Going to try Venison SS this weekend

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skdvr

Fire Starter
Original poster
Nov 22, 2010
51
10
St Louis, MO
I've had my MES 40 for a few months now and have really enjoyed it.  Smoked a few chickens, ribs and of course fatties.  This weekend is our annual get together for making venison sausage and this is the first year I have had a smoker.  Previously we always just cooked it in the oven.  So I am looking for any tips that you can pass my way such as.

Is it better to hang them or lay them on the rack? 

If hanging, what is the best way to do it?  I was thinking of buying a dowel rod and putting it on the top rack support and hanging them from there.  If I would do that can I tie two together and droop them over the rod or is it bad if they are touching? 

Any suggestions on cooking times and temps?  I have a AMS on the way to me that should be here today, so I am excited to get to use that too.  So any suggestions you can throw at me for using that for SS is appreciated too.

Thanks

Phil
 
Sorry - one other set of questions. 

The SS does have a cure in it, so I assume that I can wait a day or two to smoke all of it?  The reason I ask, is because I do not think I will be able to get in all in the smoker at once.   As I said above we normally do it in the oven and it only takes a few hours per batch, I know that smoking it will take a lot longer so I just want to fingure out if I need to only keep here what I can smoke and send the rest with my buddies to bake or if I do not need to worry about it.

Just incase it matters the mix that we use is Cabelas brand SS mix.

Phil
 
Should not be a problem smoking them over a couple day time period.  I would recommend dowels and hanging them individually - I wouldn't have them touching.  Just get a couple extra dowels and you can fit just as much in the smoker at once.  There are plenty of threads on here about what temps and how long to smoke.  One thing you may want to think of doing to expedite the process is to get a good smoke on them over a 4 to 6 hour time period and finish them in a 180 degree water bath until they hit 155 - 160 internal temp.  Good luck.
 
Should not be a problem smoking them over a couple day time period.  I would recommend dowels and hanging them individually - I wouldn't have them touching.  Just get a couple extra dowels and you can fit just as much in the smoker at once.  There are plenty of threads on here about what temps and how long to smoke.  One thing you may want to think of doing to expedite the process is to get a good smoke on them over a 4 to 6 hour time period and finish them in a 180 degree water bath until they hit 155 - 160 internal temp.  Good luck.
Thanks for the info...  I appreciate it greatly!

Phil
 
I lay mine on the racks, but whichever way you think you can get the most in, without touching each other would be fine.

Laying them down will usually give them grid marks on one side, but I don't mind that.

And I don't see a problem, once they're cured, to spread the smoking over a couple days. I have waited 2 days because of weather one time.

Don't forget the Qview!

Bear
 
I lay mine on the racks, but whichever way you think you can get the most in, without touching each other would be fine.

Laying them down will usually give them grid marks on one side, but I don't mind that.

And I don't see a problem, once they're cured, to spread the smoking over a couple days. I have waited 2 days because of weather one time.

Don't forget the Qview!

Bear
Thanks Bear!  Do you think with the MES 40 that I could get more in laying down or hanging? 

Won't forget the Qview either.... 

Thanks again.

Phil
 
Thanks Bear!  Do you think with the MES 40 that I could get more in laying down or hanging? 

Won't forget the Qview either.... 

Thanks again.

Phil
I can, if I don't want them to touch each other:

Well, the best way I can explain why I lay it on racks is that I can control how they are laying better than I can control how they hang.

I can lay them real close to each other without them touching, but I can't do that as good if I hang them.

That could be just me, but that's why I do it.

Bear
 
I can, if I don't want them to touch each other:

Well, the best way I can explain why I lay it on racks is that I can control how they are laying better than I can control how they hang.

I can lay them real close to each other without them touching, but I can't do that as good if I hang them.

That could be just me, but that's why I do it.

Bear
Alright, thanks!  I went and bought dowel rods this afternoon so I will see which way I think I would like it better and give it a go.

I've got the grill going right now to put the AMS in to cook off the oil.  Can't wait for tomorrow!

Thanks to everyone for all the help. 

Phil
 
For the SS do I need to put any water in the water pan of my MES 40?  Did not know if it was necessary for SS, or if it would hurt anything if I did put water in the pan and it did not really need it?

Thanks

Phil
 
I dont use the water pan when I do my SS in my GOSM

I smoke for about 6 hrs @ 160 or so then finish in my slow roast over@ 180 til they reach 152* usually  takes a couple more hours

I hang them in my GOSM and can get 9 4-5# rolls in there at once
 
I use water in the pan....it will put humidity in the smoker. I hang my sticks from my racks with S hooks that I made from metal coat hangers with about an inch or so between the sticks so that they aren't touching.I use the loop on the casing to hang off of the S hook. I can get 25 #s of SS in my GOSM.

     Cabelas brand seasoning is probably made by PSeasoning. I use seasoning from them and have had excellent results. My SS is as good, if not better, then most processors in my area!

                      Good luck !!   Blza
 
For the SS do I need to put any water in the water pan of my MES 40?  Did not know if it was necessary for SS, or if it would hurt anything if I did put water in the pan and it did not really need it?

Thanks

Phil
It depends on how moist you want them, whether you put water in the pan or not (I usually don't), but never use your MES without the pan in it.

Also, if you do put water in, I wouldn't put it in until the surfaces of the SS are dry (usually an hour or so without smoke).

Bear
 
I decided not to use any water in the water pan.  I instead put my AMS in there.  It has been working AWESOME so far.  I am following the directions on the package for smoking and did 1 hour at 100* with no smoke, then 4 hours at 110* with smoke, then bump up to 170* until internal temp hits 156*.  I just bumped it up to 170 about 30 min or so ago.  So hopefully in a few hours they will be good to go. 

I probably will not get all the pics up tonight, but I did promise so if I do not get them up tonight I will get them up tomorrow either before work, or after work.

Thanks again everyone for all the help!

Phil
 
OK, so here is another question for you all...  I put the sausage in at 100* for one hour, then 110* for four hours and started the smoke at the same time.  After the four hour mark I bumped up the temp to 170* and 7 hours later the sausage was still sitting at 130*, so I bumped the temp up to 180*.  I got up 2.5 hours later and the sausage is still at 130* on both the probe from the MES and the kitchen thermometer.  Is this normal?

Just to recap

100 for one hour with no smoke

110 for Four hours with smoke (internal temp around 100)

170 for Seven hours with smoke (internal temp 130)

180 for Two and a Half hours (internal temp 130)

I'm going back to bed and going to get up in another 2.5 hours to check on it.  The smoke from the AMS has puttered out just some time not to long ago, and I was not planning on putting any more dust in it.  That thing ran for at least 12 hours with packed down hickory dust and burning at both ends.  I think that is probably long enough for the smoke.  If you all think I should put the smoke back on it to finish it up let me know and I will do that.  Thankfully my wife is home to finish these up, because I have a feeling that it is going to go into the time that I have to leave for work. 

Phil
 
OK, so here is another question for you all...  I put the sausage in at 100* for one hour, then 110* for four hours and started the smoke at the same time.  After the four hour mark I bumped up the temp to 170* and 7 hours later the sausage was still sitting at 130*, so I bumped the temp up to 180*.  I got up 2.5 hours later and the sausage is still at 130* on both the probe from the MES and the kitchen thermometer.  Is this normal?

Just to recap

100 for one hour with no smoke

110 for Four hours with smoke (internal temp around 100)

170 for Seven hours with smoke (internal temp 130)

180 for Two and a Half hours (internal temp 130)

I'm going back to bed and going to get up in another 2.5 hours to check on it.  The smoke from the AMS has puttered out just some time not to long ago, and I was not planning on putting any more dust in it.  That thing ran for at least 12 hours with packed down hickory dust and burning at both ends.  I think that is probably long enough for the smoke.  If you all think I should put the smoke back on it to finish it up let me know and I will do that.  Thankfully my wife is home to finish these up, because I have a feeling that it is going to go into the time that I have to leave for work. 

Phil
Phil,

There has to be something wrong with your thermometer.

If you have 180˚ in your smoker, it should be moving away from 130˚ at a pretty good pace.

I would substitute 130˚ for those first two phases (100˚ and 110˚), but that has nothing to do with your problem.

Something is definitely wrong in the thermometer readings.

And yes, you have more than enough smoke by now. How many times did you fill & light the AMNS? It should take less than 6 hours to burn out when lighting both ends.

Bear
 
Phil,

There has to be something wrong with your thermometer.

If you have 180˚ in your smoker, it should be moving away from 130˚ at a pretty good pace.

I would substitute 130˚ for those first two phases (100˚ and 110˚), but that has nothing to do with your problem.

Something is definitely wrong in the thermometer readings.

And yes, you have more than enough smoke by now. How many times did you fill & light the AMNS? It should take less than 6 hours to burn out when lighting both ends.

Bear
Bear, I am getting the same reading on two thermometers.  One digital kitchen thermometer and the thermo that comes with the MES.  I am going to go out there and pull the kitchen one and check it in some boiling water.  Sorry - I just realized that I made a mistake in my temps in my previous post.  The last temp should have read 136*.  I just went out and check them again and the kitchen thermo is reading 137* and it is in a sausage that is on the top shelf.  The MES thermo is reading 134* and it is in a sausage that is on the second shelf down.

I only filled the AMNS once.  It is the 6x8 and I filled it with roughly 3.5 cups of hickory dust.  Packed it down pretty tight and lit both ends.  I swear that I had smoke going for 12 hours out there.  Maybe there was not enough fresh air getting into the smoker to get it burning right?  My first time using it so I really do not know.  Seemed like a good TBS to me.

I was doing some searching on here this morning after I got up and found a few posts where people with 25# of SS where taking 20 - 24 hours to get to temp.

One more question while I'm at it.  The directions that came with the SS mix said to take the temp to 156* and most things that I have read on here seem to say 152*.  My wafe is going to be taking over for me on keeping an eye on them today when I go to work, and I told her to wait for 153* and as long as each one is at least there, then we should be good to go.

Thanks again for everything.

Phil
 
Bear, I am getting the same reading on two thermometers.  One digital kitchen thermometer and the thermo that comes with the MES.  I am going to go out there and pull the kitchen one and check it in some boiling water.  Sorry - I just realized that I made a mistake in my temps in my previous post.  The last temp should have read 136*.  I just went out and check them again and the kitchen thermo is reading 137* and it is in a sausage that is on the top shelf.  The MES thermo is reading 134* and it is in a sausage that is on the second shelf down.

I only filled the AMNS once.  It is the 6x8 and I filled it with roughly 3.5 cups of hickory dust.  Packed it down pretty tight and lit both ends.  I swear that I had smoke going for 12 hours out there.  Maybe there was not enough fresh air getting into the smoker to get it burning right?  My first time using it so I really do not know.  Seemed like a good TBS to me.

I was doing some searching on here this morning after I got up and found a few posts where people with 25# of SS where taking 20 - 24 hours to get to temp.

One more question while I'm at it.  The directions that came with the SS mix said to take the temp to 156* and most things that I have read on here seem to say 152*.  My wafe is going to be taking over for me on keeping an eye on them today when I go to work, and I told her to wait for 153* and as long as each one is at least there, then we should be good to go.

Thanks again for everything.

Phil
I believe 152˚ might be the absolute minimum.

I take mine to 160˚ to be sure, and it's always great. (Maybe one could be 152˚ at one end & 148˚ at the other end ?)

Last week I stuck each one, before I pulled them, and I think they ranged from 159˚ to 167˚ (if I remember correctly).

I seldom take more than 10 to 12 hours, but it doesn't hurt to go lower & slower, as long as it doesn't dry out too much.

You must have been getting a very low smoke. You can probably get the same amount of smoke, if you don't pack it quite as tight, and only light one end. IMO

Bear
 
Bear, I just checked the Thermometer and it hit 212* just after the water started boiling, so that seems to be working just fine.

When I opened up the smoker to get the thermometer probe out I noticed that the AMNS was still smoking a little.  Must have not had enough air flow for it because there is still just a small amount of unburned dust on the edges of each maze channel that are still smoldering a little.  Hopefully the SS will still have a good smoke flavor.

Phil
 
OK---I said there was a problem with the therms, when you said the SS was stuck at 130˚ while smoker was at 180˚.

It was good to check anyway.

As long as they keep moving up in temp, you'll get there.

I sometimes bump to 190˚ or 195˚ to encourage them to quit loitering & screwing around in my smoker!

Bear
 
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