"Cooking" Polish Sausage in the smoker?

[tender loins]

Sorry, I'm not making sausage so put this here instead of there. I thought I asked about this once before but did a search and can't find anything.

I'm making a boneless rib roast tomorrow but also have the duty of making a couple fresh Polish sausage ropes too. I bought them at the local butcher's. We usually just boil them, my Mom likes the "fresh" a little better than the smoked.

The roasts usually take me only a few hours at around 225 or so. Can I skip boiling the Polish sausage and throw them in the smoker?

At 225 or so, how long will they take to "cook" and if a short time, how fresh/smoked would they be? If it matters, I will be using a "Beef Blend" of wood chips (oak, hickory & mesquite) plus some pecan.

Or should I just boil them? Everything will be consumed FRI-SAT.

Thanks for any help.

 

[werdwolf]

If you throw them on at that temp, you will render a lot of the fat. they may turn out to dry. usually smoke them at lower temps to an internal of 155-165 depnding on who you talk with.

I am not sure how they would turn out at that higher temp, someone will be along shortly, but I would definitely worry about the above drying issue.

 

[reeko]

If it doesn't have cure, don't slow cook it.
Cooking at 225 should be OK.

 

[csmith2884]

Think I would try a half and half thing...smoke half the time then drop in a loaf pan with boiling beer on the smoker ...I like my sausages in the hot tub..so they don't dry out.

Just an idea, let us all know how they come out.

 

[tender loins]

Thanks, please keep the suggestions coming.I'd assume it does NOT have cure since it just gets cooked or boiled. Doing a search on cooking it, most boil or poach or braise in a skillet and cover it to cook through, often until most of the water evaporates. Some suggest boiling or braising, then grilling or pan browning to finish.FRESH Polish sausage = raw, without cures or smoke spices, and often with marjoram in it. When boiled, it comes out a light grey color.

 

[tender loins]

Any other ideas, please post! I'm putting the boneless prime rib roast in now. Thanks.

 

[chisoxjim]

I smoke fresh kilbasa all the time, about an hour and a half or until 160 internal.

 

[scpatterson]

I almost always throw on some sort of sausage when I cook just so I can ahve something to eat in about 1.5 to 2 hours...Throw it on the smoker and go for it..To me its the best way to have them. I like them cooked in beer too but it doesnt compare to the smoker.......COOK EM UP

 

[richtee]

Uncured sausage must be brought to 165°F internal temp. (USDA) Given the sausage size and your smoking temps, plan on 1.5 - 2 hours. If done early, wrap and "cooler"- they will hold an hour easy. Or put on early, chill and grill 15 min before the beef is served.

 

[blue]

I smoke my fresh sausage at 225 for however long it takes to get them to 265. It usually takes a good 2 hours. Fry up some onions and peppers in a skillet, load it all on a roll or bun and you got yourself a feast!

 

[scpatterson]

TYPO Im assuming.....I think he meant 165

 

[tender loins]

Thanks everybody for the ideas!

I kept it simple, matter of fact I almost forgot about the sausage. The boneless rib roast was up to about 100 degrees before I remembered the sausage; I put it in for about 90 minutes total, about an hour at 225 and after removing the roast I bumped it up to 260.

I didn't use a thermo, I had it in the roast instead and took the roast out at 125 (this brand ribeye roast is a free range type, I think from Australia, and they recommend 25-30% less cooking time & NINETY degrees for rare and 130 for medium, so I pulled it at 125 and tented it inside and it went up to 135 indoors. It was more like a reddish medium rare. This brand roast usually only takes about 2.5 hours at 225F.)

The sausage WAS THE BEST I EVER ATE! We generally like fresh Polish sausage (which is usually grey when cooked) because of the skin casing thickness (very, very thin, as opposed to smoked Polish sausage, which seems thicker) and the garlicky aroma. When you boil it the whole house smells of it all day long. I usually boil it and then refrigerate and eat cold but ate this one hot from the smoker.

This sausage was VERY juicy inside, most of the pink was gone but NOT white or overdone. It had a smokey aroma & taste but nothing like smoked kielbasa! The outside was slightly browned, but not dark shoe polish brown like smoked kielbasa. I went by feel & firmness. I ended up using Reichlen's (BBQ University) blend for beef which contains oak, hickory & mesquite, plus added a handful of cherry to the blend.

I wish I would have done both ropes, I loved the taste of this so much! Maybe the butcher is open tomorrow & I'll go get a couple more ropes.

 

[chefrob]

sound killer!

 

[mballi3011]

I would do like csmith said and do them half an half so boi some in beer and then throw some in the smoker too. So give it a try and then postsome Qview for us. Please

 

[tender loins]

So you're saying to try boiling it in beer and THEN put it in the smoker?

Isn't that a waste of good beer?

Also, about times:

If you boil it, even in just water, (212F), for 45-60 minutes, if you already have the smoker up to 225F when you put it in (or even 250F), shouldn't it take the same or less time than boiling because of the higher temps?

 

[scpatterson]

Yur over engineering this a bit

...
Just boil half as you always do.
Throw half on the smoker for 2 hours
Throw 2 of the ones you boiled in the beer on the smoker for 15 minutes to crisp up the outside.

You can always cool the beer and drink it if you want...

 

[tender loins]

OK, I bought 2 more "ropes" today, so I have 3 now. I was contemplating whether to do them now or before the football game tomorrow. It's 32 outside and have to run an extension cord everytime I fire up the smoker, which means can't close the door all the way to keep the heat in the house. The things I have to go through to smoke anything, especially during Winter!

If I find the battery charger for the camera I'll do Q-view if I have enough time.

 

[tender loins]

Hi everybody. Since I did Polish Sausage in the smoker, I skipped the boiling part. I buy "fresh" Polish sausage and smoke it, it's much better than buying "Smoked Polish Sausage."

I've done it again a couple more times but NOW I'm looking for opinions on WOOD. I have Hickory, Pecan, Cherry, a "beef blend" of hickory/mesquite/oak, and I also have apple pellets.

I usually use a blend of hickory/pecan but am looking for suggestions. I'm ready to smoke, it's almost 230 in the smoker and 85 in Buffalo, NY on April 3rd, 25+ degrees above normal! (Hi Wind Warning just flashed though, 50+mph tonite thru midnight, cold front coming thru...

)

Thanks!