# Smoking salami/pepperoni help needed.



## senorkevin (Jan 28, 2015)

Can anyone please help?

I have been smoking (on my ECB) salami and pepperoni in synthetic casings. The problem I have the is when I insert the temp. probe, all the oil/juices come spurting out.

Is there a way I can resolve this or can I buy a infrared thermometer for internal temps.?


----------



## tropics (Jan 28, 2015)

You can get a Maverick or other type Probe and insert it at the beginning


----------



## rgautheir20420 (Jan 28, 2015)

Hello there. Can you provide more info? Like smoking temps? The only time I've heard of smoking salami is cold smoking with no heat. As far as pepperoni, I know this can be done the dry cured way or the hot smoked low and slow way like Bears sticks, so again we'll need more info to help.


----------



## crazymoon (Jan 28, 2015)

I hang my sausages and insert the probe on the top of the sausage .


----------



## daveomak (Jan 28, 2015)

Smoke the sausage at 140 F--- 60 C for 24-36 hours...   the fat won't melt...


----------



## Bearcarver (Jan 28, 2015)

rgautheir20420 said:


> Hello there. Can you provide more info? Like smoking temps? The only time I've heard of smoking salami is cold smoking with no heat. As far as pepperoni, I know this can be done the dry cured way *or the hot smoked low and slow way like Bears sticks*, so again we'll need more info to help.


I'm kinda partial to the smoking schedule I use for my Bear Logs (all beef).

After starting a Pellicle in the Fridge overnight:

*Preheat smoker to 130˚, and put smoking racks, with meat on, in smoker.*

*After about 1 hour, get a nice amount of smoke going in smoker (I used an AMNS loaded with Hickory).*

*After a total of 3 hours, bump heat up to 150˚.*

*After 2 more hours, bump heat to 170˚.*

*After 2 more hours, bump heat to 180˚.*

*Keep heat at 180˚ until internal temperatures of logs are all 160˚ or more.*

*Mine were 161˚-165˚-161˚-160˚-160˚-160˚-168˚ when I removed them.*

*Throw the logs into ice water to get them down to about 100˚, or below.*

*Pat them all dry, and put them in a dry bowl.*

*Put them in fridge, uncovered, overnight to cool down & mellow out.*

Bear


----------



## gary s (Jan 28, 2015)

Good info, I'm taking it all in

Gary


----------



## driedstick (Jan 28, 2015)

CrazyMoon said:


> I hang my sausages and insert the probe on the top of the sausage .


Yep that.


----------



## senorkevin (Jan 28, 2015)

It's not cured salami/pepperoni it is cooked. I try to keep it at

140 to dry

150 to smoke

180 until 165 internally.

I tried cooking/smoking some the other day and it took 20 hours! Damn you ECB!

If I am cooking more than 1 piece do I insert the probe at the beginning and when it has reached internal temp I just assume all the others are cooked?


----------



## Bearcarver (Jan 29, 2015)

senorkevin said:


> It's not cured salami/pepperoni it is cooked. I try to keep it at
> 
> 140 to dry
> 
> ...


I stick all of mine with my Thermapen to make sure they're all at least 160° in center.

Bear


----------



## gary s (Jan 29, 2015)

Sounds like good advice   better safe than sorry

Gary


----------



## rgautheir20420 (Jan 29, 2015)

senorkevin said:


> It's not cured salami/pepperoni it is cooked. I try to keep it at
> 
> 140 to dry
> 
> ...


Senor, it's common for a low and slow smoke to take a long time. Above you say "it's not cured...it is cooked". Are you saying that these sausages have no cure in them at all?


----------



## senorkevin (Jan 30, 2015)

Well they have cure in them because I'm cooking in my ECB at low temps.


----------



## senorkevin (Jan 30, 2015)

Bearcarver said:


> I stick all of mine with my Thermapen to make sure they're all at least 160° in center.
> 
> Bear


 I have a digital probe and cook to 165 but what I am saying is that when I insert the probe and break the casing, all and fat and juices spurt out. That is what I want to avoid.


----------



## rgautheir20420 (Jan 30, 2015)

senorkevin said:


> I have a digital probe and cook to 165 but what I am saying is that when I insert the probe and break the casing, all and fat and juices spurt out. That is what I want to avoid.


If you're cooking at low enough temps than you should not have any liquid fat to spurt out. If there are juices that are liquid and you put a hole in the casings, then there's no stopping them from running out....unless you stick the sausage at the start of smoking.

There have been a couple of low temp smoking schedules posted in this thread. I'd suggest following one of them. They will produce a sausage that will not have juices running.


----------



## Bearcarver (Jan 30, 2015)

senorkevin said:


> I have a digital probe and cook to 165 but what I am saying is that when I insert the probe and break the casing, all and fat and juices spurt out. That is what I want to avoid.


I don't use casings. Mine are all "Unstuffed".

However unless you get a better answer, I'd go with Tropics (above), "Put the probe in before you start".

Since it's cured, it shouldn't hurt anything.

Bear


----------



## boykjo (Jan 30, 2015)

A infrared thermometer will not check internal temp. You will need a probe type thermometer to check internal temps. I suggest you verify your smoker temp also with a remote therm... Not sure what type of sausage you are smoking. Pictures speak a thousand words. Post up and show us what going on......


----------



## senorkevin (Jan 31, 2015)

http://lpoli.50webs.com/index_files/Salami cotto 3.pdf

This is what I'm trying to make.

So if I am making 10 batches I need 10 probes? Is that what you are saying?


----------



## Bearcarver (Feb 1, 2015)

senorkevin said:


> http://lpoli.50webs.com/index_files/Salami cotto 3.pdf
> 
> This is what I'm trying to make.
> 
> So if I am making 10 batches I need 10 probes? Is that what you are saying?


I understand your question, but like I said above I don't use casings, and I never had that problem when I stick each piece with my Thermapen to check for 160° IT.

We have to find somebody who uses casings, and knows why you can't stick them at or near the end of the smoke without the juices squirting out. How long does it squirt??  Maybe it's just a little & it doesn't matter.

And as Joe "boykjo" said, an Infrared therm only measures surface temp.

Bear


----------



## rgautheir20420 (Feb 2, 2015)

senorkevin......I've made TONS of slow smoked sausages in casings and have NEVER had this problem. I've said it a few times already in this thread, but I'll say it again. You are smoking too hot if you are getting juices squirting out! A couple low and slow smoking temp schedules have been posted so follow them.

The short answer? If you have juices flowing then the fat has melted. If the fat has melted, then you're smoking too hot. I hope I don't have to type this again....


----------



## senorkevin (Feb 2, 2015)

Sorry! But I'm cooking at 180f.

I must be going something wrong. I'll figure it out.

Thank you for your help.


----------



## rgautheir20420 (Feb 2, 2015)

senorkevin said:


> Sorry! But I'm cooking at 180f.
> I must be going something wrong. I'll figure it out.
> 
> Thank you for your help.



Are you able to do a slow increase from 130? That's usually a good starting point for slow smoked sausages. Increase by 10 degrees every hour and don't set the smoker higher than 170 until they hit IT.


----------



## senorkevin (Feb 3, 2015)

Yeah I can as I am using a gas burner I will give it a go later on this evening. Thank you again.


----------



## blucmal (Apr 19, 2020)

daveomak said:


> Smoke the sausage at 140 F--- 60 C for 24-36 hours...   the fat won't melt...


is this before or after its been dried. I live in hot climate and will struggle to cold smoke for 9 out of 12mnths. unless I modify a fridge.


----------



## daveomak (Apr 19, 2020)

blucmal said:


> is this before or after its been dried. I live in hot climate and will struggle to cold smoke for 9 out of 12mnths. unless I modify a fridge.


Get the sausage casing dried...  well, sticky to the touch... add smoke while smoker temp rises to ~140 ish....   when enough smoke has been added, stop the smoke....  close down the exhaust to ~5-10% open...   That will stop the evaporative cooling of the sausage and it's temp will rise...  sfter 24-36 hours, the sausage should be at IT of 135-140F and fully pasteurized and safe to eat...

The pasteurization times for beef, lamb and pork are listed in Table C.1. Table C.2 lists the pasteurization times for chicken and turkey.
Temperature...  .......    Time....  .......    Temperature...  ........    Time
°F (°C)    (Minutes)     °F (°C)    (Seconds)
130 (54.4)...........            112 min        
131 (55.0) .........    89 min...........    
132 (55.6)..........    71 min............    
133 (56.1)..................    56 min............    
134 (56.7)..................    45 min...........    
135 (57.2)..................    36 min............
136 (57.8)..................    28 min...........    
137 (58.4).................    23 min............    
138 (58.9)..................    18 min...........    
139 (59.5)..................    15 min    ...........
140 (60.0)....................    12 min............    
141 (60.6)..................    9 min..............    
142 (61.1)..................    8 min.............    
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).

Below is a pasteurization table for poultry....
Temperature........ Time .............Time 
°F...... (°C) ...........1% fat ...........12% fat
136 (57.8)........... 64 min......... 81.4 min
137 (58.3) .........51.9 min....... 65.5 min
138 (58.9)......... 42.2 min....... 52.9 min
139 (59.4) ........34.4 min........ 43 min
140 (60.0)....... 28.1 min ........35 min
141 (60.6)....... 23 min ............28.7 min
142 (61.1)..... 18.9 min........... 23.7 min
143 (61.7) .....15.5 min.......... 19.8 min
144 (62.2) .....12.8 min.......... 16.6 min
145 (62.8)..... 10.5 min .........13.8 min
146 (63.3) .....8.7 min ...........11.5 min
148 (64.4) .....5.8 min............7.7 min
150 (65.6) ......3.8 min ..........4.9 min
152 (66.7) ......2.3 min.......... 2.8 min
154 (67.8) .......1.5 min .........1.6 min
156 (68.9) ........59 sec............ 1 min
166 (74.4) ..........0 sec ............0 sec
Table C.2: Pasteurization times for a 7D reduction in Salmonella for chicken and turkey (FSIS, 2005).


----------

