# Questions about smoking fresh sausage



## bigorangesmoker

I am going to smoke a pork butt on Friday so I decided I also want to try some fresh sausage. I have never smoked sausage before. I live in Central Florida so I will buy some fresh sausage at my local Publix supermarket. I have no idea how long it should take to smoke the sausage. I average about 240-250 degrees on my GOSM. Do I smoke to temperature like most things or to time like ribs? I am really looking forward to throwing the sausage on the smoker while the butt is on there, but I have no real clue as to what to do in regards to temperature or time. Thanks!


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## mossymo

I would advise not to because store bought sausage most likely does not have a cure in it for smoking safely. I would only do it if you were going to eat it right away afterwards and get the sausage from 40º to 140º in 4 hours or less. You could put a few hours of smoke on them, then grill for eating though.


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## bigorangesmoker

I am planning on eating it right away. We are having family over so there are plenty of mouths to feed. I have grilled the fresh sausage before and it turned out fine. I just haven't ever done it low and slow.


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## fpnmf

Smoke it at 250 til it hits 160 IT.. 

It shouldn't take more than a couple hours at most.

  Craig


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## BGKYSmoker

What fp said

Dont play around with low temp sausage smoking if its not with cure added.

OR

If you have a stuffer, cure #1 and some casings but not enough time to grind your own.

Then why not get fresh store bought, de case it and mix in the cure and re stuff.  REMEMBER 1 level tsp cure #1 per every 5 lbs of meat.

Presto

Cured store bought sausage ready for low smoke.


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## venture

What everyone has told you.  Hot smoke to temp.  Only cold smoke or low temp smoke when you have cured the meat.

Good luck and good smoking.


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## bigorangesmoker

Thanks, guys. I will check with the butchers at Publix to see if there is cure in the sausage. If not, I will grab some Johnsonville and throw it on the smoker. Or maybe I will just grill the fresh sausage, then throw it on the smoker.


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## bmudd14474

BigOrangeSmoker said:


> Thanks, guys. I will check with the butchers at Publix to see if there is cure in the sausage. If not, I will grab some Johnsonville and throw it on the smoker. Or maybe I will just grill the fresh sausage, then throw it on the smoker.




If your hot smoking it as long as it gets to temp in less than 4 hours you are fine and given how small they are I do not see it taking that long. If your nervous about it then smoke for a hour and finish on a hot grill to crisp the skin up.


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## bigorangesmoker

Thanks so much for all the information! One more question ... whether I grill and/or smoke or just smoke the sausage, at what temperature is it done?


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## venture

This depends on the type of sausage.  A store bought sausage should be treated as a fresh sausage and cooked to guidelines depending on the contents.  Cured sausage falls under slightly different guidlines, but you will get to that later.  For now, you will find a lot of good information here.  Be sure to read it all before you decide exactly what you are dealing with:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Sausage_and_Food_Safety/index.asp

Good luck and good smoking.


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## realtorterry

bmudd14474 said:


> If your hot smoking it as long as it gets to temp in less than 4 hours you are fine and given how small they are I do not see it taking that long. If your nervous about it then smoke for a hour and finish on a hot grill to crisp the skin up.


I've done it the same way with no problems, fresh, patties, johnsonvilles, breakfast. If it's a fresh sausage you should have a problem!


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## Bearcarver

Most of the replies are right on.

It won't take long for fresh sausage to get done at 240˚, so if it was me, I'd wait until you foil your butt at about 165˚-170˚. Then I'd throw the sausage in. I'd pull the sausage after getting it to at least 160˚ internal temp.

Bear


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## bigorangesmoker

Thanks a million, guys. I knew I could get the answers I needed here. Great place!


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## boykjo

dont forget the qveiw and maybe even some bear-veiw.......
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





joe


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## SmokinAl

Good luck!


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## tar baby

Ok... First post here, so be nice....  I'm about to get into the smoking business for my own enjoyment, but for now I have a question about something that happened when I went home with some sausage we stuck in the smoker.  I figured this would be a good troubleshooting thread to throw it in...

My parents have an electric smoker... Smoking Joe or whatever the hell it's called... It's just a small one where you put a wood chip pan in the bottom or something... You all probably know the type better than me... so forgive me.

They've had good luck smoking a number of different meats/cuts - pulled pork, ribs.., but this particular day they brought home some fresh sausage (not cured) and put it in the smoker to see what happened. 

I'll have to check with the specifics of the heat/time et al... But it wasn't very long (Less than 1-2 hrs) at all even if it was on high (the thing has a lo/med/high) switch... When he took it out.. I think he waited until it was 160 (was a pork sausage)... we cut into it and it was some of the dryest most crumbly stuff I've ever had.  It was the first time they had smoked a sausage, but I can't imagine that's how it's supposed to turn out and am curious as to whether or not you may have any insight into what happened?

Did the fat drain out? Can you prevent that? They weren't tied links, but a 1 lb rolled cut of sausage with open ends. 

Anyways... Any answers you may be able to provide would be very welcome!!

Look forward to becoming part of the forums


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## alblancher

One hour to 160 is pretty fast even for fresh sausage.  Did the fat drain out? I don't know was there a lot of greasy stuff in the bottom of the smoker.?

Have you used this sausage before and been happy with it?  How did the direction say to prepare it.  I have some chaurice here that if I don't cook it in beer or water it comes out pretty crumbly so it may just be the style of sausage.

You can start a new thread, introduce yourself a bit and ask the question again.  Its not uncommon that  once a member answers a question in the thread they don't revisit the thread so you may get more replies by beginning your own thread.

Welcome to SMF

Al


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## venture

Rolled sausage is a totally different animal.  That is basically bulk sausage that is meant to be made into patties and fried.  All the advice here has been about stuffed sausage.  Think Johnsonville brats.  Fresh stuffed sausages like these need to be hot smoked.  That means 220 to 250 pit temps.  They need to be cooked to 160-165 internal temps.  That usually takes about 1 1/2 hours or a little more.  We do not cook to time, we cook to internal temp.  Do not try this with rolled or other forms of bulk sausage.  That is a completely different animal.

Good luck and good smoking.


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## SmokinAl

Sounds like Venture hit the nail on the head.


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## tar baby

Thanks so much for the replies!

I'm sure I'll be back here on the forums when I finish reading all the stickies and get my own setup started and going.


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## flash

Love some smoke sausage. Especially when it is not overdone.


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## exhaustedspark

You can smoke fresh sausage for 10 to 15 minutes according to the makers of the little chief smoker. However you must then cook up like you regularly would. I have done this and there is no risk however after i cooked up the sausage i really could not tell it was smoked.. Keep in mind i smoke my cheese with 4 or 5 pans of chips. I love smoke.

As was said earlier if you grill it like hamburger or hot dogs and then put some wood on

the Heat source that tastes good.

You could also add some Liquid smoke to the sausage mix. That's good to.

Karl


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## boykjo

looks great....................
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Joe


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## BGKYSmoker

You can take bulk style sausage IE: Jimmy Deans and the sort and make some decent smoked sausage. You can take 1/8 tsp cure #1 and mix into the meat. Dont add anything else like stuff with salt because it will dry out. Reform into a fatty or stuff into casings. Smoke with a heat of 150* check IT of meat after 2 hours. Bump heat to 170...check IT again. Try not to go above 170. The constant temp of your smoker will depend on if you have a good controller. If you cant keep the temp at 170 open the vent or even get small 1/4" wood dowels and put them across the smoker and put the top on the dowels. This will keep the temp close to 170. If you go to 175 just keep an eye on it so you dont fat-out.

Dont worry about taking the meat to 155. Pull the meat from smoker when you have an IT of 149-150, cover with clear wrap and it will IT on its own.

Ok back to me corner.


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## venture

X2 on Nepas.  Note carefully his use of cure.

Good luck and good smoking.


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## skipdiggidy

mossymo said:


> I would advise not to because store bought sausage most likely does not have a cure in it for smoking safely. I would only do it if you were going to eat it right away afterwards and get the sausage from 40º to 140º in 4 hours or less. You could put a few hours of smoke on them, then grill for eating though.


Has anyone put cure in fresh sausage (chorizo)before stuffing,then smoked it?


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## daveomak

I always add cure #1 to any type sausage I smoke... You usually only get botulism once...  I add cure at the rate of 1 tsp per 5#'s of meat or 1.13 grams per pound...  those are the same/equal additions...


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## skipdiggidy

I appreciate your response, I'm pretty good with adding cure to sausage that is normally smoked, I was just curious if anybody has ever done it and the outcome,chorizo is not normally smoke,is it?


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## biaviian

I smoke store-bought sausages once in a while.  Now, I get mine at a local butcher where I know the meat is of great quality.  My only issue is the toughening of the casing.


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## daveomak

biaviian said:


> I smoke store-bought sausages once in a while.  Now, I get mine at a local butcher where I know the meat is of great quality.  My only issue is the toughening of the casing.



To alleviate the tough casing, use a small tin of water in the smoker to add moisture to  prevent the casing from "case hardening"...   I use a tuna can with a bit of water in it....
Check with the butcher to make sure there is cure #1 in the meat...


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## biaviian

daveomak said:


> To alleviate the tough casing, use a small tin of water in the smoker to add moisture to  prevent the casing from "case hardening"...   I use a tuna can with a bit of water in it....
> Check with the butcher to make sure there is cure #1 in the meat...



I will certainly try that.  This sausage is fresh, made the day before I smoke it so no cure.


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## chopsaw

skipdiggidy said:


> I appreciate your response, I'm pretty good with adding cure to sausage that is normally smoked, I was just curious if anybody has ever done it and the outcome,chorizo is not normally smoke,is it?[/QUOTE
> 
> Spanish Chorizo is cured and sometimes smoked . Mexican chorizo is a fresh sausage .


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