# Cold Smoking Polish Sausage



## smokethehellout (Jun 17, 2013)

Looking for some advise on cold smoking polish sausage. I have a Bradley Electric smoker and want to cold smoke the meat, then freeze it to cook at a later date. I have tried it but have had to throw the meat out. Very bad taste AND bad texture. Can anyone help me?


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## diggingdogfarm (Jun 17, 2013)

What was the exact recipe and procedure that you used?
Cold-smoking is the only way a make Polish sausage and most other smoked sausages.




~Martin


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## smokethehellout (Jun 17, 2013)

Very basic of ground port buttes, with garlic, black pepper, and salt peter. An old family friend would make 50 lbs of this at a time and smoke in a homemade smoke house. Always said the cooler the better, if the meat would begin to sweat, cool it down. His meat was always second to none. He passed away quiet a while ago so I cannot ask him these questions. So, basically, grind meat, stuff casing, smoke. Then package and freeze. Would take out of freezer as much as needed then boil them.


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## diggingdogfarm (Jun 17, 2013)

Boiling them is where most of your problems lie.

I cold smoke, no more than 75 degrees if I can help it, then I gently steam them at about 165 degrees until the internal temp is 152....then cool them down and freeze them....warm them up as needed.
Be sure to use sufficient fat so they're not dry.
A good bind is essential.



~Martin


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## smokethehellout (Jun 17, 2013)

how long do you smoke for?


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## diggingdogfarm (Jun 17, 2013)

Smoke time is personal preference.
I usually only smoke for 8-10 hours, but that's after letting the sausage come up to the  working temperature of the smoker and then drying the surface.
Short of that, condensation will form on the sausage and the smoke won't cling well.


~Martin


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## jp61 (Jun 17, 2013)

Martin,

Could you give some detail of your steaming equipment and process?


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## diggingdogfarm (Jun 17, 2013)

JP61 said:


> Martin,
> 
> Could you give some detail of your steaming equipment and process?



A couple ways....
I use a covered roasting pan with a rack and about 3/4" of water in the bottom.
I put it in a gas oven where the temperature hovers around 165.

I now use a sous vide set-up to prepare them most of the time.



~Martin


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## jp61 (Jun 17, 2013)

Thanks Martin! Think I'll try steaming them in the roasting pan next time, instead of the hot water bath.


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## diggingdogfarm (Jun 17, 2013)

I got the steaming idea from Warren Anderson, it does take longer but the results are better and there's less leaching out of flavors compared to a water bath.



~Martin


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## jp61 (Jun 17, 2013)

Makes sense to me..... which Warren Anderson?


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## diggingdogfarm (Jun 17, 2013)

Author of "Mastering the Craft of Making Sausage" and "Mastering the Craft of Smoking Food."


~Martin


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## jp61 (Jun 17, 2013)

.... thanks! Obviously I don't have those books, but now, will check them out!


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## smokethehellout (Jun 17, 2013)

I was mixing half venison and half pork last time. Perhaps it was too lean?


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