Smokin fresh sausages

Powak

I'm about to smoke some fresh, uncured, pork and chicken sausages at the same time. For finish temp I'm thinking of pulling them both at 175-180ish? Sound about right?  I know pork and chicken finish at different times but when it comes to sausage it's nice to have them both well done with maybe a little crisp on the skin .

jtcBoynton

Crisp on the outside is fine but no reason to over cook the inside. I like my pork sausages to finish closer to 165°. 

gmac

Was just about to say 165 too. That's cooked. After that you're drying them out in my opinion. 

Powak

165ish sounds good too. I'll shoot for that

Powak

Chicken sausages be safe at 165 as well?

hondabbq

Your cooking these hot and fast right? Not smoking at a low temp?

If your slow smoking you will need cure.

johnkitchens

@Powak please, please, please, post pictures of this cook!

BGnogin

hondabbq said:

Your cooking these hot and fast right? Not smoking at a low temp?

If your slow smoking you will need cure.

Why would slow smoking need a cure?

I've cooked Italian sausage both high heat direct, high heat raised, and low and slow for 90 plus minutes indirect.  All have come out great.  
 

jtcBoynton

Powak said:

Chicken sausages be safe at 165 as well?

Yes

hondabbq

BGnogin said:

hondabbq said:

Your cooking these hot and fast right? Not smoking at a low temp?

If your slow smoking you will need cure.

Why would slow smoking need a cure?

I've cooked Italian sausage both high heat direct, high heat raised, and low and slow for 90 plus minutes indirect.  All have come out great.  
 

If you were cooking them above lets say 250F your fine. I was referencing a true smoke that starts at the 140 F range. If your doing yours at those lower temps consider your self lucky.

Spaightlabs

@hondabbq  - can you expound on this a bit since you do this professionally?

If it is ok to slow smoke a brisket for hours at low temps but not a sausage is it because it is ground meat and enclosed in a casing?

Thanks in advance.

hondabbq

Spaightlabs said:

@hondabbq  - can you expound on this a bit since you do this professionally?

If it is ok to slow smoke a brisket for hours at low temps but not a sausage is it because it is ground meat and enclosed in a casing?

Thanks in advance.

Well I don't make sausages for a living but I do work in a kitchen.

The low temps you and I are talking about are very different. your smoking a brisket ( a whole muscle meat) at as low as 225F.

I am talking about smoking kielbasa, snack sticks etc, at temps starting at 140F and that never goes above 180 F. The perfect environment for bacteria growth. Without the cure you run a big risk of creating a bacteria bomb that can cause sickness and or death.

Spaightlabs

Thank you sir.  So if making my own brats, etc. I can just add some instacure and then should be ok to smoke at 175ish, otherwise, cook them 250 or so.

I presume I'd be ok to just smoke boudin at 150 to 175 since the pork/liver/rice stuffing is all pre-cooked or would I need to add some instacure to that as well?

nolaegghead

I think the low and slow temps we use for brisket can safely be used for uncured sausage.  Cold smoking is a different story.  (a-maze-n-smoker for example).

Spaightlabs

Thank you nola.

hondabbq

Spaightlabs said:

Thank you sir.  So if making my own brats, etc. I can just add some instacure and then should be ok to smoke at 175ish, otherwise, cook them 250 or so.

I presume I'd be ok to just smoke boudin at 150 to 175 since the pork/liver/rice stuffing is all pre-cooked or would I need to add some instacure to that as well?

To me, that is still incorrect about the boudin. It is still heating up much to slowly st those temps. It's the same principle that it's not proper to reheat an insert of food in a Bain Marie. The temps in the insert dot get hot enough, fast enough and encourage bacteria growth. Bacteria can be interspersed with you Pork, liver, and rice in the casings and it's not just on the outside. Same principle as ground beef vs a steak. 

Cold smoking ing is done under 90F, smoking sausage etc is from 110-180 F. 

Spaightlabs

Thanks @hondabbq  I will do the traditional poach to heat them and will try the next batch with instacure so I can slow smoke them.

i appreciate your input and experience, as do my guests.