# Question about safety of smoking already smoked meat



## van becker (Dec 17, 2018)

I just picked up my deer sausage from the butcher and it doesn't smell like it took on a lot of smoke.  I decided to use my bradley smoker and cold smoke it for a few hours just to get a little smoke flavor.  It is 40 degrees outside today, but the temp of the sausage hanging in the smoker reached 60 degrees.  So here's my question....
The butcher cured the sausage and hot smoked it for 24 hours.  It was then frozen.  I picked it up and put a stick in the refrigerator to thaw overnight.  This morning I smoked it for 2.5 hours (with the temp reaching 60).  Is the meat safe to eat after being up to 60 degrees for 2.5 hours since it was hot smoked before?  Someone got me spooked by saying if the meat was cooked, it had to stay at refrigerator temps or it would get bacteria.  Thank you for your replies.


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## SonnyE (Dec 17, 2018)

Send it to me for safe disposal.
You won't have to worry.
And I'll be full.


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## dr k (Dec 17, 2018)

Being just 20* above fridge temp, cooked, seasoned and cured.  Even if cure broke down from cooking and just 2.5 hours in cold smoke which is an unfavorable environment for microbes and a preserver I'd eat it no problem.  That short duration and max temp in the center below room temp doesn't appear to be enough time to wake up and grow bacteria and it may not have been totally thawed from the overnight rest in the fridge from the freezer.


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## SonnyE (Dec 17, 2018)

Aw shoot Kurt! Now he won't send it to me. Darnit!


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## oldsmokerdude (Dec 18, 2018)

As Nike would say: "Just eat it".


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## Bearcarver (Dec 18, 2018)

Butcher "Hot Smoked" it for 24 hours?
I doubt that. I'd ask him again what he did.
Hot smoking is normally done at about 225°, or above.
That sausage would be so overdone you wouldn't have to worry about refrigeration.

Bear


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## van becker (Dec 18, 2018)

Thanks everyone.  I had some this afternoon and the taste was fantastic.  I really appreciate you all taking the time to respond.
Bear, all I know is when I asked the butcher what he did, he said he smoked it for 24 hours.  I said "you cold-smoked it?" and he said no, hot.  At this point, I will just make sure if I smoke the other sticks, I will do it on colder days so the temp in the smoker stays at refrigeration levels.


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## Bearcarver (Dec 18, 2018)

You don't have to cold smoke it if you don't want to.
My only point is nobody can Hot smoke sausage for 24 hours.
Hot smoking sausage should only take a few hours to get it to 160°.
You were right to ask him if he Cold Smoked it for those 24 hours. He was wrong when he answered Hot.
Unless of course he had the heat in one room & the sausage in another "Cool" room. LOL

Bear


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## BKING! (Dec 18, 2018)

You should be fine


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