# Smoking Brat Help



## dj54 (Jan 11, 2012)

Need some help from you guys on the how to smoke the brats I made yesterday. They have been in fridge overnight. Got a Cajun Injector electric smoker with electronic control with smoking tray and water pan. Start at what temp ?Use Smoke ? Use Water ? How long ? Thanks again I have gotten hooked on this forum can't stop reading and learning


----------



## tatonka3a2 (Jan 11, 2012)

Did you add cure to your Brats? 

Brats are generally a fresh sausage and are not smoked.  Need to be sure there is cure in there before smoking to be sure the meat stays safe.


----------



## dj54 (Jan 11, 2012)

Tatonka3A2 said:


> Did you add cure to your Brats?
> 
> Brats are generally a fresh sausage and are not smoked.  Need to be sure there is cure in there before smoking to be sure the meat stays safe.


No cure added, does this mean I shouldn't smoke them.


----------



## jrod62 (Jan 11, 2012)

Yes smoke them . Smoke at 225  for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours .keep smoke on them whole time


----------



## jrod62 (Jan 11, 2012)

Without cure just need to get the IT to 140 under four hours


----------



## Dutch (Jan 11, 2012)

Just remember that you are cooking them in smoker. Since this is a fresh sausage, you'll need to get you internal temps on the sausages to 160°.


----------



## dj54 (Jan 11, 2012)

jrod62 said:


> Without cure just need to get the IT to 140 under four hours


Does the time in the fridge go toward the four hour rule ? Been in the fridge since I stuffed them Yesterday. Does that mean they are already no good ?


----------



## jrod62 (Jan 11, 2012)

No. Your fine. Once you take them out of the fridge just get them up to at least 140 under four hours.
and like Dutch said smoke them until IT  is 160 degrees.
If you smoke at 225 they will get done well before the 4 hour rule


----------



## Dutch (Jan 11, 2012)

No- the 40 to 140 in 4 is an accumlitive number-anytime the temp gets above 40°, it counts. That is why we grind the meat almost frozen and stuff meat that is ice cold. We're trying to keep the meat below the 40° mark. If you had the meat out and it warmed to the point that it was above 40° for an hour before going into the smoker or back into the fridge you would then only have 3 hours to get the internal temp above 140°.

If you kept everything cold below 40° during the grinding, mixing and stuffing, then you are still good with the 40 to 140 in 4 rule. Always keep a themometer handy and keep whatever you're not grinding, mixing or stuffing in the fridge.


----------



## mballi3011 (Jan 11, 2012)

Like Dutch is telling you that you need to smoke the fresh sausage to 160° internal temp. Now you won't have to do this under 4 hours because you will get it to that temp pretty darn fast.


----------



## SmokinAl (Jan 11, 2012)

Don't forget to take some photo's of your smoke!


----------



## jrod62 (Jan 11, 2012)

Dutch said:


> No- the 40 to 140 in 4 is an accumlitive number-anytime the temp gets above 40°, it counts. That is why we grind the meat almost frozen and stuff meat that is ice cold. We're trying to keep the meat below the 40° mark. If you had the meat out and it warmed to the point that it was above 40° for an hour before going into the smoker or back into the fridge you would then only have 3 hours to get the internal temp above 140°.
> 
> If you kept everything cold below 40° during the grinding, mixing and stuffing, then you are still good with the 40 to 140 in 4 rule. Always keep a themometer handy and keep whatever you're not grinding, mixing or stuffing in the fridge.


Dutch good post ! I will be doing a lot of sausage over next few week. I will make sure to keep meat ice cold during the grind and stuffing.
thanks for info.


----------



## Dutch (Jan 11, 2012)

jrod62 said:


> Dutch good post ! I will be doing a lot of sausage over next few week. I will make sure to keep meat ice cold during the grind and stuffing.
> thanks for info.


Don't forget to show and tell!


----------



## venture (Jan 11, 2012)

There is a reason some sources tell you all sausage being smoked must be cured.

The problem lies in the definition of smoking.

Much of what we do is hot smoking.  Some sources do not consider that smoking, but rather BBQ.  To the folks at these sources smoking means extended periods of cold smoke.  In that situation, the smoked sausage would require a cure. Here is an example from a well known source:

http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/barbecue

Carefully hot smoke (220 - 250) your fresh brats to 160 (165 for poultry sausage) and you will be fine. With thick chubs of sausage you either need to cure or carefully hit the temp/time guidelines.

Good luck and good smoking.


----------

