hey all! I need some suggestions on summer sausage

[kmart]

So I made a batch of summer sausage last night and put them in casings and fridged them over night. I'm smoking them now at about 160. I packed the casing super tight! When I insert a probe into the sausage to take a temp the fat comes shooting out like a rocket when I remove the probe. Is there any way around this? Am I doing something wrong? It's a 15# batch of elk hamburger. I used about 12.5# elk and 2.5# ground pork fat.

 

[dward51]

What is your pit temp?  It should not be fatting out at 160*. 

 

[kmart]

My pit temp is reading 163 at grate level. I am cooking on a big green egg using the coffee can method.

 

[driedstick]

Just wondering,,, how much water did you add?? 

DS

 

[kmart]

I added 12oz. Of water to the mix for a 15# batch. That's what the recipe I used called for. Maybe my thermometer is a little out of wacky cause it sure rendered most of the fat and shrunk away from the casings. Guess I'll just have to get my smoker finished so I won't have to worry about it!

 

[oregon smoker]

I added 12oz. Of water to the mix for a 15# batch. That's what the recipe I used called for. Maybe my thermometer is a little out of wacky cause it sure rendered most of the fat and shrunk away from the casings. Guess I'll just have to get my smoker finished so I won't have to worry about it!

I had the same results on a batch. I attributed to the temp spikes (hard to control propane smoker) so as I went back thru the temp readings it went from low basically to full on (highest was 230) and the part of raising temps in increments was out the window. it might be the SS cooked so fast that the fat/juice was pushed from the 160 temp to start. Just a thought, my 2 cents.

Keep On Smokin,

Tom