# Typical time for summer sausage



## illmakeufamous (Jun 19, 2016)

I'm fairly new to smoking sausage, I've probably made around 40lbs total over the past few years. I can't seem to get a consistent system together to cook my sausage. I'm either fatting it out or it's taking over 12 hours to get to 152. This last batch has got me flustered. As I am typing this I am still waiting on the 5lbs I put on at 6:45am saturday and it's now 1:00am Sunday and I'm just now at 148. 

I started at 130 for an hour, 3 hours at 150 with smoke, then bumped it to 165 for several hours. I bumped it to 170 around 8pm and 175 around 11. I'm using a mes40, started on the second to top rack, now dropped it to second to bottom.

What are your guys' system that you can consistently get summer sausage done in around 10 or less hours without fatout?

This is the longest it's ever taken me but it's taken 12+ hours on a few other occasions. Makes me drag my feet to make another batch when I'm having to wait this long to go to bed.

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## SmokinAl (Jun 19, 2016)

If you are using the factory thermometer to measure the temps, it could be way off.

Your smoker may not be at the temp you think it is, and the same goes for the sausage.

Al


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## crazymoon (Jun 19, 2016)

IMUF, I agree with Al ,your temps may not be accurate


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## illmakeufamous (Jun 19, 2016)

I thought about that and I'll have to check, but I have put it on 175 just to have it fat out

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## illmakeufamous (Jun 19, 2016)

OK I just checked, cabinet temp is 20 degrees lower than the temp setting. The smokers meat probe and two of my therms all read around 20 degrees low. Since the temp fluctuates so much (I'll have it set at 175 and it'll go clear to 193) it makes me really nervous of a fat out. I guess next time I'll set it at 175-180 for a quicker cook time and hope it doesn't actually reach 180 in there. 
Or I guess I can just for 3 hours then finish in the oven

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## daveomak (Jun 19, 2016)

I smoke my beef sticks at 150 for 24 hours....   Put the SS in the smoker at 150, close the door and walk away for at least 24 hours...   You will never have fat out..  The SS will be moist and delish....


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## BGKYSmoker (Jun 19, 2016)

Many factors here for such a long smoke.

Weather conditions, hot/cold spots in your smoker, vent close to much and so on. I use a thermpen for temp reading. I don't use a probe while smoking as the probe can cause fat to cavitate at the tip and give you a false reading (just my way) I thermapen from the top.

I start at 130* and bump during the hang time to 165 (rarely to 170)


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## donr (Jun 20, 2016)

110°f for 1 hour and than raise chamber temp 10°f every hour until 170°.  Then let it ride.  It takes 12 hours or so.

You could try switching to a smaller diameter casing.


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## oberst (Jun 20, 2016)

I smoke as long as I want, and then finish in the kitchen oven. That finish step may only take a half hour; my oven has much more uniform temps than my smoker, and I know all the sticks are very close to fiinal temp.  Like Dave said, if I have my sticks amoking at 150, and figure 12 hours is enough smoke, but the internal temp is only 130, I'll pull the sausage and put it right in a 165  degree oven (set on convection in mine) and watch the temp climb to my target in fairly short order. Sometimes I'll run the temp up to like 180 for a bit to move things along. A little trial and error and I've had no problems, and a heck of a lot more control, and no midnight vigil over smoker.


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## chef willie (Jul 1, 2016)

I'm a convert to Dave Omarks method before I even realized it. I was concerned about not hitting IT target on long smokes and voiced concern on here and was provided with the intell report by Dave. The sausage or sticks always looked completely done, at times even a little firmer than I would have liked. Regardless, here's the chart so I would 'set it and forget it' for at least 18 hours. I normally grind and add my spices and cure on day one....allow to rest and firm up overnight in the fridge then stuff around 10 AM next day and slide them in the smoker at about Noon. 150 for an hour with no smoke to dry the casings then bump up to 175 tops, add my wood and let it go. I don't open the smoker until about 0600 the next morning to gaze upon some of the finest looking product I've ever done. Here's the report for your reference with Daves comments attached:

Nest time, try smoking at 150 ish temp... for 24 hours... that reduces the fat out... final temp of the sausage 140 ish for 2 hours or so... that's adequate to pasteurize the meat....

Temperature Time Temperature Time
°F (°C) (Minutes) °F (°C) (Seconds)

130 (54.4) 112 min... 146 (63.3) 169 sec
131 (55.0) 89 min.... 147 (63.9) 134 sec
132 (55.6) 71 min.... 148 (64.4) 107 sec
133 (56.1) 56 min.... 149 (65.0) 85 sec
134 (56.7) 45 min.... 150 (65.6) 67 sec
135 (57.2) 36 min.... 151 (66.1) 54 sec
136 (57.8) 28 min.... 152 (66.7) 43 sec
137 (58.4) 23 min.... 153 (67.2) 34 sec
138 (58.9) 18 min.... 154 (67.8) 27 sec
139 (59.5) 15 min.... 155 (68.3) 22 sec
140 (60.0) 12 min.... 156 (68.9) 17 sec
141 (60.6) 9 min...... 157 (69.4) 14 sec
142 (61.1) 8 min...... 158 (70.0) 0 sec
143 (61.7) 6 min.......
144 (62.2) 5 min.......
145 (62.8) 4 min.......

Table C.1: Pasteurization times for beef, corned beef, lamb, pork and cured pork (FDA, 2009, 3-401.11.B.2).

http:// Another source.... with explanations..

http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ai407e/AI407E08.htm

FWIW, I usually double the time recommended at lower temperatures.... JUST IN CASE my therm is off or other sections of meat may have not reached the temperature all at the same time.....

example... 135 deg. for 36 minutes..... I extend to at least 72 minutes at that temp....


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## octane2009 (Aug 15, 2016)

Perfect they were doing SS this way.


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## octane2009 (Aug 15, 2016)

DaveOmak said:


> I smoke my beef sticks at 150 for 24 hours....   Put the SS in the smoker at 150, close the door and walk away for at least 24 hours...   You will never have fat out..  The SS will be moist and delish....


Perfect they were doing SS this way.


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## BGKYSmoker (Aug 15, 2016)

I been doing this way for years. Its not rocket science.

Here is the temp and time scale i use for most of my sausage making. I use this for chubs and sticks. Please note that YOUR RESULTS MAY VARY. 

Outside weather conditions can also have a big part of how long it takes the meat to target IT.

TRY NOT TO EXCEED SMOKER TEMPS OF 175

I do not use a meat probe while smoking, the probe can cause fat cavitation and give false readings. Use a Thermapen to check IT of meat from the top of the chubs down thru the middle.. I know that opening the door is going to increase your time, just the nature of the game. 

Hang your stuffed casings at room temp for 2 hours to dry and set. Have your smoker pre heated at 130* I use a TSM 30lb Digital smoker. Keep your top vent open. Closing the vent off will increase moisture inside your smoker and give you an unpleasant discoloration on your product. Remember this is sausage, not dripping prime rib.

1. Hang in smoker at 130* for 2 hours (no smoke)
2. 140* for 1.5-2 hrs smoke (Use of a water pan is your call)
3. 150* for 2.5 hrs (smoke opt)
4. 160 for 2.5-3 hrs (smoke opt) check meat IT here from the top of the chubs. You may have a stall in this time period.
5. Increase smoke temp to 170* (opt smoke) For 3-4 hrs. Check IT again, You should be close to your target IT of 152.
6. If you dont have time to do a complete smoke you can use hot water to finish to your IT. DO NOT EXCEED A WATER TEMP OF 170 AND MOVE THE CHUBS/STICKS AROUND IN THE WATER. Cold water bath after your IT is up to you.

NOTE: You can pull the sausage from the smoker at an IT of between 149-151 and hang at room temp. IT will IT to 152 on its own. (NO COLD WATER ON THIS WAY)


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