Question about smoking/cooking summer sausage in collagen casing

[DougE]

151~152° is as far as I go with sausage ......... fat out, as mentioned is the result of running the IT too high (can also happen running too high temps in smoker) and rendering the fat out of the meat. The result is a dry grainy sausage with fat deposits between the meat and casing.

 

[kilohertz]

Ok shutting down and letting them cool in the smoker for a while then I can hang them in the house

Thanks!

PS I noticed a little oil on the surface of my first batch of sticks after I peeled the casing off. Maybe I’ll start pulling them at 150°

 

[DougE]

cold water/ice bath right off the heat to stop cooking, then hang to dry off and bloom.

 

[DougE]

This is an example of fat out. I still ate them, but they were less than ideal.

 

[kilohertz]

Well, shoot, I’ll know next time for the ice bath, they’re already hanging and tucked into bed. Here’s a picture of them on the rack, I didn’t see any oil on the surface of the casing. I’ll find out tomorrow morning.

Lessons learned this go round, use larger casing, shorter links, ice bath at the end, don’t set the smoker higher than 160°. I’m sure I missed something but I’ll figure it out tomorrow.

Thanks for all of your help.

Cheers

 

[DougE]

The cold water bath also helps prevent wrinkled casings.

 

[kilohertz]

I guess 30 minutes later is too late for this batch?

 

[DougE]

Some kielbaba I did in collagen casings (wife don't like natural casings so I run some for her that I peel).

This is what you want to see when you cut one.

 

[kilohertz]

Very nice. I have a feeling mine will be over done...I'll cut one in the morning.

Should probably plan for another batch this weekend...I sure am having fun with all this smoking, bacon, brisket, sausage, ribs etc.

cheers

 

[DougE]

Very nice. I have a feeling mine will be over done...I'll cut one in the morning.

Should probably plan for another batch this weekend...I sure am having fun with all this smoking, bacon, brisket, sausage, ribs etc.

cheers

It's all fun, and screw ups still happen, but most of mine have still been edible.

 

[tallbm]

Very nice. I have a feeling mine will be over done...I'll cut one in the morning.

Should probably plan for another batch this weekend...I sure am having fun with all this smoking, bacon, brisket, sausage, ribs etc.

cheers

They looked good to me!

I think you can safely walk the smoker temp up to 165F. I say this because a lot of time I find meat in the smoker wants to hang around 15F degrees lower than the smoker temp. So if you stop at 160F you may have a longer time than necessary to get the sausage IT up to 150-152F temp.
I've run the smoker temp a bit higher for specific reasons so it CAN be done but I don't recommend going over 165F unless you have some specific food safety reasons for doing so.

Also congrats on dialing in the PID programming! Sounds like you are set :D

And yeah I agree whole heartedly with DougE screw ups happen, and like him, most of min were completely edible and enjoyable. Even if I knew they would get way better next time :D

 

[zwiller]

It's all fun, and screw ups still happen, but most of mine have still been edible.

Edible is SUCCESS in my book. It will be sorta wild and crazy in the beginning but it WILL get easier and better. Then eventually you make something that is as good or better than you wanted and then you be hooked! Mistakes happen but come rarer after awhile.

 

[DougE]

I find meat in the smoker wants to hang around 15F degrees lower than the smoker temp. So if you stop at 160F you may have a longer time than necessary to get the sausage IT up to 150-152F temp.

Yeah, there is a 15~20° lag between rack temp and meat temp.

Edible is SUCCESS in my book. It will be sorta wild and crazy in the beginning but it WILL get easier and better. Then eventually you make something that is as good or better than you wanted and then you be hooked! Mistakes happen but come rarer after awhile.

Yeah, most sausages I make now exceed my expectations, but there is still a flop here and there. Mostly because I screwed up somewhere in the process.

 

[JckDanls 07]

Mostly because I screwed up somewhere in the process.

As in my case... Trying something different

 

[kilohertz]

SUCCESS!

I sliced a piece off one end and it looks awesome and tastes the same, very pleased with how it turned out. My only complaint is the collagen casing, a little tough to chew, and also difficult to peel off, some came off easily, then a section stuck to the casing. Maybe the ice bath will help with that?? No fat out that I can detect.

What's the best way to store this now? I assume it should be in the fridge and will last a few weeks? I used .25% cure #1.

Thanks again for all the help.

I went to my local grocer today and he gave me a few pounds of pork fat right off a few shoulders he was trimming, cool. Chorizo is next, need to order hog casings.

Cheers

 

[DougE]

Vac seal and freeze what you don't think will be eaten in a week or so.

 

[tallbm]

SUCCESS!

I sliced a piece off one end and it looks awesome and tastes the same, very pleased with how it turned out. My only complaint is the collagen casing, a little tough to chew, and also difficult to peel off, some came off easily, then a section stuck to the casing. Maybe the ice bath will help with that?? No fat out that I can detect.

What's the best way to store this now? I assume it should be in the fridge and will last a few weeks? I used .25% cure #1.

Thanks again for all the help.

I went to my local grocer today and he gave me a few pounds of pork fat right off a few shoulders he was trimming, cool. Chorizo is next, need to order hog casings.

Cheers

View attachment 671599

That looks fantastic to me!
I agree with DougE keep out what you will eat in a weeks time. Vac seal and freeze the rest and repeat with each defrosted pack.

A tip on buying and using natural casings. Buy a hank's worth either in a tub of solution or on a plastic strip.
It's my understanding that the little plastic pack (home pack) is all the ends and oddballs that don't make the grade of going into a hank container or offering.
Also boykjo has a really amazing post on how to prep your casings so they are super easy to work with and won't bust.
Long story short on the prep, soak them for like 7 days before using them in clean water and change the water every few days.
The casings will be silky and smooth and wont bust.
Do this over the instructions on the pack itself, you will save yourself some MAJOR headache :D