Cold smoking

[surgem7]

I would like to cold smoke some fresh breakfast sausage and then freeze it. What is the maximum safe smoker temperature? How long at this temperature?

 

[dadwith4daughters]

I have smoked at 180. IMHO anything less then you'll need to use a cure (nitrite-Instacure #1) to avoid the bugs.

 

[hounds51]

According to Sausage Maker sausage mix, anything that gets smoked needs insta cure 1. I personally would play it safe and investigate there are good people who have lots of experiance here. My opinion is to cure if lower than 180, or more than 2 hours.

 

[bb53chevpro]

If you choose to cold smoke sausage (which temps should be below 100 degrees) you should cure it first. This is the safe thing to do. I cold smoke sausage for about 6 to 8 hrs, depending on the colour of the sausage at those times. I will also let bloom over night. If it is cool enough I will hang them in the garage or place in the fridge for this. Then package and freeze if desired.

Hope this helps.

 

[pineywoods]

If the sausage wasn't cured then I'd hot smoke it then just basically re-heat in a frying pan when ready to eat it.

 

[hog warden]

How about this for a general statement......you should assume botulism spores are always present on meat. They start producing toxins in a warm, moist oxygen free environment between temps of 40 and 140 degrees F. Pretty much the exact conditions you will get in any smoke attempt.

Those toxins are some of the most lethal poisons known to man. So......the rule is you don't smoke anything unless you put some nitrite in it. It doesn't cost much, is easy to add and other than changing color of cooked meat, you really won't know it's there. Why risk going without it? Said another way, don't cold or hot smoke anything without it! (hot smoking is not the same as grilling or even slow cooking at temps of 225 degrees F and up).

PS: I've been using light, steady smoke for 2 to 4 hours on my stuffed breakfast sausage. Apple or cherry wood. Like eating candy!

 

[jjrokkett]

I'm with Hog Warden...I cure anything I'm smoking. It's just better to have piece of mind!