchens

We like Italian sausage, but we also really like Roger Wood Lumberjack Sausage.  

hondabbq

I make my own sausages and have smoked kielbasa, polish, jalapeno an cheddar, Italian, chorizo, teriyaki, and summer sausage. That is just the ones that I have smoked. I have made many other ones. Love it.

gdenby

I usually don't smoke sausages, I grill them. But I've noticed that milder sausages can be overwhelmed by smoke. There's a place in town that sells their own Polish w/o garlic. Its sort of considered "wedding sausage," w the flavor of marjoram. Not good from the Egg. Can't taste much of anything but the smoke.

I also wonder if sausage in casing takes more smoke. I've tried making my own fresh sausage, hand formed into patties, or cylinders, and they don't seem to me to be too smokey. Likewise, even simple "fatties" using Jimmy Dean regular sausage are fine. Perhaps having the fat render out washes away some of the smoke that would stick to casings.

tonyled

i buy mine from kreuz's market.  they melt in your mouth!

aukerns08

We do our own family recipe on Italian Sausage and I smoke them occasionally. Usually we just grill them.  The one thing about smoked sausage I've picked up from watching some of Aaron Franklin's videos is that he's always talking about how the sausage is precooked and he's just putting it on the smoker for a short time to heat it up, give it some smoke, and get the fat inside nice and hot to help out the casings. 

Spydermunky

Ladeback69 said:

I usually do kielbasa, one spicy and one regular.  I smoke them about 225 to 250 for 2 hours or so with apple wood.  I get my sausage from a local sausage butcher, called the Krizman's Sausage in Kansas City, KS.

http://www.krizmansausage.com/

I used to work at the federal courthouse at 5th and State (nice area) and we would go to Krizman's for lunch all the time.  I buy their kielbasa every time family is in town.  One of my favorite KC spots.

fishlessman

gdenby said:

I usually don't smoke sausages, I grill them. But I've noticed that milder sausages can be overwhelmed by smoke. There's a place in town that sells their own Polish w/o garlic. Its sort of considered "wedding sausage," w the flavor of marjoram. Not good from the Egg. Can't taste much of anything but the smoke.

I also wonder if sausage in casing takes more smoke. I've tried making my own fresh sausage, hand formed into patties, or cylinders, and they don't seem to me to be too smokey. Likewise, even simple "fatties" using Jimmy Dean regular sausage are fine. Perhaps having the fat render out washes away some of the smoke that would stick to casings.

it takes on alot of smoke and thats one reason they waterbath smoked sausages, if you smoke over 160 degrees egg temp you lose the tasty fat as well and they shrivel, its why grilling works well with fresh sausage (shorter time in the smoke, less fat loss during the cook). if you want them smoked, 160 grill temp, smoke til low 150's internal, and most smoked sausage has curing salts, thats why smoked keibasi and summer sausage is pink

Ladeback69

fishlessman said:

gdenby said:

I usually don't smoke sausages, I grill them. But I've noticed that milder sausages can be overwhelmed by smoke. There's a place in town that sells their own Polish w/o garlic. Its sort of considered "wedding sausage," w the flavor of marjoram. Not good from the Egg. Can't taste much of anything but the smoke.

I also wonder if sausage in casing takes more smoke. I've tried making my own fresh sausage, hand formed into patties, or cylinders, and they don't seem to me to be too smokey. Likewise, even simple "fatties" using Jimmy Dean regular sausage are fine. Perhaps having the fat render out washes away some of the smoke that would stick to casings.

it takes on alot of smoke and thats one reason they waterbath smoked sausages, if you smoke over 160 degrees egg temp you lose the tasty fat as well and they shrivel, its why grilling works well with fresh sausage (shorter time in the smoke, less fat loss during the cook). if you want them smoked, 160 grill temp, smoke til low 150's internal, and most smoked sausage has curing salts, thats why smoked keibasi and summer sausage is pink

I have never had a problem with mine shriveling up when smoking at 225 or so.  I smoked these for 2 hours or so at 225-250 and they were awesome. I have thought of trying to smoke lower, but I have never been able to keep my XL below 200 for a long time.

AintEZbeingme

Several good butchers w/in 30 minutes or less. I like variety: smoked or fresh: mild, med,hot, jalapeno/cheese. Just whatever in the mood for at the time. I know this is sausage thread, but one market makes hot dogs out of boston butts. KILLER

DoubleEgger

Cajun Meat Market in Marietta has killer sausage for the metro Atlanta eggers. Hand made on site. 

mahenryak

I cook quite a bit of the mild Italian sausage that Costco sells.  I don't cook them low and slow, though, like the OP described.  I'm in a habit of just grilling them (either on the lg Egg or the KJ Jr) at around 350-375 indirect and then maybe finishing them over some direct heat quickly at the end if I feel like it.

YYZegger

Thanks Everyone for your input, much appreciated.  I think i'll try some other variety's for my next smoke.  My personal experience is that the casing of the sausage absorbed all of the smoke and not the inside of the sausage.  Maybe its the casing on these particular ones?  I know these were real casings, not the synthetic ones.  Who knows, Ill keep trying other things to smoke!

Foghorn

tonyled said:

i buy mine from kreuz's market.  they melt in your mouth!

@tonyled speaks the truth.

My other favorite is Johnsonville Original brats.  They are not pre-cooked/smoked.  I usually overcook them slightly at 275-300 as I usually leave them on until one starts to whistle with the sound of a small whole in the casing.  At that point it is obvious that they are done.  I am still working on consistently identifying them as "done" before I reach that point.  It has happened but is not my norm. 

cookn biker

Home made sausages only.

tonyled

@tonyled speaks the truth.

My other favorite is Johnsonville Original brats.  They are not pre-cooked/smoked.  I usually overcook them slightly at 275-300 as I usually leave them on until one starts to whistle with the sound of a small whole in the casing.  At that point it is obvious that they are done.  I am still working on consistently identifying them as "done" before I reach that point.  It has happened but is not my norm. 

boil them in beer and onions first.  game changer!  when they are finished on the grill throw them back in the beer/onion mixture and keep them on low heat on the stovetop until ready to eat

mahenryak

@tonyled how long would you guess that you boil them for before finishing on grill?

NPHuskerFL

Pretty much any sausage or brat here but, definitely prefer homemade over mass produced. Cherry chunks can be good but, if ya go crazy it can be overpowering. Lump selection can make a world of difference too. And as always make sure you have good smoke before placing product onto the grid.

tonyled

mahenryak said:

@tonyled how long would you guess that you boil them for before finishing on grill?

you cant boil them too long. i actually bring them to a boil then put them on simmer until they look  like ticks ready to pop.  then they are ready for the grill.  i also poke holes with a fork about 4 times on each side of the brat so they can soak up more beer.  there is an argument over whether this helps or not and i can assure you i have had zero complaints with the holes.  also, to save some time i buy a bag of frozen diced onions from the grocer to speed up the process.

mahenryak

^^thank you^^

tonyled

no problem.  a friend of mine taught me how to make them and he is a native green bayer.  i have made a game out of finding the nastiest cheap beer i can to make them with and none have affected the flavor.  i typically grab a 6 pack of stove pipe natural light, keystone, white label with the word beer, etc . . . lol  they are by far my most requested item on the grill

mahenryak

tonyled said:

no problem.  a friend of mine taught me how to make them and he is a native green bayer.  i have made a game out of finding the nastiest cheap beer i can to make them with and none have affected the flavor.  i typically grab a 6 pack of stove pipe natural light, keystone, white label with the word beer, etc . . . lol  they are by far my most requested item on the grill

Nice!  (lol regarding white label beer)

YYZegger

Thanks guys!  Lots of good advise as usual!  Maybe I'm using too much chunks of Cherry, I have been putting 4 or 5 (child size fists) not adult size fists in with my smokes.  Didn't seem to bother the ribs or butts I have done?  

Sammi

@YYZegger, Hogtown? Just wondering. 

Griffin

You really need to be careful if you are trying to smoke fresh uncooked sausage. You can really get sick ie botulism if you don't know what you are doing. Too  long at low temps in the danger zone =not good.

Most people either smoke pre-cooked sausage or grill fresh sausage.

That being said, we went through a period of making our own sausage. Our favorite was venison jalepeno cheese.

xiphoid007

Personally I don't see a need for low and slow. Hot and fast would seem to work just fine. Would be hard to over smoke then. Also make sure you have the thin blue smoke versus thick white smoke. Thick white smoke is acrid and bitter. Beware poultry sausages too. Poultry over smokes easily.