Question about laying flat instead of hanging

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hingeman

Newbie
Original poster
Jun 11, 2015
1
10
Hey guys I'm am just getting into smoking sausage for the first time.  I have smoked lots of other meats but this will be my first sausage go around.  I've read a lot about people who lay the sausage on the racks instead of hanging.  From what I've gathered the biggest problem with laying them flat is the grill marks and the sausage isn't perfectly round.  I really don't want to mess with hanging until I can get something set up in my Smoke Hollow smoker.  Would it work to put some aluminum foil on the racks before smoking to keep the sausage from getting the marks on them?  Would that not allow the smoke to penetrate the meat right?  Remember I'm a total novice here so be gentle!!!  Thanks
 
Well first off
welcome1.gif
 glad to have you aboard!!! I like to hang but you can lay flat, as Dirt said tin foil will hinder the smoke, you may have something at home to hang, anything will work, wood dowels or metal bar just metal bar make sure it it not painted and I like to wrap the bar with tin foil. 

this link may help you also. 

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/174140/sausage-rack-mes40-w-step-by-step

Good luck and let us know. 

DS 
 
 
Well first off
welcome1.gif
 glad to have you aboard!!! I like to hang but you can lay flat, as Dirt said tin foil will hinder the smoke, you may have something at home to hang, anything will work, wood dowels or metal bar just metal bar make sure it it not painted and I like to wrap the bar with tin foil. 

this link may help you also. 

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/174140/sausage-rack-mes40-w-step-by-step

Good luck and let us know. 

DS 
DS Thanks for the link I was just about to do it.
 
HM, I use wooden dowels for hanging and some stainless steel angle iron(1/4 inch by 1 inch) also .
 
Honestly I wouldn't worry about the marks and just go for it. Tim foil will hinder the smoke.
yeahthat.gif
 Yup---The marks don't hurt anything.

I lay mine on the racks, but mine don't have casings, so they can't be hung.

Don't let them touch each other. Where they touch won't get the color or smoke, just like foil would do.

Bear
 
Welcome to sausage making!! My concern about laying flat is that , along with impaired smoke penetration is : If the sausage is stuffed correctly , tightness , etc. , the spices , cure , moisture ,will stay spread through out the entire product. When laid flat , it tends to concentrate at its lowest points.With some products this is ok , like semi dried german style flat Landjeager.

  The hangers do not need to be fancy. Stout , yes , fancy no. And keep the product separated while smoking.

 My choice for hangers are short  , stout sticks of  a good smoking wood , That will enhance the flavor. Good luck and you have started out on the right foot by asking these knowledgable  SMs on this site. Weisswurst
 
You may be over thinking this a bit. Do you honestly think that the cure & moisture & spice will really concentrate to the lowest point of the sausage if it's laid flat?  If that is such an issue, then would you not think that the same would happen if sausage was hung.  Everything would concentrate at the lowest point of the sausage. Or does gravity work different for laid flat sausage as opposed to hung sausage?
 
 
Welcome to sausage making!! My concern about laying flat is that , along with impaired smoke penetration is : If the sausage is stuffed correctly , tightness , etc. , the spices , cure , moisture ,will stay spread through out the entire product. When laid flat , it tends to concentrate at its lowest points.With some products this is ok , like semi dried german style flat Landjeager.

  The hangers do not need to be fancy. Stout , yes , fancy no. And keep the product separated while smoking.

 My choice for hangers are short  , stout sticks of  a good smoking wood , That will enhance the flavor. Good luck and you have started out on the right foot by asking these knowledgable  SMs on this site. Weisswurst
I can say from recent experience that this does not happen

 
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