# Propane Smoker for Sausage?



## db5000 (Apr 4, 2018)

We are considering purchasing a smoker, and would like to know if we should go with propane?
Can the heat be regulated low enough on these smokers, or should we go with electric?
We will be primarily smoking polish type sausages, but would also be using it to smoke brisket, poultry and bacon.


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## SmokinAl (Apr 5, 2018)

Your better off with an electric.
The propane smokers are hard to get down to 120 degrees even with a needle valve.
The problem being that just a slight breeze will blow the flame out.
Al


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## db5000 (Apr 5, 2018)

SmokinAl said:


> Your better off with an electric.
> The propane smokers are hard to get down to 120 degrees even with a needle valve.
> The problem being that just a slight breeze will blow the flame out.
> Al




Thanks so much!  We were trying to figure out which would be best, and this helps us in making our decision.


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## HalfSmoked (Apr 5, 2018)

I have a propane and as Al said it will not go down real low. I usually crack the door open to get lower temps. Low flame is a chance for blow out for sure.

Warren


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## db5000 (Apr 5, 2018)

Yes, I guess that could be an option.  We haven't done a lot of smoking so we are pretty new at this. We did use the wood method with a homemade setup we made and it made very nice sausages, but that was something that had to be monitored constantly.  It will be nice to use a more modern setup.


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## casmurf (Apr 5, 2018)

SmokinAl said:


> Your better off with an electric.
> The propane smokers are hard to get down to 120 degrees even with a needle valve.
> The problem being that just a slight breeze will blow the flame out.
> Al





db5000 said:


> We are considering purchasing a smoker, and would like to know if we should go with propane?
> Can the heat be regulated low enough on these smokers, or should we go with electric?
> We will be primarily smoking polish type sausages, but would also be using it to smoke brisket, poultry and bacon.


I run a Camp chef 24inch propane. as stated lowest setting on mine is 150 deg. depending on outside temps.what i do is run it at 150 to dry casing for 30 to 60 minutes. then i turn off burner and install a single electric burner. With this electric burner I can run temps from 90 to 120 degs. I use the Amazen for smoke and after an hour or two ! remove the single burner and lite propane. Been doing this for years works great.


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## HalfSmoked (Apr 5, 2018)

db5000 thanks for the like.

Warren

casmurf

Just a regular small hot plate?

Warren


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## Steve H (Apr 5, 2018)

I agree. I can run my MPS at 160-170 without a problem. But, getting lower just doesn't work good.


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## rickado (Apr 5, 2018)

Ado I have propane smoker use needle valve I can get it down to 105 degrees


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## casmurf (Apr 5, 2018)

HalfSmoked said:


> db5000 thanks for the like.
> 
> Warren
> 
> ...


Yes a regular single burner got mine at walgreens for 20 bucs been using it for about 6 yrs. I got the idea here from a member in Florida. He used a single burner and put wood chuncks on the element.I tried that  with vering degrees of success. I then started using my Amazen smoker on a rack above the burner and never looked back.


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## indaswamp (Apr 5, 2018)

I have a propane smokehouse for sausages. Mine is 36cu.ft. and I use about 7500~9000BTU's when smoking sausages. If you buy a small commercial model, you will need way less propane than what the stock burner will supply. I had to plug half of the burner holes on an 18,000BTU burner to achieve low temps. Now, I can hold the smokehouse steady @100* no problem.


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## indaswamp (Apr 5, 2018)

Blocking off some of the burner jet holes allows you to run a higher flame and still put out less BTU's which helps prevent blowouts. But you MUST use low pressure with a low pressure regulator and the correct orifice. I see so many people that just buy whatever they can find and have problems with it. Low pressure is 11"WTC (water column) which is roughly 0.39psi. A 5psi regulator will not work unless you change out the orifice, but then you are no longer running a low pressure system. Any higher psi through a low pressure orifice and you will have major problems with blow outs, yellow flame from improper gas mixture, and you will waste propane.


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## HalfSmoked (Apr 5, 2018)

casmurf said:


> Yes a regular single burner got mine at walgreens for 20 bucs been using it for about 6 yrs. I got the idea here from a member in Florida. He used a single burner and put wood chuncks on the element.I tried that  with vering degrees of success. I then started using my Amazen smoker on a rack above the burner and never looked back.



Would putting wood chunks in a fry pan on top the burner work? That's what I do with my propane smoker. I to also have a Amazen smoker tube

Warren


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## casmurf (Apr 6, 2018)

yes that might work . its just so much easier to light the tube smoker.


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